Wurzel

[trevor]

Your Green Hairstreak sighting is certainly early, but i'm not surprised at where it was seen.
That place was heaving with them last year.

[Neil Freeman]

Some more great reports and photos Wurzel

I see there have been a few Green Hairstreak sightings around the country - the first was in Cumbria about a week ago - so well worth looking out for.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor Hopefully they'll last until 20th May
Cheers Neil Things are coming on nicely - we just need to keep a look out for Grizzlies next

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[sonomoha]

Things are coming on nicely - we just need to keep a look out for Grizzlies next

Alright then, are you gents having some places there to plant a tent ? I am craving to see butterflies but the reserves around Bristol are quite shy for now

Really impressive count Wurzel. congratulations !

[Wurzel]

Cheers Sonohoma I know what you mean as on some visits I've made it's been really quiet - but then I have a good day when there's loads about - things are defo on the way up though

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Your very lucky seeing all those Butterflies in one go Wurzel, it seems ages since I saw the Small White's last week, no Whites sighted since, it's been too cold for them, roll on weekend when it's warmer, at least we've made a start though with the Comma's etc, Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie Hopefully the weather will continue to improve as I'm getting by on 'smash and grab' at the moment, I'm really starting to envy those people that are retired or able to choose when they can have their days off

The Blues

41 Small Copper, 08-05-2016 Duke Site

My first Small Copper of the year came again from my Duke site and at a time when everything was running late this species cam in relatively early, only 5 days later than last year. Over the course of the season I found P.C.s at three other sites; Martin Down, Shipton Bellinger and also up The Lane in Wales. On all occasions I never saw more than 2 and this fact coupled with their absence from Larkhill and The Devenish makes me slightly worried about their security.

42 Small Blue, 22-05-2016 Hutchinson’s Bank

It’s difficult to say how Small Blue fared this year as I had limited experiences with them. The first came a day earlier than in 2016 from Hutchinson’s Bank. That was only a singleton and as it was my first it didn’t provide me with much insight. The second site I found Small Blues in two or three areas which suggested a more reasonable showing although I never saw more than two at any one time so perhaps they didn’t have a good year? Unfortunately I didn’t pay trips to Martin Down or my Duke site at around the correct time so I can’t confirm my suspicions.

43 Silver-studded Blue, 19-06-2016 Slop Bog

This species seemed to have an alright year, nothing special and nothing to worry about. I saw good numbers at Slop Bog despite the onset of cooler, duller and slightly damper weather. The heathlands becoming much more of a lowland bog than I’ve ever seen before. I also found them at various places across my Godshill hotspot when looking for Grayling.
The one thing I did notice was that they were 16 days later than in 2016. I don’t think this was down to the lateness of my visit because the records were hardly pouting in from the rest of the country and I made my visit relatively early in the Slop Bog flight.

44 Brown Argus, 28-05-2016 The Devenish

Patchy – that’s the word that first comes into my head when I start considering the Brown Argus. They were three weeks later this year, but then most species were late, hammered by the really cold snap in March/April. It was probably for this reason that the 1st brood seemed down compared to the later broods?
I saw BAs at the usual range of sites with the addition of Lulworth Cove but I only saw one at Larkhill which I would have been more worried about if it wasn’t for the fact that all species seemed ‘down’ here. Possibly the sward was too high and dense crowding out the other species or at the other extreme the hotspot hadn’t recovered from the grazing by the Travellers ponies last year? On a more positive note they seemed to be doing well at The Devenish and this site continued to offer up a nice range of variants.

45 Common Blue, 22-05-2016 Hutchinson’s Bank

My first came 4 days later this year from Hutchinson’s Bank. As this is so far east I wasn’t surprised that it was about a week later before I started seeing them back on home turf as we’re generally behind when it comes to emergences. Butterflies are like the sun it seems; rising in the east.
I don’t know if it was because I was distracted by other species but I felt like the Common Blues were slightly down, the first generation in particular? This could be explained by a more protracted season. I was seeing decent looking Blues through September with my final sightings at the end of the month. A really fresh CB was even reported in October so perhaps the numbers were the same just spread over a longer time frame?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

That's a lovely selection to whet the appetite, Wurzel - it won't be long now before we see all these again.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave Some of them have already started appearing Hopefully get onto some Grizzlies this weekend, fingers crossed

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Blimey Wurzel, you threw me a bit there...seeing your recent posts from this year and then being confronted with some of those Blues, I thought they can't be out already ...and then it clicked

Like Dave says, a lovely selection to look forward to

Cheers,

Neil.

[Pete Eeles]

Blimey Wurzel, you threw me a bit there...seeing your recent posts from this year and then being confronted with some of those Blues, I thought they can't be out already ...and then it clicked

Yeah - they threw me too I almost changed my plans for tomorrow!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Wurzel]

Sorry Neil and Pete - I think I might need to make the text of the dates a little bigger In my defence I only have one more post of the '2016 Tally' to go and I'm only 14 days behind on my PD now, which is very close to a Personal Best for me

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Work 30-03-2017

I'm only posting this for the sake of completeness...and also because I need to 'just get on with it'...

Another quick trip out to make the most of the reasonable weather was actually less productive than I hoped. There was a strong breeze and a real chill in the air. As I walked past the allotments there was only a single Small Tort and as I carried on the breeze rolled cloud over the sun. As I reached the hotspot a single Small Tort took nectar in what remained of the sun but it was very flighty and took off for the other side of the fence.
A walk to the end of the path produced only a distant Small Tort in a garden but it was now cold enough to make me regret not wearing a jumper so slightly disheartened I headed back to work picking up an Oil Beetle on the way.

As the Law of Sod predicts as I made my way back the breeze dropped, the sun came back out and so did the butterflies. First a fly-by Brimstone and then a fly-by Peacock. All too soon I was trapped back at work with a tally of 5 butterflies of 3 species.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,
I agree about the chilly breeze this past week, only yesterday did I see any real Butterfly action.
One highlight has been the huge number of Holly Blues, both in the church grounds ,and the pub.
No image yet though .

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor You're lucky with the Holy Blues, I'm still looking for my 'regular site' - if only I had somewhere like Dave Miller

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Five Rivers 01-04-2017

As little L now has dancing on a Saturday I’m able to nip off for an hour while my wife ‘gets the goss’ like a proper Dance Mom. I took K and we headed over to Five Rivers. On the way I quizzed K, aka The Oracle, and I got a prediction that we would see Red Admiral, Orange-tip and Specklies!
We parked and then having loaded up with the kit we cut across to take the riverside path that winds its way through the trees to Comma Corner and The Banks. We’d barely set foot on the reserve proper when I spied a white butterfly. I followed it hoping that it would land and thinking that I might be able to get a decent shot of a Small White. It made towards the foliage on the side of the river and then I caught a glimpse of a Red Admiral out of the corner of my eye. The White spooked the Red Admiral and I was left in a quandary – what to follow? Go for my first decent shot of a Red Admiral or Small White? The decision was made for me with the Red Admiral flying off strongly to my left and the White disappearing from view. So I’d missed out on both! Slightly dejectedly I turned to follow the path to my right and there was the White. As I crept up to it, it landed and instead of a triangle of yellowy white it became a broken blob a little like a bird dropping. My first Orange-tip and unexpectedly a female (2-0 to the Oracle).

We then set up camp on a bench near Comma Corner so K could have her lunch. In between bites of sandwich I made little forays out to Comma Corner and the little field behind the spinney. Comma Corner was quiet but the little patch held two Commas and one and a half Small Torts – a Stumpy for 2017.

Once the Oracle was replenished we set off to do a circuit. At Comma Corner a small dark butterfly buzzed me, a Specklie. Then another, or more likely the first on again landed so I could get a shot or three. Chuffed with the success (3-0 to the Oracle) the active hunting became more of a stroll and we settled into a blissful rhythm of stroll and chat, a few shots by more or K, then stroll and chat etc. On our first stop K was heading towards a patch of Bluebells on the side of the Bank when a cream tangerine hove into view. Unbelievably it landed wings wide open – my first male Orange-tip!

In the end we covered the whole site with the odd Small Tort appearing here and there before ending up back at the patch behind Comma Corner where we played a game of ‘spot the butterfly’. I saw a Small Tort and a Comma and once K had caught me up she got onto them right away too – the training of my young Padawan is going well .

After this it was homewards but as little L was so tired after her dancing we didn’t get to go out again. Fingers crossed this weather holds until next weekend!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Wow Wurzel, I reckon we're about a week behind you here, I just saw my first Speckie today and only two Orange Tips sighted by Lanc's Butterfly Conservation's reports so far and the weather's turned cooler this afternoon and the Sun's disappeared, let's hope it's good for Easter. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I know what you mean we're about a week behind the South East round our way. Currently experiencing the joys of queuing at Legoland Still just seen a Specklie and a Peacock
Have a goodun
Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Kingston Lacey 02-04-2017

The good weather continued and so to make the most of t we went for a family day out at Kingston Lacey – well I say family day out, little L was with her Nanny so I had one less pair of eyes to rely on. On the journey down things were really quiet with only a single Brimstone in Wimborne. Once we entered things continued in the same vein with singles of both Small Tort and Brimstone while we ate our lunch and petted the House cat. My wife was most put-out when after sitting with us and receiving copious amounts of fuss it sat up, stretched, gave us a slow blink/kiss and sodded off to another family who were just laying out their picnic rug!

We then followed the usual route to the shade garden (Specklie), the Bluebell walk (though with plenty of Daffs instead), through the wood (3 Brimstones) ending up at the Allotments and the Veggie Garden were a male OT and Peacock both did a fly-by. At the Allotments there was a second Small Tort but apart from the Specklie and a single brief Brimstone nothing was stopping.

After a suitable break we made our way to the Pacific Island garden. This is a personal favourite of mine as it’s a great little hang out for butterflies. It’s been created in a bowl screened by the surrounding trees and bamboo. This means that it gets very little wind and traps the sun. This is further accentuated by the small areas where shrubs had previously been uprooted. The bare soil heats up like a little butterfly steam bath! I took a look around with a couple more Brimstones for my trouble and the things picked up nicely. An Orange-tip did a fly through and then something larger and almost black landed. I gingerly approached and managed a few shots and then backed out and away and it stayed there the whole time. Then a white freaked it out and it took off. The white looked interesting, it was much too large for a Green-veined or Small so I followed it but it landed at the top of a tree. Stretching my arms up to their full reach and balancing on tip-toes I was just able to get a distant shot of it through the leaves. It then took off and as it fluttered down lower I fired off a few shots in Sports mode which meant I was able to ID it as a definite female Large White. Luckily it landed and took nectar from several sources so I was able to get a few closer shots to add to the distant and in flight one.

I took another stroll around and behind between the bamboo and the bank demarcating the path I found a Comma hiding away. It was busy feeding so I got a nice side view and then managed to work my way round behind it so it looks a little like a strangely marked set of petals, a ‘proper’ butterfly Orchid!

A further stroll around didn’t add anything to the daily tally of species but it did throw up a Specklie when I went a bit further afield of the Pacific Garden, almost back into the wood. After this we made our way slowly back with only another/the original Peacock turning up over some Cheery Tree blossom at the Japanese garden.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[kevling]

Wurzel, Nice shots from Kingston Lacey. I'm particularly fond of the Large White in flight. You can have a lot of fun in sport mode

Regards Kev