May 2014

[adrian riley]

First time posting so I thought I'd share a few of my sightings from the weekend. On Saturday the 17th of May me and a couple of mates drove from Northampton to spend the day searching the hot spots between Cirencester and Stroud. We had a great day with Hailey Wood being the first port of call. Lots of Pearl Bordered Frits were in the small clearing south of the sawmill but we only managed to get record shots despite spending a few hours there chasing them around. After this we headed to Strawberry Banks for Marsh Fritillary despite the lack of recent records hoping the recent hot weather would bring them out. We wasn't to be disappointed as lots of Marsh Fritillaries were present all over the two fields. I couldn't believe just how many there were! Everywhere we looked they could be seen flying along the tops of the flowers! A few Small Blues, Common Blues, Small Copper and Green Hairstreaks were also present. After a couple of hours we tore ourselves away (and I do mean tore as it was quite a spectacle) and headed over to Rodborough Common. The wind was quite strong and we headed to the bottom of the steeps slopes which was much more sheltered. Lots of Forrester Moths were on the wing all over the site but the bulk of the butterflies were at the base of the slope with Adonis Blues, Brown Argus and lots of Small Blues present. We hadn't been to any of these sites before and all the planning was done using information found on this forum so it's a big thumbs up to everyone who contributes to it.

Pearl Bordered Frit 1.jpg

Pearl Bordered Frit.jpg

Marsh Fritillary f.jpg

Marsh Fritillary ff.jpg

Small Blue f.jpg

Adonis Blue f.jpg

Hi Dave
Have you checked out http://www.bugalert.net for recent sightings of butterflies and dragonflies?
Adrian Riley

[Mikhail]

I was interested to see that Testudo Man had seen 2 Red Admirals yesterday in Kent, because while walking at Hengistbury Head and Wick, Bournemouth yesterday I saw 4 of the beauties, the first I have seen since my only other sighting this year in early March. I believe these were immigrants rather than home bred.

M.

[Hoggers]

Around 30 Small Blues at Kingsdown today

And 12 Adonis Blues at Lydden Nature Reserve

Regards,

Hoggers

[DaveO'B]

I visited 2 of the N. Yorks PBF sites on the 14th, and the weather was perfect for photographing them - they would bask when it was sunny, but stay in the same pose when it clouded over, allowing a close approach.
The following day I visited one of the Duke sites (on private land - I had permission to be there), finding 10 males, and had the same luck with the weather!

Cheers,
Dave

[dave_b_james]

"Hi Dave
Have you checked out http://www.bugalert.net for recent sightings of butterflies and dragonflies?
Adrian Riley"

Hi Adrian many thanks for the heads up. Up send any future sightings in your direction. Also many thanks for the nice comments everyone I've been interested in butterflies for years but really got the butterfly bug last year during the fantastic summer. Finding a large colony of Clouded Yellows on my local patch at Grange Park in Northampton got me very exited but unfortunately despite seeing them in Cop on November 10th they didn't survive the mild winter. If you want to read about these or my past sightings then you can read them on my blog http://www.davidjameswildlifediary.com but I'll be sure to post future butterfly sightings on here! It's a great resource for us guys who are starting to scratch the surface of an amazing hobby!

Regards, Dave James

[Yellow Hairstreak]

Belated hi from the weekend (first time poster but long time lurker). Due to a rare window in my schedule, I realised this was the time to try and see my first Duke before they disappeared for the year. A day trip from my home town of Norwich to the Chilterns on Sunday (May 18th) in good weather raised my hopes, although after some trekking in the heat around the Tring/Ivinghoe area, there was nothing doing. However, with time ticking on, I found a small gully and a little bit of shelter from the sun. As I was sitting down in the shade, within minutes my patience was rewarded...

In terms of numbers, there were probably around half a dozen - maybe slightly more. As seen above, some were getting slightly tatty, but the rest were in good nick. It was a joy to sit there and just watch them potter around before they tamely settled down to rest. I had been slightly fortunate to find the spot that I did (I should add it was public land although nobody else had seemed to clock it) but it was worth it to see a butterfly that i'd never been fortunate to witness before.

The little area that I found also spawned a single Grizzled Skipper, a couple of Dingy Skippers, a handful of Green Hairstreaks, and plenty of Common Blues, along with Orange Tips and Brimstones.

Aside from my mini-trip down south, I also ventured to Narborough Railway Line reserve last Friday (May 16th) out in West Norfolk. A usual haven for Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, it appears that the latter have not appeared this year (bar one unconfirmed sighting according to a warden) which is rather worrying news. However there were a few Dingys and a smattering of Green Hairstreaks, along with plenty of Brimstones and Orange Tips. My first Small Copper of the year made an appearance too. Hoping next for my annual trip to Strumpshaw Fen and possibly a Swallowtail, good weather and enough time permitting... Jason

[David M]

Nice images, Jason, and good luck with your Swallowtail hunting!!

[Yellow Hairstreak]

Nice images, Jason, and good luck with your Swallowtail hunting!!

Thank you and I hope I get the chance to do it - I haven't always been successful in timing it right at Strumpshaw, even though it's close to where I grew up. I am quite fortunate though that I work next to the lake at the University of East Anglia, as the surrounding area is a great summer spot for Butterflies (last year especially).

So far at the UEA this year we have had Small and Large Whites, Peacocks, Orange Tips, Brimstones, and I saw one of the first Commas of the year on the grounds yesterday. Nothing else has appeared to my knowledge.

[adrian riley]

Nice images, Jason, and good luck with your Swallowtail hunting!!

Thank you and I hope I get the chance to do it - I haven't always been successful in timing it right at Strumpshaw, even though it's close to where I grew up. I am quite fortunate though that I work next to the lake at the University of East Anglia, as the surrounding area is a great summer spot for Butterflies (last year especially).

So far at the UEA this year we have had Small and Large Whites, Peacocks, Orange Tips, Brimstones, and I saw one of the first Commas of the year on the grounds yesterday. Nothing else has appeared to my knowledge.

Hi, Guys
Swallowtail is now on the wing at Strumpshaw and Hickling.
Adrian
http://www.bugalert.net

[Penhale Paul]

As i was in the area and due my lunch break i decided to have a recce up at Greenscombe Wood, Cornwall. After making my way to the top of the climb i met another guy who had also been looking for the first Heath Fritillaries.We got chatting and he told me he'd looked but not seen any and it would probably be another week or so .............. with that one flew right past us .
I decided to have a couple of hours off work and return with the camera and have a proper look later.........my decision paid off
A couple of hours up there turned up around 12-15 Heath Fritillary all pristine and relatively obliging when it came to photographing them.
On top of these i also saw my first Large Skipper(2) of the year, lots of Brimstone and Common Blue, a few whites and speckled wood and a solitary Small Copper ................ not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.

[lee3764]

Hi Paul,
Brilliant photos as usual! We are booked to go to Lydford fieldtrip with Devon BC on Sunday so thanks to you I know they'll have emerged!Glad there are already more than a dozen out at Luckett!
Cheers mate,
Lee Slaughter.

[Penhale Paul]

Cheers Lee, good to get them in before the (heavy)rain arrives, i think these are around ten days earlier than i had them last year i'll have to check. Good luck at Lydford that's somewhere i keep meaning to explore it'll be good to see what you turn up.

[David M]

Excellent sighting, Paul. I may be tempted down your way this year for Heath Frits (even though I get sick of the sight of them on my annual European trips each summer).

Nice to know they're out.

[adrian riley]

Hi, Gang
Wonderful images of Heath Fritillary.
I've just heard of a record of this species from Kent on 15th May. The BC Kent sightings page appears to have been down for some time so I can find out very little about what's flying there. Does anyone have any details of this record?
Cheers, Adrian
www.bugalert.net

[Penhale Paul]

Thanks David, Adrian.
Adrian, yes I believe the the Kent sighting was 15th May thats good.
Still pleased to have had them this early in Cornwall, especially has the temperatures/weather have not been that great .............. these are sixteen days earlier than I had them last year so gotta be pleased with that.

[MrSp0ck]

Hi, Gang
Wonderful images of Heath Fritillary.
I've just heard of a record of this species from Kent on 15th May. The BC Kent sightings page appears to have been down for some time so I can find out very little about what's flying there. Does anyone have any details of this record?
Cheers, Adrian
http://www.bugalert.net

The Surrey and Kent BC websites, do have sighting info you just have to dig for it

from
http://www.kentbutterflies.org/

select the Butterfly Recording tab

scroll down to

Online Recording 2014 Season - Searching Through Kent (out in the field) Submitted Online Records

click on the green button with Small Tortoiseshell at the moment

scroll down to

Use this option to search for all records submitted online for a certain month.

Select the month wanted
and scroll down the results

[jasonbirder]

Yikes! I'm deeply concerned lots of species seem to be very early this year...
Making my quest for all 59 extremely difficult!
Only just bagged Glanville Fritillary...next week earnmarked for Ireland and Scotland...and with no Small-Pearl Bordered yet...and people are saying Heath Fritillary has been out for weeks...Swallowtail already available in Norfolk...its all scary stuff!
Looks like my timetable is right out the window...

[Yashca]

Does anyone know if there is a sightings page for Northamptonshire? I'm hoping to try and see Wood Whites there this year but as yet I'm having trouble tracking whether they've emerged and where to be looking.

Any advice appreciated.

[dilettante]

Does anyone know if there is a sightings page for Northamptonshire? I'm hoping to try and see Wood Whites there this year but as yet I'm having trouble tracking whether they've emerged and where to be looking.

http://ebasic.easily.co.uk/049036/013039/northants.html (part of the Beds-Northants BC site http://www.bedsnorthants-butterflies.org.uk/)

"May 16th: Thirty plus Wood Whites were flying in Sywell Wood, with egg-laying noted on both meadow vetchling and bird’s-foot trefoil. "

[jasonbirder]

I had half a dozen or so in Salcey Forest, Northamtonshire last Friday PM (16th May)