May 2013

[Matsukaze]

Pearl-bordered Fritillary on the wing at Grovely Wood, Wiltshire, and showing no sign of stopping for photos!

[Willrow]

Nice report, Bill.

Like you, I'm surprised Adonis Blues are out at Rodborough. I'd put back my planned trip there till early June thinking there'd be no chance of seeing them there during late May.

Were they on the common itself or down at the bottom of Swells Hill Bank?

Hi David,

The solitary Adonis Blue was seen in the D of B 'hotspot' on the common itself, I've started to refer to it as the 'crease' There was neither Adonis or Dukes seen on Swellshill Bank, but I spoke to a chap who had seen a single male Duke of Burgundy on the hedge line of the lower slope, in general the bank was very quiet, could that be because its a 'bank holiday'...aaagh As a matter of interest I did see a few Cistus Forester and the odd Latticed Heath and Burnet Companion day-flying moths.

At present (weather again permitting ) the fore mentioned 'crease' seems the best place to concentrate on. I'm sure Swellshill Bank will provide at least reasonable numbers of blues and their allies in the weeks to come, the weather is so erratic and totally unpredictable, all the poor critters are under pressure (us too!!!...).

Bill

[adrian riley]

Hi, Gang
Thought I'd let you know that Swallowtail has been seen in Norfolk. See http://www.bugalert.net for details.
Cheers, Adrian Riley

[walpolec]

Flying kites at the visitor centre at the top of Dunstable Downs is a good distraction for the kids, and the views are stupendous. For the butterflies here, you need to walk obliquely downhill southwestwards aiming to meet the B4540 just after you reach the bottom. About 2km each way, but the slanting paths across the hill kill some of the gradient. The sheltered ditches are the best spots, with Grizzled and Dingy Skippers, Green Hairstreaks and the Duke of Burgundy.

Dave

Thanks Dave - great advice. Hopefully give it a try later in the week...

Chris

[walpolec]

At Totternhoe, once you leave the car-park, head-out North, along the path between the fields until you get to the hills and humps over the first field.
Then, go right and head into those humps and hollows; the best places are at the eastern end of the hollows, where the Dukes hang-out on the steep banks.....and also along the edge of the trees at the north extent of the reserve....

Happy hunting....

Thanks Nick

That info is much appreciated. Hoping to get down there later in the week (weather and other things permitting).

Cheers

Chris

[badgerbob]

I went for my circular this morning with my son Matt, he was after Green Hairstreaks and I wanted to do my first Wall Brown count of the year. Along The Comp at the back of Seaford 5 Wall showed. Then onto Greenway Bank where Wall Brown have not been so numerous for the last couple of years. Fortunately it seems that maybe they are making a bit of a comeback here as at least another 5 were seen on the bank including one near the bottom that was quite docile for once. Unfortunately it would not pose for me on anything natural but it did show its colour and underwing pattern by sitting on the hand!!
Green Hairstreaks were also numerous here and the lad had a great time getting some great shots. I did see a Hairstreak moving in the undergrowth and I assumed it was egg laying. After it moved on I managed to find an egg. Several Brown Argus, loads of Dingy Skipper, a single Small Copper and a few Grizzled Skipper were also present on this great butterfly bank. As we moved on towards High and Over the cool breeze was blowing straight onto the scarp which meant all the Wall I was hoping to find here didn't show apart from one in a sheltered area so the Wall count ended up at a lower than expected 11.

[Jack Harrison]

Matsukaze: Pearl-bordered Fritillary on the wing at Grovely Wood, Wiltshire

I am surprised no one else has commented. Surely that is a very good find in an area where PB Frit must be scarce nowadays?

I seem to recall that I found The Duke in Grovely Wood some 40 years ago but my memory might be at fault.

Jack

[badgerbob]

As the sun was still shining late afternoon yesterday, and the forecast for the rest of the week dodgy to say the least I decided to walk back upto my Wall Brown hotspot to try for some photos. This species is particularly difficult to approach in the heat of the day and I don't generally even try to get photos then, just enjoy observing them. However, later in the day I've found that they often perch on the bushes to get the last of the days rays. I only saw the one male but after a little bit of following he soon performed exactly how I was hoping, finishing off with a bit of nectaring before roosting 10ft up on the trunk of an Ash tree (where it will probably still be now)!!!

[adrian riley]

News from Norfolk 28.5.13
Hi, Gang
Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper are now on the wing at Foulden Common and Narborough Railway Line, respectively.
Cheers
Adrian Riley www.bugalert.net

[Jack Harrison]

You are so right badgerbob about skittish Wall Browns, but your patience has certainly paid off. Excellent photos. Now for some females?

By the way, my dodgy knee has improved somewhat, so fingers (and knees) crossed, I hope to use the forecast weather window to try for Chequered Skipper on Thursday at Ardery on Ardnamurchan.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Adrian Riley http://www.bugalert.net

I really do like your bird gallery. While I am pretty good (normally!) with butterfly i/d, I am far less sure of my birds. So I have been randomly going through the bird gallery and testing my id skills before looking at the name to confirm (or otherwise). They really are cracking photos.

And good to hear of Dingies at Narborough. I had always drawn a blank there. Are they at Grimes Graves? I had heard a rumour. Habitat looks good.

Grizzlies. Last year on a BC outing at Stoke Ferry cut-off channel, the best spot was near the Wretton end of the tack by the minor road at TL685992

Jack

[adrian riley]

Adrian Riley http://www.bugalert.net

I really do like your bird gallery. While I am pretty good (normally!) with butterfly i/d, I am far less sure of my birds. So I have been randomly going through the bird gallery and testing my id skills before looking at the name to confirm (or otherwise). They really are cracking photos.

And good to hear of Dingies at Narborough. I had always drawn a blank there. Are they at Grimes Graves? I had heard a rumour. Habitat looks good.

Grizzlies. Last year on a BC outing at Stoke Ferry cut-off channel, the best spot was near the Wretton end of the tack by the minor road at TL685992

Jack

Hey, Jack
Thank you for such kind words. A pat on the head every now and then is nice.
I'll check out Grimes Graves - when I get a mo ! Yeah that site at Wretton is ace.
Happy hunting,
Adrian

[David M]

..I decided to walk back up to my Wall Brown hotspot to try for some photos.

Nice shots, Bob.

Yes, Walls are skittish but they usually hang around the area you find them in so if you're patient you generally get your reward (as you have done).

[badgerbob]

Cheers Jack, David and Vince for your comments. I do have a reasonable female shot from a couple of years ago, although improvements are always good to get. What I would really like to get to complete the Wall Brown set is an ova. Hopefully this season!!!!

[Matsukaze]

Matsukaze: Pearl-bordered Fritillary on the wing at Grovely Wood, Wiltshire

I am surprised no one else has commented. Surely that is a very good find in an area where PB Frit must be scarce nowadays?

I seem to recall that I found The Duke in Grovely Wood some 40 years ago but my memory might be at fault.

Jack

Hi Jack,

I don't know the area well and only checked out the site as we happened to be visiting friends nearby - it seems the Pearl-bordered are a relatively recent introduction here whilst His Grace appears to still be in residence - probably on the wing but I could not find the area reported to be suitable, through having left my sketch-map of the site at home.

[Ian Pratt]

Glanville fritillaries seen at Bonchurch on Saturday-not by me-see Hants and IOW BC sightings page.

[badgerbob]

Another satisfying visit to The Comp and Greenway Bank today. Its about a 2 mile walk from home to the furthest point and I left in reasonably warm conditions and returned soaked and frozen!!! Along The Comp 7 Wall Brown seen as well as a smart Drinker larva. On Greenway Bank the Brown Argus are doing very well with 20 plus seen and that was the main target for me. 6 Wall Brown also on the bank and plenty of Dingy Skipper including one very fresh female. Strangely, no Green Hairstreak seen here today.

[Jack Harrison]

Isle of Mull 29th May

My troublesome knee has made a remarkable recovery and I was able to do a three mile walk in Glengorm in NW Mull. The only butterflies were numerous GV Whites but the stunning scenery, flowers, geology and perfect weather made up for that.

I hope I haven’t overdone the activity since feeling better, but in the afternoon I did almost three hours gardening.

Jack

[Goldie M]

Love your Wall Photo's badgerbob, Not seen any here yet Goldie

[MikeOxon]

perfect weather made up for that.

Good to know you're out and about again, Jack. In contrast,the weather in Oxon is dull,wet, and thoroughly miserable

Even in the sun at the weekend, there was a strong wind, which kept butterflies in hiding.

Mike