www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Mark Tutton wrote:the slope he climbed up & down goes from 270m down to 100m on the valley floor that is about 500ft over a distance of about 200yds probably one of the steepest climbs in Hampshire

If you'd told me that beforehand I might've given it a miss

Some nice shots there Mark and a good closer one of the cuckoo . That Painted Lady looks in a similar state to the one me and Wurzel saw at Bentley. Forgot to mention in that post that another one was seen on the same day at the Wiltshire Duke site. Are we in for a good Painted Lady year I wonder

So far for one reason or another Orange-tips have proved elusive this year. Will try again tomorrow after work at my local site along the Basingstoke canal as the weather looks good and I'm free from taxi-ing my daughters to after school clubs on Tuesdays

You did ever so well to get an image of the cuckoo, Mark.

I hear them fairly often but I never actually see them.

My son had 10 Painted Ladies yesterday on a 2 mile stretch behind Seaford.

Holly Blues at Colne Valley today, looks as if one is laying eggs.

Nice work, Sahikmet....and good to see you back posting too!

Small and Common Blues today at Hutchinson's Bank. 7 Green Hairstreaks including 3 egglaying on Birdsfoot Trefoil. 25 Dingy Skippers nearly reaching their peak.

Saw my first ever and only Grizzled Skipper today 13th May at Penhale Sands, Cornwall ........ only took the best part of 4 hours to locate! Also saw my 1st Common Blues & Brown Argus' of the year. A tough days searching but worth every second.

I made my first visit of the year to one of the N. Yorks Duke sites this morning. I saw 3 individuals, one of which settled long enough for some photos. Better still, it was on a part of the site where the Duke hadn't been seen for at least 4 years.

A spectacular day at Bison Hill on Dunstable Downs today. A friend and I got there at about 11 am and within minutes we saw a Duke. In fact, we reckon it was the most abundant species (at least 50 individuals) with Green Hairstreaks and Dingy Skippers (which seem to inhabit the same places) much in evidence. Good numbers of Grizzled Skipper too with some Brown Argus, Common Blue and Small Heath. Dozens of Brimstone plus a few of all the other whites seen plus Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock.

I have taken quite a few photos of which the best are attached with some notes:

1) The rounded wings on the Brown Argus
2) The 2nd Duke appears quite dark

I hope many of you took advantage of the good weather today.

ATB

Peter

Must have seen you there today! Spectacular day with masses of Butterfly activity...I'll post some pics later...

Great to see so many of you have had highly productive days!

I can't wait till the weather is kind on one of my non-work days so I can indulge myself likewise!

Lots of Butterflies...(and lots of Butterfliers too) at Bison Hill today...activity all over and literally alive with Duke of Burgundy and Dingy Skipper
Also smaller numbers of Grizzled Skipper, Brimstone, Green Hairstreak a couple of Common Blue and a single Brown Argus.

On Tuesday I assisted a local production company in making a documentary which will include some stunning footage of South Downs wildlife, including butterflies. I won’t be giving too much away by saying that the Duke of Burgundy and Pearl-bordered Fritillary have both been issued with Equity Cards.

A morning trip to Heyshott Escarpment produced more Duke of Burgundy than I could shake my stick at. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary is now on the wing here, first spotted by Garry Philpott on Monday. Katrina Watson helped out by tracking down some lovely Green Hairstreaks. Orchids are a little late this year, but we still managed to find a stunning Fly in perfect condition.
On Wednesday I started off at Springhead (Kithurst) Hill meadow. The chalk grassland restoration area in the deep hollows near the car park (South Downs National Park Authority, BC Sussex and WSCC) is looking superb, as are the meadow and banks. This small but ecologically rich site is easily accessible and undoubtedly one of the jewels in the crown of our national park. However, the increasing number of visitors does come at a cost, so it is important to try to minimise our impact when visiting. Please try to keep to the already-worn paths across the meadow, particularly at the western end, where the male Duke of Burgundy butterflies congregate (they are unusually numerous this year). It is best to sit down and enjoy the action, rather than stand in groups in the middle of the lek. For the future health of this colony it is important that the fastest and fittest Dukes see the newly emerged Duchesses first.
I then moved on to monitor Duke of Burgundy numbers on strictly private land, ending up with a tally of 81. Things are looking so much better for this species in Sussex than they did ten years ago. I finished the day by visiting Rewell Wood, specifically to focus on the Grizzled Skipper. This is one of my favourite species and I gain most pleasure from seeing it in woodland/coppice habitat. My evening count of 9 was the best I’ve ever achieved here. Spring may have been late in arriving, but things are shaping up quite nicely for another memorable butterfly year.

jasonbirder wrote:Must have seen you there today! Spectacular day with masses of Butterfly activity...I'll post some pics later...

Jason, nice photos you have there for the Bison Hill trip. We spoke to a few fellow butterfly enthusiasts yesterday. I was wearing an orange-patterned shirt. Yes?

ATB

Peter

Whilst out with Badger Bob surveying a private woodland site in East Sussex yesterday, I came across this Green Hairstreak massaging its hindwings and giving a rare glimpse of the brown upperside.

I planned to visit Bentley Wood today after the glorious weather yesterday, but ended up getting soaked in heavy rain at Exbury Gardens. The Gardens are stunning but best when not raining heavily!
Pete Eeles has my sympathy.

Last Thursday (7/5/15) I finished work early, so went searching for my 1st ever sighting of the Duke of Burgandy.
Location- Kent...Denge Wood/Bonsai Bank...1st time visit, with an 80 mile round trip!

I also sighted White-spotted Sable Moth, Speckled Yellow Moth, Green Hairstreak, Dingy Skipper, Peacock, Large White...and a Sub-adult Common Lizard. I didnt have a lot of time on my side, on the day, so hope to return there soon enough.

Closer to home(in the garden) this last week- Holly Blue, Comma, Peacock, Large White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip (male).

Some photos from Denge Wood/Bonsai Bank, cheers Paul.

OK, can everybody stop posting Duke pictures now, I'm going insane with

Lovely Dukes, Testudo Man, but even more impressive are the images of anania funebris, which is not at all common.

Well done.

Yesterday my day was divided between Breakheart Quarry and Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire. The former location is a 'hot-spot' for Grizzled and Dingy Skipper and during a two hour visit I counted healthy amounts of both species, there is loads of Bugle growing around the old quarry margins and the grass is cropped short by both rabbits and deer, a recipe for skippers to enjoy life
Few other species were seen at the quarry except a few busy whites, I therefore moved on to Rodborough Common at around eleven o'clock to check out the delight that are Duke of Burgundy among others, I will provide a full report on my visit to both forenamed locations in my Personal Diary as soon as time permits, for now I shall just briefly name the species seen during the day - apart from those named above; Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Green Hairstreak, Small Blue, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Adonis Blue, Duke of Burgundy, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Small Heath.
Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"