17-22 April: Orange-tips Irrespective of where I've been working during the daytime, I've been making a point of stopping at one of my favourite Orange-tip sites for an hour, when en route to the Knepp Wildland to lead dusk safaris. This damp meadow at Wiston is only a ten-minute drive from Knepp, ...

No surprises as to why I was in Houghton Forest, Trevor and Paul. And I failed miserably, as I have in attempting to 'twitch' other Large Tortoiseshells this spring - on a further four sites! Needless to say, all of my searches elsewhere have also proved fruitless. This is, and has always been, a tr...

It's worth pointing out that the Large Tortoiseshell images posted from Horseshoe Plantation (Beachy Head) on 7 April (Danny McEvoy and Paul Stevens) and 6 April (James W) comprise at least two individuals (males). Also, a nice male in Abbot's Wood (Hailsham) on 7 April by Bob Eade and Lisa Saw - as...

Post-hibernators - At Last! It's been a long wait this late-winter/early-spring, but things finally started to kick-off at the start of April. On 2.4.23 I enjoyed my first decent show of Brimstone, with 31 males in Houghton Forest, together with 2 Red Admiral (including an egg-layer), 2 Peacock and...

Early 2023 I was busier than ever with conservation work over the last months of winter, with double the usual number of work parties on the BC Sussex reserves. There were too many volunteers involved to mention them all by name, but I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who turned up to giv...

Let me know if/when you're over Rewell way, Allan. There's always a good chance I'll be around in May.
BWs, Neil

Well done, Paul - good find! I can't recall if there's any scrub elm along the track running below Perry Hill, but I think there's plenty up around Burpham village. Looks like a tidy specimen too. I'm guessing you started at North Stoke, with none seen there?
BWs, Neil

And another in Kent https://twitter.com/Chequertree1
BWs, Neil

Thanks, Trevor and David, for your festive messages - it all seems a long while ago! Thanks, Allan. The presence of large numbers of Hawfinch at Rewell Wood (just above Fairmile Bottom) had not escaped me. I spend a lot of time in there, guiding management work for butterflies and other wildlife. On...

Season's Greetings to all UKBers.
BWs, Neil

Congratulations from me too, Dave; nobody was ever going to beat that quite incredible image. It just shows that you don't need the best kit in the world to capture the beauty of nature. That picture really does paint a thousand words. Congratulations, also, to all the other winners and entrants. Th...

A mating pair of Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Rewell Wood 2022
Long-tailed Blue, Worthing beach 2022
An ovipositing Duke of Burgundy, Storrington Downs 2022

Brilliant images of brilliant butterflies, Max. That Tuxentius calice is simply gorgeous.
BWs, Neil

I'm pleased to hear that you scored, Mark, and spectacularly so, if my sources are correct. You made it just in time, as I couldn't find a single Long-tailed Blue between George V Avenue and Goring-by-Sea when I searched yesterday (6 October); it appears that the site has 'emptied out', at least for...

27-30 September 2022 On 27 September, under mainly cloudy weather conditions, a thorough search of Worthing beach (west of George V Avenue) revealed seven Long-tailed Blue, but nothing new to the site. The weather improved slightly on 28 September, with a morning count of seven LTB falling to three...

Thanks, Allan. I would wait on more news from Worthing before travelling, as the site has pretty much emptied out for now. However, I suspect more will congregate along the coast with a return to better weather. Thanks, Paul. I made a very brief visit on Sunday, just after midday, before heading off...

Thanks, Neil. It's always nice to get some pleasing images along the way, but it's elucidating the LTB's behaviour in the UK that's been my prime interest since 2013. I think we know far more than we did back then. I now have further possibilities to explain the observed protogyny in LTB (apparent i...

25 & 26 September 2022 I had to drag myself away from Worthing beach very early on Sunday afternoon, to head off to work, but I'm glad that I had just enough time to meet Old Wolf and Lawts. Both had made long journeys (especially Lawts) to see the Long-tailed Blue and both connected with their...

Thanks, Dave, and good to catch up with you. The most important thing is that your health is now improving.
BWs, Neil

24 September 2022 Another fantastic day was spent on Worthing beach, enjoying the Long-tailed Blue spectacular. The morning was very quiet and a thorough search between the base of George V Avenue and the Sailing Club produced only a single male, recognisable by a clump of matted hairs at the rear ...