June Butterflies

[Jack Harrison]

Judging by what I nearly stepped in when I got out of the car, the answer must be YES! I'm not sure How Hill is the easiest place to see Swallowtails.

I am not especially familiar with the species and have been surprised to see just how high they often fly - over hedges and even small trees. They fly fast and it seems don't necessarily stick to the reed beds. I saw one in the How Hill car park several hundred metres from the fen and in the past have seen them at Catfield on garden flowers some distance from the breeding grounds. I believe that they have been know to turn up in gardens in Norwich. So it's a difficult species to catch up with although obviously widespread in the Broads. Perhaps the best spot is the private garden - where photographers are welcome (but I would imagine not dogs) - at Strumpshaw TG339069 (a few hundred metres from the reserve car park). The owner is well worth talking to; a veritable encyclopaedia of knowledge about the Swallowtail

No doubt we'll meet up sometime in the summer.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Dave wrote: "Dunno what the black blob where white is flying"

I had a similar UFO on a cloud photo I took a short time ago. The best hypothesis I was given was a fast moving close-by out-of-focus bird that just wasn't noticed at the time the photo was taken.

Jack

[m_galathea]

Hey folks, here's my latest news from Devon:
A short walk on the 6th June around Creason Wood at Horndon unfortunately didn't reveal any Marsh Fritillaries as I had hoped, but I did find two SPBFs, along with Speckled Woods, a Small Copper, Green-veined and Large Whites. Other highlights included Royal Fern and a particularly large crab spider.

Today I walked from East Prawle to East Portlemouth, which is a superb route both for its landscape and wildlife. There were many SPBFs on the wing, which unlike yesterday's specimens, were fairly worn. Very fresh DGFs were also present in numbers, a species I had not seen before. Both of the Fritillary species were very keen on nectaring on Sheep's Bit, but not for long, so photography was difficult! Other lepidoptera included a number of Green Hairstreaks, Common Blues, Large Skippers, a male Orange Tip and a Red Admiral. We were also lucky enough to spot Cirl Buntings for the first time.

In all, great fun!


Above, a Large White in Creason Wood.


Above, the large Crab Spider in Creason Wood.


Above, my first DGF sighting.


Above, Coastal scenery at Gammon Head.


Above, one of many Green Hairstreaks on the Coast Path.


Above, a Large Skipper on the Coast Path.


Above, there were many beautiful flowers on the coast, including this Stonecrop sp.

[Rogerdodge]

A couple of really hot sunny days here in North Devon.
Went to a new site (for me) near Minehead on Exmoor for Heath Fritillaries. Using the truly excellent "50 Butterfly Walks in Somerset & Bristol", we went off in search of Alcombe Common. We found it, and the butterflies were in excellent numbers exactly where it said in the book.
You may find ordering details here
http://www.somerset-butterflies.org.uk/handbook.htm
Also abundant there were Small Heath, Green Hairstreak and an immaculate Red Admiral in the woods on the way up.

On Sunday, we visited Heddons Mouth and found many Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries, Green Hairsreaks, Common Blues, Small Heath and my earliest ever Dark Green Fritillary, and my first Large Skippers of the year. Sadly no Small Coppers in, what has always been, one of my best sites for them.
I am sun burnt and happy.



Roger Harding

[jellyang]

After four days of heavy rain the sun finally arrived in Norfolk today

I went to the Ted Ellis Reserve at Surlingham Fen here in Norfolk, BC were doing guided walks to look for Swallowtails. The wade through very wet walkways was worth it when we managed to see 2 Swallowtails Couldn't get close enough for brillant pictures but adaquete until I return.

Now where shall I go tomorrow??

Angie

[Denise]

I went to Portland today for a walk with my family. We parked by the Portland Heights Hotel and headed south around and through Broadcroft Quarry. I was not butterflying as such, but took my camera just in case. I saw Holly Blue, Speckled wood, Large Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Small Blue, Common Blue, Small White, Wall, Small Heath, my first Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell (very fresh) of the year and while checking out the 'blues' I came across a bright "smack you in the eye" blue butterfly. It had small black lines in the fringe and I'm sure it was an Adonis. As I got it in focus, it flew away I searched and searched for it, and found it again in an inaccessible place on the cliff just flying back and forth
I waited. It eventually came back up to my level with a female and the disappeared behind a boulder. The male re-appeared and went back to the cliff
I think I found the female.
Please can anyone tell me if this is a female Adonis Blue?



cheers
Denise

[Pete Eeles]

Please can anyone tell me if this is a female Adonis Blue?

Sure looks like one to me

Cheers,

- Pete

[Denise]

Please can anyone tell me if this is a female Adonis Blue?

Sure looks like one to me

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks Pete!
Another new species. It took four and a half hours of searching and waiting. I'm a bit burnt, but it's so worth it.

I also saw this Cream-spot Tiger Moth today. Not seen one of these in years.



Denise

[eccles]

I also went to Portland with friends today, stopping off near Chesil Beach for a pleasant pub lunch and then heading off towards the Bill. The route happened to take us right past Tout Quarry so we stopped for an hour on the offchance that silver studded blue might be found there. We were out of luck unfortunately, probably too early, but the two friends seemed to have caught the bug with shouts of: "Ooh, ooh! there's a little blue butterfly!"

There are spectacular views from the war memorial looking over Chesil Beach and lots of horseshoe and kidney vetch between there and the quarry, and it was on that patch of ground that we saw several small blue. Also spotted were common blue, small heath and dingy skipper.

[sahikmet]

Hi,

Yesterday at Mill Hill, Adonis blue 5 males, large skipper 1, and speckled wood 1. Adonis blues very active could not get a picture.

Cheers

Sezar Hikmet