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Yesterday 25/3/2012 went for a walk around the Dowds Farm area in Hedge End, Hampshire. I saw my first Speckled Wood of the year x3 also Brimstone x3 and a Peacock. Later on in the afternoon inn the garden another Peacock and a white flew by. I think it was a Small White but it did not settle, so not 100% sure.

Today saw x3 Brimstone whilst driving down the Marchwood bypass near Southampton and then x2 more in Hythe.

Still not a whiff of a Red Admiral or Small Tortoiseshell yet

jackz432r wrote:
Still not a whiff of a Red Admiral or Small Tortoiseshell yet

Seen plenty of small torties, got some pics today but no red admirals as of yet. I wonder if its because they went to bed abit later than normal? I saw one flying in early December before they all finally hibernated.

[/quote]Seen plenty of small torties, got some pics today but no red admirals as of yet. I wonder if its because they went to bed abit later than normal? I saw one flying in early December before they all finally hibernated.[/quote]

Hi Rebecca
Yes, the last Red Admiral I saw was at the end of last year, end of November I think. To be honest I can not remember seeing a Small Tortoiseshell for some years now

The target species for 26th March was Speckled Wood and I found 3 males and a female at a reliable site nearby. One of the males was showing definite signs of wear, indicating that it had emerged quite a few days earlier. The freshest male was seen to nectar on Wood Anemone and Lesser Celandine and posed nicely for photos.
Vince

Excellent photo of the Speckled Wood,Vince.
I am very happy to report that a Large Tortoiseshell was seen today on the Isle of Wight.
Photos and report will hopefully follow on my persnal diary asap.

Managed to get out and see some butterflies over the weekend.

Spent most of Saturday in the Dark Peak in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire filming Mountain Hares but saw double figure numbers of Peacocks cruising at altitude up on the moors, mainly around Dovestone Edge currently being managed by the RSPB.

Around Attenborough Nature Reserve there were Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells, Commas and a single brief glimpse of what appeared to be an Orange Tip. Unfortunately to brief a view to be definite.

Spring has sprung and for me the best sign of spring is an orange tip. A walk along the River Tyne today turned into a much longer walk as I followed a white butterfly for about a kilometre. It had darker markings on the underside so wasn't a small white and as it flew past me I saw the underside of its wings which confirmed it as a female orange tip. That is more than two weeks earlier than I have ever seen one before. But I suppose the weather just now is better than we had all year last year!

Comma, brimstone and small white in Lexden, Essex, today.

I found this chap fluttering against the window of the potting shed. Doesn't seem to be in bad condition for a hibernator.
He was really pleased to be released and spent about 10 minutes in the sun before flying off.

First orange tip seen in Hambledon,Surrey today.
P.J.U.

P.J.Underwood wrote:First orange tip seen in Hambledon,Surrey today.

Bet that was the one I saw heading north from my garden on 23rd. Three miles in five days?

And an Orange Tip in suburban garden in Twickenham today. A good start to the year!

JohnR wrote:

P.J.Underwood wrote:First orange tip seen in Hambledon,Surrey today.

Bet that was the one I saw heading north from my garden on 23rd. Three miles in five days?

At least it came to the right place-the Village Shop!
P.J.U.

Orange-Tip? Not even a cuckooflower about yet here. Did see a courting pair of small tortoiseshell as well as 4 other adults and a thousands of common frog tadpoles in a small wetland area in east Down, Northern Ireland, 21.9C max here today, but still not a lot of butterflies around, do see the odd honeybees and bumblebees about though:

A white on the drive home at Netheravon, a small white in my garden and a Small Tortoiseshell too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A Peacock and solitary Speckled wood soaking up the last rays of sun late this afternoon just round the corner from my house. Hedge End, Hampshire

21.9C max here today

Have to change that, my weather station read 22.3C max

Yesterday after work armed with a buttie and my camera, off i went to finally get an hour to see if I could find some butterflies in North Shropshire. My first stop was Brown Moss Nature reserve. Where I spotted two butterflies one landed breifly (a small t'shell and a peacock). I then popped up to Prees Heath and saw again b a peacock. I did on this ocassion manage to get one very bad photo before a shadow sent it spiraling off. The peacocks were very small (the size of the small t'shell), this surprised me

Your correspondent in Ireland.

Tortoiseshells are fairly common here and perhaps more numerous than in England at this time of year. Peacocks in small numbers but nothing else. Not a sniff of a Brimstone.

Plenty of Ravens croaking away on the mountains just to the south of Carlingford Lough (NE Ireland near the border with Northern Ireland). Many years since I last saw/heard a Raven.

Jack

Gibster wrote: [It] amazes me that butterflies can survive in these massively urbanised areas

Agreed!

I saw 2 Small Whites in very urban Southall yesterday and later, 2 unidentified whites (probably Small) near Paddington Station.

This time of year has me scouring the verges as I travel about on tubes and trains looking for my first Orange Tip! (Still looking)...

Lee