Bugboys mission

[millerd]

Great to see you set out to find a Large Tortoiseshell and actually succeed in the endeavour, even though the butterfly wasn't particularly cooperative. Terrific stuff.

Dave

[bugboy]

Thanks Neil, I completely agree that it is last years weather that is the prime suspect for butterfly numbers this spring. I suspect anything who’s lifecycle requires it to be a larvae in high summer might well struggle this year. The single brooded spring species might just have avoided the worst of it. Time will tell
Thanks Trevor, I’m surprised you haven’t stumbled across one yet, they’re all over the place it would seem, including walking distance from your pad!
Thanks David, yea my heart rate was quite high. The air was also rather blue from my colourful language!
Thanks Dave, it seems to happen once every six years, so April 2029 will be when I next find one

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April 2023

Friday 7th. Its now officially summer season at work which means rota changes and the return of a fortnightly half day, the perfect excuse to stop off at Tottenham Marshes to see how things were developing on my way home. I was happy to see the run of fine days has allowed all the usual hotspots to start filling up, although numbers are still down on previous years. It was mostly Peacock and Comma again with a few Whites and Brimstones flitting around. I did actually manage to catch one of the Small Whites having a quick pit stop in his wanderings.

I also came across a Red Admiral who looked a bit familiar, the wing damage telling me this was the same one I’d came across twice on my last visit at opposite ends of the site. Today it had returned to its original patch.

I only saw three Small Tortoiseshell, I fear they’ve suffered most of all the adult hibernators, but only managed to pin a worn individual down.

The final species for the day were a couple more Speckled Wood.

[Wurzel]

Cracking Specklie shots Bugboy And I like the sound of fortnightly half days Congrats on the Large Tort as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice range you've seen lately, Paul. Those Speckled Woods are particularly nice - I love it when they nectar from the blackthorn blossom.

Surely only days away from Orange Tips now.

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, sounds like you’ve had a fun time away in the Med, looking forward to seeing all that exotica!
Thanks David, the Specklies did pose rather well that afternoon. Those Orange-tips remain elusive to me, need the weather to settle down again though and for things to pan out on my days off, I wasn’t able to take any leave this month.

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April 2023

Tuesday 11th. An early brief wander on the local Marshes hoping to catch an Orange-tip before the predicted clouds came rolling in didn’t come to much, I’m still awaiting the ‘official’ start to spring! I found a grand total of just three butterflies, two Specklies and a Red Admiral but the cloud appeared just as butterflies start becoming active at this time of year.

This one bears a strong resemblance to Trevor's recent find.

[Pauline]

I admire your optimism Buggy. The day here started really quite chilly and rain wasn't long in coming. Yesterday we had thunder, lightening, hailstones and torrential rain. The forecast for the rest of the week is rain and wind. Got to improve soon surely!

[Wurzel]

It has been a crazy spring Bugboy - the number of decent butterfly days has been neglible From the looks of that first Specklie it has been out a while despite the weather, either that or it's been as unlucky as Trevors

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You did well to get out on 11th, Paul. No chance of that here.

That Speckled Wood is indeed a doppelganger of the one Trevor posted.

[bugboy]

Thanks Pauline, it would seem east has been best (marginally) in recent weeks. As for improved weather, well the forecasts suggest that until the day arrives by when the forecasters have changed their minds!
you’re not wrong there Wurzel, and the forecasters are up to their old tricks of promising lots but delivering so little too
Thanks David, there’s some more from that Specklie below.

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April 2023

Saturday 15th. Today seemed to be gearing up to be the (slightly) better day of the two over the weekend, not to the point where a long-distance day out was worth attempting though, so I took the short train trip over to Wanstead Park. Last year a Large Tortoiseshell was recorded here, although considering the amount of Elm scrub here, it’s surprising the place isn’t heaving with them now!

Elm sucker growth on both sides of the path.

I managed to time my arrival with the breaking of cloud cover and after some wandering around close to the River Roding a nicely posed Peacock presented itself, sat atop some Red Dead-nettle.

A couple more Peacocks were found nearby, one of whom put up a Small Tortoiseshell who decided to harass it in the hope for some hanky panky. I see this behaviour once or twice every year, presumably the pheromones the two employ are still very similar, perhaps as good a reason as any for the two species to share a genus.

In total I found three Small Torts in varying states of (dis)repair.

The amorous male from the previous image.

I think the spider was just using it as a convenient sunbed rather than getting ideas above its station

Surprisingly I only found a single Comma, this time last year I was finding many more here.

I was aware some nasty black clouds were bubbling up further east and making their way towards me so I did my best to drag myself away, another Peacock and a couple of Speckled Wood doing their best to make me change my mind.

However, when I got home the sky had cleared up significantly, so I surrendered to temptation and spent an hour perusing the Marshes. It was getting a bit late, so I didn’t see much. A Speckled Wood showed up first, it took a while to settle, inspecting every leaf in his little territory, but when he did settle, I saw he was the same damaged one I’d seen in this same spot four days previously with a large chunk of hindwing missing.

A Comma was found in the usual corner where generations of his ancestors have reigned.

Another Speckled Wood landed in the grass near me, except at a quick glance it was the same damaged one as earlier… except it wasn’t, when I got home and looked at the pictures this one was fresher with a complete fringe, just with near identical damage. I wonder if it was the same bird not learning from its previous encounter with this many eyed flying leaf?

[Neil Freeman]

Another Speckled Wood landed in the grass near me, except at a quick glance it was the same damaged one as earlier… except it wasn’t, when I got home and looked at the pictures this one was fresher with a complete fringe, just with near identical damage.

It is often amazing how photos can prove (or disprove) the numbers of indivuals seen. I have noted numerous times how the same butterflies can be seen in quite different parts of a site, and on the other hand have also noted when photos have proved that I actually saw more individuals than originally thought.

Cheers,

Neil.

[bugboy]

Thanks Neil, I’ve had a similarly themed encounter with a Red Admiral this year who keeps turning up in front of my camera!

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April 2023

Sunday 16th. After going to bed with a forecast for a drab grey day echoing in my mind, it probably shouldn’t have come as much a surprise when I woke up to hazy blue skies and what looked like a better day than was predicted. After running a few errands I hopped on a bus (no trains running today) and went over for another peruse at Wanstead Park, starting a bit further north in another section of the fragmented southern end of Epping Forest. Of course, as soon as I hopped of the bus the cloud thickened and I was back in gloom walking down to Wanstead Park. I did see a trio of Speckled Wood but they all scarpered up into the trees when I disturbed them.

The cloud began to break up again once I arrived at Wanstead Park and I ended up on the banks of the River again, mainly because the ratio of other people to butterflies here is good! Peacocks were out again, pictures proving they were for the most part different individuals from the previous day.

A few more Commas were about today, four in total, a female sipping from fruit tree blossom was particularly photogenic.

Like the Peacocks, the Small Torts found were also different individuals, two females as opposed to the males from yesterday.

A solitary male Brimstone did fly past and the only other species seen were a few Small White, who today settled more often and long enough to get close.

[Wurzel]

Great set of shots Bugboy I don't know about you but the Peacocks seem extra twitchy this year
"Of course, as soon as I hopped of the bus the cloud thickened and I was back in gloom" this pretty much sums up my butterflying trips this year I'm always playing 'race the clouds' - still it has to end soon surely

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Those Peacocks in particular are beautiful, Paul. Pleased to say they have been around in good numbers round my way and like yours, many of my local ones appear to be in resplendent condition.

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, Yea they do seem a bit twitchy this year, or maybe I’m just being forced to try and photograph them in the wind all the time
Thanks David, There have been some good looking ones about this spring. The one on the nettles was a female, who always tend to look after themselves, but there’s also not been much time to beat each other up either this spring!

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April 2023

Tuesday 18th. Five days ago this was being peddled as the best day of the week with temps predicted to be hitting 19 degrees, of course being my day off this prediction quickly changed and I was left with an hour of blue sky late morning plagued with a stiff breeze more at home in February! Nevertheless, I decided to spend the day escaping the confines of London and went down to Amberley again.

The cold wind made sure very little was on show, indeed during the sunny hour between 10 and 11 I came across just a handful of Peacock and a solitary Speckled Wood.

Birds of Prey were enjoying the wind though, and a Yellowhammer was making the most of the sunny spell.

Obviously I perused the Blackthorn along the bottom of Perry Hill but this was barren of butterfly life, largely due to the wind which was coming from just the wrong direction, however I did spend a bit of time inspecting the flora on the hillside, or at least what's dared to poke its head above the parapet in this dodgy spring we're having.

I also had a look around for Elm, easily finding a sizable hedge along the main road through Burpham (which I’ve walked past several times without noticing) as well as more around the western edge of the Village and plenty more lining the footpath leading northwards to Burpham Meadows and North Stoke. Basically, it’s everywhere! It has quite distinctive leaves, having strangely asymmetrical bases and the stems often have odd warty corklike growths on them.

Later in the afternoon I ventured down to Burpham Meadows, still mostly impassable without wellies but the Burpham end is manageable. It was here that I found my first Orange-tips of the season, a pair clinging to some Cuckooflower. Looks like I’ve still got some waiting to do to get some open winged shots this year though!

The cloud cover decided to break up as I was going home, frustratingly too late to be useful but I did have another Grey Partridge encounter and just before heading off I had a Barn Owl pass surprisingly close to me, sadly too quick to get my camera up in time but always a lovely experience to see the ghostly apparition float silently past, after alerting me to its presence by its deathly screech.

Grey Partridge pair

[Wurzel]

Love the two-fer Orange-tip shot Bugboy I too saw a pair of Grey Partridges during my almost totally unsuccessful trip to Martin Down today - they're a sight for sore eyes and much more attractive and subtle than their gaudy released cousins

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Love your shot of the Orange tips I've yet to see one, hope fully warmer weather here may change that.

The last time I saw a Partridge, was years ago when visiting my Daughter at the School House near Blean Woods, it was in the school grounds, I'd to ask what it was because I'd never seen one before Never seen one since Goldie

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, I agree with you about the Grey Partridges.
Thanks Goldie, I’ve only seen three OT’s this year so far, I think the emergence will be quite drawn out this year so plenty of time to find some, hopefully May will produce plenty more.

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April 2023

Tuesday 25th. A surprise visitation from the sun on my day off (at least for the morning) tempted me for a wander in Epping Forest, hoping the sunny glades might absorb the heat being eaten away by the chilly light breeze. Unfortunately, the chilly air won out and butterflies were somewhat thin on the ground, a grand total of just five in 3 hours.

The first were a couple of Speckled Wood, one of whom sat.

I had to wait a whole 2 hours for the next butterfly to appear, although considering the spring I’m having and the conditions today it was worth the wait. He fluttered past me along the sunny side of a ride but a quick glance at the sky told me it was worth chasing him. As the cloud approached he went in search of a spot to settle and found an unfurling Bracken frond.

It was of course now just the waiting game we’re all familiar with, always worth the wait! If I ever do a documentary, I’m definitely putting the sound of a creaking door over this .

The final two butterflies were a couple of Green-veined Whites, the male just patrolled but the female was hungry and posed perfectly.

Had it been just a few degrees warmer I’m sure there would have been a lot more active including plenty of Peacock and Comma but here’s a couple of the latter I found on one of my work transects last week.

I've got a couple of weeks off coming up so hopefully I can add a few more species to the yearly tally, which still only sits at a measly ten!

[trevor]

For your OT sequence.
It's a challenge to find one around here, except for the one in my garden last Friday............
............which escaped without a shot!

Warmth this weekend ?

Trevor.

[David M]

That's more like it, Paul!

Orange Tips & Green Veined Whites playing ball. Not before time.

[Wurzel]

I am very envious of your Green-veined White Bugboy as I still haven't seen one That OT sequence is great and what a beautifully marked individual that one is it almost has a band of white running across the wing

Have a goodun

Wurzel