David M
Re: David M
Very nice Brown Hairstreak shots, David, the first female is a real stunner
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Sunday 31st August - fabulous end to summer....
Pembrokeshire is a cloudy place. Even when the previous evening's weather forecast suggests sunny conditions one has to be cautious.
On Saturday the forecast suggested largely cloudy conditions in spite of the ridge of high pressure pushing up from the south.
I set my alarm on Sunday for 7.30am and things had changed. Sunny and 18c till 2pm it said. Given that my part of Swansea was unremittingly gorgeous I drove down to the West Williamston reserve and thankfully weather conditions didn't change one iota en route.
I arrived at 9.45am and this was the scene at the car park:
The previous weekend when I visited this site I saw a Brown Hairstreak at 9.35am!! No such luck this time, but the horses' field in the image above proved productive in a different way as just about the first butterfly I encountered was a male Clouded Yellow:
I tracked him for a quarter of an hour, and managed to get a half-decent image of him wings open in 'sport-mode':
I was determined to devote time to looking for Brown Hairstreaks in different parts of this site to those where I had seen them in the past which meant that I spent until just gone midday in the horses' field. This strategy paid dividends because at 11.27am, I saw my first betulae in the sheltered area of the field just beyond where the conservation team had cut last year's growth:
This individual had a very pale underside, very reminiscent of a male:
I saw SEVEN females in total, and all were seen individually, meaning that I can be absolutely accurate in terms of times and places.
No. 2
Seen at the opposite end of the horses' field at 11.55am. This individual was a little wing damaged:
No. 3 I moved through the main gate into the reserve and saw another BH at 12.10pm in the 'circle' just to the left of the first field. This is the first time I have seen one here, and she was in decent nick:
No. 4 At 12.23pm I saw another female within 30 metres of the entrance to the foreshore. This one was possibly the 'cleanest' of the lot:
There was nothing happening in the 'old' glade, so I moved to the newly cleared one adjacent and saw my first ever BH in this location at 12.49pm.
No. 5
I moved along the foreshore and by the time I reached the last 'stand' of blackthorn at 13.06, conditions were absolutely ideal. I waded in amongst the blackthorn scrub and there in front of me was a rather beaten up female resting on the tip of a sucker.
No. 6
I wanted to spend my final half hour in the horses' field adjacent to the car park. Even though it was 1.45pm when I got back in there, I still saw one final individual at 1.59pm, though she flew into an ash tree within a minute of me spotting her and I was prone to recollect Neil Hulme's assertion that BH activity 'stops' at 2pm. Well, it was exactly that time when she flew upwards into the canopy so I have to concur with this observation. Still, seven Brown Hairstreaks is quite an event at this site and I definitely won't be complaining.
No. 7
Aside from the Hairstreak activity, I recorded a solemn moment: surely, my final Meadow Brown of 2014:
I also saw a pristine Comma that was irresistible from a photography perspective:
I also had one of those 'eureka' moments. For a while now I've wondered why Brown Hairstreaks are marked the way they are. It seemed very unnatural in the beginning but now I'm starting to get it.
Spending so much time in an area where blackthorn is rife made me possibly understand why a butterfly should be uniformly chocolate brown with golden wing patches.
On many occasions my eyes were drawn to what proved to be vegetation rather than a Brown Hairstreak. Take a look at these blackthorn leaves which are 'on the turn':
Pembrokeshire is a cloudy place. Even when the previous evening's weather forecast suggests sunny conditions one has to be cautious.
On Saturday the forecast suggested largely cloudy conditions in spite of the ridge of high pressure pushing up from the south.
I set my alarm on Sunday for 7.30am and things had changed. Sunny and 18c till 2pm it said. Given that my part of Swansea was unremittingly gorgeous I drove down to the West Williamston reserve and thankfully weather conditions didn't change one iota en route.
I arrived at 9.45am and this was the scene at the car park:
No. 2
Seen at the opposite end of the horses' field at 11.55am. This individual was a little wing damaged:
No. 5
No. 6
No. 7
Spending so much time in an area where blackthorn is rife made me possibly understand why a butterfly should be uniformly chocolate brown with golden wing patches.
On many occasions my eyes were drawn to what proved to be vegetation rather than a Brown Hairstreak. Take a look at these blackthorn leaves which are 'on the turn':
Last edited by David M on Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:03 pm, edited 13 times in total.
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Sunday 14th September 2014 - Taste of July in Autumn.....
A visit to the delightful National Botanic Gardens, near Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, today saw so many flowers in bloom that it felt like high summer!
Of course, most of these plants are not native species, but they were, nonetheless, a delight to the eye and proved irresistible to a fair range of butterflies.
The sheltered walled garden below played host to several Small Whites and Red Admirals:
All the Red Admirals seemed fresh:
From a distance, I initially thought this sign was some kind of artistic work. Only when I got to within 20 yards did I realise nature was responsible (interesting how they're all attracted to capital letters!):
There were plenty of Small Tortoiseshells around, as well as three Commas:
4 Speckled Woods noted, and a couple of female Large Whites were fluttering around the brassica plants in the vegetable area. Single Common Blue and Small Copper were also seen.
A visit to the delightful National Botanic Gardens, near Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, today saw so many flowers in bloom that it felt like high summer!
Of course, most of these plants are not native species, but they were, nonetheless, a delight to the eye and proved irresistible to a fair range of butterflies.
The sheltered walled garden below played host to several Small Whites and Red Admirals:
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
I think on Sunday at least there will be sunshine almost everywhere. Good luck with the Brown Hairstreaks, David!
Dave
Dave
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Sunday 21st September - Mass disappearance....
Three weeks exactly since my last visit, I was back again at the Brown Hairstreak epicentre in Pembrokeshire at 10 o'clock this morning on a quite beautiful autumn day. Temperatures reached 20 degrees and not a cloud rolled into view. Winds were practically absent too.
Had these conditions occurred a month ago, there would have been a butterfly bonanza. Sadly however, the passing of time from summer to autumn has had a major effect. Here are the full totals of species/numbers seen during my 3 hour visit:
Speckled Wood 7
Small Copper 5
Red Admiral 5
Comma 3
Small White 2
Large White 1
Painted Lady 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1
With the sea asters gone, the foreshore was practically bereft of butterfly activity, which was so sad given the ideal weather conditions. Not a sniff of a Brown Hairstreak to be had, and what's worse, I could only locate 30 eggs, which is a drastic reduction on the three figure total I racked up at much the same time last year.
The laying preferences of females have undoubtedly changed here. Last year, the foreshore was the hotspot. In 2014, it was this section of the first field (horses' field) that proved by far the most productive:
It was nice to be reacquainted with Small Coppers though. I saw 5 in total, all of which looked to be in excellent condition:
Another pleasant diversion was the appearance of a beautiful female Large White. This is, I think, the first time in 2014 that I have been comfortably able to record an image of this species:
So, the season looks like it is drastically on the wane, save for those areas of the UK which are benefitting from additional emergences.
It'll be a fortnight before I get out again, at which point I expect to only see the adult, vanessid hibernators......unless we get another freak immigration event!
Three weeks exactly since my last visit, I was back again at the Brown Hairstreak epicentre in Pembrokeshire at 10 o'clock this morning on a quite beautiful autumn day. Temperatures reached 20 degrees and not a cloud rolled into view. Winds were practically absent too.
Had these conditions occurred a month ago, there would have been a butterfly bonanza. Sadly however, the passing of time from summer to autumn has had a major effect. Here are the full totals of species/numbers seen during my 3 hour visit:
Speckled Wood 7
Small Copper 5
Red Admiral 5
Comma 3
Small White 2
Large White 1
Painted Lady 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1
With the sea asters gone, the foreshore was practically bereft of butterfly activity, which was so sad given the ideal weather conditions. Not a sniff of a Brown Hairstreak to be had, and what's worse, I could only locate 30 eggs, which is a drastic reduction on the three figure total I racked up at much the same time last year.
The laying preferences of females have undoubtedly changed here. Last year, the foreshore was the hotspot. In 2014, it was this section of the first field (horses' field) that proved by far the most productive:
It'll be a fortnight before I get out again, at which point I expect to only see the adult, vanessid hibernators......unless we get another freak immigration event!
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Friday 31st October 2014 - Unique Halloween....
This Halloween has been the warmest on record. 23c has been recorded in Gravesend and the general forecast was for the London area to bask in average temperatures of around 21c.
Swansea was set to be around 17c, but that was mainly because cloud cover was expected. In the event, at around 11.30am, there were no clouds at all, and as I drove to my traditional late season butterfly spot at the southern end of Cwm Clydach, 21c was showing on my car thermometer.
It was quite bizarre to experience such warmth when the sun was so low in the sky, and I wasn't at all surprised to see a handful of Red Admirals once I arrived at the ivy-clad railings on the southern stretch of this sheltered, south-facing location.
Butterfly returns were quite staggering after I'd finished my 40 minute visit:
Red Admiral 12
Speckled Wood 5
Brimstone 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Comma 1
I really struggled to comprehend how it could be so warm at this time of year. Visually, it seemed like late autumn, but physically, it was more like mid-August. Here's a snapshot of the terrain at this location:
Most of the Red Admirals were nectaring on what remains of the ivy:
As I ventured further into the valley, I noticed a flash of yellow - a male Brimstone, which sadly didn't stop (reminiscent of spring). Within a minute, I spotted a Small Tortoiseshell too. Again, this butterfly didn't offer a photo opportunity; he/she was up and away into the tree canopy and with all the falling autumn leaves I couldn't keep track of it.
I moved into the upper clearing, and soon saw a flight pattern I wasn't expecting. It turned out to be a Speckled Wood, and I cursed at having disturbed it until a few yards further on when I got a real surprise:
This sighting proved to me beyond doubt that an additional brood of Speckled Woods has emerged even in south Wales. These two individuals were fresh and have obviously recently emerged. Their nuptials may well be to no avail, but I personally haven't seen many instances of Speckled Woods in 'cop', so to see such an event on 31st October was a real treat and I expect this species to still be about in small numbers throughout November if conditions permit.
My last significant sighting was of a Comma. As ever is the case, it was defending a 20 metre territory in the dappled sunlight along the woodland ride:
To further add to the enjoyment of what would have been a spectacular 3/4 of an hour anyway, I also saw a Kingfisher flying towards the bridge on Clydach High Street.
All in all, one of the best 40 minutes I've spent this year!!
This Halloween has been the warmest on record. 23c has been recorded in Gravesend and the general forecast was for the London area to bask in average temperatures of around 21c.
Swansea was set to be around 17c, but that was mainly because cloud cover was expected. In the event, at around 11.30am, there were no clouds at all, and as I drove to my traditional late season butterfly spot at the southern end of Cwm Clydach, 21c was showing on my car thermometer.
It was quite bizarre to experience such warmth when the sun was so low in the sky, and I wasn't at all surprised to see a handful of Red Admirals once I arrived at the ivy-clad railings on the southern stretch of this sheltered, south-facing location.
Butterfly returns were quite staggering after I'd finished my 40 minute visit:
Red Admiral 12
Speckled Wood 5
Brimstone 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Comma 1
I really struggled to comprehend how it could be so warm at this time of year. Visually, it seemed like late autumn, but physically, it was more like mid-August. Here's a snapshot of the terrain at this location:
I moved into the upper clearing, and soon saw a flight pattern I wasn't expecting. It turned out to be a Speckled Wood, and I cursed at having disturbed it until a few yards further on when I got a real surprise:
My last significant sighting was of a Comma. As ever is the case, it was defending a 20 metre territory in the dappled sunlight along the woodland ride:
All in all, one of the best 40 minutes I've spent this year!!
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Nice stuff David, glad you had that 40 minutes of pleasure, and it's well deserved. Amazing what's been happening due to the prevailing weather conditions, superb
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Re: David M
HI David,
I can imagine having Marsh Fritillaries on the door step is a little tiresome, I have the same problem
with the Pearl Boardered Frits .less than 3 miles away,if that's not enough Small Pearls 8 miles away.
.Hard life!!.
TREVOR.
I can imagine having Marsh Fritillaries on the door step is a little tiresome, I have the same problem
with the Pearl Boardered Frits .less than 3 miles away,if that's not enough Small Pearls 8 miles away.
.Hard life!!.
TREVOR.
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Thanks for the comments, folks.
Saturday 15th November 2013 - Winding up.....
After seeing 5 Speckled Woods (two of which were fresh) on 31st October, I thought I'd revisit Cwm Clydach this morning given the benign conditions (13c and largely sunny).
It was certainly quite mild once I arrived at the site and I was struck by how many leaves were still clinging to the trees. A quick 'recce' of the ivy growing around the lower pathway revealed very few flowers still offering nectar, and although there were a few flies buzzing about, no butterflies were seen, which was something of a disappointment.
I ventured further up the valley to where I'd seen the Speckled Woods a fortnight ago:
In spite of spending roughly half an hour in this area, there wasn't a sniff of a Speckled Wood to be had. I did a couple of circuits of this sheltered section and on my second 'tour' I sensed a larger insect movement - it was a Red Admiral, flying weakly over my head and looking as if it was coming down on the other side of the bramble cover. I retraced my steps and positioned myself on the sunlit side of this bank of vegetation, and after a few seconds scrutiny found what will almost certainly prove to be my final butterfly sighting of 2014:
This is the area where it was seen:
I doubt I'll go out looking for butterflies again till next February (3 months seems one hell of a long pause!!). If I see any more they will be chance encounters but 2014 has been quite a year. It is the first time I've ever seen all 58 mainland British species in the same year (albeit 5 were encountered in France).
I'm already very much looking forward to 2015.
Saturday 15th November 2013 - Winding up.....
After seeing 5 Speckled Woods (two of which were fresh) on 31st October, I thought I'd revisit Cwm Clydach this morning given the benign conditions (13c and largely sunny).
It was certainly quite mild once I arrived at the site and I was struck by how many leaves were still clinging to the trees. A quick 'recce' of the ivy growing around the lower pathway revealed very few flowers still offering nectar, and although there were a few flies buzzing about, no butterflies were seen, which was something of a disappointment.
I ventured further up the valley to where I'd seen the Speckled Woods a fortnight ago:
I'm already very much looking forward to 2015.
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Sunday 30th November 2014 - Month end surprise No. 2....
After last month's final day proving to be abnormally mild, so too was November's.
I know I said in an earlier diary post that I wouldn't go out searching for butterflies again till next February, but I'm afraid conditions were so mild at 11.30am that I broke off from studying and took a trip to Mumbles Head, figuring that the coastal strip might be the ideal spot to seek a Red Admiral or two.
Well, two I duly saw, although both were airborne and I could manage no images of either. I decided to take a few scenic photos instead. This one is of Mumbles Pier (with Swansea on the other side of the bay):
The first Red Admiral was seen in the foreground of this image of Bracelet Bay (notice that there are some people on the beach and note too the coastguard's hut on the right):
I meandered back down to the seafront, where it was sheltered and really very mild for the time of year (a peak of 13c). I noticed there was a fair bit of winter-flowering heather as well as Hebe in bloom, so I hung around the back of the coastguard's hut to see if anything was about:
My instincts proved sound, as within 2 minutes I spotted my third Red Admiral of the day, busily flitting from one Hebe floret to the next:
On one of its flights, it disturbed a much paler butterfly....a Painted Lady:
I don't think I've seen more than half a dozen of this species all year so to see one on the eve of December was quite a surprise:
There are more reliable nectar sources here than anywhere else I know locally, so I may pop back if we get a decent day in December as I daresay the butterflies here won't stray too far!
After last month's final day proving to be abnormally mild, so too was November's.
I know I said in an earlier diary post that I wouldn't go out searching for butterflies again till next February, but I'm afraid conditions were so mild at 11.30am that I broke off from studying and took a trip to Mumbles Head, figuring that the coastal strip might be the ideal spot to seek a Red Admiral or two.
Well, two I duly saw, although both were airborne and I could manage no images of either. I decided to take a few scenic photos instead. This one is of Mumbles Pier (with Swansea on the other side of the bay):
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-
Chris Jackson
- Posts: 1929
- Joined: Mon May 06, 2013 6:35 am
- Location: Marseilles, France
Re: David M
Hi David,
Looking at your photos, I must say that you live in a beautiful part of the UK, at least when the sun is shining
.
The Red Admiral sighting is understandable, however, your Painted Lady sighting is surprising.
Even down here in the Marseille area, on a good day I may see a Red Admiral, but I haven't seen a Painted Lady for a couple of weeks now.
Chris
Looking at your photos, I must say that you live in a beautiful part of the UK, at least when the sun is shining
.The Red Admiral sighting is understandable, however, your Painted Lady sighting is surprising.
Even down here in the Marseille area, on a good day I may see a Red Admiral, but I haven't seen a Painted Lady for a couple of weeks now.
Chris
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Thanks, Chris. Yes, the Gower isn't a bad spot as far as the UK is concerned, though as you rightly point out, it very much depends on whether the sun is shining (with ocean one side and mountains the other this is rarely a given).
Monday 1st December 2014 - Couldn't resist.....
I seriously hope I don't fail my exam this coming Thursday, because if I do, I'll have Hebe and Red Admirals to blame!!
After yesterday's sightings of 3 Red Admirals and a Painted Lady at Bracelet Bay on Mumbles Head, I knew as soon as the sun started to burn the cloud back at 10am that I would weaken in resolve and head back up there for that most precious of things - a December sighting.
The cloud was still a threat when I arrived at 11.15am, but it didn't take long to clear and by midday the temperature had risen to 11c and with barely no wind at all, it felt uncomfortably pleasant (deliberate oxymoron) for the time of year.
Well, I hovered around the hebe for nearly an hour watching bees and flies make the most of the unseasonal conditions, but even though I was losing precious study time, I felt confident I'd eventually see a butterfly as it was almost as warm as yesterday when I had seen four.
Sure enough, at 12.10pm I spotted a Red Admiral fluttering about (though I'm not sure I can claim it as a full sighting, given that it more resembled half a Red Admiral):
I'd hitherto only ever seen one butterfly in December, and that was a chance encounter in 2008 around Burtons' hanging baskets in Abergavenny town centre. After taking several images I stood transfixed for at least 10 minutes just soaking up the scene:
Then, along came a second Red Admiral....and this one was much more presentable in appearance:
I could have stayed all afternoon watching them but by 12.40pm, guilt took over and I left them behind, still merrily nectaring on the hebe flowers.
Monday 1st December 2014 - Couldn't resist.....
I seriously hope I don't fail my exam this coming Thursday, because if I do, I'll have Hebe and Red Admirals to blame!!
After yesterday's sightings of 3 Red Admirals and a Painted Lady at Bracelet Bay on Mumbles Head, I knew as soon as the sun started to burn the cloud back at 10am that I would weaken in resolve and head back up there for that most precious of things - a December sighting.
The cloud was still a threat when I arrived at 11.15am, but it didn't take long to clear and by midday the temperature had risen to 11c and with barely no wind at all, it felt uncomfortably pleasant (deliberate oxymoron) for the time of year.
Well, I hovered around the hebe for nearly an hour watching bees and flies make the most of the unseasonal conditions, but even though I was losing precious study time, I felt confident I'd eventually see a butterfly as it was almost as warm as yesterday when I had seen four.
Sure enough, at 12.10pm I spotted a Red Admiral fluttering about (though I'm not sure I can claim it as a full sighting, given that it more resembled half a Red Admiral):
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Christmas 2014....
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both very benign this year, with daytime temperatures reaching 8 degrees which meant that travelling from Swansea to Abergavenny was just about as easy as it gets at this time of year.
As ever, I prepared a Christmas breakfast for our chickens - 1kg of sweetcorn, 500g of minced meat and a dozen raw mini burgers for the flock to rip apart:
Rip it apart they did. I timed it this year, and after a mere 12 minutes this was all that remained:
At 11.30am on Christmas Day, the sun was shining and clouds were largely absent, so I thought I'd take a half hour walk round the 'hot-spots' of Castle Meadows on the off chance that there might be a butterfly about. Sadly, there wasn't, but I did see something I've never experienced in December before.....a daffodil in flower:
Back to HQ and things were as chaotic as ever. We have a new African Grey Parrot which seems to like spending most of its time in the coal bucket:
There has also been a disaster which has led to something good. A few days ago, Kevin noticed a Kakariki trapped behind the nesting box. Sadly, when he investigated, both the male and female had got stuck there and had died leaving 5 chicks aged between 2 and 3 weeks. The only solution was to bring them all into the house and attempt to hand rear them. As you can see, all of these babies are eager to be fed:
They're quite a handful. Kakarikis are lively and robust parakeets and feeding 5 of them is a major operation lasting nearly half an hour (three times per day):
They are pretty crafty as birds go so heaven only knows what dilemmas they're going to present us with, but this is a situation forced upon us and I suspect that at least one of them will remain a household pet with the others being sold to responsible bird lovers. Here is the full family of siblings (there's about 8 days between oldest and youngest):
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both very benign this year, with daytime temperatures reaching 8 degrees which meant that travelling from Swansea to Abergavenny was just about as easy as it gets at this time of year.
As ever, I prepared a Christmas breakfast for our chickens - 1kg of sweetcorn, 500g of minced meat and a dozen raw mini burgers for the flock to rip apart:
Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Monday 12th January 2015 - Kakariki update....
I don't normally post messages on non-butterfly related matters, but I have to report that the kakarikis we've been hand rearing have turned into birds to die for....except unfortunately, for the youngest of the clutch, who sadly passed away last week.
The eldest three are now fully weaned and the youngest is the only one which still requires an appointment with the syringe. She needs no invitation:
In my last post, I suggested that all but one would probably be sold. I don't think that's likely now for all four surviving birds are so endearing that it would be too painful to part with any of them. You merely need to put your hand through the slats of the cage to have them swarming all round you, and if you take one of them out it will allow itself to be cuddled and when let go will climb to your shoulder, nibble your ear, go for a quick wing stretch round the conservatory before alighting back on your head or shoulder. They are truly lovable.
The sole male is the yellow-banded individual on the right. The other three are females:
They are SO inquisitive and SO entertaining:
I don't normally post messages on non-butterfly related matters, but I have to report that the kakarikis we've been hand rearing have turned into birds to die for....except unfortunately, for the youngest of the clutch, who sadly passed away last week.
The eldest three are now fully weaned and the youngest is the only one which still requires an appointment with the syringe. She needs no invitation:
The sole male is the yellow-banded individual on the right. The other three are females:
Diary entries for 2015 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Dates of first UK sightings 2015:
1. Red Admiral - 7 February, Bracelet Bay, Mumbles Head, Swansea
2. Peacock - 6 March, Swansea Vale
3. Brimstone - 6 March, Swansea Vale
4. Small Tortoiseshell - 6 March, Swansea Vale
5. Comma - 20 March, Swansea Vale
6. Small White - 5 April, Castle Meadows, Abergavenny
7. Orange Tip - 6 April, Castle Meadows, Abergavenny
8. Large White - 6 April, Linda Vista Gardens, Abergavenny
9. Speckled Wood - 6 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
10. Small Copper - 6 April, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
11. Green Veined White - 11 April, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
12. Holly Blue - 20 April, Linda Vista Gardens, Abergavenny
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 3 May, Ewyas Harold Common, nr. Pontrilas, Herefordshire
14. Grizzled Skipper - 3 May, Ewyas Harold Common, nr. Pontrilas, Herefordshire
15. Small Blue - 4 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
16. Green Hairstreak - 9 May, Welshmoor, nr. Llanrhidian, Gower, Swansea
17. Dingy Skipper - 16 May, Kittle Quarry, Gower, Swansea
18. Common Blue - 20 May, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
19. Wall Brown - 20 May, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
20. Marsh Fritillary - 21 May, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
21. Brown Argus - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
22. Small Heath - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
23. Duke of Burgundy - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
24. Adonis Blue - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
25. Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 30 May, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
26. Large Skipper - 9 June, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
27. Painted Lady - 9 June, Langrove Country Club, Gower, Swansea
28. Meadow Brown - 14 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
29. Dark Green Fritillary - 14 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
30. Ringlet - 21 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
31. High Brown Fritillary - 21 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
32. Marbled White - 23 June, Daneway Banks, nr. Sapperton, Glos
33. Large Blue - 23 June, Daneway Banks, nr. Sapperton, Glos
34. Black Hairstreak - 23 June, M40 Compensation Area, Bernwood Forest, Oxon
35. Large Heath - 25 June, Whixhall Moss, nr. Whitchurch, Shropshire
36. Silver Studded Blue - 25 June, Prees Heath, nr. Whitchurch, Shropshire
37. Purple Hairstreak - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
38. White Admiral - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
39. Hedge Brown - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
40. Small Skipper - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
41. Purple Emperor - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
42. Silver Washed Fritillary - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
43. Grayling - 19 July, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
44. Essex Skipper - 25 July, Castle Meadows, Abergavenny
45. Scotch Argus - 6 August, Arnside Knott, nr. Morecambe
46. Northern Brown Argus - 6 August, Arnside Knott, nr. Morecambe
47. Brown Hairstreak - 8 August, West Williamston, nr. Pembroke
48. Clouded Yellow - 10 September, A477, Pembrokeshire
UK species seen in France but NOT seen in Britain in 2015:
49. Wood White - Var and Parc du Mercantour
50. Glanville Fritillary - Var and Parc du Mercantour
51. Swallowtail - Var and Parc du Mercantour
52. Silver Spotted Skipper - Parc du Mercantour
53. Lulworth Skipper - Parc du Mercantour
54. Chalkhill Blue - Parc du Mercantour
55. Heath Fritillary - Parc du Mercantour
56. Mountain Ringlet - Parc du Mercantour
Non UK species seen in France in 2015:
1. Cleopatra - Var and Parc du Mercantour
2. Baton Blue - Var and Parc du Mercantour
3. Provence Orange Tip - Var
4. Southern Festoon - Var
5. Western Dappled White - Var
6. Berger's Clouded Yellow - Var and Parc du Mercantour
7. Weaver's Fritillary - Var and Parc du Mercantour
8. Mallow Skipper - Var
9. Provence Hairstreak - Var
10. Scarce Swallowtail - Var and Parc du Mercantour
11. Green Underside Blue - Var
12. Nettle Tree Butterfly - Var and Parc du Mercantour
13. Large Tortoiseshell - Var and Parc du Mercantour
14. Black-Eyed Blue - Var
15. Rosy Grizzled Skipper - Var
16. Spanish Festoon - Var
All the below seen in Parc du Mercantour only:
17. Tufted Marbled Skipper
18. Marbled Skipper
19. Large Grizzled Skipper
20. Dusky Grizzled Skipper
21. Carline Skipper
22. Safflower Skipper
23. Olive Skipper
24. Red-Underwing Skipper
25. Glandon Blue
26. Damon Blue
27. Alpine Blue
28. Geranium Bronze
29. Osiris Blue
30. Mazarine Blue
31. Geranium Argus
32. Long-Tailed Blue
33. Mountain Alcon Blue
34. Meleager's Blue
35. Idas Blue
36. Amanda's Blue
37. Turquoise Blue
38. Eros Blue
39. Escher's Blue
40. Chapman's Blue
41. Silvery Argus
42. Purple-Shot Copper
43. Purple-Edged Copper
44. Sooty Copper
45. Scarce Copper
46. Sloe Hairstreak
47. Ilex Hairstreak
48. Blue Spot Hairstreak
49. Niobe Fritillary
50. Weaver's Fritillary
51. Mountain Fritillary
52. Shepherd's Fritillary
53. Titania's Fritillary
54. Marbled Fritillary
55. Lesser Marbled Fritillary
56. Cynthia's Fritillary
57. Queen of Spain Fritillary
58. False Heath Fritillary
59. Spotted Fritillary
60. Knapweed Fritillary
61. Meadow Fritillary
62. Grison's Fritillary
63. Lesser Purple Emperor
64. Southern White Admiral
65. Southern Comma
66. Poplar Admiral
67. Apollo
68. Small Apollo
69. Clouded Apollo
70. Black-Veined White
71. Moorland Clouded Yellow
72. Mountain Clouded Yellow
73. Mountain Dappled White
74. Peak White
75. Bath White
76. Great Banded Grayling
77. Pearly Heath
78. Darwin's Heath
79. Alpine Heath
80. Chestnut Heath
81. False Mnestra Ringlet
82. Almond-Eyed Ringlet
83. Dewy Ringlet
84. Sooty Ringlet
85. Arran Brown
86. Large Ringlet
87. Common Brassy Ringlet
88. Woodland Grayling
89. Dusky Meadow Brown
90. Large Wall Brown
91. Great Sooty Satyr
Total species seen in 2015 - 147
Last butterfly sighting - Red Admiral - 3rd November 2015, Swansea Vale
1. Red Admiral - 7 February, Bracelet Bay, Mumbles Head, Swansea
2. Peacock - 6 March, Swansea Vale
3. Brimstone - 6 March, Swansea Vale
4. Small Tortoiseshell - 6 March, Swansea Vale
5. Comma - 20 March, Swansea Vale
6. Small White - 5 April, Castle Meadows, Abergavenny
7. Orange Tip - 6 April, Castle Meadows, Abergavenny
8. Large White - 6 April, Linda Vista Gardens, Abergavenny
9. Speckled Wood - 6 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
10. Small Copper - 6 April, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
11. Green Veined White - 11 April, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
12. Holly Blue - 20 April, Linda Vista Gardens, Abergavenny
13. Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 3 May, Ewyas Harold Common, nr. Pontrilas, Herefordshire
14. Grizzled Skipper - 3 May, Ewyas Harold Common, nr. Pontrilas, Herefordshire
15. Small Blue - 4 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
16. Green Hairstreak - 9 May, Welshmoor, nr. Llanrhidian, Gower, Swansea
17. Dingy Skipper - 16 May, Kittle Quarry, Gower, Swansea
18. Common Blue - 20 May, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
19. Wall Brown - 20 May, Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea
20. Marsh Fritillary - 21 May, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
21. Brown Argus - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
22. Small Heath - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
23. Duke of Burgundy - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
24. Adonis Blue - 23 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire
25. Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 30 May, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
26. Large Skipper - 9 June, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
27. Painted Lady - 9 June, Langrove Country Club, Gower, Swansea
28. Meadow Brown - 14 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
29. Dark Green Fritillary - 14 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
30. Ringlet - 21 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
31. High Brown Fritillary - 21 June, Alun Valley, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
32. Marbled White - 23 June, Daneway Banks, nr. Sapperton, Glos
33. Large Blue - 23 June, Daneway Banks, nr. Sapperton, Glos
34. Black Hairstreak - 23 June, M40 Compensation Area, Bernwood Forest, Oxon
35. Large Heath - 25 June, Whixhall Moss, nr. Whitchurch, Shropshire
36. Silver Studded Blue - 25 June, Prees Heath, nr. Whitchurch, Shropshire
37. Purple Hairstreak - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
38. White Admiral - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
39. Hedge Brown - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
40. Small Skipper - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
41. Purple Emperor - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
42. Silver Washed Fritillary - 18 July, Fermyn Wood, nr. Corby
43. Grayling - 19 July, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
44. Essex Skipper - 25 July, Castle Meadows, Abergavenny
45. Scotch Argus - 6 August, Arnside Knott, nr. Morecambe
46. Northern Brown Argus - 6 August, Arnside Knott, nr. Morecambe
47. Brown Hairstreak - 8 August, West Williamston, nr. Pembroke
48. Clouded Yellow - 10 September, A477, Pembrokeshire
UK species seen in France but NOT seen in Britain in 2015:
49. Wood White - Var and Parc du Mercantour
50. Glanville Fritillary - Var and Parc du Mercantour
51. Swallowtail - Var and Parc du Mercantour
52. Silver Spotted Skipper - Parc du Mercantour
53. Lulworth Skipper - Parc du Mercantour
54. Chalkhill Blue - Parc du Mercantour
55. Heath Fritillary - Parc du Mercantour
56. Mountain Ringlet - Parc du Mercantour
Non UK species seen in France in 2015:
1. Cleopatra - Var and Parc du Mercantour
2. Baton Blue - Var and Parc du Mercantour
3. Provence Orange Tip - Var
4. Southern Festoon - Var
5. Western Dappled White - Var
6. Berger's Clouded Yellow - Var and Parc du Mercantour
7. Weaver's Fritillary - Var and Parc du Mercantour
8. Mallow Skipper - Var
9. Provence Hairstreak - Var
10. Scarce Swallowtail - Var and Parc du Mercantour
11. Green Underside Blue - Var
12. Nettle Tree Butterfly - Var and Parc du Mercantour
13. Large Tortoiseshell - Var and Parc du Mercantour
14. Black-Eyed Blue - Var
15. Rosy Grizzled Skipper - Var
16. Spanish Festoon - Var
All the below seen in Parc du Mercantour only:
17. Tufted Marbled Skipper
18. Marbled Skipper
19. Large Grizzled Skipper
20. Dusky Grizzled Skipper
21. Carline Skipper
22. Safflower Skipper
23. Olive Skipper
24. Red-Underwing Skipper
25. Glandon Blue
26. Damon Blue
27. Alpine Blue
28. Geranium Bronze
29. Osiris Blue
30. Mazarine Blue
31. Geranium Argus
32. Long-Tailed Blue
33. Mountain Alcon Blue
34. Meleager's Blue
35. Idas Blue
36. Amanda's Blue
37. Turquoise Blue
38. Eros Blue
39. Escher's Blue
40. Chapman's Blue
41. Silvery Argus
42. Purple-Shot Copper
43. Purple-Edged Copper
44. Sooty Copper
45. Scarce Copper
46. Sloe Hairstreak
47. Ilex Hairstreak
48. Blue Spot Hairstreak
49. Niobe Fritillary
50. Weaver's Fritillary
51. Mountain Fritillary
52. Shepherd's Fritillary
53. Titania's Fritillary
54. Marbled Fritillary
55. Lesser Marbled Fritillary
56. Cynthia's Fritillary
57. Queen of Spain Fritillary
58. False Heath Fritillary
59. Spotted Fritillary
60. Knapweed Fritillary
61. Meadow Fritillary
62. Grison's Fritillary
63. Lesser Purple Emperor
64. Southern White Admiral
65. Southern Comma
66. Poplar Admiral
67. Apollo
68. Small Apollo
69. Clouded Apollo
70. Black-Veined White
71. Moorland Clouded Yellow
72. Mountain Clouded Yellow
73. Mountain Dappled White
74. Peak White
75. Bath White
76. Great Banded Grayling
77. Pearly Heath
78. Darwin's Heath
79. Alpine Heath
80. Chestnut Heath
81. False Mnestra Ringlet
82. Almond-Eyed Ringlet
83. Dewy Ringlet
84. Sooty Ringlet
85. Arran Brown
86. Large Ringlet
87. Common Brassy Ringlet
88. Woodland Grayling
89. Dusky Meadow Brown
90. Large Wall Brown
91. Great Sooty Satyr
Total species seen in 2015 - 147
Last butterfly sighting - Red Admiral - 3rd November 2015, Swansea Vale
Last edited by David M on Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:59 pm, edited 31 times in total.
Diary entries for 2015 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Saturday 7th February 2015 - Season opener.....
Today taught me to observe the old adage - 'expect the unexpected'.
First of all, don't pay too much attention to the weather forecast. When I got up just before 8am the skies were bereft of clouds, which ran contrary to what the Met Office had been advising for the last 3 days!!
Even when I logged onto the BBC website, the suggestion was for partial cloud cover until noon and cloudy thereafter.
Well, the reality was that barely a cloud appeared all day, so by 11.55am I decided to take a 15 minute trip out to Bracelet Bay on Mumbles Head in Swansea to get a bit of fresh air at the very least.
When I arrived, the upper end of the car park was closed and a helicopter was parked in the top-most area overlooking the bay. I, along with several others, watched with interest as the police kept people back from the take off area and a small number of very smartly dressed individuals milled about before a few of them boarded the craft which then took off rather incongruously given the backdrop:
It was only after it had disappeared from view that I learned it was Prince Albert of Monaco and his entourage, who had watched the Wales v England match in Cardiff the night before and had wanted to visit Mumbles Pier in Swansea before returning to their filthy rich Principality on the Cote d'Azur!!
As the crowds melted away, I headed for the flowering hebe in the sheltered area by the coastguard's hut. I immediately saw a Red Admiral nectaring, but before I could adjust my light meter the bloody thing took off and disappeared over the vegetation above.
I spent over an hour searching for it, and at 1.25pm went to sit on some rocks at the edge of the beach. The bay itself looked beautiful given the time of year:
I did several circuits of the 'hotspots' and couldn't resist taking this image of a contented looking gull:
Whilst on the beach, my eyes were trained towards the coastguard's hut, and after 10 minutes or so I noticed a second Red Admiral. This one seemed to fly in from the sea and immediately came down amongst the hebe growth in front of the car park. I soon managed to locate it:
The butterfly remained in this spot for all the while I was observing it, which was a shame as it was all the while inaccessible and I had to rely on my zoom:
Delighted though I was to see butterflies so early in the year, it won't be until I see the first of the true UK endemic overwinterers that I'll feel properly satisfied.
Hopefully an unseasonal Tortie is but a week or three away!
Today taught me to observe the old adage - 'expect the unexpected'.
First of all, don't pay too much attention to the weather forecast. When I got up just before 8am the skies were bereft of clouds, which ran contrary to what the Met Office had been advising for the last 3 days!!
Even when I logged onto the BBC website, the suggestion was for partial cloud cover until noon and cloudy thereafter.
Well, the reality was that barely a cloud appeared all day, so by 11.55am I decided to take a 15 minute trip out to Bracelet Bay on Mumbles Head in Swansea to get a bit of fresh air at the very least.
When I arrived, the upper end of the car park was closed and a helicopter was parked in the top-most area overlooking the bay. I, along with several others, watched with interest as the police kept people back from the take off area and a small number of very smartly dressed individuals milled about before a few of them boarded the craft which then took off rather incongruously given the backdrop:
As the crowds melted away, I headed for the flowering hebe in the sheltered area by the coastguard's hut. I immediately saw a Red Admiral nectaring, but before I could adjust my light meter the bloody thing took off and disappeared over the vegetation above.
I spent over an hour searching for it, and at 1.25pm went to sit on some rocks at the edge of the beach. The bay itself looked beautiful given the time of year:
Hopefully an unseasonal Tortie is but a week or three away!
Last edited by David M on Sat Feb 07, 2015 9:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Diary entries for 2015 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
-
NickMorgan
- Posts: 908
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:07 pm
- Location: Scottish Borders
- Contact:
Re: David M
Wow, fantastic. I suspect it will be a while before I see any butterflies up here, but I did notice a lot of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock wings on the floor of a barn I rent today. I guess the spider population in the rafters has been feasting on them. I hope there are plenty more to come out in the spring.
Diary entries for 2015 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
-
Chris Jackson
- Posts: 1929
- Joined: Mon May 06, 2013 6:35 am
- Location: Marseilles, France
Re: David M
Glad you could get out and about with a bit of blue sky - Spring is only a very few short weeks away.
At least I can ID your helicopter, its a twin-engine Ecureuil (our company handles the manufacturers' technical publications )
Cheers, Chris
At least I can ID your helicopter, its a twin-engine Ecureuil (our company handles the manufacturers' technical publications
)Cheers, Chris
Diary entries for 2015 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: David M
Friday 6th March 2015 - Waking up....
Even though it wasn't particularly warm today (10c at best) I took my camera into work on the off chance that it might be bright and sunny at lunchtime.
So it proved, and as a result I did a circuit of the wild areas near to my office and was delighted to see three butterflies - all different species.
First up was a Peacock:
The area where it was seen was in the foreground of this image, a place where Orange Tips can be found in numbers by mid-April when the stream is bedecked by copious cuckoo flower growth:
I headed on towards the railway embankment where there is a sprawling evergreen that Brimstones can't resist. Sure enough, within 5 minutes one appeared, but as ever, getting an image was a question of 'hit the shutter and hope':
I was just about to cross the road to go back to work when I noticed another butterfly suddenly dart out by the end of the pathway leaving the lake area - a Small Tortoiseshell:
So, only Comma to go to complete the 'Royal Flush' of adult overwinterers. I daresay there'll be a few around over the next week or two!
Even though it wasn't particularly warm today (10c at best) I took my camera into work on the off chance that it might be bright and sunny at lunchtime.
So it proved, and as a result I did a circuit of the wild areas near to my office and was delighted to see three butterflies - all different species.
First up was a Peacock:
Diary entries for 2015 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
-
Chris Jackson
- Posts: 1929
- Joined: Mon May 06, 2013 6:35 am
- Location: Marseilles, France
Re: David M
That was a good lunch-time haul David, for 10°C.
Even I didn't do anywhere nearly as good as that today in the South of France (13°C); and as well, these 3 species don't even exist down here.
Your hunch was right to take your camera to work.
As you say, Spring is here
Cheers, Chris
Even I didn't do anywhere nearly as good as that today in the South of France (13°C); and as well, these 3 species don't even exist down here.
Your hunch was right to take your camera to work.
As you say, Spring is here
Cheers, Chris
Diary entries for 2015 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.