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Hi Dave,

That certainly looks like a great local patch you have there, great reports and photos

I have started looking out for my garden Specklies...none here yet but can't be far off now.

Cheers,

Neil.

Thanks, everyone. My local patch has done itself proud this year, but the weather has been brilliant and I have been out there looking far more than usual because of it. A run of ten days (except for one) at this time of year - or any time of year - is quite unusual. However, there has been excellent variety as well as good numbers, with no real blanks (though Small Whites have hardly been seen, and Large Whites not at all).

Monday 3rd April. Back to work, and my only opportunity today was a late afternoon dash along the path by the railway at Bedfont Lakes Country Park. As you might expect, the honours were shared between Commas and Peacocks (four of each), but there was nothing else down there at all today. I shall be keeping an eye out for Green Hairstreaks from now on, after seeing them here last year for the first time.

The Commas today looked a bit more ragged than those at home. Dave

Wednesday 5th April: After a rare "blank" day yesterday with no sunshine and no chance to get out there anyway, the forecast today was worse if anything with cooler cloudier weather predicted. Wrong again! The sun was out all day, with a bit of cloud but not enough to spoil things. I left work at three and did my usual circuit near home between half three and five.

Subtle changes here since Sunday... far fewer Commas (only 5 seen) and many more Speckled Woods (at least 8 and the most numerous species today). There were more Whites around (5 or 6, all GVW), and Orange Tips too (4 or 5, but no females yet). Peacocks popped up here and there (6 in all), and there were three Red Admirals patrolling sections of path and violently disputing the boundaries. As it was late in the day, there weren't many Holly Blues - only 5 altogether - but the highlight of the whole expedition was the first female of the year.

Here is a selection:

Speckled Woods GVW and Orange Tip Red Admiral and Comma Holly Blues Dave

That last image is to die for, Dave. Few UK insects are more attractive than a female Holly Blue.

I don't know, he says not many Holly Blues around (5 ) then posts pictures like that Still only seen two so far this year!

I have to agree with you, David. A fresh female Holly Blue, especially from the spring brood, beats almost anything.

I'm afraid that five is a low count round here, Buggy. Double figures is more usual except for that bit in the summer between broods.

Thursday 6th April. A day of continuous sunshine, once again somewhat in defiance of the forecast. I had to wait until half three again to get out there and did my customary walk. Again, there were subtle differences. For a start, there were more Holly Blues, but they were more active than yesterday and reluctant to pose, except for one that was taking minerals from the path, and another that repeatedly landed on an ornamental privet hedge. I also saw Small Whites as well as Green-veined, more energetic than their cousins and keeping much higher up. The GVW were found along the base of the hedgerows, starting to settle down for the evening. Speckled Woods were the commonest species again - there are so many more than I saw in spring last year, and more widespread too. Commas and Peacocks were battling away amongst themselves and with each other, and I saw more Red Admirals today too - at least five - and three different Small Tortoiseshells.Three male Orange Tips made appearances, the last two of which were clearly winding down for the day and basked and nectared, allowing a shot or two from fairly close. Finally, I spotted a patch of garlic mustard just coming into flower, and sure enough, snoozing on a flower head was an other Orange Tip. I think this one was female - I couldn't see any trace of orange from any angle Dave

I agree with Bugboy Dave - you're just winding us up now I got my first HB yesterday and I was feeling quite chuffed and then I see those images

Have a goodun

Wurzel

You're having a great run with these Holly Blues, Dave.

I saw quite a few today but none were remotely as accommodating as yours seem to be by default.

Thanks, both of you - the run of sightings continued today, but the Blues were not very cooperative by way of photo-opportunities.

Friday 7th April. I popped into Bedfont Lakes CP after work just to check on possible Green Hairstreaks. None seen, and not that much else either - just a handful of Orange Tips, a Comma, a Peacock, a Holly Blue and a couple of Speckled Woods.

I also had an hour or so on my local patch, but later than the last few days, and things were settling down for the evening. I did see a dozen or so Holly Blues even so, but most were alternately squabbling and basking higher up. I did spot one new female but at too much of a distance to get much of a photo. I think the strength of the sun kept her from opening up further. Everything else was much as on previous days, but Orange Tip numbers seem to be growing a bit. I need to go out in the morning tomorrow (a ploy work denies me) to see if things are different.

I assume all the Red Admirals are locally grown still - there seem to be a fair number around. And there also seems to be a steady pipeline of fresh Commas. A selection of other species... I have now seen butterflies on 13 of the last 15 days.

Dave

First of all Dave I want your local patch Second 13 out of 15 is a cracking record for this time of year which can normally be a bit hit and miss And finally you seem to have tweaked your Holly Blue technique as it now it works on Orange-tips

Have a goodun

Wurzel

It is a good patch, Wurzel. I have seen all the ten species around at the moment within a five minute walk of home. Here is a shot of the bit of my patch nearest home, where most of the Holly Blues are found.
Now up to 14 days out of 16, and counting...

Saturday 8th April. An absolute cracker of a sunny day, and I set off early (0900) round my usual circuit to see if I could catch the Orange Tips waking up and some Holly Blues basking. I succeeded with the first task quite well, finding several males and one female.However, the Blues already seemed wide awake and chasing each other around the ivy. There were several females, and a fair bit of courtship and the mad fluttering of wings from females rejecting suitors. I did find one couple briefly sitting companionably, and then found a solitary female with wings half open. She then closed them, revealing herself to be almost spotless underneath - an ab. no less. I also saw a female laying on holly buds right above my head. I had three separate walks at different times today, and the mix was always slightly different. There Brimstones in the morning and Red Admirals late afternoon. Peacocks were patrolling in the morning and basking on the path later on. All ten species seen this year so far were around today at one point or another: Holly Blues were the commonest by far, followed by Speckled Woods. Walks in the sunshine at the moment are a real delight. Dave

More great stuff Dave It looks like I'm going to have to start getting up earlier

Have a goodun

Wurzel

More great observations, Dave, particularly the Holly Blues (again).

That ab. is a cracker. I've never seen anything like that.

Thanks, Wurzel. Yes, it was worth going out in the relative chill of 9am on Saturday to see the butterflies waking up. However, as the days get longer it's going to get more difficult!

Thank you too, David. After all these years of watching the species and having seen hundreds of individuals, this is the first variation that has perhaps qualified as an aberration. Remarkably true to type, they are.

Dave

Sunday 9th April. Today was truly a day belonging to high summer. I ventured away from my local patch for the first real expedition of the year, driving down to Denbies to see what might be out in the heat. Being Denbies, it was windy as well as very warm, and the Whites, Peacocks, Commas, Small Tortoiseshells and Brimstones I saw were all bowling along in the strong breeze. There were no Green Hairstreaks in either of the haunts in which they normally pop up, but at the far side of the slope, where there is a rabbit "lawn", it was relatively sheltered, and here I found a couple of Grizzled Skippers. I find it difficult to follow them when they are airborne, but was lucky enough to spot one on the ground. Dave

Great find in the Grizzled Skippers at Denbies, Dave You did well to find and photograph them given the hot and windy conditions today. You've also been doing really well with the Holly Blues recently, a nice find in that Holly Blue ab

Mike

Hi! Dave, how long will the Grizzled Skippers be around for? We're thinking of coming South about the 12th of May. It 's a butterfly I've yet to see. Goldie

Thanks, Mike - I was pleased to see the Grizzlies. They are always out first in this particular spot, but spread across the hillside later in the season.

Mid-May should be spot on to see this species, Goldie. Choose the right site and the right kind of day and you should be in luck. You will need to get your eye in, though - a little flash of grey and they're gone, though with a bit of luck you can find one perching on a bit of grass (like mine was) or nectaring on a dandelion.

Dave

Sunday 9th April (continued). After returning from Denbies I had a late afternoon wander locally once again. It was notable that the Brimstones were flying late today with the heat, and I tracked down a female on a dandelion, and then watched a male find itself a shady nook for the night. Everything else was flying energetically, though as ever Comma Corner had its usual posers perched on bramble stems. I spotted my first Large White of the year, but it settled too far away for any kind of record shot even. However, this was a real Holly Blue day - I lost count of them. It wasn't possible to pause anywhere on the walk without one or two or more appearing. As the afternoon wore on, their reluctance to settle diminished, but the heat today ensured none opened up until really late on - and then it was only one individual that did so. They were settling in semi-shade as well, not good for photography. I watched one come down to roost in the ivy, and while watching it, I was aware of others settling nearby. I had four or five around my head at one point. Though they don't roost communally in the way Common Blues do, with several on a grass stem, I wonder if they do so in little groups in the vegetation. It certainly seemed like it. Dave

Impressive stuff Dave, I'm lucky if I see 3 at once!