May 2009 Sightings

[IAC]

Hi all,
Today visited Burnmouth and South to the English border, a tremendous day weatherwise and butterflywise..unexpected first thing was around 6-8 Northern Brown Argus flitting around the scree slopes above Burnmouth harbour, a solitary Small Copper and a Wall Brown dogfighting, no contest, but the Small Cop did not have it all his own way today as the Newbie Brown Argus teamed up to equal the odds. Great fun to watch.This NBA colony should reach about 20+..maybe more soon.
Small Blues were the story of the day with over 50 sighted on the seaward slopes, a thumping all time record for this species....it was all you could do not to stand on them in places.....mindblowing!!! Small Heath were showing a little more today with around 20 observed together with a pristine Dark Chocolate Brown and Scarlet Red Admiral. Large Whites were in evidence along with a tatty Small White some GVW skating around the deep deans and a single male Common Blue divebombed and mobbed by the Small Blue hordes.

[eccles]

Further to Denise's sighting at Priddy Mineries of SPBF, they are still in a localised spot currently, which is on a grassy slope to the right of the footpath just before you reach Priddy Pool, the lower of the two ponds on the reserve. If they follow what they've done in previous years, they will spread along the upper bank further back parallel to the path over the next week or so.
After a really disappointing morning at Shapwick looking for hairy dragonflies it was great to see this super little butterfly again. Here's one I snapped today.

[Dave McCormick]

Great day...

50+ Painted Ladies
2 Red Admirals
6 Large Whites
1 Speckled Wood
20+ GV Whites
4+ Small Whites

One Large White:

[nick patel]

Is a Peacock today (30th) quite late. there's probably been much later ones. had one at the park today.

cheers.

[Ian Pratt]

In the one site on the Isle of Wight where there are small pearl-bordered fritillaries I saw one today much earlier than normal. It is the Hants and IOW Wildlife Trust reserve at Ningwood Common. The site has been extensively cleared of scrub so in a few years time there may be many more butterflies generally.

[Ian Pratt]

Not a bad day generally with 20 species at 4 sites plus my garden:
Ningwood Common, Afton Down, Bonchurch Down and Shalcombe Down.
Large White, GV White, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Small Blue, Brown Argus, Adonis Blue, GF, SPBF, Wall, Large Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Comma, Brimstone, Green Hairstreak, Small Heath, Small Copper, Speckled Wood and ..... Painted Lady!
Also Emperor Dragonfly.

[Denise]

Are you finding the Small Blues by the P&R or a little closer to Bath where the OS map marks Odd Down?

Jack

Hi Jack.

I went to Odd Down, park and ride car park today with Eccles and Xmilehigh. We found a good few Small Blue. Some were in the area where we saw them last year but the majority were a little way back toward the entrance buy a large green iron fenced off area where they can't be disturbed. There is a lot of Kidney Vetch in there and we even saw a pair mating. (All this looks very good for their survival in this area) We did however manage a few photo's of the ones that came our side of the fence, but boy, it was hot on that tarmac.

Denise

[eccles]

Jack, Odd Down Park & Ride is directly off the roundabout at the Wellsway A367/Sulis Manor Road junction, Grid ST733616.
The butterflies are actually IN the park and ride itself, on the grass verges that are full of kidney vetch and other wildflowers.

[Dave McCormick]

So far:

50+ Painted Ladies
1 pure white (with no markings at all) small white
1 Silver Y Moth
1 GV White

[Jack Harrison]

Eccles:

Jack, Odd Down Park & Ride

Yes I've used that to get into Bath when staying at sister-in-law's place at Wellow.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Speckled Wood in typical dappled sunhine - 31st May.

It was a hot day and they always seemed to land end-on to the sun with wings closed, presumably to minimise overheating.

Jack

[wiccaman9]

Mixed successes on trip to Shropshire yesterday.

Wood whites in force at Radnor Wood, very warmed up and difficult to photograph, VERY rarely settled to perch!

Never seen so many painted ladies in one place. 40+ in a stretch 200yds long, all busy nectaring on bugle.

Meandered back home calling by Whixall moss, walked 2/3 of the transect, but no large heath yet, perhaps 1 week or so too early, ubiquitous painted ladies 8-9, and 2 female small coppers, a few brimstone and GVW's and an old holly blue male.

Called by Prees Heath, masseyi out already, only had a tentative look at a 200yd stretch linearly, 8 males and 1 female. Males included a pallid freshly emerged male, almost aneythristic....

Cheers, Aron

[wiccaman9]

Sorry about that, above pics are of common blues, but s.s. blues are just starting
Aron

[sandraandkevin]

Sandra and I saw our first Clouded Yellow on the Isle of Sheppey today, whilst walking along the river near the bridge. Lots of Common Blue, Small Heaths and of course Painted Ladies.

Kevin

[Paul]

Saw IAC's entry yesterday and couldn't resist the lure.... some white spots for my troubles!! - and excellent comany, 'cos I met IAC in person.




A few more shots on my blog if anyone interested!!

[IAC]

Hi all,
Yet another fine day on the Scottish South East coast, plenty to see for a change at this time of year. Above the harbour at Burnmouth today the Northern Brown Argus numbers have swelled to about 20...looking like a bumper year for these guys. Bumped into fellow forum follower Paul Kipling , a thoroughly nice chap, who had travelled specially to see them, he was in luck.
Painted Lady, Small Copper and Wall Brown together with a few Large, Small and GVW.
Paul managed to photograph a Dew moth on the cliffside quite a rarity up here.
After a while we had attracted an interested local community of three who seemed very impressed by there native fauna. It was around 4.30 that the NBA began to settle down so I managed a few pics....but you are always wanting to go back for more.
Cheers IAC.

[IAC]

Hi Paul,
Glad you got what you came for , very happy to help....great photos by the way.
Cheers IAC.

[Eris]

We had one lone meadow brown pottering around our field today...isn't it rather early for them?
Saw 3 GVW a brimstone, 2 small heaths, half a dozen speckled woods in the garden and a a few painted ladies flitting by. Also 2 wonderful male Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies doing battle over the garden pond, and fair number of small damsel flies.

[Denise]

My brother (who is a birder) took this shot of two Brimstone courting yesterday, in a local reserve. I thought that it was interesting so I would share it.

[NickB]

Nice Brimstones....
Final one from Totternhoe on 28th.

A cooperative Large Skipper...