millerd

[millerd]

At last! This was the first time this year some sunny weather coincided with me being able to walk round my local patch. It was not particularly warm, but at least the damp cold overcast had given way to blue skies. I set off with my ten-year-old in tow and a somewhat optimistic air. Half-way round and we'd seen nothing, but then Elliot says "I s'pose you've seen that butterfly..." I hadn't, but I soon did - the first butterfly on my local patch this year turned out to be a Small White. This was very unexpected - my eyes were tuned into Peacock/Comma/Small Tortoiseshell mode.

I braved some nearby horses and managed a long short for the record. We had nearly reached the end of the walk when the second butterfly appeared. This was a Red Admiral, sunning itself next to the River Colne.

We saw nothing else, but the dandelions are only just opening - this always seems to coincide round here with the first Small Tortoiseshells, which thoroughly enjoy them as nectar sources, so next time the sun shines...

Dave

[David M]

There seem to be a few Whites emerging right now. Have to agree that it's odd that Small White turns out to be the year's first sighting though!

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Dave,

There can't be many years in which your first local butterfly is a Small White.
The dandelions are just beginning to open around her too and the sallow and blackthorn is mostly still in bud. With another cool week forecast I reckon it could be the Easter weekend before things really get going around here...weather permitting.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Good to see you're off the mark Dave I'm on three species so far with Small White my third which isn't quite as unusual as it being the first species seen for the year but I've normally caught up with a Peacock, Comma and Red Admiral before the SWs

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, all.
It's very slow this year - I crept onto four species today when a Small Tortoiseshell appeared in my sister's front garden in Wilberfoss up in Yorkshire. I was halfway down the drive in the car and nearly in the road when I saw it. Much derision and groaning from the assorted offspring in the back as I leapt out with the camera and tracked the windswept butterfly down to a pink hyacinth. The sun was out between showers, the temperature at the dizzy height of ten degrees, and it was still very windy. Not ideal at all, but you had to admire the butterfly's determination.

Dave

[millerd]

After the last two days of greyness, it was splendid to see the sun streaming in this morning. Only one drawback - I had to go to work. However, all was not lost as I managed to leave at around two and with longer days and changing clocks, there was a whole afternoon left to see what was about. I walked home, and before even leaving the office park I had seen a Peacock, a Brimstone and a Small White. Just to the south of the cargo area at Heathrow, I saw further Brimstones and Small Whites, plus a likely Comma. As others have mentioned, it is curious that the Small Whites this year are up and out along with the first emerging hibernators - I wonder what combination of factors has caused this?

Arriving home, I quickly changed and set out for the first proper circuit of my local patch this year in decent weather. Over a leisurely hour and a half, Commas, Peacocks and Brimstones predominated, all very active and tussling with each other, though the Brimstones really weren't interested unless they found a Small White. There were a few of these, and like the Brimstones, they were completely unapproachable.

I found a single Red Admiral, in exactly the same spot as the one I saw on 22nd March, but the photos show a different individual.

Finally, on the approach to home there is a wide grassy area where dandelions and daisies are now emerging at long last. Most years, this is where I see my first local Small Tortoiseshell, and today was no different. I am constantly amazed by nature's ability to repeat itself so precisely year on year in this way.

With further sunshine forecast this week, I am hopeful of Orange Tips, GVW, Speckled Woods and Holly Blues before many more days have passed. There may have to be further short days at work as well...

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Dave,

Great report and photos, glad you still had time to get out today

Just hibernators for me so far but a great day today with loads of Peacocks. I still have a couple of days off work so hoping to get out looking again, maybe a Specklie, Orange-tip or White this week, fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Neil.

[trevor]

HI Dave,
It would seem that today it was Butterflies for all !. The first day this year that we're all reporting
multiple sightings. Looking forward to more of your posts. But no more open wing Holly Blue shots please .

All the best
TREVOR.

[Wurzel]

I'm really envious of those Red Admiral shots Dave - they've been playing hard to get with me this year - I've only seen the one

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Many thanks for the comments, chaps - no Holly Blues yet, Trevor! It's great to get out there again seeing butterflies.

More of the same this afternoon, and a little bit more. I stopped off after work at Bedfont Lakes Country Park, where there were simply dozens of Peacocks. I saw courtship behaviour on the ground and many spiralling males - up to five in a group at one time. There were also a few Commas, and earlier on some Whites and Brimstones. The latter head off to roost between about four and half past - they simply disappear, though can be disturbed from their invisible hiding places.

With some time left in the afternoon, I had another tour of my local patch, which again boasted lots of Peacocks and Commas. However, as the sun started to lose a bit of heat, bumbling along the path came an Orange Tip. It was not flying particularly strongly, and settled several times to bask, eventually landing directly in front of me.

Spring really is here now.
Dave

[Maximus]

Great stuff, Dave and lovely Orange-tip shots. Spring is definitely here

Mike

[David M]

Lovely to see your first Orange Tip of the year.....even better is to get a good image!

Well done, Dave.

[Wurzel]

Great to see images of your first OT Dave , I saw the first for Wiltshire yesterday but no image as Iwas stuck in traffic
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thank you everyone. As ever with these things, luck played a big part in finding that Orange Tip. It's actually not a bad time of day to find them as they do tend to have a spell of basking at the end of the afternoon when they cease to patrol as incessantly as they do when the sun is high in the sky. Hopefully there will soon be many more.

On the briefest of walks today around five o'clock, and with the sun mostly behind cloud (it was almost sultry), I saw nearly nothing at all. Nearly nothing - a Red Admiral was guarding the same bridge as two days ago and on 22nd March. It did not open its wings, but I don't think it was the one from 6th. At least two are sharing this spot. Considering the lack of sun, this butterfly was displaying great energy in soaring aerobatics between returns to the same spot to sit.

Dave

[millerd]

After spending yesterday looking at continuous sunshine through the office window, I managed to take today off. A promising start, with a quick tour of the local patch, during which I saw my first Speckled Wood of the year, and managed to get close to a nice fresh Small White. The Commas, Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells clearly weren't up yet.

I decided to drive down to Denbies, just to see if anything was about down there - Green Hairstreaks can't be far off, nor Grizzled Skippers. However, an annoying bank of cloud appeared and persisted, which meant that all I saw was a single Peacock. The forecast air pollution was very much in evidence - the view across to Leith Hill being almost non-existent, so hazy was it. The slopes are covered in violets at the moment, more than I've ever seen, and the grass is relatively short - allowing the ground to heat up and encourage all those blue butterfly caterpillars to get munching. It's worth noting that the car park at Denbies now boasts a very good coffee van which is going to be there on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from now until October.

I returned home, but went a circuitous route to avoid the M25 and its Friday madness. Of course, within 20 minutes, out came the sun again and Brimstones came with it, plus one or two Orange Tips. Never mind - early days yet. Back at home, I had an more extended amble around my local patch. Much more to see now - though mostly plentiful Peacocks, Commas and now good numbers of Small Tortoiseshells.

I was hoping to see some courtship behaviour, but the closest I got was this case of mistaken identity. The Tortoiseshell was really persistent though the Peacock was having none of it.

After the initial subject of his attention managed to escape, he quickly transferred his misguided amours to another Peacock. He must just like larger ladies... I also found a Tortoiseshell which appeared to be egg-laying, but the nettle bed was too close to the river to examine safely.

I had suspected that some of the whites I had been seeing might well be Green-veined, rather than Small, but all those close enough to check were not - until this one. Another new species for the year.

No Red Admirals seen today, and locally, only a couple of Orange Tips. Overall, though, not a bad day.

View over the River Colne - nettle beds in the foreground, Terminal Five in the background

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Dave,

Love the Speckled Wood and that first Small Tortoiseshell is a cracker. I also like the open wing Orange-tip from Tuesday, a lovely photo

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Great shot of the Green-veined one Dave Still to get one of those this year though I might try for a Grenstreak tomorrow...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, Neil and Wurzel. I'm pleased you like the photos.

After a very blustery and not exactly warm day yesterday up in the Midlands where two separate Small Tortoiseshells was the sum total of the day (one in Solihull, one at Ryton), today back near Heathrow promised a bit better.

Ryton Small Tortoiseshel

It was still windy, and a bit chilly first thing, but the sun was very strong with none of Friday's thick haze. Round the usual circuit I went, with an Orange Tip the first to show, closely followed by a Small White, and then another. It wasn't until there was a bit of shelter that the first Peacock appeared - too windy to bask comfortably I suppose. I wandered into the bit of woodland in the middle of the J14 roundabout, where there is a cleared bit following the line of a gas main, and watched a Brimstone patrol back and forth for a while. It had a routine, always pausing at the same point in its circuit to settle. Not to nectar, either, just to sit still on a dry leaf for a minute or two. I stationed myself near the spot and the next time round managed a reasonable shot.

Progressing on, I saw a few more Whites, one of which was definitely Green-veined, another Orange Tip, a Small Tortoiseshell, a few more Peacocks and two new Speckled Woods.

Still no Holly Blues, or so I thought. Getting right back to the front doorstep, there on a shrub sat... a Holly Blue. I managed to disturb it, but it flew against the wind to settle back in the same spot. With a couple of quick photos taken, it was disturbed again, but this time by another of the same species. They squabbled for a bit before settling briefly in nearby spots. I managed one more photo before they were blown into the air again.

Species number ten, and the last one for a while that I won't have to travel a bit to see.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Lovely Holly Blue shots Dave - you've obviously been practising your 'HB Whispering' over the winter months

Have a goodun
Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Your certainly lucky with your Butterflies Dave, we've had nothing but STS Peacocks, and Comma's no whites, or RA yet, love the photo of the Holly Blue Goldie