May 2013

[David M]

Lovely conditions here in south Wales as per forecast.

I was at Merthyr Mawr dunes by 10am (before all the day-trippers descended).

Grizzled Skippers were out in numbers, although it was a good job as relatively little else was.

Grizzled Skipper 17
Peacock 2
Orange Tip 2
Speckled Wood 2
Brimstone 1



I then hit nearby Kenfig Dunes (which was chock-a-block as by now it was midday). Practically no butterflies at all although I did get to see another Painted Lady whizzing past (I kept checking all the dandelion heads but no sign of any settled).

No Common Blues, but I did see ONE Small Blue, which could well be the first to emerge this year (poor blighter)! Let's hope a few more join him soon so he can idle his days away scrapping over territory and pursuing females!

A few Whites seen, along with a single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.

[badgerbob]

A very brief trip out to the Frog Firle area this afternoon produced a smart pair of mating Green Veined Whites. Other than that not a lot of other butterflies. I did get a couple of grizzled skippers 2 days ago but none today. Green Hairstreaks also not showing yet. A Red Kite did fly nearby.

[EricY]

After 2 weeks in wet, windy, cold, snowy Scotland it was good to get out in Norfolk today with green leaves on the trees & lots of blossoms out! Spec wood &small white & LR damsels @ Holme village. NWT & NOA produced several small whites & spec woods + at least 3 green hairstreaks. One GH had damaged wings that did not look to me like bird damage, could it have been damaged in the chrysalis? Eric

Green hairstreak damaged wing

Green Hairstreak @ Holme NOA

[Lancastrian]

6/5/13

Hutton Roof Crags NNR, Westmorland

A total of 5 Green Hairstreaks on show today at this wonderful Cumbria Wildlife Trust reserve. Overcast start but by 12:30 the sun was fully out. Large White, Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock bringing the rear up, as were a male Cuckoo and 3 displaying Tree Pipits...

Well worth the M6 Southbound Bank Holiday slog home afterwards

[Willrow]

Morning visit to Ewyas Harold Common, Herefordshire hoping to see Pearl-bordered Fritillary and/or Grizzled Skipper, but over three hours of searching all the usual 'hot-spots' produced absolutely zilch The only species seen were a single Speckled Wood, 3 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and several assorted Whites.

Afternoon was spent at Haugh Woods, Herefordshire again Pearl-bordered Fritillary was the target species and again no luck. Reasonable numbers of Orange-tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and a few Brimstone. Mid afternoon I bumped into friends - fellow UK Butterflyer's MichaelJ and Karen who were on a similar mission and unfortunately had similar results, but at least Michael did have a bonus Holly Blue to show for his efforts (actually it was Karen who found it, being the real finder of the pair ) it was great to see you both again in such a lovely woodland setting on such a beautiful day...what more could we want...bl***y Pearl-bordered Frit for a start he said!!!

Hopefully on my next visit to Haugh the P-b F and Wood White will be out...Oh! I nearly forgot mentioning seeing my first Large Red Damselfly of the year, that was good.

Bill

[David M]

Morning visit to Ewyas Harold Common, Herefordshire hoping to see Pearl-bordered Fritillary and/or Grizzled Skipper, but over three hours of searching all the usual 'hot-spots' produced absolutely zilch The only species seen were a single Speckled Wood, 3 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and several assorted Whites.

Afternoon was spent at Haugh Woods, Herefordshire again Pearl-bordered Fritillary was the target species and again no luck. Reasonable numbers of Orange-tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and a few Brimstone. Mid afternoon I bumped into friends - fellow UK Butterflyer's MichaelJ and Karen who were on a similar mission and unfortunately had similar results, but at least Michael did have a bonus Holly Blue to show for his efforts (actually it was Karen who found it, being the real finder of the pair ) it was great to see you both again in such a lovely woodland setting on such a beautiful day...what more could we want...bl***y Pearl-bordered Frit for a start he said!!!

Hopefully on my next visit to Haugh the P-b F and Wood White will be out...Oh! I nearly forgot mentioning seeing my first Large Red Damselfly of the year, that was good.

Bill

I sympathise with you, Bill.

Must admit, I did consider an inland effort to see PBFs and Grizzlies but the way things have panned out thus far this year, the coastal strip seems at least 10 days ahead.

I reckon Haugh Wood and Ewyas can wait a fortnight, whilst Alun Valley Small pearl Bordereds won't be on the radar for 3 weeks!

There'll be a lot to do in the last 7 days of May, and sadly this coincides with my accountancy exams, so I'll have to pick my moments for PBF, Green Hairstreak, Marsh Fritillary, Wall Brown, Brown Argus, et al..

[John W]

I was lucky enough to stumble across this pair of mating Orange Tips on a visit to Okehurst Lane, just north of Billingshurst, this afternoon. Overall I saw about a dozen Orange Tips, about equal numbers of males and females.

Cheers
John

[nomad]

After a disappointing search at Rodborough, I payed my first ever visit to Noar Hill, where the Duke's were beginning to emerge! I observed 10 including two mating pairs over quite a long period. There was also a good number of interested people from far and wide and most I believe came away quite happy from this wonderful reserve. Here are some images of this lovely butterfly, one of my favourites.

Male basking

Male on Duty at Noar Hill

Second pair of Mating Duke's found

Male Duke on Cowslip. 6 May

First mating pair of Duke's found

[Mildheart]

At least 2 Green Hairstreaks at Denbies yesterday in the usual site by the steps (thanks Susie and millerd for your help). Nice to see the bushes growing back here, I thought it had been completely destroyed last year as a GH site. Also 1 Grizzled Skipper, a few Brimstones and unspecified whites flying about, one Peacock and one Specked Wood. Also finally got Orange-tip for the year on the way to Denbies - about time!

[Jack Harrison]

Iona 7th May

2 GV Whites, one Small Tortoiseshell.

At least six calling Corncrakes, three (maybe more) behind fire station (which is 150 metres to south of ferry ramp), three (or more) on seaward side of St.Columba hotel. Sadly views were measured in milliseconds.

Jack

[NickB]

First good numbers of GV White here too, Jack

Holly Blue most abundant species in MRC, and more OT, Speckies too, plus a couple of Peacock and a Comma.
More Large White seen, especially in the City...

[kevling]

Hi everyone,

Left the office at lunchtime and spent a short time in a central Ipswich greenspace. I was rewarded by some great activity.

6 x Orange Tip
3 x Speckled Wood (first of the year)
6 x Green Veined White (first of the year)
3 x Holly Blue

The highlight was watching 4 GVW fluttering effortlessly skyward together.

Did'nt want to go back to work!

Kind Regards
Kev

[Jack Harrison]

i/d of a distant white is tricky. So from fully 40 metres, I took this with my Panasonic FZ150 at max zoom and then cropped.

It isn't of course a masterpiece but enabled confirmation that it is a female GV White. There was no way I could confirm the i/d with the naked eye or indeed with ordinary 8x30 binoculars. Modern cameras, even the much-derided bridge cameras, are quite fantastic.

Jack

[Stampy98]

Kenfig NNR, South Wales. Sunny warm conditions with fresh wind.
4 dingy skipper, 1 small blue, 4 orange-tip, 1 brimstone and 1 speckled wood. Plenty of early purple orchid in flower too.

[David M]

Kenfig NNR, South Wales.
4 dingy skipper, 1 small blue...

You did well, Stampy. I had my eye out for Dingy Skipper yesterday but drew a blank.

I wonder too if the Small Blue you saw was the same one I encountered yesterday?

[A_T]

Butterfly season started for me over the weekend! Lots of whites and Orange-tips about.

[Stampy98]

Kenfig NNR, South Wales.
4 dingy skipper, 1 small blue...

You did well, Stampy. I had my eye out for Dingy Skipper yesterday but drew a blank.

I wonder too if the Small Blue you saw was the same one I encountered yesterday?

David, I always park by the pub and walk the north side. I find this area very productive. Hoping to get to Merthyr Mawr when the weather is fine.

[Philzoid]

Yeah...small tortoiseshell on the walk into work yesterday afternoon and yet another on the way home this morning.Keep looking phil.
Glad you had success with the Dukes though
No Dingys yet at Noar im guessing?
cheers
rob

No dingies seen but it can't be long now

Also, still no Small Torts, but my first Speckled Wood and Holly Blue seen this year along the Basingstoke Canal very close to where I live.

Specklie in the evening sunshine

I was outy there looking for photo opportunitioes for Orange-tip. Around 5:30 to 6:00 is the best time to get a picture as they begin to wind down from their patrolling duties and get ready to call it a day.

Roosting male Orange-tip

Phil

[David M]

David, I always park by the pub and walk the north side. I find this area very productive. Hoping to get to Merthyr Mawr when the weather is fine.

Not something I've ever tried, Stampy, but I'll bear it in mind. That area is virgin territory for me.

As regards Merthyr Mawr, just keep to the left as you head in and go towards the area nearest the sewage works (stinky, I know, but the butterflies don't care).

This is where the greatest concentration of Grizzlies are to be found, but they are also present in numbers if you walk up the steep sandy path towards the rocky outcrops to the west. There's a big patch of wild strawberry halfway up and you can virtually guarantee a few females buzzing about.

[MikeOxon]

Quite a change in the weather this morning in Oxon, with early rain followed by a cool wind.

During the recent hot spell, I spent some time in the garden, watching numerous Holly Blues ceaselessly searching around the trees and shrubs. At one point my eye was caught by what looked an unusual species for UK, in the top of one of the garden shrubs. A second look showed that it was simply the effect of sunlight on a curled leaf but it make me think about mimicry and camouflage.

Not a Butterfly

Mike