Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Love the Orange Tip on the buttercup Wurzel and the lovely shots of the other's I've seen Orange Tips since I've been here but none have stopped for shots so i'm glad I got some photos of them before I left home.Goldie

[Andrew555]

Yes please send some of those lovely Small Torts this way Wurzel!

Wishing you a continued and speedy recovery.

Cheers

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor There were still a few about yesterday at work - we seem to have more Small Torts than Peacocks over this way
Cheers Goldie I was chuffed with that shot as it just sort of dropped in my lap as it were
Cheers Andrew Next time I see some I'll have a word I'm all healed now but my PD is 'past me' and there's still a little way to go - Im getting twinges just remembering

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Five Rivers 30-03-2019

After such a great start to the afternoon I decided to check out Five Rivers to see how that was coming along. I’ could afford to take my time as the girls were going for a swim and so having dropped them off early enough that they’d be in the front of the queue I was free to mooch. As I’d seen my first OT I was wondering if I could also add my first Specklie to my 2019 Tally? Due to this I took a slightly more circuitous route to Comma corner; down along the riverside path through the small glades. I didn’t have any luck though so carried on resolutely to Comma Corner.

Almost as soon as I was there I spotted butterflies with a couple of Peacocks annoying a Comma just at the entrance to the small copse on the furthest side of the Corner. I moved round to the other side which forms the back of the first of the Banks and stood and waited for a reappearance of any of the butterflies. In this little area I could see a different, complete Peacock which was accompanied by two different Commas. One would take off, fly at the Peacock to hassle it and in the process send the second Comma up. Both the Commas would then spiral upwards so high that it was slightly painful to watch. A few moments later they’d be back if not in the same place very near to it.

After this I made my back and down to the path to check out Comma Corner proper and from there to walk along the Banks. It seemed strange to be seeing the butterflies in amongst the nettles beds and the fast growing grasses when normally I can see the compacted earth of the tiny trackways and I only realise that the nettles are there when they sting me through my jeans. Nonetheless for all the strangeness they were a welcome sight and I started ratchetting up the tally. First a Specklie Wood, my first of 2019 and in roughly the same place as my first of 2017. It was low down on the ground and as I bent in to take a few shots it closed its wings slowly but surely in what I suppose was a vague attempt at blending in. A Comma spiralled round me at this point trying to reassert this as Comma Corner. So much so that it went down and landed on the path at the exact corner!

I carried on along the Banks stopping every now and again for this and that and by the time I reached the Bench with only the final bank to go I’d accrued two Commas, three Small Torts and 2 Peacocks the final one of which was waiting on the deck at the bench looking slightly battered/battle worn. I stopped for a little breather here and had a chat with the occupant of the bench. He remarked that it was great to see the butterflies again, rued the loss of the Grizzlies that were here up until a few years back and finally wondered where all the Small Torts were – so far only a total of 3? I carried on and down at the far end of the reserve I chanced across the most pristine Peacock I’d seen all day and so spent a little while with it.

I now had a choice – work back or carry on round the whole reserve and check the far side? My gut said “try the other side” so that’s what I did. As I made my way up the slightly winding path a Small Tort was on my right and as I continued upwards there was another on my left. By the time I’d worked half way along the path at the top of the reserve I’d seen another 4 Small Torts – looks like I’d found where they’d been hiding then! A brilliant flash of blinding white shot down the hillside and momentarily disappeared from view. I quietly crept round the corner and there was my first decent chance of a Small White shot. I took it hoping that the strong light wouldn’t lead to a bleached out image. Chuffed I cut across the reserve and down to the Bench from where I retraced my steps back to the car park. As well as the obligatory Small Torts, Peacock and Commas on the way back I also added a male Brimstone to the visit tally which was swiftly joined by a second as I poured myself a coffee back at the car.

Now I was in a bit of a quandary. I’d arrived back too early to pick the girls up so I could head in and check though my shots while waiting for them to faff about or I could maintain my sanity and head back out for a quick look at the less visited side? It wasn’t much of a quandary really and so off went again. This time I couldn’t add a White but instead there was a fly over by a Red Admiral and I managed to relocate 5 of the Small Torts – most of which seemed to be quite heavy in the abdomen department so possibly females? As I made my way back to the car a brown blur flew diagonally past me and crashed into the foliage where it sat in the stunned in the shade. It was a Specklie and a nice way to round up the visit.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

More lovely shots Wurzel, I'm hoping the weather picks up here today before tomorrow's storm arrives, I've still not got a shot of a Brimstone yet, I'll have to leave Holly Blues and Green hair Streaks until I get home I think , unless I'm lucky and the HB's show themselves next time I visit Reculver before I journey home.Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie When are you heading back? The weather reports (if they can be believed ) seem to suggest that Saturday is going to be atrocious but Sunday it will have cleared away and it'll be sunny intervals and up to 13 degrees so there's still a chance - fingers crossed that they get it right for once

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Mother’s Day 31-03-2019

This should have been such a better report as it had all the makings of a fantastic early season Butterfly Day; a visit to the Lavender Farm with a walk in the new Forest to follow. However when we set off to the Lavender Farm for a spot of Mother’s Day Lunch it was cold, really cold actually and it was grey and drear with it. At the venue the main part of the gardens were closed off and the drear became drizzle. Then when we pulled into the car park at Rhinefield Drive the drear returned but it was very cold. Even some hot Noodles a la Kelly Kettle didn’t help warm me up. On the plus side I was able to see a Firecrest and a couple of Brimstones lightened my mood. The biggest plus were a pair of Red Admiral that were flying around the car park upon our return. I manged a few shots but they were very restless and I was shooting one handed. God I hope it warms up next week!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, I've not seen a Red Admiral yet may be next week, I'm here for another week I've to go to the Hospital on Tuesday to get my foot checked out so we'll see what they say but it looks like I'll be here over the Bank Holiday so more Butterflies I hope
Goldie

[bugboy]

Wow Wurzel, hold your horses there, you're almost in the same month . I guess things will be back to normal with a holiday coming up though

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie Red Admirals have been a bit sparse this year for me to, I've only seen 4 all year Go for those Grizzlies on the Bank Holiday
Cheers Bugboy Yep almost caught up - just another 4 posts from the Tally and 14 or so to get me up to date...oh

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

That's a nice Red Admiral, Wurzel - there seem to be a few more around now.

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave I'm still struggling to see them - mind you it was the same last year - a few in the spring and then from the late summer on good numbers The Pearls are out - won't be long until the Marshies are too

Browns

26 Specked Wood, 01-05-0218 Pewsey Vale

Overall I thought it was a fairly average year for the Specklies and I don’t know whether this is tied into their late arrival what with their arrival being an entire month later in 2019. Could the snow which hit in March have knocked them back considerably I wonder? The definitely seemed to have quiet phases and were down in some places whilst in others they were more noticeable. For example I found my first at work and I recall seeing a few out of place at Laverstock but in a more likely stronghold such as Bentley Wood they were much scarcer. Perhaps they were having a good year but their late arrival meant that they were busy playing catch-up and making up for lost time as well as making cats WINK. This could be what I witnessed as they were still hanging on late into the year when I managed to see a couple ono my final ‘proper’ visit out.

27 Wall, 17-05-2018 Pewsey Downs

Last year I wrote about a associating Wall with the number two (2 weeks early, two sites and 2 individuals) but this year things in the association game got a bit trickier. First of all they weren’t two weeks or even a week early but only 4 days earlier. Second up I saw them at three sites – Pewsey Downs, my Marshie site and Shipton Bellinger. At these sites the maximum number I saw was two at my Marshie site…hang on 4,3,2…I could go the whole hog and really overplay the association and say that the other sites only produced 1 individual and that there were zero coastal sites but that I think would be pushing it. Whilst it’s good that I saw them at Shipton Bellinger it will still a bit worrying to see so few but hopefully by visiting different sites next year I can catch up with a few more – there were 25 reported at Morgan’s Hill on one visit!

28 Marbled White, 17-06-2018 Daneways

The thing I’ll remember most from 2018 about Marbled Whites was from a visit to Lulworth Cove. As I sat on the pebbles, drinking my coffee and gazing out onto the azure, millpond still waters a tiny chequered flag fluttered along the mirror like waters; too white to be a small Skull and Cross Bones it was an errant Marbled White taking the most direct route from one side of the Cove to the other. There were plenty of other moments from 2018 of Marbled Whites to add to this one single stand out memory but I don’t think that this was down to their numbers being up. Actually to be honest they were again almost ‘Blink and you’d miss them’ once they’d emerged 2 days later than in 2017. I think this was why I had so many memories – I made a conscious effort to focus on them this year after treating them so disrespectfully last year.

29 Grayling, 07-07-2018 Godshill

I didn’t get to investigate whether there were any Grayling along the coast in West Wales as when I visited the weather was less than conducive for butterflies. In fact it wasn’t a spectacular year for me with this species. When I visited the ever reliable Godshill they were much harder to locate this year and at one point I’d almost given it up as a bad job until I stumbled across a couple. To be fair though perhaps they didn’t fare as poorly as I thought at first? Indeed there were two reports from within Wiltshire (right on the margins of Hampshire but still in Wiltshire) which was great news as they are considered extinct in the county. Plus I only managed to get to this one site where I know that they are and didn’t make it back to Dorset and the heaths this year. On top of this when I made my visit it was a fortnight earlier than in 2017 so perhaps they were still just ‘getting going’. Here’s hoping…

One thing I did discover this year should prove useful in future ventures when looking for this species. Often Grayling will zip about here and there making it generally difficult to follow them visually and sometimes they will finish this off with a flourish, flying directly at you and passing you so close that you think they will collide with you. As you spin round trying to locate them again somewhere in the distance they’ve completely vanished from view! But they haven’t. This year a Grayling carried out this ‘getaway plan’ on me but I happened to glance down to check my footing and there was the Grayling down on the deck directly behind me. I reckon that as it passed me it stalled and literally dropped to the ground where it waited for me to realise that I’d lost it and move off. Sorry Mr Grayling I’ve got your number mate! I eagerly await the Grayling 2019 season to see if this wasn’t just a one-off fluke.

30 Hedge Brown/Gatekeeper, 24-06-2018 Lulworth Cove

Almost a week earlier this year and my first came unusually from Lulworth Cove; not something I’d expected as I normally plan to pick my first Hedgie up from Bentley Wood. It felt at times like the trends seen last year continues – they were earlier but also fewer in number. I was seeming in the expected places but they were definitely down. They were also over comparatively quickly. Usually I can pick up plenty on the annual summer trip to Ffos-y-ffin but this year I was able to count the total on my hands. Also there were none of the unusual beauties that this little area has thrown up in the past and I think I saw only one excessa through the whole season. In between the UK Hedgies worrying me I took a family holiday to the Dordogne. Here they were much more ‘present’ and interestingly looked slightly different to those seen in the UK. The underwing didn’t have the noticeable cream band that runs from the bottom to the top of underside of the hind wing. Also the ground colour was much lighter and the spots were much less noticeable. In fact until I saw these slight ‘eyespots’ I was convinced that I’d seen a Southern Gatekeeper – is it possible that rather than the two separate species overlapping they form a graduated cline from Hedgie through to Southern?

31 Meadow Brown, 03-05-2018 Kingston Lacey

Almost three and a half weeks earlier this year and it looks like ‘getting up early’ did them good as it was a great year for Meadow Browns in my neck of the woods. Not only were they back to their fluttering and annoying best but that also turned up at most of the sites that I visited and they lasted well into September and beyond which was great. They were so early in fact that I wasn’t expecting my first when I did. I wonder if the Beast form the East did them a favour as the cold could have knocked any parasites and microbes on the head and then after the Beast we had some gorgeous warm weather which would have brought them on? Or was it the melting snow which gave the grasses a really concentrated drink? Whatever it was it was great to see so many butterflies. They even turned up at work in the sections of uncut grasses left as a meadow.

32 Small Heath, 21-05 2018 Laverstock Down

Last year I quickly moved on from this species as the report was so dire but things were much different in 2018. After arriving a fortnight later on the scene they seemed to be all over the place. One also turned up at work in the ‘Meadow’ which was very unexpected as I’d been worrying that we again would see a dearth of them. Instead they were often the commonest butterfly and I had to refrain from cursing them as they started on their old trick of spooking the other species I was trying to photograph. One thing I did notice this year from other peoples’ reports was a slightly odd behaviour. The butterfly would perch and occasionally flick it’s wings open. I saw this reported by at least three people as well as observing it personally. Why I still don’t know but it was very hot last year perhaps a method of cooling down or maybe during the dry weather they were more likely to get dust between their wings? Either way it’ll be something to look out for in successive seasons.

33 Ringlet, 17-06-2018 Daneways

My first Ringlet cam 4 days later this year on a dismal trip to Daneways. I was hoping that the weather forecast was correct but it changed drastically a minute before I left the house. As I said back then it was a bit of a trip for Ringlets and Marbled Whites! Again they had a good year but they were, like the Marbled Whites, almost a ‘blink and you’d miss them species’. They seemed to arrive on the scene and then they were gone again; was this because of the really warm weather accelerating their behaviour? Maybe it was because they were so abundant that I became Ringlet Blind, ignoring them for other butterflies as we had a quite compressed season; we started in slow motion then the season was ’freeze framed’ before the season hit fast forward. So in amongst all the frenetic catching up with slow starters and being surprised by the early arrivals I skimped on the Ringlets.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Work 01-04-2019

As it was several degrees warmer today so I set about completing the full transect; the whole field, back path and return taking in the Pits on the way. To be fair it was the fault of a Small Tortoiseshell that I started on this venture as it fluttered by very near the start of my walk and landed in the amongst the jumble of the Pits. I couldn’t relocate it but did find a Peacock as well. The rest of this part of the transect was surprisingly quiet and I didn’t see another butterfly until beyond the halfway point of the path.

When I did finally see this third butterfly however I was mightily chuffed. It glittered ghost like up the path in front of me flashing blue and silver alternately and when it landed it was miniscule compared to the scale of butterflies that I’d gotten used to seeing so far this season. It was my first Holly Blue of 2019 and what a sight. I took a few flight shots and the odd record shot thinking that this would be all I would get and then I tried carrying on along the path. The Holly Blue seemed to have the same idea and so I followed it and watched and willed it to come down. A few times it looked like going up and over the hedge to disappear for good but it was just teasing me and after I started whispering “go down, go down, go down” miraculously it did! I was so stunned I forgot to start whispering “open up, open up, open up” and so instead I settled for closed wing shots, it even did a few slight wing rolls. I don’t think I can recall getting shots where it looks so powder blue on the underside. It spent some time taking moisture from the leaf tips and after a while I carried on to the end of the path leaving it in peace.

After this I only found a single Brimstone on my return journey along the path although it did settle along with a travelling companion. Then when almost back by the Pits I spied a Small White, my fourth of 2019 as well, flying alongside the border hedge. It didn’t stop and I was too far away for any flight shots but it was still great to add a different species to the days Tally.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

Wurzel - It never ceases to amaze me what an observant nature-watcher can find. A fly on a butterfly!?! Weird.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Ernie I think a possible explanation was that the butterfly was so engrossed in feeding and so it didn't notice/mind the fly that landed on it

May 2019

Here's hoping this month is all that it can be

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Lovely Calendar shot Wurzel, lets hope May brings me more Butterflies
My Daughters garden is okay but mine is more like a Cottage Garden and I'm sure if I was at home I'd see Butterflies, ( you can tell I'm now Home sick can't you ) Goldie

[Andrew555]

Nice round up Wurzel, love the 'Specklie in hand'. Great shots of the Holly Blue, you do see some good stuff at work!

Cheers

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie So long as the Daily Mail doesn't start printing any stories about 'Glorious weather' or 'Early BBQ Summer' we should see an upturn in the butterflies
Cheers Andrew I was really lucky last year in that 'Work' provided me with lots of all my 'firsts' for the year - there's one bit of path which is a regular Small Tort paradise

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Work 03-04-2019

The temperatures remain high which is great for me. If only it was the same for the butterflies as when I looked out at break time and the lessons before lunch it looked very promising. When I got out however I’d been lied too! I tried the Pits first of all hoping to add another Specklie to the Yearly Tally and the first to the Work Tally. As I approached a butterfly hove into view and then dropped down within easy reach of my lens. It was a Small Tort which had nicely smoky front margins and contrasting bright blue rear margins.

Very shortly after this, actually within a few steps, I picked up my second butterfly of the day – a lovely looking Peacock. It was unusual in that it didn’t give me the run-around like its fellows have been so far this year.

After this I carried on all round the hedges and along the path but it was surprisingly quiet. I added only another two butterflies to the days count with fly-bys from a Brimstone and a Comma. Oh well it’ll be ‘all change’ soon and the next set of butterflies will be making their way onto the scene though I haven’t written the hibernators off yet – they’ll still be playing an active role for a while yet – just with a more varied ensemble! Bring it!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

That's a splendid Small Tortoiseshell, Wurzel. Not only is it really fresh with the blue marginal spots really striking, but the two black forewing spots are very small indeed - nearly ab. ichnusoides (I think it's called). Though vaguely ashamed of the fact now, my childhood butterfly collection had one of these in it... We are talking 50+ years ago, mind!

Dave