millerd

[millerd]

Hmmm - I'll set the alarm clock now, Wurzel!

Tuesday 15th May: Down to Mill Hill again to meet up with Bugboy and see things in full sunshine this time. What a splendid place - 17 species seen on the day, and that didn't even have Comma, Speckled Wood or Orange Tip on the list...

The first butterfly seen was an Adonis Blue, and over the course of the morning fresh ones were emerging so that they were everywhere by lunchtime...

...along with lesser numbers of their Common cousins.

Dingy Skippers abounded, and there were also good numbers of Grizzled as well. I spotted a two of the latter together on a hawthorn with the male making advances on the female, but nothing seemed to come of it.

A Small Copper (my first this year) set up a territory in the most sheltered part of the slope and set about anything else that moved, notably the Green Hairstreaks sharing this corner. Somewhat inconveniently, one prominent perch for both species was one of the large Deadly Nightshade bushes - though not this time:

As things warmed up (despite the sun it was quite chilly and windy early on), I headed for the more wooded bits towards the top of the hill, where it was sheltered in the lee of the hedgerows. There is masses of Dogwood up here, and both Holly Blues and Green Hairstreaks were on and around it, doubtless laying eggs.

I had a chat to one of the local Holly Blues, which took an interest in something tasty on my hand.

However, the real object of looking around up here then appeared - the Wall Brown. In various spots, patrolling in regular set routes, were perhaps half a dozen fresh males. In the strong sun, not one fully opened up to bask, and they were characteristically very hard to approach.

Once or twice they would stop and nectar on the hawthorns or buttercups in attractive poses, but only for the briefest of moments.

Underside shots on the ground were occasionally just about possible, despite their ploy of angling their closed wings at 90 degrees to the sun in order to keep cool.

After returning to the main slopes (and just after Bugboy left to investigate the harbour area), I found the Small Copper had encountered a new protagonist - a lovely fresh male Brown Argus (another first for the year for me).

The two insects really did not get on and their tussles were quite intense and prolonged.

The species seen here today were:

Small White
Large White
GVW
Brimstone
Dingy Skipper
Grizzled Skipper
Red Admiral
Small Tortoiseshell
Peacock
Small Heath
Wall
Holly Blue
Common Blue
Adonis Blue
Brown Argus
Small Copper
Green Hairstreak

A very worthwhile trip indeed.

Dave

[bugboy]

It really was a wonderful few hours, it wasvdifficult to know what to point your camera at at times. You did well with those pesky Walls. I can add Speckled Wood to that list, just one flitting around in the copse at the top. Gutted I missed the Argus though, but I'll get plenty more chances

[trevor]

It's got to be 10 points for that lot, Dave !.
That number of species in one day must be nearing a record.
I am going to wait until my next Wilts. visit for the Blues etc. it's a nice flat site ( Tilshead ).

Keep up the sterling work !.
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

17 species in one day at this time of year...that's some going. Sounds like a great day

I reckon your moth from Bookham on May 8th is a Small Yellow Underwing https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/panemeria-tenebrata

Cheers,

Neil.

[millerd]

Another really good day it was, Buggy, Neil and Trevor. 18 species (with your Specklie, Buggy) flying does take a bit of beating, and I bet there was a Comma and an Orange Tip up there somewhere...

Wednesday 16th May was a bit of a disappointment, with just a bit of weak sun first thing. A very short trip out locally produced only three butterflies: a GVW, a Small White and a Holly Blue. This was a new-looking male so it seems there is still a trickle of emerging butterflies.

Dave

[millerd]

Thursday 17th May was much better, though I hadn't reckoned with how chilly it would be first thing. I was on the hunt for some Small Blues, and headed first for Totternhoe where on arrival at nine it was only 9 degrees and quite breezy with it. The strong sun soon got to work, and in one of the sheltered gullies a couple of Dukes were already slugging it out. Moving on to another bigger gully, there were half-a-dozen more Dukes, and the first of several Dingy Skippers seen here today.

I spotted one very bright new-looking Duke struggling in the grass and it willingly accepted a helping hand.

This was in fact a lovely new Duchess and after a while basking she set off into the air and disappeared.

I imagine she was very quickly found by one or other of the waiting males...

Aside from the Dukes and the Dingies (which with their well-documented mutual antipathy always makes me think of The Jocks and the Geordies from one of those old DC Thomson comics, possibly the Dandy), a handful of Orange Tips and a Green Hairstreak were all that appeared. However, I did bump into Wolfson and have heard since that later on some Small Blues did make an appearance. Good to meet you, James.

Next stop would be an entirely new site for me, and it was well worth finding.

Dave

[ernie f]

Whenever I am out at a Duke reserve and people pass by asking me what I am doing but know nothing about butterflies they are often astonished at how small a Duke is when I show them. Most of the pictures on this forum are of close-up shots (mine included) and this always exaggerates their size. Your picture of one sitting on your finger puts it all into perspective.

[millerd]

17th May (Part Two) My next stop on the quest for Small Blues was not far away at an old chalk working near the village of Pitstone at the foot of the Chilterns. There are a lot of chalk working old and new in this area, and this one at Pitstone Church End is an old one now grassed over. It is a large expanse of relatively flat greenness, with chalk banks bounding it to the north and east. The "grass" is not just that, but contains many wildflowers, including quantities of kidney vetch.

After a short walk through trees from the car (there is little parking space, but there were no other visitors), I emerged into sunshine and was soon seeing Small Blues. I only covered a relatively small area, but must have seen more than 20 of this tiny butterfly. Almost all were males, but oddly the very first one I saw was a female. Almost all were very new.

There were also good numbers of Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, plus Green Hairstreaks and a single Common Blue.

I have never visited this site before, and I shall definitely be going again to what was a very rewarding and (I believe) reliable Small Blue location.

Dave

[Andrew555]

I was at Mill Hill that same day Dave! Popped in mid-late afternoon, didn't stay long but seeing the Adonis persuaded me to come back the next day.

A fantastic selection. Great shots of the two Grizzled's, and I always love the Wall's.
What a beauty that Duchess is.

edit : Stunning Small Blue!

Cheers

[bugboy]

Hmmm, looking on Google maps it looks like Pitstone is relatively easy for me to get to, I've looked over to it many a time on my way to Ivinghoe Beacon from the ridgeway walk

[kevling]

Dave,

Enjoyed reading your posts this week. That was quite a haul of species at Mill Hill. I love the photo of the Duchess at Totternhoe, she's beautiful. I visited Pitstone a couple of years ago for the Small Blue, it's a great place.

Kind Regards
Kev

[CallumMac]

I reckon your moth from Bookham on May 8th is a Small Yellow Underwing https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/panemeria-tenebrata

Not sure how I missed this at the time, but Neil is spot on with SYU. I found the same species yesterday and have posted some pics in my PD, for comparison.

[millerd]

Thank you all - there have been a fine mix of species over the last few outings. If I had to single anything out, that Duchess at Totternhoe might well be the one!

I forgot to add that at the end of the day on 17th, I found that the first Small Heaths were out on my local patch. I saw five altogether in the late afternoon sunshine.

Dave

[millerd]

Friday 18th May: Yet another glorious morning, though once again it was a pretty chilly start. I decided to stay local, and walked north to Harmondsworth Moor. It was still quite early and none too warm, but the bright sunshine had only brought a few things out: a few Orange Tips and Whites were all I saw across a wide area. No Common Blues or Brown Argus out yet it would seem.

As I walked back and onto my local patch, things began to liven up a bit. I saw three Small Tortoiseshells, all in various stages of decrepitude, the first for a while. Considering the wear, they flew amazingly well.

Small Heaths popped up here and there, and one persistently returned to a patch of buttercups.

It was disputing the area with another butterfly - the first Small Copper I've seen here this year.

The remainder of the walk here was predictable - a dozen Holly Blues, plus Whites, Orange Tips, a Peacock and a few Speckled Woods. Most of the latter looked worn, but there was one much fresher individual.

Lastly, I had another look at the north part of Bedfont Lakes Country Park. Brimstones were once again notable here, plus a few Orange Tips. I had hoped for Brown Argus and Common Blues here too, and thought I had found one or two of the latter... However, the blue butterflies flying around and settling on the vetches and trefoil plants were all female Holly Blues. I counted six of these going through the motions of egg-laying, if not actually doing so (quick glances revealed no eggs).

There is no holly to speak of in the park, and little dogwood, so this ever-resourceful species makes other arrangements.

Dave

[ernie f]

What a coincidence. Both of us found our first Small Copper of the season on the same day!

Great open-wing Holly Blue shots by the way.

[Wurzel]

Those Small Blues and that Duchess Dave It was great catching up with yourself and Lee today a really cracking outing - here's to the next one

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

That's a lovely Duchess you found at Totternhoe, Dave, and gorgeous Small Blues at Pitstone

Mike

[Andrew555]

Great stuff Dave, especially the Small Coppers, and the HB's.

[millerd]

Thanks, Ernie - yes a nice little Copper to be the first one on my local patch this year.

A great day, Wurzel, with those Dukes and then the Small Blues - and then an even better one on Saturday!

Thank you Mike - she was most obliging and then the Small Blues were almost queuing up to have their picture taken!

Cheers, Andrew - it's good to see what's around locally after all the long-distance excursions...

Dave

[millerd]

Saturday 19th May: I'd arranged to meet up with Wurzel and Philzoid down at a certain Wiltshire hillside.

In view of the sheer number and variety on offer here, I'm going to have to break this posts into sections or it will become unwieldy!

I woke early anyway with the sunshine and was down on the site absurdly early (at half eight) having driven through thick fog at one point, which was rather worrying. It was only 9 degrees on arrival, so a brisk walk up the hill was called for. Even at these temperatures the sun was strong and one or two things were already flying - a few Green Hairstreaks and Grizzled Skippers.

Soon after nine, Dingy Skippers appeared, followed closely by Brown Argus.

By the end of the visit, I would say that these latter two species were probably the most numerous of all those seen. At around 10 o'clock, the first Marsh Fritillary appeared - but I shall reserve the majority of these for the next part of the post!

Dave