june 2011

[Paul Wetton]

I spotted my first Ringlet of the year at Gamston Woods in Notts on Sunday.
I wondered if anyone else has seen Ringlets yet as I can't remember anyone posting they had.

[Paul Wetton]

Cheers Wurzel.
I thought there must be some about. Just hadn't seen any records so far.

[Rogerdodge]

I thought there must be some about. Just hadn't seen any records so far

I seem to recall that Gary (Gruditch) had one on 25 May on his Transect in Hampshire.
Incredibly early.

[dilettante]

I spotted my first Ringlet of the year at Gamston Woods in Notts on Sunday.
I wondered if anyone else has seen Ringlets yet as I can't remember anyone posting they had.

I saw my first Ringlet today, just outside Cambridge. Lovely chocolatey brownness

[celery]

Followed the crowds (well, there were 5 or 6 other cars parked there) to Glapthorn Cow Pastures on Saturday (11th June) in search of black hairstreaks and, like everyone else, wasn't disappointed.

There are several threads running right now about them so I'll skip right over the hairstreaks and mention that I also saw my first meadow browns of the year (look..., it's cold up North... ) and a single silver-washed fritillary - which the friendly site Warden told me was something of a rarity at this location.


Glapthorn habitat - hares and nightingale song


black hairstreak


...and again... they weren't that hard to find...


silver-washed fritillary (terrible photo - but fit for recording purposes)

[NickB]

Ringlets from 7th June up here....just the odd one or two at the moment. One on Fleam Dyke today...along with 12+ MB, 8 Small Whites, 2 Brimstone, 3 Small Heath, 4 Small Torts, a 3 Large and 2 Small Skipper, 2 Red Admiral and 1 Green Veined White. Still very dry - main nectar sources were privet bushes.
N

[celery]

Sunday (12th June) morning was grey and cold - but despite this, and the miserable forecast - I decided to take a chance and visit Crowle Moor, in northern Lincolnshire, where Hugh Middleton has reported seeing good numbers of large heath the previous week. (Thanks for the site info and links Hugh, much appreciated )

I managed to complete the 4-mile circular footpath walk before the rain started to pelt down and was very glad I did - seeing around 40+ large heaths as well as red admiral, speckled wood and numerous large skippers. The large heath photographs I managed to take were mostly of individuals hunkering down in roost position, but there were plenty of others that were still active despite the cool temperatures - as ever these were very skittish and flew off across the bog as you approached.

Final thing to note is that the individuals I saw were very variable. Number of hindwing spots, number of forewing spots, boldness and size of spots, and ground colour were often markedly different from one critter to the next.


Crowle Moor habitat


large skipper


large heath (this one seemed very fresh)


another... with quite bold markings


despite the rain some were still nectaring

cheers, celery

[Susie]

I went to Iping Common and Southwater Woods both yesterday and today. Good numbers of silver studded blue out at Iping with fresh butterflies still appearing. Got to watch one being attended by ants. Got attended by a fair few ants myself! Quite a few deformed ones yesterday but none seen today. Also large skipper, speckled wood and brimstone. At southwater both yesterday and today silver washed fritillary, white admiral, red admiral, speckled wood, meadow brown, large skipper, small tortoiseshell.

[Simon C]

Caught the bus on Saturday to Collard Hill, to walk the new Polden Way which connects various LB sites, including one of my favourite reserves, Gilling Down. The new path certainly makes it easier to get there than used to be the case.

As usual, LB numbers were greatest at Collard Hill, and the broken cloud present when passing through heading out and on return meant they were rather easier to photograph than usual.

Simon

[dilettante]

I saw my first Ringlet today, just outside Cambridge. Lovely chocolatey brownness

...and my first Small Skipper this evening, at Magog Down, Cambridge.

[Hugh Middleton]

Nice pictures celery.
Saw my first Meadow Browns of the year at Gibraltar Point this morning with a few blues and speckled woods.
In the afternoon searched the inland sites for White Admiral to no avail though they are reported in Norfolk.

Hugh

[Susie]

Forgot to mention I saw purple hairstreak too.

[A_T]

Was at Morfa Harlech today and was lucky enough to see a Dark Green Fritillary.

[Michaeljf]

I was going to add before the site went down - great pictures by both Celery and Simon C.

Looks like you both caught the good weather before it disappeared!

Michael

[Susie]

I possibly saw a Purple Emperor at Southwater this morning briefly when the sun came out. A strong flying butterfly was around the canopy of some sallow and an oak before disappearing. If it was a white admiral it must have been on steroids.

Also seen two purple hairstreak, white admiral, silver washed fritillary and meadow brown. Still no marbled white.

[Willrow]

Managed a few hours back at the Alun Valley, Near Bridgend yesterday. It was decidedly warm in comparison to many of our other flaming June days, reaching 22.5c at it's peak, and these kind of temperatures can really get the Frits flitting.

I hardly had time to get to my cars boot on parking up than a Dark Green Fritillary tried to break in...and I managed a photo to prove it too it seemed to be trying to take minerals from the dust on the door (shame on me! it should be cleaned). I thought blimey! not a bad start to the morning. Did a sortie on the north side first, this is often referred to as the down or common, there were very healthy numbers of Dark Green Fritillary here with my count going circa 30, High Brown Fritillary were considerably less here, I saw about 8, there were undoubtably more but they were super active in the heat as were their very similar Argynnis relatives, I'm sure the HBF's settled less often than the DGF's, that may be because there were more DGF's on the wing though. Pleasantly surprised with the numbers of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary on the down, I counted 16 here, some were a bit seasoned though, others quite fresh. Others seen; Speckled Wood 20+, Ringlet 7, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell 3, few Small White, I was concentrating my efforts primarily on frits.

After lunch I took a rather leisurely stroll onto the south side of the valley, it was very much like June should be by now, and a mint fresh Brimstone celebrated the arrival of sunshine in the first clearing. High Brown Fritillary were highly active here too and although I managed a few photographs none I feel were worthy of inclusion in this sightings report, I saw a definate 10. Dark Green Fritillary were to be seen almost everywhere, I counted more than 30+ here before giving up. Only two Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary seen here, it seems they prefer the upper reaches of the north valley for some reason. Lots of Speckled Wood here too, several Whites on the move, two fresh Small Tortoiseshell also seen. Literally countless numbers of Brown Silver-line disturbed, these bracken loving macro moths are having a tremendous year.

A visit to the Alun Valley is highly recommended, but in hot sunshine both the High Brown and Dark Green Fritillary can cause anyone wanting a good photograph a lot of frustration. Correct identification can also prove pretty difficult with these two butterflies too, closed wing posture is a must really (I don't personally like to go strictly by wing shape) and both species are highly aware, the only real hope is when they might be distracted when nectaring. HBF's like bramble, DGF's are ready to indulge their taste now in what I've always called the summers 'purple patch' ie. thistles, knapweed etc. I really enjoyed this 'proper summers' day visit.

Bill

[Piers]

I really like your compositions Bill, especially one to four above...

Piers.

[Michaeljf]

Bill,
I'm jealous. Stuck at work I could only manage to nip down to Ewenny briefly for an hour and a half from about 5:15 to 6:45 pm last night: even with some light cloud it was still warm-ish and there were still several HBF's and DGF's about. You're right about the differences; I know the clues but sometimes some of the male DGF's can look very similiar to the HBF's except from the underside . There were still some SPBF's about too. One male HBF was so small initially I thought it was a SPBF (maybe it was tiredness!) even during early evening they were still flying very quickly.
Sunday's weather may be better, I may pop down again then. PM me next time you go on the weekend, it would be nice to meet up, even briefly.
Michael

p.s. All nice pictures!!

[David M]

I love the one with the DGF on the car door!

Looks like numbers are building, Bill. I'll be back to check on them again before I go to France at the end of the month (assuming we get another fine day!)

[Willrow]

I really like your compositions Bill, especially one to four above...

Piers.

Thanks Piers,

Nice comment, much appreciated.

Bill