David M

[David M]

A look back at 2023

June

I had four days at the beginning of June prior to heading to Greece and my main goal was to find some of the Fritillaries on the local commons which were late emerging this spring due to the cool weather.

I managed to find a handful of Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries on 2nd, both males and a female:

Worryingly though, there were no Marshies about, although this part of the Common suffered fire damage earlier in the year (God knows how given how wet it was).

The following day I drove to Welshmoor which is probably the best site on the Gower for this butterfly, but again I drew a blank, although I did see my first UK Large Skipper of the year:

This depressing theme continued on 4th when I saw precious few butterflies at Kenfig NNR in spite of sunny conditions.

In two hours I saw just four species – Small Heath, Common Blue, Speckled Wood and my first Meadow Browns of the year:

Little did I know how things would change later in the month.

[David M]

A look back at 2023

June continued….

I arrived back from Greece on 13th June to a noticeable change in conditions. The largely dry, warm and sunny weather had made my local Commons much easier underfoot, but I was still disappointed to find only four male Marsh Fritillaries, and these were indeed the only ones I saw in the UK in 2023:

The following day was beautiful, so I drove down to Ewenny to the High Brown Fritillary site early in the morning before they’d have had chance to warm up properly.

That theory fell a little flat however, as once I’d reached the bracken meadow where they make their early-season leks there were at least a dozen large Frits zooming around continuously and clashing in mid air.

The first ones I got close to when they settled briefly were all Dark Greens:

I was aware that the richer brown ground colour of some that were flying by indicated that they were almost certainly High Browns. Eventually, after quite a frustrating hour or so, one or two decided to take a short rest:

It was quite a culture shock to suddenly see lots of butterflies after such a poor spring. The weather would continue to be glorious until I decamped to SE France on 23rd of the month.

[selbypaul]

Cheers for sharing your summary of 2023 David. It's so interesting to note both the similarities and differences in how it played out in Sheffield.

[David M]

Thanks, Paul. I think most of us had a glorious June and a great start to September and October. The rest was pretty miserable.

A look back at 2023

June continued….

The weather became especially glorious around mid-June, making me quite glad I had stood down from the Italian Alps tour earlier in the year as it meant I could enjoy midsummer Britain at its best.

The 16th was a perfect day. Light at 430am, warm and still. I set off from Swansea at 6am, arriving at Daneway Banks a couple of hours later.

Few others were around so early, and I was able to meander about peacefully, picking up my first Marbled Whites of the year within a few short minutes:

Not long after, on the steep slope, I came across my first Large Blue, although given how warm it was even at this time of day its wings remained firmly shut:

Thankfully, a few individuals seen later on presented their upperwings:

I left this site in late morning and headed for Rodborough Common, where I found several Large Blues – my first at this site since their reintroduction.
Of more immediate interest however was my first Adonis Blue of the year; a bit of a surprise given how fresh looking it was at such a late date:

Two days later, I was back on home territory, where largely bright conditions allowed me to see several fresh Ringlets:

I needed to spend the next couple of days in Abergavenny, but there was still time to see a few other desirable species before I upped sticks for the French Alps.

[Neil Freeman]

...I think most of us had a glorious June...

My notes tell a different story for my area David. A decent week in mid June after a cool and cloudy start and then thunderstorms in the third week followed by lots of cloud for the rest of the month.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

There were plenty of variations round the country last year, Neil. We in the west probably did better than many.

A look back at 2023

June continued….

On 19th, I made a detour after leaving Abergavenny to Cors Caron in mid-Wales. The weather forecast was for rain after 9am so I made sure I got there early.

There was a little bit of sunshine around when I arrived which gave me the opportunity to hunt down a small number of Large Heath f. polydamus:

For once, the forecast was totally accurate as it started to rain just as I was walking down the boardwalk towards the exit.

Two days later, on midsummer’s day, it was a wholly different scenario, with fine, sunny and warm weather from daybreak to dusk.

I spent the morning at one of my favourite sites, St Govan’s Head in Pembrokeshire, which is the only site in south Wales for Silver Studded Blue. Happily, I saw a few of them:

On the rocky slopes near the sea, there were also several Graylings:

Dark Green Fritillaries were also present:

Small Skippers were about too:

On my way back, I had to pass by Holyland Wood, which is one of the few elm plantations I know of. Seeing White Letter Hairstreaks at this location isn’t easy, but there were several flying around the tallest elm in the car park. As is usual for me, I didn’t get within 20 feet of them:

With an 18 day stint in France about to begin, it would be almost mid-July before I got my next UK butterfly fix.

[David M]

Friday 26th January - More Red Admirals...

A bright, cloudless day with temperatures up to 9c persuaded me to take a walk in the early afternoon in Park Wood, two miles from my home.

Although the sun is getting higher in the sky, there are only two areas of this woodland that are fully lit and one of them was where I saw my first Red Admiral of the day. I noticed it fluttering around the scrub close to the hedge at the end of the cottage garden. It basked on a leaf first of all:

It then flew to the snowdrops that have recently come into flower:

This shallow gully is where the spring bulbs are concentrated:

After feeding, it rested for a while on some dead growth:

On my way back to the car park, I disturbed another with my shadow. Sadly, it kept on flying so I wasn't able to get an image.

[Goldie M]

Hi! David you've got some lovely shots there of the Butterflies Must be lovely where you live Goldie

[David M]

A look back at 2023

July

It was the afternoon of the 13th when I got my first opportunity to get out again in the UK.

Things had changed considerably, not least the weather, with cool and rather wet conditions replacing the glorious warmth and sunshine of mid to late June.

There were plenty of butterflies to be seen locally at Nicholaston Burrows though, with multi dozens of Hedge Browns on the track leading down to the dunes at this site:

The most satisfying part though was the numbers of Purple Hairstreaks around the young oaks at the woodland edge:

The next three days was spent at the Birdfair event at Oakham. The weather was pretty atrocious so I didn’t miss out on much, but on Monday 17th, once the event had finished, conditions were sunny enough to tempt me to nearby Fermyn Wood, arriving not long after 8am.

Ringlets, Hedge Browns and Large Skippers were present in huge numbers as I started walking down the track from the entrance, and it wasn’t long before I spotted a few Silver Washed Fritillaries:

It was nice to bump into a few White Admirals as well:

There were huge numbers of butterflies along the main ride, but Purple Hairstreaks were the stand-outs, with dozens of them nectaring from the bramble flowers and settling low down in the trees. Previously, I’ve generally only seen a handful do this. Perhaps it was as a result of the torrential rain experienced over the period leading up to my visit that made them change their behaviour:

I also saw a single Purple Emperor. This individual was huge and may well have been a female. Sadly, it continued flying so I wasn’t able to determine its gender definitively.

On 19th, I finally saw my first UK Painted Lady of 2023. My neighbour tipped me off that there was one on her buddleia:

It was nice to see that there was a Small Tortoiseshell nectaring close by:

[David M]

Thanks, Goldie. Yes, where I live is a very beautiful place with an excellent variety of wildlife, including many butterflies.

A look back at 2023

July cont….

After the excitement of the Painted Lady in my neighbour’s garden, I had a couple of very welcome visitors to my own garden (two troughs either side of my patio) on 21st, in the shape of two lovely female Large Whites, a species I had seen very few of all year:

Two days later, I headed east to Gloucestershire to track down Chalkhill Blues. I’m pleased to say there were quite a few of them at Swell’s Hill Bank:

I also stumbled upon this Essex Skipper:

I remained in Wales until 30th, and spent a wonderful day down at the most southwesterly point of the peninsula, Rhossili, on 25th. This allowed me to finally see my first UK Wall Browns of the year. The poor spring had made them impossible to track down earlier in the year but there were plenty at this site in the hay meadows:

Meadow Browns were around in the multi-thousands, including this strikingly orange female:

Hedge Browns were about in multi-hundreds:

There were even a few Graylings and Brown Argus:

Altogether, a wonderful day in a spectacular place:

I wouldn’t get another opportunity in the UK until 10th August.

[David M]

A look back at 2023

August

Having returned from my annual Grayling-fest in Spain on 6th, it wasn’t till 10th when conditions were suitable for venturing out for domestic species.

It was fairly windy, so I opted for the sheltered territory of Cwm Ivy on the NW Gower coast. The small patch of asters prior to the entrance had a handful of fresh Peacocks fattening up for the winter:

Brimstones were doing likewise on an array of thistles along the main track:

There were some very attractive Speckled Woods in the glade:

A few days later, on 16th, I paid my first visit of the summer to the Brown Hairstreak site in Pembrokeshire. Disappointingly, there weren’t too many butterflies about, but this Common Blue was eye-catching:

So was this female Holly Blue, feasting out in the open on the sea asters by the high tide line:

There were a few Hedge Browns and Small Coppers, but just the one Brown Hairstreak, a female that I disturbed whilst walking through the grasses. Luckily, she came down close by:

The next day I went to the Botanic Gardens of Wales which turned into the usual vanessid-fest:

Away from the gardens there were Hedge & Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods and this Green Veined White:

Strangely, I saw no Commas, not even around the brambles in the field margins, which is most unusual.

[David M]

A look back at 2023

August cont….

The weather continued rather miserable, meaning that I grabbed the opportunity on 20th when the sun broke through for an hour or two.
I headed down to Llanrhidian and was pleased to see this nice looking Comma feeding on hemp agrimony:

This male Common Blue was rather eye-catching too:

On 24th, the forecast was much better, but when I arrived at West Williamston in Pembrokeshire skies were overcast. The sun did make a few appearances and during one of those interludes I managed to find this female Brown Hairstreak:

There were three elderly female Silver Washed Fritillaries about too:

Disappointed with the betulae returns, I ventured to Teifi Marshes on 30th, a site I hadn’t been to before.

This proved a good decision, as in spite of cool temperatures and quite cloudy conditions, I saw seven Brown Hairstreaks, with three of them posing in nice fashion:

Also seen was this unusual looking Comma:

This Speckled Wood was in fine fettle:

There were a couple of Small Tortoiseshells, with this one seen on the way out near the car park:

Overall, a poor month, but with a nice ending.

[David M]

Sunday 11th February – Winter hotspot…

Yesterday, I saw two more Red Admirals near the hedge where a large number of snowdrops have started to flower in Park Wood.

Neither of these stayed still long enough for me to get an image, but today there was another Red Admiral active in the same location, meaning that I have now seen five here prior to mid-February.

Once again, this sheltered, sunlit area was the location:

I noticed it flying low to the ground whereupon it decided to come down on a dead leaf:

It remained there basking for quite some while:

Adjacent to this open area is a swathe of gorgeous snowdrops growing in the light woodland:

I daresay any sunny day with 9c temperatures will likely see a Red Admiral in this spot. It won’t be long before Brimstones, Commas, et al will join them.

[David M]

A look back at 2023

September

After a dismal July & August, September began with a glorious period of weather that lasted till the middle of the month.

With sunny skies and a max of 24c predicted, I decided to pay another visit to Teifi Marshes on 2nd, to see if I could find any more Brown Hairstreaks.
Once again, I saw 7 females which is excellent going for this species:

This very late male Hedge Brown did a brief passing impersonation of betulae:

There were plenty of other butterflies on this beautiful day, with this Comma and Small Tortoiseshell catching my eye:

I’d heard reports of Clouded Yellows near Cardiff, so the next day I popped down to Port Eynon Dunes. It didn’t take long to pick one up – this was the second butterfly I saw after leaving the car park:

Several Painted Ladies were nectaring from the valerian flowers as well:

On 6th, I made the most of the calm conditions by visiting the exposed Rhossili Head. There were hundreds of Small Whites around, but my main target was Clouded Yellow again, and two more were seen coming in from the sea right by the coastline.

The next day saw a complete change of scenery, at the Botanic Gardens of Wales. Here, the walled gardens and the flowerbeds elsewhere were awash with vanessids and Whites:

Out in the surrounding fields there were Meadow Browns, Common Blues and this Small Copper:

Without a doubt, weather conditions during this first week of the month was the finest I’ve ever known in September.

[David M]

A look back at 2023

September cont….

There was no let up in the warm spell during the second week of September. Temperatures were again well into the seventies fahrenheit and, unsurprisingly, butterfly activity remained notably high.

On 8th, I visited Port Eynon in 27c conditions I wouldn’t usually expect in peak summer, and was rewarded with a very well behaved male Clouded Yellow:

The following day, I drove to Aberthaw Beach near Cardiff airport, a patch of scrubby ground which would win no awards for beauty, but once again there were Clouded Yellows to be seen, as local Facebook contributors had suggested:

Given the large number of brassicae growing here, it was no surprise to see plenty of Large and Small Whites too:

Two dozen Painted Ladies were on the wing as well as a Small Tortoiseshell:

Things cooled down to around 21c over the next few days, but once again there was a Clouded Yellow on 13th at Port Eynon:

By mid-month, things started to change, with cooler, cloudier conditions returning. I had one last chance to revisit Aberthaw Beach on 15th where, once again, Clouded Yellows, Whites and Painted Ladies were all flying:

This Small Tortoisehell was the best of the year:

I was almost glad the warm spell broke as I needed to head out to Andalusia on 21st of the month. I wouldn’t return until 6 days later.

[David M]

A look back at 2023

Late September/early October

My final outing in September was a routine one, with moderate numbers of common species at Port Eynon on 29th. This female Meadow Brown was the first butterfly I encountered:

The ivy was now in full flower, with both Red Admirals and Painted Ladies being strongly attracted to it:

The best moment was finding this mating pair of Small Coppers:

I returned to Port Eynon on 8th October, but butterfly numbers had plummeted, with just a handful of Red Admirals, Painted Ladies and Small Whites around. Park Wood proved more productive, with 10 Red Admirals seen:

This Comma was seen on the ivy flowers:

This fresh-looking Small Copper was especially welcome:

My birthday, on 9th, was without question the warmest I’ve ever experienced, with glorious sunshine and temperatures into the 70s. A visit to Nicholaston Burrows saw several Red Admirals and a couple of Painted Ladies on the flowering ivy, with Speckled Wood and Small Copper also seen.
The following day was even better. I decided to take one last trip over to Aberthaw Beach near Cardiff. Again, there were plenty of Whites and 5 Painted Ladies:

This Peacock was in great condition:

Best of all though was the sight of two further Clouded Yellows:

There was time for a further surprise at nearby Cosmeston Park. I was shocked to find 3 Meadow Browns, easily the latest date in the year when I’ve seen this species:

With the fine weather set to break, this would undoubtedly be the last time I could expect to rack up several dozen species in a day.

[David M]

A look back at 2023

October cont…

After such a lovely first 10 days to the month, things went rather damp and gloomy afterwards, although on 14th I was able to get out locally between the showers to find this unusual looking Small Copper:

The following day was much more pleasant weatherwise, and I saw both Large & Small Whites at Kilvey Hill:

There were a handful of Speckled Woods too:

I decamped to Limeslade Bay shortly afterwards, finding this rather attractive Painted Lady feeding from the hebe flowers:

On 18th, things began to take their natural autumn turn, with 10 Red Admirals and a solitary Speckled Wood being the only butterflies seen.

Five days later, I spotted a handful more Red Admirals, including this lovely one in the light woodland behind the Gower Inn, Parkmill:

The following day was too showery to risk travelling, so I had a little wander around my estate, finding a hitherto unseen Himalayan balsam in flower behind the health club car park. The local Red Admirals were strongly attracted to it as well as the tarpaulins, metal trailer and discarded wood surrounding it:

The 25th was unexpectedly sunny and mild, so I headed off to nearby Nicholaston where several Red Admirals were seen on what was left of the ivy. Down on the dunes, I saw two different Small Coppers; the latest date I’ve ever seen this species:

This Peacock was a welcome surprise too:

A brief visit to Limeslade provided my what was to be my final Small White of the year, a fly-by Painted Lady and this Speckled Wood found next to the beach:

[David M]

Monday 26th February – First Brimstone

We’ve been somewhat sunshine deprived for most of February, but today was largely clear blue skies, although the downside was that there were 18mph winds.

As a consequence, I opted to head down to the woodland at the back of the Gower Inn, Parkmill, as it is particularly well protected on all sides. I saw nothing until I was on my way back, where something caught my eye just beyond this bridge:

It was a female Brimstone, fluttering weakly around the ivy-clad tree trunks. After 20 seconds or so, she came down on the leaf litter:

I’m almost certain this is the first time in spring when I’ve seen a female prior to any males.

[trevor]

Good to see your Brimstone David.
With deluge after deluge, fat chance of seeing one around here.

[David M]

It's depressing, Trevor. Just one decent day isn't a lot to ask for.