David M

[trevor]

There's two species I won't see this Spring, Small Blue and Brown Argus.
Unless Boris comes up with some good news!.

Great stuff, David.
Trevor.

[Pauline]

Another great find David - I clearly need to brush up on my observation skills; always something to aspire to.

[David M]

Thanks Allan/Trevor/Pauline. I should point out that you've two chances with Small Blue & Brown Argus. By the time the second broods are out, hopefully our freedom of movement will have been restored.

Saturday 9th May 2020 - Finally, Common Blues.....

They've taken their time round my way in 2020, but the recent sunshine and warmth finally brought 20 or so Common Blues on to the Crymlyn Burrows site in Swansea on what was probably the nicest day of the year so far.

The first one I saw was a female, and what a cracker she was:

Then, on my way back to the entrance, I came upon this little tranche of terrain:

There must have been two dozen or so small butterflies warring amongst themselves in this area. The vast majority of them were male Common Blues:

There was at least one Dingy Skipper, and probably 5 or 6 Brown Argus:

Other species seen were a dozen or so Small Heaths, 5 Small Blue, Large & Green Veined Whites, Peacock, Small Copper, Brimstone, Speckled Wood & Orange Tip.

[Goldie M]

Lovely Common Blues David, that looks like a Northern Brown Argus, could it be Goldie

[David M]

Thanks, Goldie. Was good to finally see them on the wing.

As for NBA, no, just a regular Brown Argus.

Saturday 9th May 2020 – Beginning of a May Fritillary Fest…..

It was so warm and sunny after I’d left Crymlyn Burrows, that I thought it wouldn’t do any harm to spend an hour and a half on Fairwood Common in the probably vain hope that Marsh & Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries might have emerged.

Sadly, there were no Marshies about, but I was fortunate enough to stumble across this single Small Pearl Bordered Frit, and even more satisfying was that it was in the area of prime-looking habitat I had identified just over a week before following the fires that destroyed a portion of the Common back in late March.

It wasn’t particularly flighty, but it had an annoying habit of settling well into the bramble scrub, far away from the reach of either me or my camera lens.

Patience prevailed though, and I was eventually able to get a few images of it, and it was surprisingly offering its undersides rather than its uppers despite the heat:

[Goldie M]

Lovely shot David, it was far too hot for Butterflies here on the 9th May, that's probably why it closed it's wings the 10th of May was awful here with 40mile an winds, roll on week-end and back in the Sun (hope fully. ):D Goldie

[trevor]

Well done with the Small Pearl, David. Apparently the colony in Park Corner,
here in East Sussex has just started too.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[David M]

Thanks, both. Yes, things should be warming up again from tomorrow so Marsh & Small Pearl Bordered Frits look to be in for a good start to their season.

[Neil Freeman]

Nice fresh Small Pearl there David

Cheers,

Neil.

[essexbuzzard]

Congratulations on the SPBF, David. I’ve seen them in west Cornwall in mid May, but yours is surely early? Regardless, it’s a very nice find.

In Cornwall, Marsh Fritillary are usually only a few days later than SPBF, so might be worth checking this week, if you have time.

[David M]

Thanks, both. Yes, Mark, I found more time to search for Marsh Fritillaries.....

Sunday 10th May 2020 - Marsh Frits emerge......

After finding Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary yesterday, I checked out Fairwood Common for Marsh Frits this morning.

The best area for them has been largely burned back, so I racked up 6,000 Fitbit steps walking all the way down to where I'd seen the SPBF the previous day. Whilst I found at least half a dozen more of that species, along with plenty of Green Hairstreaks, it was with some angst that on my way back I found several male Marshies flying within 100m of where I'd parked my car!!

Here is the small area where they were active - the Common to the left was scorched in late March, but the Marshies have still stayed faithful to the small area of longer grass which they favour round here:

The wind was picking up by this point so they were not easy to photograph:

This should herald an interesting 3 weeks or so here, with numbers of both these Fritillaries set to rocket.

[Janet Turnbull]

Superb shots of the marshies, David - my favourite among the fritillaries. How typical to find them near the car! Still, the exercise must have been good for you
Janet

[David M]

Thanks, Janet. It was no hardship walking all those steps when you've got Green Hairstreaks and Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries for company.

[trevor]

You live in a very special part of the UK for Butterflies David.
Assuming the colonies are natural, you have Small Pearl, Marsh, Dark Green and High Brown
Fritillaries nearby, and later on, Brown Hairstreaks. I am particularly pleased to see your
Marsh Frits. as I will probably miss them this year.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.

[Chris L]

Fantastic photos David. I particularly like the female Common Blue. I too am impressed at the variety of butterfly species that you seem to have readily available there. How many of the UK species do you get to see most years?

[David M]

You live in a very special part of the UK for Butterflies David.
Assuming the colonies are natural, you have Small Pearl, Marsh, Dark Green and High Brown
Fritillaries nearby, and later on, Brown Hairstreaks. I am particularly pleased to see your
Marsh Frits. as I will probably miss them this year.

The colonies are definitely natural, Trevor, and yes, this part of Wales is pretty blessed in terms of butterfly species (although we obviously don't have the chalk downland specialists).

The High Browns are 20 miles away, and the Brown Hairstreaks/Silver Studded Blues about 50, so travelling is obligatory for some of the rarer ones. They ain't all on the doorstep, although I consider myself fortunate that such species as Marsh & Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skipper are all reliable within a half hour walk from my front door!

[David M]

...I too am impressed at the variety of butterfly species that you seem to have readily available there. How many of the UK species do you get to see most years?

Hi Otep, I've got just over 30 within a 10 mile or so radius and a further four or five within 30-60 minutes drive.

Generally, I will see all but a small number of the UK species every year, but that's because I travel to France, Italy & Spain, meaning that species I'd have to travel for in Britain are seen fairly easily, e.g. Glanville & Heath Fritillary, Lulworth Skipper, Chalkhill Blue, Swallowtail, Mountain Ringlet, Wood White, Chequered Skipper & Large Blue.

That said, because of my times of travel, and the scarcity of certain UK species in the places in Europe I visit, there are some that I routinely do not see, for example Purple Emperor, Scotch Argus & Large Heath.

[Neil Freeman]

I too am jealous of the butterflies on your doorstep David, especially the Marshies and Small Pearls within walking distance

I haven't been to South Wales for years, I really must make the effort when things are back to normal. Maybe next year.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

..I haven't been to South Wales for years, I really must make the effort when things are back to normal. Maybe next year.

...and if I am still here I will happily do what I can to assist you in finding what you're after, Neil. That said, this latest episode from Dumb and Dumber as regards Coronavirus has set my mind to returning to England, so my presence here might be temporary.

Friday 15th May 2020 - Pearl Bordered Fritillary....

No-one likes toothache, but I had been suffering for a while (probably since last November when I underwent a particularly nasty extraction). I couldn't put it off any longer, meaning that I had to visit my private dentist in Abergavenny where I used to live.

Once I was out, it was a mere 6 mile journey to the English border just beyond Pandy, and I took the opportunity to pop into Ewyas Harold Common to see if there were any Pearl Bordered Fritillaries still flying.

There were; I counted 11 in all, although almost all were understandably showing signs of wear:

I got a bit lucky though as I spotted a female who was in presentable condition just prior to a heavy cloud obscuring the sun. She very conveniently flew up onto a gorse flower to sit out this cool, overcast spell:

The site was in decent fettle however, far drier than I'm used to, and at a more advanced stage as I generally visit around the beginning of May:

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, I hope you got your teeth got sorted, there's nothing worse than tooth ache, Your seeing all the butterflies i'm not with great shots of them to match, love the Pearl shot's Goldie