CallumMac

[Wurzel]

Great report Callum I did brilliantly to capture the Dipper - they can be right tricky little so-and-so's when they want to, they're like the Wall of the bird world Mind you the Argent and Sable ain't exactly a cake walk either

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Fabulous sequence, Callum. You seem to find interesting stuff wherever you go and whatever the weather.

[CallumMac]

Mind you the Argent and Sable ain't exactly a cake walk either

Thanks Wurzel, certainly aren't! I think my best shot came after I gave up on sneaking up on them and switched over to my 600 mm 'birding' lens!

Fabulous sequence, Callum. You seem to find interesting stuff wherever you go and whatever the weather.

Thanks David. I suppose I adjust my plans when the forecast doesn't look good for butterflies!

23-24/05/2019 - York (various)

In brief - both Brown Argus and Common Blue are now on the wing around the university.

25/05/2019, am - Twyford Wood

I'd been planning a big day south of the border in Lincolnshire for some time, and with weather and phenology finally aligning, yesterday was the day! Setting off early (by our standards), we got to BC Lincs's reserve at Twyford just before 10am. This is pretty much the most northerly stronghold of Grizzled Skipper - the really glaring omission from my personal 'life list'!

It didn't take us long to find the Grizzlies. Quite a bit smaller than I was expecting (I thought they would be similar to Dingies, but actually the size difference was obvious even in flight), and totally enchanting!

There was a nice supporting cast of the aforementioned Dingies in abundance, alongside Brown Argus, Common Blue, Green Hairstreak, a late Orange-tip, and my first Small Heaths of the year.

25/05/2019, pm - Chambers Farm Wood

After dallying a while, we headed back northwards to Chambers Farm Wood, hoping to take in the unbelievable glut of Marshies. On arrival, we sat in the butterfly garden to eat lunch, and started to get a sense of how remarkable this emergence was as we realised that Marshies were the most abundant species even here, several hundred metres from Little Scrubbs Meadow.

As we walked over to the meadow, the density of frits built and built. There really aren't words! I could post any number of 'standard' photos, so instead I'll post a few points of particular interest:

With a fritillary on almost every flower in the area, some butterflies were forced into searching, desperately, for nectar elsewhere:

The butterflies were undertaking their own promotional work. I've never seen such a helpful information board!

[Wurzel]

Great shots Callum, the final one is a beaut Cracking Small Heath with two eyes too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That final image is great, Callum. Just about sums your day up.

Interesting Small Heath too. I don't think I've ever seen a double eye spot before in this species.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Callum,

I have been reading various reports on the March Fritillary explosion at Chambers Farm Wood over the past few days. I remember hearing about similar population explosions at other sites over the years and they are almost always followed by a crash the following year, presumably due to the larvae eating themselves out of foodplant.

Interesting Small Heath with the double eye-spot, something I have never seen. Mind you I had never seen one with no eye-spot at all until yesterday afternoon (photo coming up soon in my dairy).

Cheers,

Neil.

[bugboy]

That is a very eye catching Small Heath. I've seen double eyed ones myself but I think your one is the most pronounced I've seen.

[CallumMac]

30/05 - 01/06/2019 - Ardnamurchan

I've been all up and down the country this week, quite literally, with only one butterfly of note to show for it. But what a corker!! My first ever Chequered Skippers. Stunning, I have no words.

[trevor]

Congrats. for finding the Chequered Skippers Callum. A lovely little species,
a very long way from Sussex. If those re-introduced in Northamptonshire
are successful I may have a chance of seeing them for myself one day.

Great effort, and images,
Trevor.

[Katrina]

The close up CS on bluebell shot is soooo beautiful!

[Wurzel]

Absolutely fantastic shots Callum This butterfly is so far away from me that at the moment I can only dream about it and enjoy them vicariously - you've done a very good job at making me very envious

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Well done, Callum. It's very satisying when you get to see them.

Takes me back to 2014 when I made the long journey up to Glasdrum. Happy days!

[Neil Freeman]

Nice set of photos of the Chequered Skippers Callum, particularly on the bluebells...lovely .

Takes me back to 2016 when we stayed for a few days in Fort William and I saw my first ones...and last as I haven't seen them since, your photos have got me thinking about a return trip sometime.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Quick question, Callum - does that complete the UK set for you?

[CallumMac]

Thank you Trevor, Katrina, Wurzel, David and Neil! It is indeed such a long way to travel just to see a butterfly. On this occasion we had a wedding to attend in Perth on the Sunday, which made the extra distance from there to Fort William seem a bit more acceptable!

Quick question, Callum - does that complete the UK set for you?

As it happens, no. I know for a lot of people CS is the final piece in the puzzle! But I am yet to see Black Hairstreak, Wood White (either species), and Glanville Fritillary. Hoping to catch up with Black Hairstreak in about a fortnight, weather permitting, and if the fates align I might make a trip later in the summer to look for the second brood of Wood White. Then next summer I would love to make the trip to the Isle of Wight to complete the British 58 with Lady Glanville - which seems a suitably special species to finish on!

I may see Cryptic Wood White one day but at present I can't justify taking a flight just to tick a butterfly.

[David M]

...Then next summer I would love to make the trip to the Isle of Wight to complete the British 58 with Lady Glanville - which seems a suitably special species to finish on!

You could pop into Wrecclesham and save yourself some petrol and a ferry trip, Callum!

[CallumMac]

10/06/2019 - Strumpshaw Fen

This year marked 10 years since I had last made the trip to see the britannicus Swallowtails, and I felt it was high time for that to change! I travelled down to Norfolk on Saturday, and passed a pleasant afternoon in the rain at Strumpshaw. The weather meant no butterflies, but also practically no other visitors, meaning that there was more to be seen than might usually be the case!

As pleasant as all that was, I was pretty glad to see the sun shining when I got up on Sunday morning! The Swallowtails certainly didn't disappoint, either. The best spot was undoubtedly the Doctor's garden, which pretty much constantly had a Swallowtail or two nectaring alongside a nice selection of vanessids.

As nice as this was, it was also nice to see the butterflies in a more natural setting along one of the paths through the reserve!

Wonderful!

Plenty of other butterflies around, too, including my first Meadow Brown of the year. I guess there must have been a big influx of migrants, too, as there were good numbers of Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Large White about.

Besides the butterflies, the other main point of interest was dragonflies, and I was pleased to be able to identify both Norfolk Hawker and Scarce Chaser among a range of more widespread species.

A great trip, and I was pleased I had made the pilgrimage again at last. It's easy to forget just how much more spectacular our black-tinged Swallowtails are than their continental cousins. I don't expect I'll leave it another 10 years this time!

[Goldie M]

Just catching up Callum with the post, I think you've managed the most elusive Butterflies in your posts , the ones you've to travel far to see those Chequered Skipper shots are fantastic and the Swallow Tails always a pleasure to see Goldie

[Janet Turnbull]

Wonderful Swallowtail photos Callum - I'm desperately hoping there will be some left when I go on Friday!
Janet

[CallumMac]

Thanks Goldie! Yes, a lot of travelling over the last couple of weeks to find these two. It doesn't help that their flight periods overlap so closely...
Thanks Janet, and good luck tomorrow - some of those that I saw last weekend looked fairly fresh, and they won't have been flying around much this week, so I think you'll be fine.