millerd

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Dave - I remember Cotley - it was a 2 out of 3 day for me, great company , great butterflies but a knackered camera That is a mighty fine Small Blue

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - Cotley is always worth a visit, but managing to combine it with Martin Down and Bentley too was an excellent move. A great day out.

It seems that I forgot a species off the May list - towards the end of the month I went down to Fairmile Common on both 29th and 30th to see how the Silver-studded Blues were doing. Just a few males around on 28th, but only 24 hours later there were both sexes and better numbers too.

male 28th

female 29th

Now for a look at June...

Dave

[millerd]

JUNE

After two days that mimicked the weather of May, things went downhill for a week. Though thankfully conditions improved towards the end of the month, June was overall somewhat less spectacular weatherwise. The daily average high was not far off 23 degrees, which is actually very respectable, and 24th - 26th recorded over 30, reaching 34 on 25th. Despite the longer days, average sunshine hours were just under 6 daily.

New species for the year on my local patch were: Small Skipper (4th)

4th June

Marbled White (12th)

12th June

Gatekeeper (19th)

19th June

Ringlet (22nd)

3rd July

and Essex Skipper (22nd)

29th June

Also making their debut for the year were the summer hutchinsoni Commas.

4th June

One species was seen for the last time in June - Large Skipper on 27th, after a very short season here and disappointingly low numbers too.

22nd June

Marbled Whites have now been seen three years running, but only in very small numbers. There are good sites not far to the north, and a few must stray down - it was notable that their first appearance on 4th was shortly after the wind changed to blow from that direction. Ringlets are (for a common butterfly) also scarce on this site, with only a handful seen - though they do mingle with Meadow Browns along the hedgerow and may be undercounted. The appearance of the first Gatekeeper was on an early date, as they often don't emerge here until July. I didn't recognise what it was at first.

Overall, 22 species were seen here during June, with a high species count of 15 on both 22nd and 29th (though not the same ones!). The same days recorded the highest totals for individual butterflies seen, approaching 200 on both days. High counts for particular species saw Common Blues stand out at the start of the month (a high of 28), Red Admirals at the end (26), Meadow Browns from mid-month onwards (84) and Small Heath throughout (39). Small Tortoiseshells reached double figures (just...) with 10 mid-month.

Small Tortoiseshells were also a feature of my visits to Staines Moor, and I found a courting pair, not something I've observed in the summer brood before.

Courting Torties 13th June

Small Copper numbers had dropped somewhat, though at the end of the moth there was evidence of another brood emerging, with one at least looking quite dark.

A dusky new Copper 28th June

Standard version 30th June

Small Skippers were also appearing here as well, to join the Small Heaths and Meadow Browns, but no Essex.

June was another month for taking advantage of more relaxed travel, and another eight species were seen on various trips elsewhere. That will be the next post...

[trevor]

You're zipping through Spring and Summer at a great rate, Dave.
And that's how this season seemed to go. I missed Cotley as it was
' illegal ' to stay over for a few days, but i'm glad that you and Wurzel
had a great time.
Good to read your version of the year, accompanied with some great shots!.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Another cracking sample of 2020 Dave - looking at your highlights you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was a 'good year' - I still don't know how non-butterfly enthusiasts have gotten through all that's been going on '

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

You're right, Trevor - the season seemed to flash by this year despite me managing to pack quite a bit in.

I think our hobby definitely helped to get us through this year's problems, Wurzel, along with the associated brilliant weather, particularly in spring.

June of course is another month when further specialist species tend to emerge, and some more travel was required. The weather meant that one or two were very quick off the mark too. I found my first White Admirals at Bookham on the unusually early date of 2nd...

...and later the same day spotted Dark Green Fritillaries at both Denbies and Box Hill (though didn't manage any photos until later visits there and also to Aston Rowant).

Box Hill (9th)

Denbies (14th)

Aston Rowant (11th)

On 7th, with Whitecross Green Wood still closed because of the virus, I went down to the "new" colony of Black Hairstreaks at Ditchling Common. The butterflies were a bit of a disappointment, but there was excellent company once again with a host of familiar faces and the standout moment was Wurzel getting his "lifer" at last. This was the best I could manage...

Another Hairstreak was the target on 16th, this time over in Essex at Hadleigh Country Park where there are notable colonies of White-letters. The usual spot not far from Leigh-on-Sea station was strangely bereft of the usual throng, and after only glimpsing one or two I moved on to hedgerows further into the Country Park, where I eventually was lucky enough to have a nice fresh one find me while I was actually concentrating on a Marbled White.

Within a few miles of here are several Heath Fritillary sites, and I knew they would also be out. I chose Pound Wood this year and in the ten or fifteen minutes it took to drive from one site to the other, hot sunshine had given way to bright overcast with spots of rain. This turned out to be ideal for the Fritillaries, which sat and posed beautifully.

I had glimpsed my first Silver-washed Fritillary at Ditchling, but the first I photographed was on 20th down at Chiddingfold.

Of course, the main target here was the Purple Emperor, which gave me my first sighting of 2020 on the same day.

20th

These last ten days of the month contained some hot days, and further sightings of this splendid creature, including one unforgettable individual.

26th

Chiddingfold also provided my first sighting of a Purple Hairstreak for the year...

...and an overlap of first and second brood Wood Whites. This is a second brood individual.

Once again, the whole week or so was a very sociable affair - a veritable highpoint to look back on as we now approach the dark days of the opposite end of the year and start to climb back into the light...

[bugboy]

Some lovely shots there with a few for some species I missed this year and an extra for that superb HIM!

[David M]

Enviable June selection there, Dave, including probably the best 'All Purple' shot of an Emperor on here this year.

It was indeed a strange month, starting off gloriously only to misfire quite badly for much of the remainder, but any period that sees Heath Frits, Wood Whites, White Letters, et al cannot be sneered at.

[Wurzel]

An absolutely cracking Purple Emperor Dave Hopefully it made up for the Blackstreaks that didn't really play ball - looks like I'll have to try and get to Chiddingfold next year, Bentley was hard work with little reward this year

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, everyone - that Emperor was a cracker of a butterfly, and one I had almost entirely to myself. It doesn't often happen...

June had also seen the start of a number of second broods (like those Wood Whites) which usually don't appear until July. My local patch saw new examples of Holly Blue, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Peacock, GVW and Small Copper.

However, it is now time to look at...

JULY

Overall, the month was barely warmer than June on average, with a daily high of a bit less than 24 degrees. Nor was it particularly sunny, with slightly over five and a half hours each day. However, one day stood out weatherwise: on 31st, 37.8 degrees was recorded close by at Heathrow, the UK's third highest temperature ever.

As is normally the case, the month saw the highest butterfly totals of the year locally, with close to 400 seen on one or two days in the second half of the month. Several species had notable high numbers:

Peacock (34 on 1st and 33 on 13th)

Common Blue (64 on 16th)

Holly Blue (33 on 13th)

...and both Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers exceeded 100 on 20th.

I also counted 15 summer Commas on 1st, a high for the year, but not a remarkable one.

21 Brown Argus on 28th was also the highest for 2020, but noticeably lower than 2019.

Purple Hairstreaks were the only new species seen here this month (though I'd already seen them at Chiddingfold in June). Overall, 22 species were found here during July, with highs of 18 on 1st, 5th and 13th.

As with the previous months, there were other species to seek out elsewhere:

I found my first Chalkhill Blues at Denbies on 7th

Graylings at Dawneys Hill on 11th

Walls at High & Over on 22nd

Clouded Yellows at Mill Hill on 22nd

Silver-spotted Skippers at Aston Rowant on 24th

Brown Hairstreaks at Bookham on 26th

There were some further visits to Staines Moor, and one or two other particular highlights, worthy of a separate post.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Fantastic sequence of images Dave - especially like the Chalkhill - a right beauty that one - almost more of a Chalkhill Silver . I'm looking forward to August

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

July at Staines Moor didn't produce any surprises, but as I expected there were lots of second brood Small Coppers. No two were the same.

In contrast to my more local patch up the road, there were more Ringlets, including this pairing.

Here, the Brown Argus outnumbered the Common Blues...

...but I did find a striking example of a blue female.

More July highlights still to come...

Dave

[trevor]

A very variable bunch of Small Coppers, Dave, some are very dark.
Your blue female Common Blue is a stunner, I have seen many this year,
but not many brown ones.
Looking forward to the 2021 season, covid permitting!.

Have a great Christmas, and stay well,
Trevor.

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - I could probably post Chalkhills all day from amongst those I saw in July, both male and female. That shimmering blue on a chalk hillside is the quintessence of summer.

Thank you Trevor - I think Small Copper may be my butterfly of 2020. I saw them in many locations, and my discovery of a splendid colony 15 minutes' walk from home was a real bonus. A such variety...

The final selection from July covers a host of things. It is certainly the most bountiful month for species and numbers, so definitely justifies another post. One or two more from home to start with:

Another couple of unusual (and very contrasting) Small Coppers

More Common Blues

Gatekeepers (their wings can be noticeably scalloped)

An Essex Skipper (such a good year for them here)

A Small Heath - paler in the summer generation

One of the first second brood Hollies

During July, I also spent as much time at Bookham as anywhere, and was treated to lots of White Admirals, Silver-washed Fritillaries and Purple Hairstreaks. Brown Hairstreaks joined the party at the end of the month as the others began to disappear.

The 6th was a particularly productive day - all the next selection were taken that day.

More Brown Hairstreaks came from a terrific day at Shipton Bellinger...

...and A trip down to Noar Hill brought me second brood Small Blues for the first time in a while (amongst many other things).

Quite a month (and I still feel as if I've skimmed the surface!).

August next.

Dave

[millerd]

A very Merry Christmas to all on UKB, and all the best for a less unusual kind of year in 2021.

Keep safe and well, everyone.

Cheers,

Dave

(A seasonal image from last year as the Holly Blues weren't playing ball in Autumn 2020!)

[Wurzel]

Great selection of highlights Dave - that day at Shipton was a cracker Love the little Picture-wing Fly that photobombed the mating pair of Small Blues
I hope you had a great Christmas and will have a even better New Year

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, HAPPY NEW YEAR, love the Holly Blue on the berries, roll on the Vaccine and Spring Goldie

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel! I wondered what that little fly was and now I now... Curiously marked little thing, isn't it?

Thank you, Goldie - I was lucky with that shot last year. The butterfly was a bit sluggish and had also discovered a little patch of bird-poo on one of the berries which kept it engrossed. A Happy New Year to you as well - let's hope it's an improvement!

Continuing the 2020 retrospective, it's time for AUGUST.

August turned out warmer than July, with an average daily high at Heathrow of a bit over 25 degrees. This was largely attributable to the extraordinary six days 7th - 12th inclusive when the average high was near enough 35 degrees. The nights were uncomfortably warm as well but I had a strategy for that! Despite the heat, it wasn't particularly sunny, with only around 5 hours sunshine each day on average.

I had relatively few trips out locally during the month, but numbers dropped from the highs of July, with 170 individuals of 13 species on 17th being the best day of the month. Over the course of August 14 different species were seen (curiously the missing one on 17th was the Small Copper, caught between second and third broods). Gatekeepers came to an abrupt end mid-month, and several other species tailed off noticeably at the same time: Holly Blue, Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Brown Argus. However, new broods of Large and Small Whites, Small Heaths and Small Coppers began to appear towards the end of August.

A selection:

the last one seen here in 2020

contrasting whites

the brownest female I've seen for a long time

very heavily marked

pristine male - possibly early third brood?

one of the few in 2020

nicely marked

I only ventured down to Staines Moor a couple of times in August and aside from Meadow Browns and Small Heaths, there was little of note.

However, One of the highpoints of 2020 for me came in a trip north at the start of the August heatwave - to cooler climes, a new site and another new species for the year.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Happy New Year Dave A cracking set of images - those heavily marked Whites are interesting as I saw a few of those myself - something to do with their heat during their development I wonder? That is a very brown Common Blue - time was when I remember most of them were like that, if not a bit browner and you'd struggle sometimes to separate them apart from Brown Argus if you didn't see the under wing those were the days

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel. There were certainly a number of heavily marked butterflies of various species last summer - that seems to be what the heat does.

Interrupting my progress through 2020 for the moment, I've just had to release a Small Tortoiseshell which has no doubt been hibernating for the last few months somewhere in the house. It was extremely active and was never going to sit for its portrait. There is some sunshine, and it's less cold out today, but I don't give it much of a chance to be honest. You never know, though...

I do think that this kind of thing contributes to its decline - I never have to release any other species in the winter, and every year there is at least one, often more. They do seem to come into houses (as opposed to outbuildings) more than other species do.

Technically, my first sighting of 2021...

Dave