May 2023

[Wurzel]

A great day yesterday at Cotley Hill. Marshies (including a very fresh female?), Walls, Brown Argus were all on offer but surprisingly no Common, Small or Adonis Blues?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

More Fritillaries: half a dozen or so Marshies seen at Cotley Hill today in brighter than expected weather...

Very nice, Dave. They're beautiful when mint fresh.

[MrSp0ck]

taras Grizzled yesterday at Hutchinsons Bank

[Testudo Man]

Both recent Saturdays spent chasing the beautiful Brown Argus, 3 locations in an around Kent, typically 5+ hours per session out in the field...best times for open winged basking were after 5.00pm onwards. Other species highlights seen, were 10+ Small Blues(1 mating pair)...just 2 male Adonis! mating pair of Grizzled Skipper, Common Blues 15+(just 2 females)...an all the usual species making up the numbers. Still quite low in the numbers really!?

Some highlight pics, no images are cropped, cheers Paul.

Those beautiful Brown Argus (both males an females) at times (for me generally) a difficult/challenging species, so ive spent time with them recently, in order to capture a few pleasing images.

Not forgetting that lovely mating pair of Grizzlies.

[millerd]

A great day yesterday at Cotley Hill.
Wurzel

Glad you were able to make the most of it too, Wurzel. Very strange that no blues were out there yet.

A visit to uncharted territory today (22nd) with a walk between Branscombe Mouth and Beer on the east Devon coast in beautiful weather. Once into the heavily vegetated landslip area parallel to the coast but sheltered from sea breezes, dozens of Holly Blues appeared. They were almost all females, laying eggs on the dogwood.

However, the more exciting find was to discover the Wood Whites that occupy this habitat which is so unlike the familiar woodland of Chiddingfold. I have wanted for many years to investigate the colonies that I had read inhabited this stretch of Devon/Dorset coastline, but had not spotted any recent sighting reports, and this was my first opportunity to have a look. Luckily this came at precisely the right time of the species' season and in perfect weather. I counted well over a dozen; to my eyes they were much more active than the Surrey version.

Here is a view from the spot where the shots were taken, looking west towards Sidmouth.

Dave

[David M]

...Some highlight pics, no images are cropped, cheers Paul...

Fabulous images, Paul, especially that last one of the mating Grizzlies.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave We found the Blues eventually, they'd been having a lie-in at Martin Down A cracking day from the two sites with 21 species and 7 firsts for the year Other wildlife including an Adder, Common Lizards and four species of Orchid

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...However, the more exciting find was to discover the Wood Whites that occupy this habitat which is so unlike the familiar woodland of Chiddingfold...

Great to see you finding out about rare species well away from your local area, Dave. I didn't know sinapis could be found in that part of England.

[MrSp0ck]

Ive often visited the Branscombe Wood WHites in the late 1980s and early 1990s great to see them still there. There was a colony of Small Pearl Borderd Frits at Stonebarrow Hill, which at that time was single brooded, alas they are no longer there now.

[Charles Nicol]

saw my first Small Blue of the season this morning at Sundon

[Bertl]

Around a dozen more PBF on the wing at Cambus o may yesterday. They only appeared once the sun came out. They were very active but managed a few shots as they stopped to nectar.

[Jack Harrison]

Commas were first reported in my area (Inverness /Moray Firth) in 2020.  I began to see them a year later. 

Today, one was egg laying on a small elm in my garden.

Jack

[millerd]

On my return journey home from Devon, I popped into Lulworth. On a sheltered bank near Stair Hole I found a single of the local speciality.

seen on the grass to the right

male Lulworth Skipper

Also seen: Adonis Blue (the most frequently encountered one), Common Blue, Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Wall, Peacock, Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue. A fuller account will appear in my PD at some point.

Dave

[millerd]

I have to say this female Adonis also seen at Lulworth was also of note. They are lovely creatures.

Dave

[Katrina]

Beautiful Adonis Dave!

[MrSp0ck]

A few Pictures from todays Surrey BC Walk at Hutchinsons Bank. Glanvilles and Marsh Fritillaries were about this afternoon.

At one point a male glanville was trying very hard to make some Marshvilles for next year. I didnt get to see this, but have seen the photos.

[Lawts]

On my return journey home from Devon, I popped into Lulworth. On a sheltered bank near Stair Hole I found a single of the local speciality.LWS SITE VIEW.JPGLWS1 240523.JPG Also seen: Adonis Blue (the most frequently encountered one), Common Blue, Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Wall, Peacock, Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue. A fuller account will appear in my PD at some point.

Dave

Wow that seems early. It's still a butterfly I need, and I was hoping to go for it this year. I'd got late July/early August in mind.

[millerd]

Wow that seems early. It's still a butterfly I need, and I was hoping to go for it this year. I'd got late July/early August in mind.

Luckily, they have a curiously long season which can run from May to September. They tend to appear first at Lulworth itself, but I've seen them in July and August at Durlston Country Park near Swanage many times. I'd be confident my sighting yesterday is nothing to be concerned about.

Cheers,

Dave

[Matsukaze]

For reasons of global pandemic and shifting work patterns, today was my first opportunity since 2019 to visit the Dingy Skipper colony in the quarry on Bathampton Down. The sun was a bit too intermittent to truly bring out the butterflies, but it did not prevent a delightfully psychotic battle between what were presumably two males, duelling for 2-3 minutes up and down the slope. These creatures hate each other. The winner continued to patrol the slopes vigorously for some minutes to come. Also a Comma basking on the warm patch provided by some bare ground on the path.

[Neil Freeman]

Wow that seems early. It's still a butterfly I need, and I was hoping to go for it this year. I'd got late July/early August in mind.

To back up Dave's comments, the earliest I have ever seen them reported was late April but they tend to start sometime in May at their early sites such as Lulworth. I have seen good numbers in mid-June at Lulworth and Durdle Door when they hadn't yet got going at Durlston Country Park. Durlston is a later site and I have seen them there in late August and a couple of times into early September but it is probably best there in July and August so would be the best site for the dates you have in mind.

Neil.