millerd

[millerd]

Many thanks to all of you once again for the kind comments. The Grizzly/Green Hairstreak combination is the epitome of this time of year (with a few Orange Tips and the odd Duke or two thrown in of course!).

After my two days out, the weather cooled off again, but there was still sunshine on 21st, and it was also a bit warmer once more on 22nd. I stayed local on both days as a consequence. On Wednesday 21st April I only found a couple of dozen butterflies (six species), but on Thursday 22nd the total was over 60 (nine species).

A Small White made a nice study on 21st...

...and there was still a rather weary Small Tortoiseshell.

The selection on 22nd was much better.

a brighter Small Tortoiseshell

a Large White briefly caught between soaring around the trees

the Peacocks are starting to wear a bit

this one managed to find one of the few garlic mustard plants around this year

I was also able to get fairly close to a Holly Blue. So far, this year has been extremely disappointing for this species on my local patch. Checking back at my records for 2020 I see that from early April I was seeing between 20 and 30 Holly Blues every day. This year, I have been lucky to see more than one. Numbers at the end of last summer were relatively low and there hasn't been the characteristic parasite-induced downswing in numbers for many years, so that may be the reason. The weather has been much colder, especially at night, this April - which may also have had an effect. If a few warm sunny days initiate the final stage of development in the chrysalis and then sub-zero nights follow, it's easy to see how many could succumb to the cold. Anyway, here is one that didn't.

initially seen puddling close to the lake - the only damp ground around

a bit of basking

finally sitting squarely on a bird dropping - as they often do

The forecast for 23rd looked good, so where to go?

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking Holly Blue and Orange-tip shots Dave I was wondering about the Holly Blue as well as trips to Martin Down so far have yielded only a singleton so far and the last couple of years they're crawling all over the hedges Maybe it's still a bit 'early' - fingers crossed...

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Judging by reports from other parts of the Southeast, Wurzel, there really does seem to be a Holly Blue crisis. The widespread nature of the problem seems to point squarely at the weather as the prime culprit (especially when you read David M's accounts of flocks of them on the balmy South Wales coast where there haven't been successions of frosty nights). I'm now counting myself lucky to see the few I've spotted so far.

Friday 23rd April was sunny once again, and promised to be reasonably warm, so I chanced a visit to Noar Hill to see if the Dukes were out on what is generally an early site. On arrival at around half ten, a northeasterly breeze was already blowing, but anywhere sheltered felt pretty warm. In the very first pit, just next to the gate on the south side, there was the first Duke. By coincidence, this spot was where (13 years ago now) I found my very first Duke of Burgundy, and today's example proved just as approachable.

I carried on slowly around the site, and was taken aback at how bare it looked. The cold weather has held back the trees and shrubs (with some frosting of some tender shoots), the lack of rain has kept the grass very short and a combination of the two has led to there being a sparseness of flowers. Winter maintenance has also cleared large areas of bramble and other scrub, and many of the perching points favoured by the Dukes had disappeared.

There seemed to be very few butterflies around: I saw a couple of Holly Blues, one or two Orange Tips and a few Peacocks and Brimstones but little else. However, after about an hour, I found another Duke in one of the other more sheltered pits.

Soon after this, I spotted something moving in the grass in an area under trees and not actually in a pit as such. This turned out to be a fresh Duchess, struggling to make her way up into the sunshine. I ended up lending a hand.

After that interlude, the strong midday sun seemed to have brought out more Dukes in various spots - I counted at least another three (there may well have been one or two more).

As I made my way back to the car, I came across another first for the year - a Dingy Skipper.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Wow that Duchess is a gorgeous sight Dave She looks a little ab.gracilens to me but even if not still a right cracker You're making a trip to Noar Hill more and more tempting...

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

I did wonder whether the Duchess was ab. gracilens, Wurzel - the almost entirely pale caramel colour with just a few darker markings certainly resembles those I've seen before (including one a few years back from this very site). A very attractive butterfly whatever its actual classification! Yes, Noar Hill is always worth a visit, and perhaps today's rain will perk it up a bit.

I had time later on 23rd for just a quick browse of my local patch. A couple of Specklies and a Comma were engaged in a bit of a melee...

...but disengaged after a while.

There was another Specklie later on too, which I think was a female, going by the stubby rounder abdomen.

Dave

[millerd]

On Saturday 24th April, with more sunshine and relative warmth on offer, I paid a visit to Staines Moor (three weeks after the last look here). I was hoping to see the first of the Small Coppers, but initially I was out of luck, with just the usual fare of Whites, Orange Tips, Peacocks and a Speckled Wood on the way down.

However, after a wide circuit, I returned to the stile at the entrance to the Moor. On the nettle bed where a few weeks earlier I had watched courting Tortoiseshells, I spotted another one. Just after I had lined up this shot...

...it was put to flight by a much smaller darting flash of shiny orange. Having seen off the much larger butterfly, this feisty little insect revealed itself to be the target for the day - a Small Copper. In fact, in the end there were two of them, which along with the temporary return of the Tortoiseshell meant that nothing stayed still for very long. The strong sunshine also meant they didn't really open up much either so all in all decent shots were at a premium. This is the first, with a hint of caerulaeopunctata spotting...

...and the second, without the spots.

My first Coppers of the year. Hopefully this site will deliver an abundance of this species again as it did in 2020, though with the odd weather we've had, who knows. Staines Moor was largely under water until the start of March, but now is very dry and the combination of this with the cold seems to have held the growth of grass and other vegetation back quite a bit. We shall see.

Dave

[ernie f]

Just saw your pic of a Duchess on your hand, Dave. That was a special moment.

[trevor]

Some great sightings in your recent reports, Dave.
The Dukes and Coppers deserve a .

There's a good showing of Holly Blues along the old railway, mostly non stop males.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[David M]

Nice to see you got some early Dukes (and a Duchess), Dave. Dingies and Coppers are a welcome addition too. It looks like your area is catching up now.

[millerd]

It was indeed, Ernie, especially as she was a particularly unusual and striking example too. Still, I envy you that splendid Green Hairstreak you saw there after I had left for the day!

Cheers, Trevor - I'm glad you have decent numbers of Hollies considering how few I've seen this year.

Thank you, David - catching up a wee bit, but in a very stuttering fashion. A couple of warmish sunny days that get your hopes up and then we're back to cold winds and touches of frost overnight. Yesterday there was rain added to the mix, which though welcome in some respects was accompanied by a drop in temperature to single digits.

After the pleasure of seeing the first Coppers at Staines Moor, I continued my walk on 24th April back on my local patch (they are only 20 minutes apart on foot, if that). No Coppers here as yet, but I did see nine species and 60-70 butterflies altogether. As seems to be the usual picture at the moment, the most frequent were Orange Tips and Peacocks. The latter vary a lot in degree of wear and intensity of colour as these two show.

The variety of the former on offer meant there were some reasonable photo opportunities.

Small and Green-veined Whites were around in good numbers too, but no Large Whites.

I also managed to find a male Brimstone that looked as if it had hatched that day - it is amazing how durable they are. It also allowed a close approach.

Specklies are appearing a bit more often now...

...and though not in any numbers at all, a Small Tortoiseshell turned up too.

Finally, I was surprised to find four Holly Blues today, and all in one small area too. It must have been a weather-favoured micro-niche! This is one of them.

Dave

[millerd]

Sunday 25th April was distinctly chilly and breezy again, but the sun shone when my son was playing rugby over at Bushy Park during the afternoon. There were a few whites flying in sheltered spots, and one Small Tortoiseshell over a frost-nipped nettle patch, but while walking across a wide open area (where I had seen one or two back in the autumn) I was surprised to find a Small Copper battling the breeze.

Even the deer were huddled together for warmth, so this was a very unexpected sighting.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Crickey Dave - it looks like you're busier now than when you were working You've certainly been putting the miles in and getting the just rewards - brill Small Coppers

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Just a few trips out, Wurzel - if the weather had been a bit warmer, there would likely have been one or two more! However, I'm glad to say my local patch keeps me amused most days that I don't go further afield.

In fact, sometimes the trips out produce very little in comparison with staying local. On Monday 26th April, it was yet another very chilly (probably frosty in places) morning, but with plenty of sunshine. Having seen Dukes at Noar Hill, I thought I'd see if any had appeared at any of the Chiltern sites. I started off at Totternhoe, and my goodness it was cold. Once again, I was amazed at how barren everything looked, with surprisingly little green and few flowers. The steep-sided mini-valleys in the chalk (the remains of chalk workings I believe) were bereft of any butterflies, as were all the open areas. The former were sheltered and warming nicely, but overnight must have been pools of cold air. The latter were subject to the sharp northeasterly breeze. After an hour or so, I gave up, having seen one Orange Tip and one Peacock. In need of a hot coffee, I headed for Dunstable Downs where the NT cafe is open again. On a circuit that took me straight down to the bottom of the slope near the gliding school, along to the west, and then back to the top along the diagonal incised sloping path, I did see a few more butterflies, but nothing very much. However, the total included my first Red Admiral of the year, seen on the wrong side of a fence.

The rest: two Small Tortoiseshells, two Peacocks, four Orange Tips, a Green Hairstreak and a Green-veined White. There was also a moth, which as usual I can't identify...

So, it was back home again where it was noticeably warmer.

Dave

[millerd]

For the afternoon of 26th April, it was back to the familiar home territory and rather more butterflies - though still fewer than some recent days. Since Holly Blue shots are like gold dust this year round here, I try for all I can - and this one was a bit of a way off.

A couple of Speckled Woods cooperated...

...and I also spotted a courting pair of Peacocks up in amongst the hawthorn blossom (they disappeared higher up shortly afterwards).

There was a male GVW that actually didn't take off when I approached, maybe because it was getting on into the afternoon and nectaring was more important.

Orange Tips were the most frequently seen species, and this prompted me to have my first look for the beginnings of the 2022 season - eggs. I found one on one of the cuckoo-flower clumps, but just the one.

The Orange Tips themselves were starting to settle and bask prior to bedding down for the night. I found one basking nicely...

...and then watched it examine endless cow parsley flowerheads looking for just the right spot to settle. However, it kept coming back to one in particular, and when I looked more closely I found that this particular umbel had already acquired an occupant for the night.

There must have been something special about this flower, as the new arrival had clearly made its mind up that this was where it wanted to sleep too. There followed a great deal or argy-bargy which continued with the two participants oblivious to my presence right next to them and ignoring the fact that alternative suitable quarters were available within a matter of a few inches.

Eventually, they agreed to bunk down together.

It was a memorable sequence and I was very grateful that they were so single-minded that I was ignored throughout.

Dave

[Katrina]

Love the double OT shots esp the double full open wing

[Wurzel]

Cracking stuff Dave - really interesting behaviour shown by those Orange-tips - what was it about that particular flower head? Shame we can't find out and bottle it as a lure in the more normal years where they race about a lot more

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thank you, Katrina - those OT were lovely to watch and it's great to have a record of them.

Cheers, Wurzel. I have seen them double-up on flower heads before, but didn't realise how focused they can be on the most suitable spot. They were well-camouflaged for sure (from a couple of metres away you wouldn't have spared them a second glance unless you knew what you were looking for), but there were a wealth of similar locations all around. Butterfly behaviour still has many unanswered mysteries...

Tuesday 27th April turned out better than the forecast, and the sun actually seemed warmer earlier in the day. It looked sunnier to the south of me in fact, and I was just preparing to leave when I got a message fom Bugboy to say he was already down at Denbies surrounded by skippers and hairstreaks (or words to that effect). Just over half an hour later I was striding down the hillside to join him in ideal spring conditions. Good to see you, Buggy, for the first of what will likely be several encounters during the season in a variety of places.

Green Hairstreaks were the first item on the day's menu, with several by the steps and then another little group way over on the western edge of the main slope.

I had a go at catching them in their aerial chases...

Grizzled Skippers were widespread, popping up almost anywhere...

...and Dingy Skippers were also frequent, perhaps more so towards the bottom of the slope.

This one looked rather new, and was very dark and very hairy.

Bugboy managed to find a Small Heath - which I must have missed - but I rectified my omission and actually found three in the spot he pointed out. Here are two of them, the second one with a striking darker orange band across the forewing.

There was a Small Copper near the second set of Green Hairstreaks, and I later found another in Steers Field (up against the western hedge as they are all season every year).

A few Orange Tips, Brimstones and Peacocks completed the day's array.

A standout day, which actually felt properly like spring without the icy wind which has characterised the season so far.

Dave

[bugboy]

Good to see you Dave. I attempted some in GH flight action shots too but they were all binned, yours are much better!

[Wurzel]

Cracking set of Greenstreaks Dave, a luscious Small Heath and a brill swarthy Dingy - fantastic stuff - just what's needed as I sit here with the gales shaking the windows

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, Buggy. Those two action shots were distilled down from a great deal more... I was amazed the camera actually tried to focus on the two in the shot into the sun, and the other one showing one brown and one green butterfly was a total fluke!

Cheers, Wurzel - it's currently blowing a hooley here too at the moment - the hatches are thoroughly battened down. Hopefully after this bit of weather and a handful of chilly days things will improve, and I can dispense with winter layers. They feel all wrong when I'm looking for butterflies.

For the remainder of April, things reverted to the cold northeasterly influence again. On Wednesday 28th, it was mostly cloudy as well and I failed to see anything actually flying. However, at this time of year (especially following a reasonably warm sunny day) roosting Orange Tips are relatively easy to find in cool cloudy conditions.

There are always the eggs as well...

So that was it for the day. Thursday 29th was no better, and I saw nothing at all, but there was a slight improvement for the last day of the month.

Dave