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Re: May 2013
Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 9:22 pm
by Trev Sawyer
I've been to Over 4 times over the past couple of weeks Nick, but as of this afternoon, still no Grizzlies seen.
Surely they will appear there over the next few days
Trev
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 9:27 pm
by NickB
Trev Sawyer wrote:I've been to Over 4 times over the past couple of weeks Nick, but as of this afternoon, still no Grizzlies seen.
Surely they will appear there over the next few days
Trev
I thought I would have heard from you if they were out...
But emerging elsewhere and the Cutting is usually one of the first places to see them
A nice bike ride on Monday and fingers crossed they're out by then...
N
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 9:42 pm
by Paul Harfield
At last, Speckled Wood are out and about along my local footpath
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I was getting a little worried about them. 3 seen today as well as my first confirmed Small White of the year, all around lunch time today.
Hopefully will get further afield tomorrow but weather not looking quite as bright.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 1:19 pm
by NickB
Peerless day again! Out locally to see what was around early this morning...lots of Holly Blue (including some females), a few Large & GVW and several Speckled Wood.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 2:19 pm
by Trev Sawyer
Enjoy your bike ride tomorrow Nick - I've just been on another flying visit and found a couple
Trev
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 2:51 pm
by NickB
Trev Sawyer wrote:Enjoy your bike ride tomorrow Nick - I've just been on another flying visit and found a couple
Trev
Thanks; an early start I reckon
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 3:24 pm
by David M
Anybody intending to visit the coast tomorrow should be on the lookout, as this afternoon at Crymlyn Burrows, on the Swansea coast, I saw four Painted Ladies.
Sadly, they were all flying purposefully and try as I might, I couldn't keep track of them to see if they would settle. I guess the recent southerly winds have helped them fly northwards, so if they've reached south Wales, then you can be sure they'll be about on the southern English coast too.
Other than that, just routine sightings, with 15 or so Orange Tips (including 3 females), 6 or 7 Green Veined Whites, 2 Peacocks, 2 Speckled Woods and 2 Commas.
I shall be spending tomorrow on the dunes at either Kenfig or Merthyr Mawr, so I hope to see a few more PLs.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 3:47 pm
by NickB
David M wrote:Anybody intending to visit the coast tomorrow should be on the lookout, as this afternoon at Crymlyn Burrows, on the Swansea coast, I saw four Painted Ladies..
My sister rang me excitedly on Thursday evening to tell me she had seen her first PL of the year on the Cornwall Coast at Zennor...
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 3:58 pm
by David M
NickB wrote:David M wrote:Anybody intending to visit the coast tomorrow should be on the lookout, as this afternoon at Crymlyn Burrows, on the Swansea coast, I saw four Painted Ladies..
My sister rang me excitedly on Thursday evening to tell me she had seen her first PL of the year on the Cornwall Coast at Zennor...
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Glad it's not just me, Nick.
To be honest, I wasn't sure about the first one. I was standing right on the highest dune by the beach when this large butterfly zoomed past. However, the other three all flew within 20 yards of me and were unmistakeably Painted Ladies.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 4:25 pm
by cambsaurelian
I went to Over Cutting in Cambs this morning and eventually saw 2 Grizzled Skippers on the ground. There were quite a few small day flying moths there, some of which looked really similar to Grizzled Skipper in flight. One nice moth seen was Netted Pug.
Cheers.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 4:32 pm
by Buchan Boy
Lovely to see a couple of Small Coppers on Cissbury Ring this morning.
![05052013 RZ (37)A.jpg (191.96 KiB) Viewed 1520 times Cissbury Ring](./files/thumb_12157_16207d90213b8abf700e615528dc2642)
- Cissbury Ring
A Speckled Wood posed as well.
![05052013 CrRZ (47)A.jpg (197.63 KiB) Viewed 1520 times Cissbury Ring](./files/thumb_12157_eafa268664813c0ad839f6e95042e7a5)
- Cissbury Ring
![05052013 RZ (55)A.jpg (117.27 KiB) Viewed 1520 times Cissbury Ring](./files/thumb_12157_cf4e888adf321816aaccf43391a349eb)
- Cissbury Ring
Many Peacocks,Red Admirals,Small Tortoisehells,Brimstones,a couple Orange Tips and a couple Green Hairstreaks.
But
no Grizzlies or Dingys yet
Popped into Kithurst and Chantry but nothing showing,was a fleeting visit though.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 5:37 pm
by dilettante
Lovely HB pics, NickB.
Glad to hear the Grizzlies are out at Over, cambsaurelian. I hope I can squeeze in a trip sometime soon.
Beautiful Small Coppper, Buchan Boy - they're always a great sight.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 7:25 pm
by nomad
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 7:46 pm
by David M
Great to learn that Dingies are out. Tomorrow could be a highly productive day assuming most of the membership of this site takes advantage of the excellent weather forecast.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 8:19 pm
by NickB
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 8:34 pm
by badgerbob
Was unable to get out today, however, a female Holly Blue appeared in the garden and just allowed enough time to shoot upstairs to get the camera. Over the last few days have managed to get a couple of day flying moths. A Small Purple-barred on Frog Firle and a Bridge Roller at Abbotts Wood. The Bridge Roller is apparently the first record for this moth at Abbotts since 1905.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 9:24 pm
by Paul Harfield
David M wrote:Tomorrow could be a highly productive day assuming most of the membership of this site takes advantage of the excellent weather forecast.
Unfortunately I will be spending the day at Chessington World Of Adventures tomorrow. I do not think there are any SSSIs there
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
, but I shall be keeping my eyes open just incase anything flies through.
I spent a few hours at Oxenbourne Down today, but came away feeling slightly dissappointed. A couple of Orange Tips, a few Brimstones and one solitary Grizzled Skipper ( my first of the year) was all I managed.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 11:38 pm
by Philzoid
After a disappointing day at Denbies on Friday where the only species seen approaching reasonable numbers were Brimstones, I paid a hopeful visit today (Sunday) to Noar Hill as reports had been showing that the Dukes were out. Indeed they were, but some 2.5-3 hours searching was needed to get to a tally of four. Its still early days
![Neutral :|](./images/smilies/icon_neutral.gif)
.
![A 2013.05.03 IMG_0278 Brimstones courting, Denbies.jpg (173.94 KiB) Viewed 1274 times Courting Brimstones spiralling upwards and eventually out of sight](./files/thumb_10062_34d582eb9527e797cce686b540460d73)
- Courting Brimstones spiralling upwards and eventually out of sight
![B 2013.05.05 IMG_0455 Duke of Burgundy Fritillary Noar Hill.jpg (345.51 KiB) Viewed 1274 times Duke at Noar Hill](./files/thumb_10062_28beae8d3b0c613edb4e14d10d1bab7e)
- Duke at Noar Hill
![C 2013.05.05 IMG_0467 Duke of Burgundy Fritillary Noar Hill.jpg (299.84 KiB) Viewed 1274 times Duke on a stick](./files/thumb_10062_7f288720fb12fadb5797fc49f42d7b41)
- Duke on a stick
![D 2013.05.05 IMG_0436 Bee Fly, Noar Hill.jpg (282.81 KiB) Viewed 1274 times Bombylius major with fearsome looking proboscis used for drinking nectar](./files/thumb_10062_ecfdebcd3d43f6e5cd65211e0c50e42a)
- Bombylius major with fearsome looking proboscis used for drinking nectar
Moving onto Butser Hill where I met up with Mark Tutton we counted somewhere in the region of 2 dozen Grizzled skipper
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. Unfortunately my camera craft didn't match the occasion and only one of pictures turned out passable
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
.
![E 2013.05.05 IMG_0588 Grizzled Skipper, Butser Hill.jpg (268.84 KiB) Viewed 1274 times Good numbers of Grizzled Skippers at Butser](./files/thumb_10062_621999826993bcf715903efa8b99a20e)
- Good numbers of Grizzled Skippers at Butser
The grizzlies seemed to have it all to themselves as the only other species seen was Peacock. So far I've yet to see a Small Tortoiseshell which appears to be the most reported butterfly so far this year
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
.
Re: May 2013
Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 11:19 am
by RobS
Yeah...small tortoiseshell on the walk into work yesterday afternoon and yet another on the way home this morning.Keep looking phil.
Glad you had success with the Dukes though
No Dingys yet at Noar im guessing?
cheers
rob
Re: May 2013
Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 12:53 pm
by NickB
Still early days in the GS season here - only 3 or 4 seen this morning at Over, along with Orange-tip, GV White, Peacock.....
...and Common Carpet and a few Lattice Heath moths just to confound!