April 2016

[Philzoid]

My first Small White of the year, settling down to roost (17:50). Seen on Thursday nr Basingstoke canal, Woking

Phil

[David M]

Hurrah! First Orange Tip of 2016 seen at Nicholaston Woods, on the Gower peninsula, just after midday today.

[rageepona]

Your first Small White of the year is always an excitement.

small white N. London

[Mark Tutton]

Went to Butser Hill this morning more in hope than anticipation as there was a very cold wind. However there are some sheltered south facing slopes and I was hopeful of my fist Grizzled Skipper of the year. Indeed as the ground warmed in the sunshine I found a dozen or so pristine individuals - however I got a big bonus as I also came across a lovely Duchess - the first time I can remember seeing a Duke before Green Hairstreak and Orange Tip.
Kind Regards
Mark

Grizzled Skipper

Duchess

Duchess

[David M]

...however I got a big bonus as I also came across a lovely Duchess...

Great find, Mark!

My own 'firsts' of 2016 today were rather more mundane - Small and Green Veined Whites.

[Testudo Man]

Not a bad day today (17/4/16).
Species seen were - Green veined White, Large White, Comma, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.

I have to say, i spent a fair few hours chasing Nightingales!!! They are not the easiest bird to sight/photograph!
3 Nightingales were heard/seen, along with both Blackcap and Whitethroat.

Location - Kent, cheers Paul.

Image is not cropped.

A couple of the elusive Nightingale. 1st image is not cropped.

2nd image is a large crop.

[Adrian Dowling]

My wife and I had a trip to Dungeness this morning where we managed to find our first ever Grizzled Skipper!
We had 2 sightings (possibly of the same individual) around the long pits. They were only brief views but I did managed to get a record shot. We will definitely be returning in the future to try and get some better shots.
Also seen were 2 Small Copper and a Peacock.

[Greenie]

Spent the afternoon looking and only finding Peacocks and Brimstones . When I returned home , a male Orange Tip on wallflowers in the back garden .

[Willrow]

Two Small Tortoiseshell seen struggling against the sharp wind at an elevation of 2200 feet on a ridge in the Black Mountains, Powys today!

Bill

[Testudo Man]

Lunch break from work today...it was pretty windy too!

Others had reported Grizzled Skippers, so i thought i would give it a try! Just the one sighted(after a 45 minute search) I was just about to give up...then i spotted the little beauty, but a gust of wind blew it away, i gave chase and relocated it, shot some images, then another gust of wind, and it was gone! Whilst searching, i did come across a pair of Common Lizards mating, which is a 1st for me, so a bonus there too.

Location- Kent, cheers Paul.

Image is cropped some.

Image is not cropped.

[maverick]

Plenty of orange tips and my first GV white also first speckled wood in Warrington

[Tony Moore]

Pleased to find my first Green Hairstreaks on Cannock Chase today. About a dozen individuals seen, all very fresh.

Tony M.

[ayjay]

Speckled Wood in Holmsley Inclosure (New Forest) this afternoon.

[David M]

Sorry to say this (although I think most of you will empathise) but it's just TOO COLD for butterflies at the moment.

I was out for two hours in prime hotspots near Swansea today, yet only saw two butterflies, in spite of 90% sunshine and light winds.

That was because temperatures were a mere 9 degrees and when they finally hit double figures the cloud rolled in to stymie any potential activity.

Even worse, one of the butterflies I saw - an Orange Tip - was seen whilst driving along a main road so I couldn't even stop and investigate.

I watched the weather forecast after I got home, and was amazed when the presenter declared that Kangerlussuaq (in the arctic circle) in Greenland was 12c today whilst we in Swansea, at 51 degrees north had maxima of just 10!!!!

I just hope nobody gets in my face regarding 'global warming' in the next couple of weeks or THEIR face is liable to get rearranged.

In case people think it's a freak, well, on Tuesday and Wednesday we're forecast highs of 9c whilst in Jack Harrison country around Nairn, there WILL be sharp frosts and there COULD be snowdrifts.

PS - the other butterfly was a Peacock....probably on its way to commit suicide!

[David M]

Slightly better today, but still appalling for the time of year - 3 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Green Veined Whites, 2 Peacocks, 1 Brimstone and a male Orange tip seen locally.

[Mark Tutton]

Managed to get onto the South Downs at Butser Hill on sunday but needed hat coat and gloves - more like February than late April! There was a brisk northerly wind which made the wind chill about 3c so I wasn't very hopeful - despite the sunshine
A quick look along a green hairstreak hotspot produced zilch so I headed to some of the most sheltered areas where the sun was working its magic and it felt reasonably warm. I quickly tracked down reasonable numbers of Grizzled skippers about 20 in all - which were keeping close to the ground and using rabbit scrapes to bask avoiding the wind. I was content with that result, given the poor conditions, when I spied a very dark butterfly that turned out to be my first Dingy Skipper of the year - very pleasing.
Please can we have some decent weather soon??
Kind regards

Dingy Skipper

Dingy Skipper

[maverick]

A cold day in Warrington ,but i did find this orange tip resting up
i also have a picture last week of what he should look like

[Mark Tutton]

Extreme Butterflying - Todays trip to Butser involved sheltering from hail and sleet - probably the most adverse weather I have ever set out to see butterflies in!
In a couple of brief interludes that involved some sunshine I spotted a few Grizzled Skippers but then the hail really set in and I decided to trek up the hill for home - however whilst taking breather half way up the hill I spied a large patch of blue approaching and decided on one last look around. After shaking white stuff off of my wooly hat I had a good hunt around a sheltered south facing slope which eventually turned up twenty or so Grizzled Skippers, two Dingy Skippers and my first Green Hairstreak of the year - worth the wait!!
Two male Cuckoos were also pursuing each other across the down.

Grizzled Skipper

Green Hairstreak sheltering from the wind

Cuckoo

[David M]

Given the weather, Mark, that tally has to represent one of the greatest returns ever! Well done.

[Mark Tutton]

Hi David - I was the weirdest day ever - at one point I sheltered under some Alder as the storm raged around and my Springer spaniel Flossie just looked at me as the hail started to turn her white and I am sure she was thinking " can we go home now" which is definitely NOT her normal demeanour - this spring is becoming very challenging!!