www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Oh I forgot to mention - I met a chap at Denbies who thought that the Adonis abs were 'normal and usually occur'.

Sunday 15th May

I picked my friend Mike up in Tunbridge Wells and headed for an early in the year jaunt to Windover Hill, East Sussex. Having to drive past it to get there (why haven't we been in before!?), we stopped at Abbotts Wood to see if we could find any Pearl Bordered Fritillaries.

We found 6, but as expected they were past their best.
There were quite a few butterflies about:

6 Pearl Bordered Fritillary
1 Common Blue
2 Green Hairstreak
1 Small Copper
7 Small Heath
1 Large White
1 Peacock

We also heard a Cuckoo and saw loads of Speckled Yellow moths. I eventually found one that stayed still long enough for a photo....oh dear.
We then drove the short distance to Windover Hill and the most bio-diverse car park in the world (probably not, but it does hold a staggering array of butterflies).

Sadly, by this time the sun was nearly giving up and we only found two roosting male Common Blues. Mike saw a Small Heath and then I noticed a hoped for Small Blue, my first of the year, but only the one. We investigated the edges of an adjacent corn field and found 6 more bouncing around the long grass. They are quite lovely to watch.
The sun went in and they all dropped onto a trefoil plant. We then noticed a few roosting male Common Blues on the crop itself:
I attempted a Guy type shot to include the area (it was a big field!) and I'm not sure if it worked, but hopefully you get the idea.
We then climbed the hill but by now the sun was long gone and it was pretty chilly with a stiff wind. We only saw a roosting female Brown Argus and a Small Heath.

We came back down and discovered Wilmington Chalk Pit opposite the car park. It looks ideal for Green Hairstreaks but the only sighting was this Cinnabar:
We had one last look next to the car park but no sign of the Small Blues, just the roosting male Common Blues we saw when we first arrived.

I was home earlier than I have been all week today and it was still warm and sunny at just after 6pm.

So I headed over to the cemetery and found this stunning female Common Blue. She was roosting when I found her as a cloud had come over but the evening sun tempted her out when it returned. What a beauty! Quite unusually marked too.
I also had a look around the bigger oak trees for any Purple Hairstreaks but I didn't see any. I don't know if they are found here, the nearest colony I know of is 10 minutes up the road at a golf course. I'll keep an eye out.

The strangest thing was the Starlings though - the cemetery was full of them - there must have been hundreds. They were making a right racket too. I thought at first they were getting ready to roost but it actually seemed like it was mainly parents feeding youngsters, which I watched for a while.

Saturday 21st May

With the weather looking worse for Sunday, but sunny all day today, I’d planned a big day out.

Wrecclesham, Surrey

I got up early and headed to Wrecclesham. Having never seen them before, I had to go and see the Glanville Fritillaries. A few were already active at 08.00 but the first beast I came across was this Drinker moth caterpillar.
I caught several Common Blue and Brown Argus waking up and basking in the morning sun.
By 09.30 there were Glanvilles everywhere; they were nectaring now and much more approachable. I can see what it is about the underside of these butterflies, they are beautiful!
I also saw my first Large Skippers of the year but it seems I just missed David M, which is a shame.
Sightings:

50+ Glanville Fritillary
15+ Common Blue
8 Brown Argus
6 Large Skipper
1 Small Heath
2 Cinnabar
3 Burnet Companion
1 Drinker (larvae)

Fairmile Heath, Surrey

I’d arranged to meet Seth (Gibster) and Sami at Fairmile, which was local to them and I was driving that way next. It was lovely to meet them and wander around the heath. We were checking for early Silver Studded Blue, but with no joy. The heather is just coming out but it was bone dry.

We saw:

3 Green Hairstreak
1 Large White
2 Common Heath moths
2 Downy Emerald dragonflies

With not much happening here we decided to move on.

Park Corner Heath, Sussex

With one life tick not enough, we went off in search of Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries. These would also be my first ever. Park Corner Heath is a lovely BC reserve, very well managed and luckily, stuffed full of insects.

It wasn’t long before we saw them – and what a sight, charming little butterflies. They were smaller than I’d imagined, but just as vivid in colour.
This second individual was I think freshly emerged – we watched an Emperor Dragonfly attack it in flight and then it dropped to the ground where it is shown here.

Seth and Sam found this Grizzled Skipper ab taras, which luckily came back to the same area for more photos. You could really notice the extra white when in flight, but it was just as tricky to follow…
Sightings:

25+ Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary
1 Green Hairstreak
2 Small Heath
8 Specked Wood, some of which were very fresh –second brood perhaps?
1 Grizzled Skipper ab taras
1 male Brimstone, 1 female, plus Seth found 1 larvae
1 Emperor dragonfly
1 Broad Bodied Chaser
We weren’t that far from the most bio-diverse car park in the world.....so off we set.

Windover Hill, Sussex

Just in the car park area we found:
1 Red Admiral
6 Small Blue
5 male Common Blue, 1 female
2 Small Heath
2 Large White
1 Green Veined White
And just to add to species tally for this lovely place…
1 Green Hairstreak
1 Dingy Skipper
Two species I hadn’t seen there before.
We climbed the hill and were entertained by Small Blue, Adonis Blue and Dingy Skippers.

It was great for me being with some birders. Along with the Skylarks we could hear, Seth pointed out Whitethoat, Yellowhammer, Black Cap, Meadow Pipit and then Sam saw a Honey Buzzard as it flew over us! Just fantastic.

Sightings:
20+ Small Blue
10+ male Adonis Blue, 1 female
15+ Common Blue
5 Small Heath
5 Dingy Skipper

What a fantastic day; 2 life ticks, 1 first for the year, a Grizzly ab, loads of birds and dragonflies and some fellow UKB’ers for company. I have to say, Seth’s knowledge of the flora and fauna of our countryside is mightily impressive! I’ve him to thank for the bird and dragonfly ID’s. A most enjoyable day in the countryside

I forgot to add that while we were having a well earned pint at The Giant's Rest in Wilmington I saw my first House Martin of the year (they were nesting in the eaves of the pub).

Wow, Lee, what an incredible day and some great photos to show for it!

A pleasure to share your excitement from over here, Lee! Lovely photos of good times.

Guy

Thank you, Susie and Guy. It was quite a day!

Aw shucks Lee, you can probably see my blushes from Greenford, "mightily impressive knowledge" my hairy @*$e!!!

We've just gotta sort out a proper "UKButterfly South East Members' Field Meeting" someday, huh? Be great to get a whole bunch of us together, wouldn't it? So if anybody knows of a decent village pub (hint hint, Susie...)

Catchya soon, I hope mate,

Gibster.

No shortage of good pubs round here. If anyone wants to come and hunt for purple emperors at Southwater or brown hairstreaks nearer to home then give me a shout and we can all meet up.

Apologies for hijacking your thread, Lee.

Not a problem, all are welcome in here

I fear I may miss prime iris action this year, we're off to Rhone Alpes, southern France on 10th June for 2 weeks. Going by Captain Oates' predictions on the Purple Empire (http://apaturairis.blogspot.com/) they'll be about the week after that! Still I could always search for them down there

I see Grayling has been reported - madness. I walked along the river Brent again tonight and found myself looking for Gatekeepers on the expanse of bramble flowers! Didn't see any mind but a small orangey brown job in the distance made me think Small Skipper until I saw it flying a little too slowly, and actually flapping - not something I've ever seen with Skippers. Small Copper I think, but not sure.

Was a pleasure to meet you! what a day. It was great to see more than double the number of Small Bues I've seen in my life, in one day! Plus life-ticking Honey Buzzard at such short range and in good company was brilliant. Thanks for the great photo, I'll post the one of you and Gibster ASAP.

Likewise Sami, it was a fantastic day wasn't it.

We should certainly have another get together soon!

Cheers

Lee

Hi Lee,
great report, great photos - I especially like the Broad-Bodied Chaser (a really nice shot). it's great to see everyone getting a chance to meet up, albeit in two's and three's. Given your itinerary for the day I think there's plenty on this board who are quite near to being certifiable ! Myself, I've just got back from the Norfolk Broads where we spent a couple of days (at very short notice once we'd seen the forecast), trying to catch the good weather - as it's expected to go a bit grotty this weekend. I hope we'll be able to meet up soon.
Michael

Thanks Michael Looking forward to your Swallowtails. It was a long day, but a good one

It seems Black Hairstreak have already started! Not sure I will get to Bernwood before we go away but if I do I'll let you know.

It might be a Brown Hairstreak meet up at this rate (but then they'll probably be out next month )

Cheers

Lee

Hi Lee,
yes - re the Black Hairstreaks - one of the area contacts has already confirmed 3 sightings in Oxfordshire. I'm doing other family commitments this weekend but as long as the weather is OK I may venture up to Bernwood / Whitecross Green Wood the weekend after (i.e. the 4th or 5th June). I'll keep an eye on the reports and weather until then ! And we love the area anyway so I'm sure if all else fails it could be a Brown Hairstreak or Purple Emperor meet-up after I've come back from Bulgaria. Presuming I still have any energy left by that point!
Best wishes, Michael

Sunday 29th May

My sister has been down this weekend, with Henry of course. It's their first visit since we've had Tilly and let's just say she and Henry are not going to be the best of friends. Shame - we tried, but we are covered in scratches

Against forecast it was a glorious morning in west London, so I had a quick half an hour in the cemetery. I was delighted to see 2 male Large Skippers, the first I've ever seen there. I also saw 1 worn male Common Blue and a Burnet Companion, again, the first I've seen there I think.
We went for lunch today and had a walk in Osterley Park, the first time I'd visited. It's a nice place, big areas of wild grasses. It had clouded over by now and a chilly breeze was blowing, so I was a little surprised to see my first Meadow Brown of the year, a male, battling against the wind. Also saw 1 male and 1 female Common Blue and a Mother Shipton.

Here's Henry by one of the lakes near Osterley House:
On another lake, Swans had cygnets, Canada Geese had goslings and this odd looking goose had more of its own. I think it's an Egyptian Goose.
Of course by tea time the sun was back and it's been a lovely evening.

ahhhh Osterley.... many a day spent over there. some go there to feed the ducks.... i used to go over to feed the fish during the summer. a couple of years back i was watching a cormorant in the lake that Henry is sitting by. it's not the deepest so you could see the bird swimming in a figure of 8. also when i was about 12 i saw and marvelled at my first Mandarin duck with it's head poking out of a hole in a tree. the only let down for me is the plane noise. Anyway i shall stop reminiscing and taking up room in your diary. glad you enjoyed the place.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Don't worry mate. It's always nice to hear of other's experiences from places I go!

Funnily enough I commented on both the shallowness of that lake and the plane noise today....

Cheers

Lee

I used to go there with my girls when they were little and feed the ducks.