Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell Invasion in the Netherlands!

[JCL]

This would be an unprecedented UK sighting.

Almost! The one-and-only sighting was in Shipbourne, near Sevenoaks in West Kent on 2nd July 1953.

Cheers,

- Pete

Wasn't there also one photographed at Dunge a few summers back, initially id'd as Large but then reid'd from photos?

James

thanks Pete. hadn't realised that. Only got as far as the obs website in 2005, clearly.

Norwich YLT still there. And a new one at Landguard.

[jhanlon]

Great use of Twitter (and this forum) to help raise awareness here - I'm sure there are many more of these to come.
Certainly worth a few more Tweets to get everyone looking. And thanks you to Chris in the Netherlands for bringing these to our attention, could have easily been missed.

James

[Paul Wetton]

One with marshalled access in cottage garden at Minsmere today.

[jasonbirder]

Any news after the no sign after 11 tweet?

[Pete Eeles]

Any news after the no sign after 11 tweet?

Not sure I understand this !

Cheers,

- Pete

[jasonbirder]

RSPB Minsmere tweeted "No sign of Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell after 11am" at about 11:30
(There was supervised access prior to this)
I wondered if there had been a more recent update...
Kicking myself for waiting on news and not travelling on spec...but new to Butterflies and don't have a feel for what encourages migrants to stay overnight or move on (unlike birds) so waited for reports before leaving...I got as far as the A47 before this came out!

[Pete Eeles]

Given the criteria (which I made up, but what the heck!), the Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell has now been promoted to a "Primary" species, since there is no question that it has reached our shores under its own steam. I've also updated the species description - one of the advantages of being an online resource! This has to be the event of 2014!

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species. ... anthomelas

[EDIT] And renamed to "Scarce Tortoiseshell" to conform to Agassiz.

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Surely the event of a generation, Pete! If you asked me to name two dozen potential migrants to UK shores this species wouldn't have been on the list.

Extraordinary stuff.

[Pete Eeles]

LOL - I agree David - trying to temper my enthusiasm here!

Cheers,

- Pete

[nomad]

This almost too good to be true, I am trying to keep up, but how many actually confirmed sightings have there been.

Regards Peter.

[jhanlon]

Well I've booked a day off work tomorrow to try to catch up with at least one (some good birds around the region, too!) - please post further updates here if anyone hears of sightiongs. Sounds like since the Minsmere one hasn't shown since this morning, only the Norfolk one is obliging and continued access is being arranged - but being just 2 miles from the funereal butterfly release last week, its origins seem questionable, even if it is a bit of a coincidence. Fingers crossed for tomorrow

[Pete Eeles]

Based on Twitter, there have been the following sightings:

Norwich (Norfolk)
Costessey (Norfolk)
Landguard (Suffolk)
RSPB Minsmere (Suffolk)
Layer de la Haye (Essex)

Cheers,

- Pete

[badgerbob]

You have to feel sorry for Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington who have just updated their fabulous book!! Looks like another update is already on the cards.

[nomad]

Thanks Pete. This is a remarkable occurrence. Good luck to those heading to Essex or Norfolk for a photograph.

Peter.

[dilettante]

Layer de la Haye (Essex)

Could you point me at the Layer de la Haye report? At Cambs-Essex BC we had a report yesterday of a Large Tortoiseshell in a member's garden there. I suggested to him it may have been Yellow-legged, so I'd like to know if the YLT report is from the same chap, or if not I can point him at it.

[HarassedDad]

Nope - Costessey is a suburb of Norwich- that's the same insect being referred to by two location names.

To update on the release: on wednesday a box of butterflies was shaken out at a ceremony at a woodland burial park. This is adjacent to the slip road to the norwich southern bypass. The scarce tort/yl tort is currently sitting behind the shopping center at the next junction down at costessey.

The release was photographed by a member of the staff and I should have photos and more details of the release tomorrow - they weren't working today. Hopefully I will eventually get details of what went out.

Based on Twitter, there have been the following sightings:

Norwich (Norfolk)
Costessey (Norfolk)
Landguard (Suffolk)
RSPB Minsmere (Suffolk)
Layer de la Haye (Essex)

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Layer de la Haye (Essex)

Could you point me at the Layer de la Haye report? At Cambs-Essex BC we had a report yesterday of a Large Tortoiseshell in a member's garden there. I suggested to him it may have been Yellow-legged, so I'd like to know if the YLT report is from the same chap, or if not I can point him at it.

Posted on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ColBowler/status/488697130648096768 and since re-ID'd I believe.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Nope - Costessey is a suburb of Norwich- that's the same insect being referred to by two location names.

To update on the release: on wednesday a box of butterflies was shaken out at a ceremony at a woodland burial park. This is adjacent to the slip road to the norwich southern bypass. The scarce tort/yl tort is currently sitting behind the shopping center at the next junction down at costessey.

The release was photographed by a member of the staff and I should have photos and more details of the release tomorrow - they weren't working today. Hopefully I will eventually get details of what went out.

Many thanks - much appreciated!

Cheers,

- Pete

[dilettante]

Layer de la Haye (Essex)

Could you point me at the Layer de la Haye report? At Cambs-Essex BC we had a report yesterday of a Large Tortoiseshell in a member's garden there. I suggested to him it may have been Yellow-legged, so I'd like to know if the YLT report is from the same chap, or if not I can point him at it.

Posted on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ColBowler/status/488697130648096768 and since re-ID'd I believe.

Thanks, I'm sure you'll let us know if the re-ID is confirmed and recorded somewhere

[Pete Eeles]

So - here's a better (I hope!) summary:

RSPB Minsmere (Suffolk)
Various reports on Twitter, including: https://twitter.com/RSPBMinsmere/status ... 0122876928

Norwich (Norfolk) / Costessey (Norfolk)
A few reports on Twitter, including this one: https://twitter.com/ColBowler/status/489023203453718528
This sighting is under question, since there was a butterfly release not far away. Species released being determined.

Landguard (Suffolk)
Reported on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ColBowler/status/489023203453718528 and here: https://twitter.com/BirdlineEAnglia/sta ... 1835073536

Layer de la Haye (Essex)
Reported on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ColBowler/status/488697130648096768
Stated as "Large Tortoiseshell" with ID subsequently questioned as potentially "Yellow-legged / Scarce Tortoiseshell"

Cheers,

- Pete