Didn't see it myself but did anybody get to see the Camberwell Beauty near Salisbury?
http://www.wiltshire-butterflies.org.uk/Home.aspx
March 2012
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P.J.Underwood
- Posts: 366
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 5:04 pm
- Location: S.W.Surrey
Re: March 2012
John,JohnR wrote:Just to demonstrate my skill with a camera can the experts tell me which of the Orange Underwings this might bePhotographing this moth proves that auto focus on a Canon disturbs them, I could gain the focus automatically but as soon as I committed the exposure this moth was up and away and it happened about 10 times. I have long suspected that some insects are disturbed by AF but this is the first time that I have been able to prove it to myself.
This looks very much like the one I saw!
P.J.U.
Re: March 2012
I had an Orange-tip at Hatfield Moors NNR , South Yorkshire on the 28th March is this by any chance the furthest Northerly sighting?
Re: March 2012
Further to my entry of yesterday evening a report by Mike Gibbons on the second Large Tortoiseshell to be seen in Walters Copse this week can be found on the following link.
http://www.hantsiow-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.htm
http://www.hantsiow-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.htm
Re: March 2012
I photographed this Small White immediately after the moth and it was completely unperturbed by the AF. I seem to remember from last year that there were some species that flew off as soon as the auto-focus gained focus yet others, as with this moth, when the AF locked onto the subject.MikeOxon wrote:I am interested to see that you have also suffered this problem!JohnR wrote:Photographing this moth proves that auto focus on a Canon disturbs them
I found the same when using AF-S lenses on my Nikon; in particular, when trying to photograph Burnet Companion moths flying together with Dingy Skippers. I did several experiments, which convinced me that the moth flew as soon as I activated the AF (before the shutter fired) but could easily be photographed using manual focus. I considered that this might be due to the moth's anti-Bat defences reacting to sound emissions from the ultrasonic motor in the lens. (There was no similar problem with the Dingy Skippers)
I started a thread at viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5733 but others did not seem to have encountered the same problem.
It now seems that you have provided confirmation of what I think is an interesting phenomenon.
Mike
Re: March 2012
No butterflies for me yesterday but this morning the sun came out and I saw my first Orange-tip of the year:
Re: March 2012
I must be very lucky this year with my Butterflies, I saw my first at Lytham a Small Tortoiseshell on the 22nd of March.
After that 6 were in my back garden on the 23ard of March, then on the 24th 4 in my BG, also 2 at HLB and 2 BG again on the 28th and today another 3.
Comma's I BG 24th March 4 BG 26th, 2 HLB 28th 1 Yarrow Vally 3 in the Lakes on the 29th
Peacocks 2 BG 24th March,4 BG 26th, 2 HLB, 1Yarrow Valley P 28th, 1 in the Lakes
Small Whites 3 28th March HLB / Thats a total of 15 Small Tortoiseshells for March, 11 Comma's, 10 Peacocks, 3 Small Whites. No others spotted yet Goldie
After that 6 were in my back garden on the 23ard of March, then on the 24th 4 in my BG, also 2 at HLB and 2 BG again on the 28th and today another 3.
Comma's I BG 24th March 4 BG 26th, 2 HLB 28th 1 Yarrow Vally 3 in the Lakes on the 29th
Peacocks 2 BG 24th March,4 BG 26th, 2 HLB, 1Yarrow Valley P 28th, 1 in the Lakes
Small Whites 3 28th March HLB / Thats a total of 15 Small Tortoiseshells for March, 11 Comma's, 10 Peacocks, 3 Small Whites. No others spotted yet Goldie
Re: March 2012
29 March 2012
Encouraged by the reports of others, I visited Mill Hill and quickly spotted my first Grizzled Skipper of the year flying around on the northern part of the lower slopes. It might not have been so easy to spot to newcomers as there were scores of smaller day-flying pyralid moths. Other butterflies on the approaches were one male Orange-tip and two Brimstones on the Waterworks Road with three Peacocks, a Comma on the Stinging Nettles on the western part of the Pixie Path; and at the top of Chanctonbury Drive, two Speckled Woods sparred over the Cherry Plum Blossom. There were at least a couple more of restless Brimstones and a few more Peacocks on the lower slopes of Mill Hill in the middle of the day sunshine.
Six species
28 March 2012
A Small White Butterfly flew over Frampton Lane in Old Shoreham. On cue, a male Orange Tip Butterfly flew along the Waterworks Road and made a few visits to the Sweet VIolets. Except, although half expected it was early, the first time I have seen this attractive butterflyin March. A few minutes later as I waited for the Orange Tip to briefly settle from its endless wandering up and now the lane, I spotted my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year, with its wings closed (an then opening briefly), on a patch of Ground Ivy. A Peacock Butterfly landed on the same Ground Ivy and the Small Tortoiseshell flew off.Then along came the most magnificent large Brimstone Butterfly I had ever seen cruised by without stopping. A worn Comma Butterfly fluttered by and then landed on the road. My first Green-veined White Butterfly of the year courted the Orange-tip and I could see it was twice the size of its erroneous partner. This was another first for March. There was no sign of any Garlic Mustard (larval food plant of the Orange-tip). Common Bee-Flies, Bombylius major, were frequently seen.
Seven species
27 March 2012
I recorded ten different butterfly species in a day, which I cannot recall ever doing before during the month of March. In just a couple of hours at Mill Hill (Shoreham) I counted four Grizzled Skipper (first of the year), one Orange Tip (first of the year), one Speckled Wood, one Holly Blue ((first of the year), one Brimstone, one Small White, 14 Peacock, one Red Admiral, two Small Tortoiseshell and two Comma. The day-flying moths Pyrausta pupuralis and Pyrausta despicata were both present in good numbers, along with the odd Pyrausta nigrata.
Report by Neil Hulme on Sussex Butterfly Reports
I was surprised to find a freshly emerged Grizzled Skipper on Mill Hill. There were also half a dozen Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell.
Report by Tim Newman on Sussex Butterfly Reports
26 March 2012
I was surprised by an early Small White Butterfly, my first of the year over the twitten at the end of Gordon Avenue, by the Hamm Road allotments in residential Shoreham. At the top of the Pixie Path (by the hedge, the only part visited) the bright yellow of my first Brimstone Butterfly of the year was unmissable as the first of the Peacock Butterflies fluttered around. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, there were at least two more Brimstones and at least four more Peacocks (one visiting the Sweet Violets), with at least one more of each over the scrub near the gate to Old Erringham. Small pyralid moths were frequently seen flitting amongst the violets on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, with Pyrausta nigrata, Pyrausta pupuralis and Pyrausta despicata seen very clearly and all three species definitely identified. This was the earliest and the first time in March I seen any of these three species. The micro-moth Violet Cosmet, Pancalia leuwenhoekella, was spotted on a Sweet Violet flower. On my return from a full visit to Mill Hill (passage trek over the top) I noted my first Speckled Wood Butterfly of the year at the top of Chanctonbury Drive.
A Common Bee-Fly, Bombylius major, (first of the year) was spotted over the path amongst the Hawthorn scrub on Mill Hill.
Four butterfly species
23 March 2012
Small Tortoiseshell (first of the year), Peacock and Comma Butterflies were seen in the sunshine on the Lancing Ring hillside. There seemed to be a Peacock around every corner and Comma’s were almost as frequent. The two Small Tortoishell’s I saw were in among the nettle beds near the cemetery.
Report & Images by Ray Hamblett on Friends of Lancing Ring
The sunshine came out in the afternoon when I decided to visit Lancing Ring where a pair of Comma Butterflies courted over flowering Gorse in a clearing in the clump (two of the three seen).
22 March 2012
In north Lancing, Andy Brook noted the first Comma Butterfly of the year in a hedge outside of the Old Forge on the corner of Mill Road and Manor Road.
21 March 2012
A Peacock Butterfly fluttered over the cyclepath halfway between Old Shoreham and the Cement Works.
19 March 2012
A Red Admiral Butterfly flew over the top of Chanctonbury Drive (SE of Mill Hill), only my second species of butterfly seen this year.
Report on the Mill Hill Blog
12 March 2012
Under a blue sky and weak sunshine (14.6 °C) the Sweet Violets were flowering on Mill Hill, where I saw two Peacock Butterflies (my first two butterflies of the year), one flying across the road at the top of the hill and another one fluttering over the lower slopes.
Adur Butterflies
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterflies.htm
Adur Butterfly Flight Times
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterflies1X2009.htm
Mill Hill Reports 2012
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2012.html
Mill Hill and its Butterflies
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2009Article.htm
First Adur Butterfly Dates 2003 to 2012
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/ButterfliesFFT.htm
Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2012.html
Cheers
Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2012.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: March 2012
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/March2012.html
Sussex Downs Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111843132181316
Encouraged by the reports of others, I visited Mill Hill and quickly spotted my first Grizzled Skipper of the year flying around on the northern part of the lower slopes. It might not have been so easy to spot to newcomers as there were scores of smaller day-flying pyralid moths. Other butterflies on the approaches were one male Orange-tip and two Brimstones on the Waterworks Road with three Peacocks, a Comma on the Stinging Nettles on the western part of the Pixie Path; and at the top of Chanctonbury Drive, two Speckled Woods sparred over the Cherry Plum Blossom. There were at least a couple more of restless Brimstones and a few more Peacocks on the lower slopes of Mill Hill in the middle of the day sunshine.
Six species
28 March 2012
A Small White Butterfly flew over Frampton Lane in Old Shoreham. On cue, a male Orange Tip Butterfly flew along the Waterworks Road and made a few visits to the Sweet VIolets. Except, although half expected it was early, the first time I have seen this attractive butterflyin March. A few minutes later as I waited for the Orange Tip to briefly settle from its endless wandering up and now the lane, I spotted my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year, with its wings closed (an then opening briefly), on a patch of Ground Ivy. A Peacock Butterfly landed on the same Ground Ivy and the Small Tortoiseshell flew off.Then along came the most magnificent large Brimstone Butterfly I had ever seen cruised by without stopping. A worn Comma Butterfly fluttered by and then landed on the road. My first Green-veined White Butterfly of the year courted the Orange-tip and I could see it was twice the size of its erroneous partner. This was another first for March. There was no sign of any Garlic Mustard (larval food plant of the Orange-tip). Common Bee-Flies, Bombylius major, were frequently seen.
Seven species
27 March 2012
I recorded ten different butterfly species in a day, which I cannot recall ever doing before during the month of March. In just a couple of hours at Mill Hill (Shoreham) I counted four Grizzled Skipper (first of the year), one Orange Tip (first of the year), one Speckled Wood, one Holly Blue ((first of the year), one Brimstone, one Small White, 14 Peacock, one Red Admiral, two Small Tortoiseshell and two Comma. The day-flying moths Pyrausta pupuralis and Pyrausta despicata were both present in good numbers, along with the odd Pyrausta nigrata.
Report by Neil Hulme on Sussex Butterfly Reports
I was surprised to find a freshly emerged Grizzled Skipper on Mill Hill. There were also half a dozen Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell.
Report by Tim Newman on Sussex Butterfly Reports
26 March 2012
I was surprised by an early Small White Butterfly, my first of the year over the twitten at the end of Gordon Avenue, by the Hamm Road allotments in residential Shoreham. At the top of the Pixie Path (by the hedge, the only part visited) the bright yellow of my first Brimstone Butterfly of the year was unmissable as the first of the Peacock Butterflies fluttered around. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, there were at least two more Brimstones and at least four more Peacocks (one visiting the Sweet Violets), with at least one more of each over the scrub near the gate to Old Erringham. Small pyralid moths were frequently seen flitting amongst the violets on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, with Pyrausta nigrata, Pyrausta pupuralis and Pyrausta despicata seen very clearly and all three species definitely identified. This was the earliest and the first time in March I seen any of these three species. The micro-moth Violet Cosmet, Pancalia leuwenhoekella, was spotted on a Sweet Violet flower. On my return from a full visit to Mill Hill (passage trek over the top) I noted my first Speckled Wood Butterfly of the year at the top of Chanctonbury Drive.
A Common Bee-Fly, Bombylius major, (first of the year) was spotted over the path amongst the Hawthorn scrub on Mill Hill.
Four butterfly species
23 March 2012
Small Tortoiseshell (first of the year), Peacock and Comma Butterflies were seen in the sunshine on the Lancing Ring hillside. There seemed to be a Peacock around every corner and Comma’s were almost as frequent. The two Small Tortoishell’s I saw were in among the nettle beds near the cemetery.
Report & Images by Ray Hamblett on Friends of Lancing Ring
The sunshine came out in the afternoon when I decided to visit Lancing Ring where a pair of Comma Butterflies courted over flowering Gorse in a clearing in the clump (two of the three seen).
22 March 2012
In north Lancing, Andy Brook noted the first Comma Butterfly of the year in a hedge outside of the Old Forge on the corner of Mill Road and Manor Road.
21 March 2012
A Peacock Butterfly fluttered over the cyclepath halfway between Old Shoreham and the Cement Works.
19 March 2012
A Red Admiral Butterfly flew over the top of Chanctonbury Drive (SE of Mill Hill), only my second species of butterfly seen this year.
Report on the Mill Hill Blog
12 March 2012
Under a blue sky and weak sunshine (14.6 °C) the Sweet Violets were flowering on Mill Hill, where I saw two Peacock Butterflies (my first two butterflies of the year), one flying across the road at the top of the hill and another one fluttering over the lower slopes.
Adur Butterflies
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterflies.htm
Adur Butterfly Flight Times
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterflies1X2009.htm
Mill Hill Reports 2012
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2012.html
Mill Hill and its Butterflies
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2009Article.htm
First Adur Butterfly Dates 2003 to 2012
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/ButterfliesFFT.htm
Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2012.html
Cheers
Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2012.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: March 2012
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/March2012.html
Sussex Downs Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111843132181316