ernie f

[Chris L]

My butterfly hobby is still in its infancy, but I have done a bit of travelling and had about 10 occasions so far when I concluded I would have seen more butterflies of the same species had I stayed local to home. I know what you mean Ernie, it can be a bit galling when that happens, though you saw Duke of Burgundy and that would have been worth it.

[ernie f]

Wurzel, David, Otep

Thanks for your comments guys. If you read some of my posts from last year you may remember I had concerns about the 'maintenance' at Noar Hill. I know its only still April - maybe I am expecting the worst - but it's not boding well.

I keep hopeful.

[ernie f]

18th April 2022
Kingsley Old Churchyard
Sunny

I like this place. If you drive along the main road you can whiz past this little church without even realizing it's there. It's not in the village centre and remains rather aloof. The cemetery has a part given over to wildlife and in Spring it is always a nice sunny spot to stand and watch for butterflies.

Bluebells abound in front of a bank of mature yews which partially surround a huge holly. It is great for Holly Blues. The males joust for position on the yews and when they need refreshment, they come down to nectar from the bluebells. Two of them were doing just that today but as the season wears on you can get a whole lot more and so plenty of battles going on between the males. I stood and watched their antics for about 30 minutes. Also Orange Tip, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood today. Every year there are Green Hairstreaks too but none seen here yet this year.

[Wurzel]

Cracking Holly Blue shots Ernie Local Churches are great little places for nature - we used to have Spotted Flycatchers nesting under the entrance gate at Sixpenny Handley

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Chris L]

I particularly like that second shot Ernie, the pale blue of the butterfly, the contrast of the dark blue of the bluebell and the nice green backdrop.

[David M]

...Thanks for your comments guys. If you read some of my posts from last year you may remember I had concerns about the 'maintenance' at Noar Hill. I know its only still April - maybe I am expecting the worst - but it's not boding well.

I do remember them, ernie, and I think others on here have complained of the same.

Please keep us informed regarding how things develop.

[ernie f]

Wurzel

Ah, yes Spotted Flycatchers - great to watch them catching insects on the wing. they are (or were) a regular at Noar Hill in late summer.

David

I'll still keep going to Noar Hill and shall report. It's my closest Nature Reserve.

Otep

I love it when you get colour opportunities like that.

[ernie f]

20th April 2022
Kingsley New Churchyard
Sunny

Last time I reported on my visit to Kingsley's Old Church - the one that is no longer in the village proper. It dates back to Norman times I believe. Today I went to Kingsley's 'New' Church in the village centre - well being Victorian it is new-er and by a long margin! In Autumn it is great for waxcap mushrooms but in Spring it is also good for Holly Blues and today I saw two males there as well as Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip and Peacock.

Both the Holly Blues and the Speckled Woods had jousting males in pairs.

[ernie f]

A whole week visiting Kingsley Old Churchyard has brought me some fine moments. In this one, very small area (I stood around rather a lot) I saw...

Holly Blue
Green Hairstreak
Brimstone
Peacock
Green-veined White
Orange Tip
Speckled Wood
Comma

And a Red Kite.

The Holly Blue males were jousting on the Yews as usual.
Two Green Hairstreak males were doing the same mid air. They are SO fast and can keep it going for ages. I had them zooming around me as they circled one another.
Then there was the coupled Green-veined White pair that let me get very close to them.

Here are a few pics...

[ernie f]

Today I went to Noar Hill.

I have had some qualms about the extent of maintenance at this location but I am pleased to report that butterfly numbers seem to be increasing OK.

Counts...

11 Dukes (plus while speaking to other people I heard there was at least another three in a pit I didn't visit today).
7 Dingies
5 GV Whites
4 O Tips
3 Peacock
3 Brimstone
2 Greenstreak
1 Holly Blue
1 Common Carpet Moth

(And a Partridge in a pear tree I hear you ask)

Not bad numbers for the last week of April given I didn't visit the entire reserve.

I had two Dingies in the bottom pit jousting away repeatedly and one Greestreak came down to ground level once, fleetingly.

I took over a dozen pictures of the two male Dingies having their airborne fight of which only one was acceptable. I ditched the rest 'cos they were all too blurred - I hadn't got my camera set up for the speed they flew at. This is the one I kept...

That was the best of the bunch - see what I mean?

Also - is it just me or are the pics on this website not focusing well nowadays? These pics on my computer are far sharper than the ones here. It's been like this for a while now. Maybe it's just my memory fading but I don't think it was always this way was it? If you click on the picture to get its large version it's OK though.

[Wurzel]

Great couple of recent reports Ernie, a couple of Greenstreaks in the churchyard is a notable record Love the Dukes and Greenstreaks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Ernie. That churchyard looks like nice little spot .

Also, good to hear that Noar Hill seems to be producing the goods. I nearly went there the other week when we were down south for a few days visiting our daughter but ended up at Butser Hill/Rake Bottom instead as that site is closer to our daughters house in Emsworth.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

That's quite some return for a small area in that churchyard, ernie. The Green Hairstreak must have been particularly pleasing to see.

Glad to hear better news from Noar Hill. It can't be all bad if you can see double figure numbers of Dukes.

[ernie f]

Yes, guys - that churchyard is a boon for us butterfly watchers - so long as you don't mind being among a load of dead people!

[ernie f]

5th May - Magdalen Hill

Nice sunny day - down at the bottom of the hill. Always a good spot - except you have to try and ignore the road noise. A major road runs parallel to the path. But its worth it. Today's tally...

1 Greenstreak
1 Common Blue
1 Small Heath
1 O Tip
1 Peacock
3 Dingy
5 Brim
1 Small White
3 BArgs
5 Grizzlies
1 Small Copper
1 Mother Shipton
2 Mint Moth

Is it doing a wing roll? I do believe it is.

The Orange Tip is rather fine
And Brimstones are brilliant by design
But at the end of the day
I think I can say
That nothing can top a
Small Coppa

(Anonymous)

[millerd]

A very comprehensive selection there, Ernie! A lovely fresh Brown Argus and a rather fine Ode to Spring at the end...

Cheers,

Dave

[ernie f]

Dave. Yep - great visit - my first BARGs and grizzlies of the year.

[ernie f]

Yesterday at Noar Hill...

15 Dukes
11 Dingies
7 S Heaths
3 Brims
2 OTips
2 Peacocks
2 Small (or GV?) Whites
1 Common Blue
1 Sp Wood

And 2 Small Blues, one doing a wing-roll for me. This is my earliest ever sighting for this butterfly anywhere (by about a week) and I saw two in totally different parts of the reserve! Looks like it might be a good year for them.

Also

Two of the Early Purple Orchids were the rarer white version.

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Ernie Interesting to see your early Small Blue - they do seem to have emerged early this year - I saw my first last weekend and it was already looking a little ragged around the fringes suggesting it had been out for a day or three already - hopefully things don;t go too crazy as I've gotten used to not having a June gap

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You've been racking them up these last few visits, ernie.

Love the Mother Shipton but that Brown Argus wins the award. They are particularly beautiful when they are chocolate-orange, mint fresh.