September 2022

[bugboy]

Anyone with thoughts as to why ST Blue does not occur in UK (today)?

Jack

A bit of reading (the Millennium Atlas and J. Thomas & R. Lewington) suggests it doesn't have a particularly strong migratory instinct so it's far less likely to make it over the channel like the LTB now regularly does. As to why it didn't make it here when there was still a land bridge connecting us to mainland Europe? Maybe it did and at some point, for whatever reason, it went extinct or maybe it was just too slow to make it before the Channel was formed?

The ones captured in Dorset in the 1800's may have been part of a temporary colonisation, perhaps by a few gravid females making it over and finding suitable habitat.

The millennium Atlas also states "sightings of the Long-tailed Blue are still very rare and the apparent recent increase may simply reflect a greater intensity of recording, or more importation with fresh food stuffs. Although foodplants are widely available and breeding is possible, it seems the climate of Britain is unsuitable for colonization in the near future" written of course over 20 years now so who knows what will happen in the next few years!

[Allan.W.]

Q of S Fritillary ,photographed in Clowes Wood (part of the Blean complex ) Kent ,yesterday ,on Kent butterflies on twitter. Allan.W.
(not my record !)

[Bertl]

No more buddleia left in my garden now so butterflies very scarce. I was out walking near Cambus, Clackmannanshire on Saturday and there were a few red admirals and peacock on the wing but couldn't get a photo. Did manage a tortoiseshell that landed close to me. Also managed a new hoverfly for me.......not sure of ID.

[aeshna5]

Leucozona glaucia for the hoverfly- a pretty smart one! A female.

[Charles Nicol]

i went to Grafham Water this morning. a few Speckled Woods, a Comma, a tired Common Blue, and, a Large White were the only butterflies around.

i did see this interesting wading bird:

birdee.png (175.46 KiB) Viewed 941 times

it had narrow pointed wings in flight.

do you know what it is ?

[Allan.W.]

I,m a bit rusty concerning birds these days Charles .......................But i reckon its a Ruff ..................Happy to be corrected !
Allan.W.

[Charles Nicol]

I,m a bit rusty concerning birds these days Charles .......................But i reckon its a Ruff ..................Happy to be corrected !
Allan.W.

thanks for your help Allan .... it gives me a ruff idea

[bugboy]

I,m a bit rusty concerning birds these days Charles .......................But i reckon its a Ruff ..................Happy to be corrected !
Allan.W.

That was my first instinct when I saw the pic on my phone at work

[Charles Nicol]

I,m a bit rusty concerning birds these days Charles .......................But i reckon its a Ruff ..................Happy to be corrected !
Allan.W.

That was my first instinct when I saw the pic on my phone at work

thanks bugboy. i have checked the sightings at Grafham Water and several Ruffs have been seen this week.

[David M]

Friday 2nd - A surprise in my garden...a first ever Small Copper:

...and an even bigger one in my neighbour's garden - a Clouded Yellow:

[David M]

Friday 2nd, Port Eynon, Gower:

Small White 100-130
Painted Lady 80-100
Common Blue 9
Red Admiral 7
Large White 5
Meadow Brown 3
Speckled Wood 2
Clouded Yellow 2
Small Copper 2
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Green Veined White 1

[Stevieb]

Still a couple of nearly fresh male Adonis Blues this lunchtime plus a female ab. flavescens. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

16th September

16th September

16th September

[zigzag_wanderer]

Took my son to see Georgie Fame at Ronnie Scott's last Saturday. Fair to say at 27 he fitted comfortably into the youngest 5% age group, but he loved it.

We sat next to a charming couple from the States. She has 8 books published. Historical romantic fiction is not my genre though....heaving bosoms aside of course.

It was poignant walking through Green Park and past Buckingham Palace in the dark on the way back to Victoria. Lots of people still milling around, and so many flowers left in different areas.

I know schools are now back but there is a definite end of term feel to the visible insect world at my work now, although there is still just enough about to keep it interesting. I'm not seeing damselflies anymore but plenty of Common Darters and if anything, a slight increase in hawkers. After a very barren year, Small Coppers are having a final mini-flourish locally, and on Wednesday I saw my first ever "indoor" Clouded Yellow, although as 20% of the roofs and sides of most greenhouses are still open to the elements, it's a fairly loose definition.

Not sure what the collective noun for Dock Bugs is but I saw a load of them sunning themselves on dock leaves (natch) yesterday. I make it 20 in the snap below, but there were even more around.

The toad had dug itself into a pot of Red Jep Erysimum. I only spotted it when I took the label out to start cleaning the plant. Unlike frogs which like to jump out at you, this toad wasn't moving for anyone....so I put the pot back and chose another plant.

I've included a couple of garden snaps my brother in Hull sent me this week. The Southern Hawker is munching a Small White with a Speckled Wood a safe distance away (hopefully).

Finally, I've just seen that Dave (millerd) is back posting again. Great to have you back Dave, you have of course been very much missed on these pages with sightings from your Heathrow hot spot and elsewhere.

[David M]

...Small Coppers are having a final mini-flourish locally...

Agreed, ZZW. There were precious few of them earlier in the year, and the heatwave conditions ought to have ensured that there were even fewer in late summer/early autumn, but they have had a renaissance, which I am unable to explain, but very happy for its arrival.

[millerd]

Finally, I've just seen that Dave (millerd) is back posting again. Great to have you back Dave, you have of course been very much missed on these pages with sightings from your Heathrow hot spot and elsewhere.

Thank you, ZZ! It's good to be posting again, though the hot conditions during my absence seem to have taken their toll on my local patch... However, the last couple of days (which have truly felt more like autumn rather than an extension of summer) have brought out something I always relish at this particular time of year - brand new Red Admirals on the freshly flowering ivy. I counted six yesterday and four today, and this is one of the latter bunch - which may well have emerged this morning.

I hope there are many more to come before Christmas!

Cheers,

Dave

[aeshna5]

Also seeing more Small Coppers locally.

Yesterday I was leading a walk for the London Natural History Society at Ruislip Lido/Woods.

We had in the warming sun (cool early on!) 3 Small Copper, Red Admiral, 6 Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, 2 distant Small/Green-veined Whites & a Water Veneer moth.

Odonata wise 2 male Common Blue Damselfly, 2 Willow Emerald, 5 Migrant Hawker & 12 Common Darter.

Several Hornets too.

Plenty of good birds with returning wildfowl, 4 Little Egrets, Red Kite, couple of Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Hobby & Kestrel, 70+ Swallow, 30+ Sand Martin, 15+ House Martin & Spotted Flycatcher.

[Maximus]

A very fresh female Queen of Spain Fritillary and an unusually fresh late Large Skipper seen today.

[bugboy]

a for the QoS and for the Large Skipper, second brood?

[Allan.W.]

At Dungeness (Kent) yesterday we only managed to find 2 Small Coppers ,the third brood ..............just didn,t happen . Last year on a similar date the Obs;warden had a count of 600+ and we had two 400+ counts , assuming that its the failure of the Sheeps Sorrel ,which has really suffered in the drought conditions .
Plenty of Whites about ,mainly Small ,but with a fair few Large .............the females egg laying on the Sea Kale. 8 Common Blues (7 m,1f ) ,and around a dozen Small Heath ,and 1 each of Painted Lady and Red Admiral .
Best of the bunch were 6 Clouded Yellows ,along the power station fence ,including a male and female in courtship mode ,i kept my eyes on them
but they moved further and further away ,until they dissappeared behind the fishing boats .
For the birders ,there are still up to 6 Glossy Ibis on the ARC pit ,with Great White and Cattle Egrets also around ................reckon its only a matter of time before the Ibis stay to breed .
Allan.W.

[Deborah]

In the Lucerne/clover/grass field close by. Still seeing Common Blues - nearly all males though. Just this one, lovely female.
Short-tailed Blues, Small Coppers, 3-4 Clouded Yellows, Small Heaths, a couple of Peacocks and a Painted Lady. The Comma was in my garden.