Bugboys mission

[Wurzel]

Four species and loads of Holly Blues I just hope that some of the progeny make it through

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

...I’m old enough to remember a time when if you wanted to see a butterfly in the UK in November, you either went to a butterfly house or went rooting around in the darker recesses of the garden shed. These days it’s almost standard you’ll find something on the wing if you know where to look: adult hibernators squeezing in a few extra weeks nectaring, Red Admirals and Clouded Yellows hanging around far longer than they used to and others squeezing in an extra brood.

Me too, Paul. In fact, when I was growing up I don't ever recall seeing a butterfly after my birthday (which is 9 October). This gradual warming of the climate seems to have its greatest effect round this time of year in the UK. Temperatures in the south are routinely in the 12-16c range into late November and regular frosts seem to have become a thing of the past prior to December these days.

...four species in November is never to be sniffed at

Even more so when you consider that none of them are resident overwinterers. Remarkable!

[Goldie M]

You've done better than me, not seen a Butterfly since the 6th Of October Goldie

[bugboy]

Thanks for all the comments time to look back on a, shall we say, unusual season!

2020 best bits – Spring.
The ‘best bits’ because I’m going to completely ignore the huge looming shadow that’s been hovering over us all since March and doing it’s damnedest to ruin our fun!

Anyway, by middle of March I was up to 5 species, the usual suspects plus an early Small White.

April arrived and so did another 7 species, including everyone’s favourite, the Orange-tip.

Another memorable moment was watching a female Peacock lay a batch of eggs and managing to get some rather private images of her going about her business. Fascinating to see the long bristles on her ovipositor, presumably so she can feel the rest of her egg batch as she’s laying.

The warm weather continued into May where I added another 6 species to the years tally, the biggest surprise being a Green Hairstreak on my local patch, the first record of one here. Whether it was a naturally occurring vagrant or a release is open to question but it was a pleasant surprise either way, particularly since he was the only one I was going to see this year.

I also came across a second ovipositing Peacock once again managing some interesting closeups

Also this year I decided to rear some larvae at home, the first time I’ve done this for many a year. On my local patch Peacock eggs were easy to come by this year, having watched two batches being laid and finding several other larval masses during my wanders. In doing so I was able to put Pete's book to the test, comparing their growth rates to those Pete had recorded and found it to be pretty much spot on !

eggs plus 1st to 5th instar.

I also inadvertently adopted a Red Admiral larvae whilst collecting fresh food for these guys

[Wurzel]

A great first set of best bits Bugboy - those shots of the oivpositing Peacocks are fabulous Looking forward to Summer

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, here's summer

2020 best bits – Summer.

June arrived starting off with a cold snap which would show its effects in the weeks to come with some interesting aberrations. My remaining Peacock larvae pupated successfully and every single one waited until my eyes were averted before emerging!

My lone Red Admiral was equally as sneaky when it came to emerging, but did look gorgeous and since the release was on an overcast morning, he sat around and posed nicely, showing of his ab. credentials with that dark ringed white spot in the forewing red band, ab. ocellata

I also collected some Goat’s-rue flower heads which as is usual on my patch, were covered in Holly Blue eggs. Initially I thought I had perhaps half a dozen but in the end I found I was rearing around 30! Interestingly the fully grown larvae came in a variety of colours.

Unlike the Peacocks I managed to capture a couple moments after emerging, one of each sex.

A further 9 species were added to the years tally, helped greatly by finally being able to venture further afield. The earlier cool spell resulting in several ‘black’ White Admirals making an appearance.

I managed to nab 11 more species during July, greater traveling freedoms helping me to catch up with second broods of some springtime species I’d missed.

Purple Hairstreaks had population explosions in all the woodlands I explored this month, at times almost raining down from the canopy in search of moisture

I also became somewhat obsessed with Meadow Brown abs. I suspect they were no more commonplace than normal years, we just tend to spare them scant regard whilst chasing more illustrious species to notice them.

The Adonis Blue was the only species added to the year in August (although the second brood was a bit of a damp squib and presented me with very little on the way of decent photo opportunities) bringing my running tally to 39, significantly more than I was expecting to see a few months ago. A couple of species who made their debut at the end of July really came into their own in August, Brown Hairstreak and Silver-spotted Skipper both having impressive population explosions.

[millerd]

What a splendid selection there, Buggy! The underside of the Black Admiral is amazing, and that home-grown female Holly Blue on the pink bramble flower is beautifully (and quite unusually) marked. I feel inspired to try rearing a few myself next year - anything that doesn't involve the pain of gathering armfuls of nettles and ends up producing such exquisite butterflies has to be worth it.

Dave

[trevor]

A great end of season summary Paul. Despite the shaky start to the year
with the first lockdown, with a few species missed as a result, the rest
of the season went well with a particularly bountiful Autumn.

A mrgreen for your Peacock trio , and another for the Purple
Hairsreaks ( hope my patch of bracken grows back next year! ), and the
sequence of that emerging female Holly Blue .

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.

[bugboy]

Thanks Dave, definitely worth the effort although I found the Goat's-rue did wither rather quickly. Still being a man of leisure that shouldn't be an issue
Thanks Trevor, speaking of bountiful autumns...

2020 best bits – Autumn.
The end of the season was fast approaching but September still heralded the prospect of making it to 40 species for the year, the now almost regular influx of Long-tailed Blue were getting ready to burst forth from the safety of their pea pods. It wasn’t all about the LTB though, Clouded Yellow and third brood Walls were amongst species that also put on a good show but before all them I made a trip to see the damage a huge fire had caused on Chobham Common. I was relieved to find the areas I go for Silver-studded Blues and Grayling had escaped the blaze, and even more relieved to find plenty of Grayling in their usual haunts

Four trips to Whitehawk Hill overlooking Brighton left my camera straining under the weight of LTB images, all trips were more than worthwhile though

Meanwhile the south coast provided good hunting grounds for the other late season species previously mentioned and a mass emergence of a huge third brood of Common Blues.

The same species pottered along through October, plus a few extras including a surprisingly fresh Meadow Brown

November, a month that as a kid was strictly reserved for winter weather, was still worth a trip out, especially when you find a surprise third brood emergence of Holly Blue

[MrSp0ck]

lovely upperside shot of the female Clouded Yellow

[bugboy]

Thanks MrSp0ck

2020 best bits – lifers

Well the main list was done a few years ago now but if you go out looking as often as I do there will always be something to see that you’ve never seen before and this year was no different. I managed 3 new species to my ‘in-cop’ list which now stands at 32 species

Not once but twice did I come across ovipositing Walls who posed almost perfectly as they went about their important business

Also on two occasions (although along the same path) I found my first ever wild Orange-tip pupae, one of each colour form. They’re both now sleeping in my fridge since I didn’t feel they were particularly safe along the edge of the path where potentially farming vehicles could easily destroy them.

There were a few non butterfly lifers too, watching Willow Emerald Damselflies egg laying was fascinating

And bird lifers included a Whimbrel, a Redstart and a fleeting glimpse of a Nightjar that escaped my camera.

Despite 'things' still a successful year

[Wurzel]

A fantastic collection of shots Bugboy - stunning White Admiral, Purps, LTBs but the one that really stands out for me is the female Holly Blue - I've not seen those markings on one before

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Delightful retrospective, Paul. Considering how much of the season saw quite severe restrictions on movement you've done remarkably well.

Hard to pick a favourite from that spectacular array, but the White Admiral ab. stands out as exceptional, run very close by the emerging Holly Blue.

[millerd]

That splendid array just shows how autumn is capable of providing as much interest as spring and summer these days. November is definitely established as very much part of the season now it seems. A great set of shots.

Cheers,

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Some great memories for you there Bugboy

I particularly like the array of roosting Common Blues. They did much better down your way than around by me, the second brood just sort of faded away here and there was no third brood. The lack of third brood is normal, at best we only ever get a small partial one here, but the second brood didn't really take of at some sites either.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Bugboy, I love the three Peacocks, they look like they've been hung out to dry Fantastic shots, keep them coming Goldie

[bugboy]

Thanks for all the comments, despite everything it was still a decent year filled with plenty of memorable moments

November 2020
Well I’ve not been out a great deal in recent weeks, a combination of rubbish weather, work and various restrictions on movement hasn’t given me many opportunities and when I have, it’s been very much bird orientated. The 9th was a rather dull day but here’s a Starling, Linnet, Wren, male Green Woodpecker and a Swans bum.

Later in the month on the 18th there was a sunnier day but less was about: A Grey Wagtail, Goldfinch and a male Pochard mid-dive.

December 2020
The 1st was a chilly but sunny day. Still none of the regular winter avian visitors had arrived locally so just the residents to point the camera at: Great Tit, Mistle Thrush, Carrion Crow, Gadwall pair, Pied Wagtail and a yawning Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Ring-necked Parakeets continue to increase in numbers. The male Chaffinch has that foot infection that’s rather common in finches (Chaffinches are by far the most susceptible) which is either caused by Chaffinch Papillomavirus or mites of the Cnemidocoptes genus. More information can be found here if interested: https://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/po ... n-finches/
I was also rather surprised to find some Blackthorn blossom. This patch does normally flower earlier than most (January and February) but even so, I think it’s a little bit ahead of itself

[David M]

...I was also rather surprised to find some Blackthorn blossom. This patch does normally flower earlier than most (January and February) but even so, I think it’s a little bit ahead of itself...

Extraordinary! Judging by the buds visible adjacent to the existing flowers there may be more to come, Paul.

Nice selection of birds. We get an excellent variety round my way but no Ring-Necked Parakeets yet. I guess they'll reach south Wales eventually given how mild it is here during winter.

[Wurzel]

Great selection of bird shots Bugboy - love the Gadwalls - a much overlooked duck IMO and a fairly typical view of a Pochard - they can sense when you're looking at them and so then they dive The Parakeets are great to look at but I can't make my mind up about them - are they a welcome addition to the avi-fauna or a damaging release?

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks for the comments guys. As you can see I've not been out a great deal in recent weeks and it's highly unlikely there'll be any Brown Hairstreak egg hunts down Bookham way this winter, so you'll have to make do with the occasional birding trip on one of my local patches until the hibernators make an appearance again .

December 2020

I've not been out much this winter, the weather just hasn't played ball on days off and off course the dark Covid shadow looming ever present means if I can it's only local wandering, but on the 27th I managed a wander round Walthamstow Marshes. Being a weekend it was rather busy making social distancing problematic at times and taking the edge of my enjoyment. There wasn't a great deal about, some of the winter visiting ducks were had arrived, in this case a few Teal, but no visiting winter thrushes or finches were seen or heard. The Long-tailed Tit flocks were busy flitting noisily through the hedgerows and the odd Robin (unusual amongst British birds in both sexes singing all year round) perched photogenically proclaiming it's territory.

The fair (but chilly) weather continued through to my next chance for a wander on the 30th. A week day meaning a much quieter and more enjoyable wander was in the offing with more to point my camera at. Here a Goldfinch busy stuffing its face with thistle seeds allowed close approach, a Cormorant doing a passable impression of a Shag sat nonchalantly atop a dead tree and I captured a Robin poised seconds before making a kill (a worm died moments later).

Elsewhere a Common Gull was making a nuisance of itself amongst a small flock of Black-headed Gulls, I caught a glimpse of my first Winter Thrush of the winter, a solitary Fieldfare (presumably there were more somewhere), a pair of Shelduck were flashing their butts to all and sundry and some Coots were having a 'coot off', the mate of one egging her partner on. Couldn't resist a closeup of another Coot chilling by the side of one of the reservoirs, if I had to choose my favourite bird feet, it would have to be a coot with its funky lobed toes .