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Re: David M
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 7:27 am
by David M
Wednesday 22nd March – Forcing myself out….
Another gusty day, but around lunchtime the clouds diminished somewhat so I thought I’d drive down the road to Park Wood on the off chance that a Comma or two might be about.
Sadly, there weren’t any in the usual stretch of woodland edge where I often find them, but as I was wandering through I got ‘buzzed’ by a male Brimstone. I hoped he would settle but he wasn’t having any of that and continued to fly through the field:
200m further on I got a bit luckier when I saw a female Brimstone. She too was a little frisky to begin with but she eventually settled, allowing me to get quite close:
I followed her as she made her way to a clump of primroses, which are a preferred nectar choice for this species. Typically, having got myself into position she took flight the moment I pressed the shutter:
She was last seen going into the scrub on the left of this image:
It has taken me till 22nd March to get an image of a regular adult hibernator settled (I don’t count Red Admiral), which I’m fairly confident is a record. It has been a tortuous start to spring on the butterfly front.
Re: David M
Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:45 am
by David M
Saturday 25th March – First Holly Blue….
Windy and mainly cloudy again, but it was mild so I thought I’d have nothing to lose by heading down to Cwm Ivy for a look round.
It was reasonably sunny to begin with and I soon caught up with a butterfly in the shape of this Red Admiral that was patrolling the woodland glade:
Two male Brimstones were seen, with one of them settling nicely:
Shortly after, I spotted something of an unusual colour in amongst the leaves – a male Holly Blue:
I wasn’t expecting to see these for at least another 10 days given how atrocious March has been, but I suppose the run of mild nights has triggered emergence from the pupa.
Likely that Speckled Woods might turn up very soon as well as Whites and Orange Tips.
Re: David M
Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 8:20 pm
by David M
Monday 27th March – Long time coming….
Normally, at some point in late February or early March there is a day which ticks all the boxes for spring butterflies to take to the wing. I consider these boxes to be: i) temperature of at least 10c, ii) sunny from the start of the day with no more than 25% cloud cover, and iii) wind speeds of 10mph or less.
The fact that it’s taken till 27th March for this to happen in 2023 has been of great frustration and had even caused me to leave the country to escape the persistent and unrelenting rain, wind and gloom.
This morning, all those frustrations were swept away from the moment I stepped onto Lower Kilvey Hill at 10.45am.
Within seconds of vaulting the wall into the adjacent cemetery, this Peacock appeared:
I did a circuit of the cemetery, and it was such a joy to feel warm in the spring sunshine:
I even found some cuckoo flower, which means Orange Tips can't be far off:
On the return along the higher path I saw two Small Tortoiseshells, my first of the year:
Four Brimstones passed by me too, although none settled. However, I did see my first bluebell in flower walking back to my car:
This 45 minute walk was akin to receiving a high dose of Seroxat. My mood went from near depression to elation at a stroke.
Things are finally looking up.
Re: David M
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 6:32 pm
by David M
Monday 27th March – Cathartic afternoon….
After leaving Kilvey Hill, I tried to break my Comma duck by spending half an hour wandering around the wild area near to my old workplace.
This species is usually reliable here but on this occasion they were absent, with the only butterflies seen being 5 male Brimstones.
So, given that the clear sky seemed to be holding, I drove to Cwm Ivy where I eventually found 6 Commas, although they were abnormally camera shy, with me only being able to get images of two of them:
I’d seen a Red Admiral near the entrance to the site and there were two more in the woodland glade jockeying for prime position:
The one pictured is the same individual I saw here on 19th March, so it’s had eight days in a location replete with hungry, insectivorous birds. What a survivor:
Half a dozen Peacocks were recorded, including this beauty:
Surprise of the afternoon was my first Small White of the year. Luckily, this male was happy to settle a few times:
Easily the commonest species though was Brimstone, with a healthy 35 seen. They seem to never be more numerous than in the latter half of March round here. By late April you are lucky to rack up more than half a dozen:
I briefly saw a Small Tortoiseshell jousting with a Peacock on the sandy pathway leading to the dunes, meaning that 6 species were observed in total, which goes some way to make up for what has been a terrible month of March.
The site itself doesn't seem too far behind in terms of the vegetation. At the end of March, I wouldn't expect too much in the way of colour, although that will change over the next two or three weeks.
Re: David M
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:04 pm
by trevor
A great set of sightings recently David, especially the Holly Blue.
Your season start is more advanced that it is around here, but the last two days have been good here.
Enjoyed your reports,
Trevor.
Re: David M
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:01 am
by David M
Thanks, Trevor. I think that Holly Blue was just a freak- I've been back twice since without seeing any more.
Monday 3rd April – Slow progress….
Sunny but fairly cool (11c) today, and it took quite a while for me to find my first butterfly at Cwm Ivy – a male Brimstone nectaring from a dandelion out on the dunes.
Coming back towards the woodland glade, I saw this Comma:
On patrol once again in the glade was a Red Admiral:
I was delighted to find two Speckled Woods, my first of the year:
On the way out, there was another Comma on a small patch of blackthorn which has just flowered:
No Peacocks today, in spite of having seen half a dozen here just a few days ago. Things haven’t yet got going properly it seems (apart from Brimstones, which numbered two dozen today).
Re: David M
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 7:20 am
by David M
Tuesday 4th April – Reluctant to emerge….
Another fine, sunny day which first saw me spend 45 minutes at Crymlyn Burrows on the Swansea coast.
The reason I didn’t spend longer there was because of the dearth of butterflies – just one Comma and a single male Brimstone.
All the rain recently has created this pond in the prime Orange Tip area:
This has led to the main path becoming treacherously waterlogged:
The route is now impassable (unless you are wearing waders).
Lower Kilvey Hill proved a little better by way of returns, with this Speckled Wood basking nicely in a sunlit spot:
Nearby was a resting male Brimstone:
I also saw a female, only my second of the year:
As I was taking these images, this happened:
The two of them spiralled around for half a minute or so until the male moved on.
Only one Small Tortoiseshell, which was a little disappointing:
The other butterfly seen was when I was queuing at the traffic lights on the way out. I noticed something blue on an ivy leaf in the central reservation and had time to take this image prior to the lights turning green:
Re: David M
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:10 pm
by Pauline
Love the shots of the Brimstone rejection David.
Re: David M
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:31 pm
by selbypaul
Hoping you've had a better day of butterflying today David. Here in Sheffield, until today all I'd seen was a Small Tortoishell 6 days ago.
But finally, today, clear blue skies and warmth! Brimstone, Peacock, Holly Blue and Small Tortoishell. Thank goodness!
Re: David M
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 5:31 pm
by Goldie M
Your doing great with the Butterflies David, love the Brimstones
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: David M
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 9:13 am
by David M
Pauline wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:10 pmLove the shots of the Brimstone rejection David.
Thanks, Pauline. The male literally flew in over my camera lens as I was photographing the female!
Friday 7th April – Numbers poor….
I thought I’d give Lower Kilvey Hill and the adjacent cemetery a go during the most opportune period of the day today.
Having arrived at 11.45am, I was on my way out by 12.30 as very little was about, which was surprising given the sunshine, light winds and 12c temperature.
Five male Brimstones and a Small White were the only butterflies seen until I was on my way back to the entrance when this Small Tortoiseshell appeared on one of the dandelions growing amongst the graves:
Normally, at this stage of the season I’d expect to find at least half a dozen of these, but perhaps last summer’s two heatwaves have had an impact. I hope they are not going to decline round here the way they have done further east in the country.
Re: David M
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2023 10:30 am
by David M
selbypaul wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:31 pm
Hoping you've had a better day of butterflying today David. Here in Sheffield, until today all I'd seen was a Small Tortoishell 6 days ago.
But finally, today, clear blue skies and warmth! Brimstone, Peacock, Holly Blue and Small Tortoishell. Thank goodness!
Been okay these last few days round my way, Paul, but cloud and wind have landed on my doorstep once again.
Hopefully from 22nd April there will be considerable respite.
Friday 7th April – Slight improvement….
Feeling a little bit disappointed at poor numbers at Kilvey Hill, I decided to visit Cwm Ivy in the afternoon, arriving shortly after 1pm.
There were 8 Commas which was pleasing:
Only 3 Peacocks, but I found 4 Speckled Woods, one of which was nectaring on blackthorn blossom:
Just the three Holly Blues (their numbers should rise considerably very soon), and the usual couple of Red Admirals in the glade.
Brimstones were again the commonest species, with 19 seen.
Re: David M
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 7:10 am
by David M
Goldie M wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2023 5:31 pmYour doing great with the Butterflies David, love the Brimstones
Thanks, Goldie. There's plenty about when the sun's shining round here. That commodity has been in short supply though!
Saturday 8th April – Holly Blue show commences….
I spent two and a half hours at Cwm Ivy and Whiteford Burrows today and was pleased to see plenty of Holly Blues, which will only increase in number over the next couple of weeks.
Pleasingly, the first one I spotted turned out to be this female which settled several times near the ground and opened her wings in the hazy sunlight:
In addition, there were 21 males counted:
Brimstones were even more numerous with 36 seen, including 4 females:
This beautiful Small Tortoiseshell was out on the dunes:
There were 7 Commas:
Others seen were Speckled Wood (4), Peacock (3) and Red Admiral (3).
Things finally look to be moving.
Re: David M
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 8:57 am
by Pauline
That's a beautiful image of the female Holly Blue David
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Re: David M
Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 7:30 am
by David M
Pauline wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 8:57 amThat's a beautiful image of the female Holly Blue David
Thanks, Pauline. I don't see many females, so it's good when you can find one in conditions where they will readily open their wings.
Saturday 8th April – Blackthorn….
The blackthorn blossom is now about 25% in flower, and several species were taking advantage of it this afternoon, including a Small Tortoiseshell:
A couple of Commas were there too:
Peacock and Red Admiral also visited the flowers:
It should peak in about 10-14 days time, when one hopes Orange Tips will be around to enjoy the bonanza.
Re: David M
Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 5:23 pm
by Goldie M
Love your shot of the Tortoiseshell David, that shot of the Holly Blue is great
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: David M
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2023 4:24 pm
by David M
Thursday 13th April – Dire….
After a stormy day yesterday, today was fairly sunny with a brisk wind, so I opted to stay very local to home by visiting Park Wood a couple of miles down the road.
There’s plenty of cuckoo flower growing along the woodland edge, but sadly there were no Orange Tips to take advantage of it:
This Peacock was found nearby though:
A Small Tortoiseshell followed soon after along with another, rather battered, Peacock just prior to me leaving.
It’s such a shame to see so few butterflies when there are so many plants now in full flower. I keep praying for a couple of really nice, mild, sunny days, but here we are in mid-April and those prayers are yet to be answered.
Re: David M
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2023 8:33 am
by David M
Saturday 15th April – Same old….
I felt confident I’d break my Orange Tip duck today as it was 14c with light winds and predominantly sunny.
However, a full circuit of the woodland glade and the sheltered dunes at Cwm Ivy didn’t provide any sightings, with the species seen being the same ones recorded in recent visits here.
Brimstones were once again the most ubiquitous, with around 30 spotted, but I was a little disappointed at only finding 7 Holly Blues, all males:
Five Peacocks were around, including this one doing what they seem to be obsessed with at this time of the year – basking on the sand:
Five Speckled Woods were active in the glade along with three Commas.
The other butterflies seen were a Small White on the track leading down to the site and this Red Admiral which I spotted basking on the brambles in the glade just before departing:
Re: David M
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2023 10:25 pm
by David M
Monday 17th April – Small Copper….
After Sunday’s gloom, this morning was bright, sunny and calm.
I needed to go into Swansea so it made sense to make the short drive to Dan-y-graig cemetery after I’d finished.
Although it was early (just before 10am) when I arrived, I was surprised that my circuit of the grounds returned only one butterfly – a male Small White.
However, whilst making my way back to the entrance I spotted this little fellow:
It was quite an interesting butterfly, with small upf spots and a noticeable copper dusting on the upper part of the hindwings. Hopefully there will be more around over the coming days.
This bullfinch also caught my eye:
Re: David M
Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2023 7:51 pm
by Allan.W.
A cracking Copper that one David..............nice find ! . I,ve seen similar Coppers to your beauty , from time to time at Dungeness ,although I don,t think i,ll be finding too many there this season ,after last years 3rd brood crash .............still we live in hopes !
Regards Allan.W.