www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks,Guy! Grizzled Skippers are the most endangered butterfly in Essex,i'm sooo pleased to find them.

I've been looking for Green Hairstreaks throughout May,to at last find some has made my day,no,month!

Great reading report with cracking shots It's nice to feel envious of someone else's Greenstreak shots having gotten my own- it makes a nice change rather than being envious about the shot and because of the species

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Love your excitement and enthusiasm Buzzard, nice GH shot too, but what I really love is your Small Copper with blue spots - been trying to get one of those for 2 years now

Some great reports and photo

I too really like your Small Copper photo, first ones were seen in Warwickshire at the weekend so hopefully I'll be seeing them soon.

Cheers,

Neil F.

Wurzel-thanks for your comments. I'm so pleased to finaly find my Greenstreak,and get my shots. They are not easy in Essex,with a very patchy range. Even within colonies,they can seem almost absent in some years and with poor spring weather again,i was begining to fear this was one of those years.
Pauline,thanks to you too. I also love the Small Copper. These blue-spotted forms are fairly common within its Essex colonies,much to my pleasure!
Neil,i hope the weather improves and you are able to visit your local sites. I will be checking your diary for sightings at the weekend!

LATE SPRING HOLIDAY PART TWO!

I was meant to work Monday,but with rare sunshine on the cards,i somehow managed to get the morning off! Just as well looking at this weeks forecast.
So waste no time,off to Grays Gorge chalk pit,an old quarry and great for Essex butterflies-when the sun shines! This is a known site for the Green Hairstreaks i have been so desperate to see-i've seen them here before. Just need the weather!
On arrival,several Small and Large Whites were already flying,as were several Speckled woods.
This pit is full of Holly Blues,here,they seem to use lucerne as their caterpillar foodplant,several females were laying on it. A Green-veined White female was seen,with Burnet Companion too.
But the highlight of course,were the Greenstreaks. Only two were seen-the one in my last picture and the one below. Interestingly,both were egg-laying females,there must have been males but i couldn't find them. They were laying on birds-foot trefoil and,again,lucerne. The one below has a nick in it-even though Greens only have a tiny,stubby tail,it still seems enough to encourage birds to peck the wrong end-thank goodness!
At the bottom of the quarry,several Brimstones were flying about. Considering how old they now are,they were in surprisingly good condition.
Man orchids ore a feature of this reserve,an were just coming out. Up to 500 spikes are present in good years. Birds nest orchids prefer the overgrown,shady areas. They,too,are just opening.
A hobby shot past,perhaps after the hairy hawker i saw earlier.
All too soon,it was time for work,but wow-what a great morning!

essexbuzzard wrote:The one below has a nick in it-even though Greens only have a tiny,stubby tail,it still seems enough to encourage birds to peck the wrong end-thank goodness!

And that's why I really like this pic - showing something quite different Thanks for posting, rather than binning it!

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks for your comments,Pete.
You're right,of course. Normally i only keep the best pics,or at least what i think are the best! But Greens have been so hard to come by for me in recent years,and perhaps this one tells its own story-one of survival,in this the coldest of springs.

I agree - a picture should tell a story! Footprints across a beach make a far better picture than virgin sand ...

It's not just that green hairstreak that has a tale to tell, Buzzard. Your whole diary is a lovely record of spring unfolding.

Guy

I also agree, lovely diary and photos, EB.

Fantastic Grizzled photos and I love the Green Hairstreak.

Best wishes

Lee

"Your whole diary is a lovely record of spring unfolding." Couldn't agree more. One of the best!
BWs, Neil

Thank-you so much everybody,for all of your comments,they really are most welcome,and i'm pleased you all think i have something worthy to contribute. Thanks again!

CORNWALL!

So here i am,fresh back from my early summer,or late spring,trip to Cornwall.

It was a fantastic trip!

Firstly,i was incredibly lucky with the weather-blue skies and sunshine,and warm too!

Like most of the country,the season is late here,too-Mayblosson and bluebells still out,and several spring butterflies still flying.

Arriving on Monday morning,the first stop was a valley wood on Bodmin Moor. Here the sun shone through the pale green leaves,and the water tumbled over the rocky stream. Ferns were abundant,and the trees were festooned with mosses and lichens. A glorious carpet of bluebells covered the woodland floor,while ravens and buzzards could be heard above. Fairly quiet for butterflies on this cool morning,though Green-veined White was photographed. An active nuthatch hole was found,its entrance plastered with mud. Outside the wood,the verges were a riot of colour.
Then onto Chapel Porth,on the north coast near St.Agnes. Here the cliff tops were were a sea of flowering kidney vetch,in all different colours-what a sight!
Several whites,including Large and Green-veined,were seen and below Wheal Coates mine,several Walls were chasing each other around,my first of 2013-these were to prove near constant companions through the week. Several Green Hairstreaks were then seen,including two on one heather bush-i only saw them when they flew up from my feet! Thankfully,they soon settled again,giving me the pleasure of watching their behavior at close quaters. Well,time was getting on,so i had to tear myself away,in order to check-in to my accommodation,down the coast near Hayle,on St. Ives Bay.
What a great start to the week!

Great report Essex Stunning Kidney Vetch, looking forward to the next installment.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi essex buzzard,

I always read your diary with great enjoyment and, find your floral photos are quite brilliant. Lovely Green Hairstreak photos.

All the best, Nick.

Again,thanks for the compliments,Wurzel and Nick. If my diary and picturs can inspire people to get out and enjoy,then i know i have done something positive!

CORNWALL DAY TWO-TUESDAY 4 JUNE

With the continuing good weather,i decided to get up and out early and head for the Lizard. A good colony of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is found at Kynance Cove,and as i like to photograph them,arriving early,they should be basking in the early sunshine. Sure enough,i soon found several fresh adults perched,almost comatose,as they warmed up-result! Once these have warmed,they stop for no-one,so i contunued to walk towards Lizard point,enjoying a couple of male wheatears,a pair of kestrel and a buzzard. A splendid display of flowers on the cliff-tops included sea pinks,birds-foot trefoil,sea campion and spring squill.Several early purple orchids were present,too,with white burnet roses among the heather. All to a backdrop of spectacular scenery,blue skies and sunshine,and rising temperatures!
Soon,more butterflies started to appear,including Large and Green-veined Whites,Small Coppers,and several Walls. At Lizard lighthouse,the cliff-top flora had changed,with bluebells covering large areas,and some foxgloves.
By time i arrived at Britains most southerly cafe,it was lunch time,so a pasty was consumed and enjoyed,while overhead,several Cornish chough were seen. Chough have been breeding at Lizard point for ten years now,and are a great pleasure to see. There are friendly signs in the area asking people not to approach them too closely because of disturbance but,in reality,they are quite tame,and often land close to people using the south-west coast path,giving good veiws. After eating,i spent some time on the cliffs,simply watching these birds,a great conservation success! While enjoying them,several Common Blues flew nearby-my first of the year. Heading back,many more Walls were seen,flying along the stone walls,looking for mates,and chasing away rivals. Several pipits were doing their attractive parachute display,which i love to see.
Time was getting on when approached Kynance and in some long grass,Small Pearls were begining to settle,including my first female,so ending the day much as it began...

Lovely shots Essex, especially the Wall Choughs are cracking birds, and if you can get a close enough view the sheen on their feathers is gorgeous.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks,Wurzel. You're right of course-the sheen glows green and purple close to.

CORNWALL DAY THREE.

Today,there was a bit more cloud when i started out-but things improved!
So off to the S.W.coast path,at Gwennap Head. This is one of the windiest places in the country,and at the Coastguard Station,gusts of wind over 100mph are recorded most winters-only a couple of weeks ago,winds reached nearly 70mph!

I was nothing like that today,thank goodness-just a gentle breeze from the NE. Lots of bluebells were again present here-it seems strange seeing them amongst the kidney vetch,sea-pinks and sea campion,with not a tree in sight! Gorgious little spring squill were especially common here.Once the sun got going,so did the butterflies. Small Pearls were again common-they tend to live in loose,open populations here,rather than tight colonies. Two Greens were chasing each other around a small gorse bush. Every now and then they would settle,but as soon as one took off,the other would start the chase again! Quite a joy to watch. Common Blues were,again,common, as were Small Heaths. There is a Marsh Fritillary colony here,and i found some foodplant,unfortunately,i failed to find any Marsh Frits. A pleasant walk,then,in a new area for me.

Then off to St Just,for a walk to Cape Cornwall,and around to Botallack. Again lots of bluebells here,and quit a few foxgloves,to add to the cliff-top flowers. Again,Small Pearls and Small Heath were easily seen,as were Common Blues. Walls were near the stone walls,as usural,and a Large White was seen. Two Cornish choughs flew over,i think they nest up here as well. Buzzard and kestrel seen. A Small Copper was a late addition. All against a splendid backdrop of scenery,blue sky and blue sea. A couple of fields above Botallack mines were a sea of buttercups. A great end to the day,a delicious Cornish meal followed!

CORNWALL DAY 4-THURSDAY

Something a little different today-off to the Royal Cornwall Show,near Wadebridge,which was excellent. The fields we used for parking were nice and dry,contrast this to last June,when many cars had to be towed out of a mud bath!

However,on the way back,i had time to drop into the Indian Queens old railway,where there is a colony of Dingy Skippers. Although it is late in their season,several were seen,though all a bit worn. Common Blues,Green-veined white and lots of confusion Burnet Companion moths were present,as well as several fresh Small Pearl-border Fritillaries-i had no idea there was a colony here,i've never seen them before. On the debit side,no Grizzled Skippers were seen,and they seem to have died out at this site. This is a great pity,as,although a small,isolated site,it is managed,and there is plenty of wild strawberry as caterpillar plants. So now just one colony remains in Cornwall.
Arrving back,i was treated to another delicious Cornish meal,with the glorious veiw of the setteng sun behind.

Great reports with some excellent photos .

Cheers,

Neil F.

Thanks Neil,much appreciated.

CORNWALL DAY 5,FRIDAY.

Today,with aonther good day forecast,spent the morning at Gwithian Towans,which was within walking distance of where i was staying. These are a large area of sand dunes,which become great for Silver Studded Blues and Dark Green Fritillaries in July. But it's worth a look anytime from spring to autumn,and this was no exception.
First up were a couple of Small Heaths,which are common here. A Common Blue was also soon seen,as were several Cinnabar moths. Several Small Pearl-bordered Frits there then seen,and then a lovely singing male stonechat and whitethroat. As the day heated up,more butterflies appeared. Several Walls were seen,as was a Small Copper. Checking the dips and depressions,i then found a species i was hoping to see-a Brown Argus. Although i saw two more later on,they were a little past their prime,this was best adult i saw.Here they use storksbill os foodplants. Finaly,three Large whites were seen.

Then onto Madron. This is the area where our family come from-it's great to be back! As i walked down Kennel lane,surrounded by Cornish hedges brimming with Mayblossom(or Juneblossom!) campion,bluebells and stitchwort,Several mint Speckled Woods were seen-clearly there had been a fresh emergence of adults,as these were the first of the trip,and represent those that overwintered as caterpillars,not chrysalises. Up at the Carn,several Red Admirals were hilltoping,as usural-my first of the year.Up to three were present,as well as a Painted Lady,again my first of the year. Every now and then,they would all spriral skywards,spinning around the hill top,before breaking away to land back near the ground,untill the next one moved,when they would all start up again. A Wall,meantime,was keeping out of the way. A splendid,soaring buzzard and a verge full of foxgloves,was a great way to end another super day.

One more picture from Hayle Towans;