David M

[David M]

Tuesday 30th March – Fulfilling afternoon….

I had my Covid-19 vaccination early this afternoon, and seeing that the location where it was administered was just over the road from Crymlyn Burrows, I felt it was my duty to spend half an hour or so doing a little circuit of the eastern end.

This brought 3 Brimstones, a Peacock and a Small White, but as I was walking back to drive home, I got a surprise when this Speckled Wood spiralled up from the scrub when I was passing through this corridor:

He soon came back down and I was able to get reasonably close:

Uplifted, I thought I’d check in to lower Kilvey Hill and Dan-y-Graig cemetery before I headed back home, and I was glad I did, as there were Brimstones aplenty flying around, including the first female I’ve seen so far this year.

I spotted another couple of Small Whites, a Peacock, a Small Tortoiseshell, a Comma and then a male Large White but he was on a mission and constantly flying. However, I hung around and a few minutes later managed a long range shot when he briefly alighted on a dandelion:

Quite a bit of cuckoo flower in bloom in the cemetery, so I fully expect Orange Tips before Easter Saturday:

[Neil Freeman]

Aha! a Specklie...time for me to start looking out for them

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Aha! a Specklie...time for me to start looking out for them

I'm sure it can't be long, Neil. Be a nice Easter present.

Wednesday 31st March – Is it March or is it May?….

After yesterday’s fine weather, today’s was equally as good; slightly cooler at 16c but virtually no cloud and very light winds.
I arrived at Cwm Ivy on the Gower coast just after 11am, only for the solitary large cloud in the sky to be obscuring the sun. However, that assisted me as the first butterfly I saw was a torpid Brimstone, resting on a leaf in the shade:

I suddenly became aware of a Holly Blue, which was confirmed when shortly afterwards I saw two males jousting, with one of them coming back down for a spot of basking:

I was fortunate a little later on to find a fresh female at ground level, which is always a spring highlight:

These two were the commonest species, with 16 Brimstones and 8 Holly Blues seen, but there were 4 Commas, 4 Peacocks and a solitary Small Tortoiseshell too. This Peacock looked in excellent condition as it basked on the sandy path:

Three Speckled Woods were on duty in the wooded glade:

I did a circuit of the dunes as I sometimes come across Orange Tips here, due to the damp basins hosting plenty of cuckoo flower.

However, I drew a blank and returned to the glade, whereupon a male Orange Tip was seen flying through the trees.

I didn’t have to wait long for another, but he too evaded my camera lens. The only one of the three that did briefly settle was the third individual:

After nearly 3 hours I headed back to the car park, but on the way home, my first Red Admiral of the year was seen fluttering round a hedgerow. Had it not been a single track lane I might have stopped and followed it. Another male Orange Tip was seen flying by the roadside in Parkmill, a couple of miles from home.

[bugboy]

You're really racking up the species David , I don't expect to find Specklies, OT's or Holly Blues locally until mid April, even with the silly temperatures we had recently!

[trevor]

You've hit the jackpot there David. I would have expected to see a Specklie by now,
but not an OT or Holly Blue yet locally.

Great stuff!
Trevor.

[Chris L]

Great photos and narrative as ever David. Thank you for sharing.

Reading your post in respect of some species is a bit like a long range butterfly forecast for me and probably for others too. 'This is what you will be getting in a fortnight'

[Neil Freeman]

That is a cracking selection of spring butterflies David I have noticed before that, like the south-east of the country, you are well ahead of my patch.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Thanks, Bugboy/Trevor/Otep/Neil,

I think I've already mentioned why this area of south Wales is so good early in spring. It's because we're in the west and near the coast, meaning that winters are generally much milder than further east (and south). For that reason, things kick off in advance of most other parts, but the downside is that by mid May, the superior, sustained daytime highs further east even things up and then leave us behind.

This winter saw some pretty cold night-time temperatures in the south and east, but the lowest here where I live was -2c. Given that most of the sites I visit in March and early April are by the coast, it's probable that they never got below zero at any stage, which obviously affords an advantage to overwintering stages.

Trust me, by the end of May I'll be the one green with envy.

Good Friday, 2nd April – Raining Holly Blues…

Much cooler today at just 12c maximum, but with clear blue skies and light winds I couldn’t resist a repeat visit to Cwm Ivy.

Arriving at 11.15am, I saw practically nothing on my circuitous walk through the glade and around the dunes, but things heated up significantly when I returned to the wooded area just after midday.

There were Holly Blues everywhere, with many coming down to settle near ground level, and even more flying around the ivy-clad pine tree trunks. I gave up counting at 18 as there were swirls of them in my line of vision at times, but a conservative estimate would be upwards of 50.

Of those that settled, most held their wings tightly shut, and all those that did open up were males:

This area here came into full sunlight around 12.30 and I ended up staying largely in this spot thereafter as in addition to the Holly Blues, there were passing visits from Brimstones, Orange Tips, Commas, and even a Red Admiral:

Quite a bit of the blackthorn was in flower. The Brimstones ignored it but the Holly Blues and Orange Tips were drawn to it. The cooler temperatures also meant the Orange Tips were less manic, and I was able to get very close to them on occasions:

Other species seen were a handful of Speckled Woods, two Peacocks and a single Small Tortoiseshell.

[millerd]

You're well ahead of me David - no Holly Blues here yet. Your western coastal location is definitely warmer than inland bits of the southeast (the Heathrow "heat island" effect is not noticeable in winter and early spring). Lovely to see those Welsh Hollies though...

Cheers,

Dave

[trevor]

A couple of mrgreens for those OT's. I'm not sure how my regular patch for them
is going to perform this year. There has been some severe cutting back and flailing
of the shrubbery during the past winter. I fear some OT pupae will have succumbed.

Keep well,
Trevor.

[David M]

Thanks, Dave. Must say, given the crazy temperatures in the south and east a few days ago I'm surprised emergences are still lagging behind. they'll soon catch up though....and you'll have those 3rd brooders later in the year that south Wales rarely sees.

Wanton flailing of shrubbery is one of my pet hates, Trevor, unless there is a genuine need for it (which there rarely is). There has been a progressively increasing awareness of nature conservation lately though, so one hopes that this will translate into more sympathetic management in time.

[Benjamin]

Great spring entries so far David, and really interesting to hear your explanation for the early sightings on your patch. You seem to have found a real hotspot for Holly Blue - getting to know your local patch in detail really is satisfying. As you know we’ve gone from 24 - 0°C over the last week down here in Sussex, with the early emergers no doubt tucked up somewhere worrying that they’ve made a terrible mistake! Hopefully things will improve soon and we can close the gap on you a bit.

[David M]

Saturday 3rd April – Changing of the guard…..

Another lovely sunny day, albeit cooler at around 12c, so this time I thought I’d have a change of scenery and visit Lower Kilvey Hill and the adjacent Dan-y-Graig Cemetery.

What quickly became obvious was that Whites had taken over as the commonest butterflies. I saw at least a dozen, and of the 7 that settled, 6 were Small Whites and the other was my first definite Green Veined White of the year. I managed a quick record shot from distance before he vanished:

At the eastern perimeter of the cemetery, I noticed three or four Whites flying around this scrubby field on the other side of the wall:

I vaulted the wall and watched to see if any were going to settle, and a smallish orange coloured butterfly caught my eye half way into the field. I thought it was a Small Copper, but when I got to the spot where I’d last seen it, all I found was a female Small Tortoiseshell, who was busy investigating the young nettles:

I kept watching both her and the Whites and went to walk out of the field when suddenly a Small Copper did appear, very probably the one I thought I’d seen earlier:

When I went back into the cemetery, another Small Copper appeared, this time a caeruleopunctata:

This is the earliest date I’ve ever seen this species, and proves what a super little micro-climate this area at the southern base of Kilvey Hill provides.
Other species seen were Peacock & Comma, but surprisingly there were no Brimstones this time.

[bugboy]

Gorgeous Small Coppers, I won't expect to see any for another month yet! That final one is a lovely dusky individual

[Chris L]

That was a surprise to see a Small Copper so early David. I don't expect to see them here for at least a month and a half here by my still quite amateurish knowledge of my local environment and its butterflies.

Those young nettles that you reference give quite a sting, as I found to my cost on Sunday.

[Pauline]

Given the snowstorms we've had the last couple of days I reckon it might be a while before I see my first Small Copper. Must have been amazing to see so many Holly Blues too - and great shots of the Orange Tip which I have repeatedly failed to get!

[David M]

Great spring entries so far David, and really interesting to hear your explanation for the early sightings on your patch. You seem to have found a real hotspot for Holly Blue - getting to know your local patch in detail really is satisfying. As you know we’ve gone from 24 - 0°C over the last week down here in Sussex, with the early emergers no doubt tucked up somewhere worrying that they’ve made a terrible mistake! Hopefully things will improve soon and we can close the gap on you a bit.

Thanks, Ben. Yes, the Holly Blue spot is quite something. I stumbled upon it accidentally 4 years ago and have been in awe of it ever since. It's perfect habitat for them and being right on the coast they emerge early.

I'm sure the 'gap' will close in time, but right now, everywhere seems to be abnormally cool, although by late next week it seems things will warm up a little, probably more so for your area than mine.

[Goldie M]

Your so lucky David with the weather, we've had nothing but cold winds here, with the exception of just three Butterflies there's been nothing seen, we'd a warm spell for a couple of days when they arrived, after that it was back in the frost and Snow This morning I looked out of the window and my Tulips were hanging their heads in the snow UGH! Hope fully it can't last!!! Goldie

[David M]

Thanks, Paul/Otep/Pauline/Goldie.

The Small Coppers were a very pleasant surprise, but part of me wishes they'd have emerged 10 days later, as the weather in between has seen regular frosts and even sleet!!

[millerd]

Lovely Small Coppers, David - I always like that burnished sheen fresh individuals have, and that caeruleopunctata individual is a splendid little insect.

Cheers,

Dave