April 2021

[David M]

Cwm Ivy, NW Gower on Monday 19th saw the following:

Holly Blue 60-80
Orange Tip 10-15
Speckled Wood 10-15
Brimstone 7
Large White 5
Red Admiral 2
Green Veined White 2
Comma 1
Peacock 1

I was fortunate to find a mating pair of Holly Blues:

I also saw my first female Orange Tips of the year:

[Chris L]

Still not many Holly Blue about then David. I have seen 1 so far in 2021.

The weather seems to have been kinder to some folk today than what we had in South Derbyshire. Dull, grey, cool and with virtually no sunshine at all.

[Deborah]

A Green veined white, male and female Orange Tips and Brimstones, 3 Speckled Woods and 3 Holly Blues in continuing milder weather.

[Stevieb]

Growing numbers of Grizzled Skippers along with Green Hairstreak now on the hill. Battlesbury Hill, Wiltshire

22nd April

22nd April

22nd April

22nd April

22nd April

22nd April

[Kip]

Green Hairstreaks out now locally in North Yorkshire... two examples from 12 I saw...

[David M]

Very nice, Kip, particularly the first individual with the bold unh line of spots.

[Medard]

A walk along the old Somerset and Dorset line Shapwick NNR yesterday brought out the Green veined whites and this morning one brave Small tortoiseshell sheltering from a cold breeze.

[David M]

Tuesday 20th - 7 Grizzled Skippers seen at Merthyr Mawr dunes, near Porthcawl:

[Stevieb]

A good few Skippers on the hill this lunchtime with my first Dingy Skippers of the year, six days earlier than last year. Battlesbury Hill, Wiltshire

23rd April

23rd April

23rd April

23rd April

Invading my personal space. on my jeans!

23rd April

23rd April

[millerd]

Down at Noar Hill today (23rd) I found my first Dukes of 2021. There were perhaps half a dozen, including a female that needed some assistance.

One Dingy Skipper appeared too, also new to my tally for the year.

Also seen here: Orange Tips, Holly Blues, Brimstones and Peacocks, but no Green Hairstreaks today.

Full report as ever in my PD in a day or two.

Cheers,

Dave

[Deborah]

Quite excited with my first sightings of Skippers here in Brittany. At first I thought it was just one species but was pleased to note differences. So, I think I have Dingy Skippers and Mallow Skippers in the garden and meadow that goes alongside it?

The poor, battered Painted Lady had a tough journey. I didn’t see any until quite late last year so I was a little surprised by this early appearance.

[petesmith]

Quite excited with my first sightings of Skippers here in Brittany. At first I thought it was just one species but was pleased to note differences. So, I think I have Dingy Skippers and Mallow Skippers in the garden and meadow that goes alongside it?

Hi Deborah. Yes you definitely have Dingy and Mallow Skippers there! Whereabouts in Brittany are you? I used to spend a bit of time out at my Dad's place, south of Ploermel towards Vannes, near a little village called St.Guyomard. He used to have Mallow Skippers in his garden also, and there were colonies of Large Chequered Skipper not far away.

[Deborah]

Hi Pete.
I’m about 35 minutes inland from Morlaix - so about 90 minutes further north than Vannes.a much milder climate on the South Brittany Coast (and many more sunshine hours apparently.) Thanks for the confirmation. I saw Large Chequered Skippers last summer nearby too.

[Jack Harrison]

24th April - long awaited up here near Nairn - Comma at Cawdor.  I remember the excitement of my first Comma in 1947.  This was almost as good.

Also first Orange Tip and GV White of year plus a possible Small White.

Jack

[David M]

24th April - long awaited up here near Nairn - Comma at Cawdor.  I remember the excitement of my first Comma in 1947.  This was almost as good.

Is that the first one you've ever seen up there, Jack?

[Jack Harrison]

Is that the first one you've ever seen up there, Jack?

Indeed it is but no great surprise. It was on the list of the 100 things to do before I die!

My report of a sighting in 1947 (it would have been early September on the first day back at school) must rate as one of the oldest ever on ukb.
Anyone beat that?

Jack

[zigzag_wanderer]

Last Saturday (17th) I walked to and up Wolstonbury Hill. Bit windy but saw c.8 Peacock, 6 male Brimstone, 1 male Orange Tip and 1 Large White.

Today I stayed on the mid Sussex Weald for a reasonably long walk. Saw north of 30 Orange Tips (all bar two were male), c. 7 Peacock, 2 Speckled Wood (my first this year) and 4 each of Small and Green-veined White. I was tracking a local stream and there is a LOT of Lady's Smock out there right now.

My 2021 Small Tortoiseshell total sits at 1 and I don't think I've seen a Red Admiral yet. Comma sightings have dried up massively too although t'mrs said there was one in the garden today.

I have only seen one Holly Blue myself but have been getting lots of recent reports of them in friends' gardens.

I also saw a roadside dead ferret - based on colour I assume an escapee rather than any kind of polecat hybrid (they do reckon polecats are back in Sussex now).

[millerd]

Last year I discovered that nearby Staines Moor was an excellent site for Small Coppers; my first couple of 2021 were seen down there this afternoon.

Hopefully many more will follow, as with 2020.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

.Indeed it is but no great surprise. It was on the list of the 100 things to do before I die!

Yes, you've mentioned the likelihood a few times if I recall. Still, good to see it finally happen. I remember seeing one in my mother's garden in the Isle of Man around 2009/10. They've managed to colonise there too recently (along with Speckled Wood).

[David M]

Friday 23rd - Cwm Ivy again as it was too windy to go looking for Wall Browns on Kilvey Hill!!

Saw 5 Red Admirals, which was nice, and another mating pair of Holly Blues (which were numbering into the dozens yet again). Around 20 Orange Tips, and a scattering of Brimstones, Large & Green Veined Whites, Peacocks and Speckled Woods. One Small Copper seen out on the dunes.