Saturday 3rd May. A sunny day! Just a bit chilly, but at least the sun would be strong.
After encountering a Speckled Wood on my doorstep, I set off for Totternhoe again, hopeful of better results than last time. Before too long I had found a Dingy Skipper (my first this year), and met up with some like-minded people down from Derbyshire for the day.
We ambled along to the chalk pit where the Dukes can be found and met two more folk in search of the same goal. As the sun warmed up the ground, and stayed out for longer periods, we were treated with at least four, probably six or more, Dukes. They were very approachable, though quite active in chasing each other around, spiralling into the sky before plummeting back to earth. There was at least one female too, though she seemed to escape the attention of the males.
Returning slowly to the car park, there were more Dingy Skippers, a few Green Hairstreaks, and Orange Tips, Brimstones, Small Tortoiseshells, and Peacocks.
On the look out for Small Blues, I finally spotted one, but it eluded the camera by heading for an area cordoned off by virtue of a dangerously crumbling chalk face. No doubt the next week or so will bring out quite a few more.
From Totternhoe, it is a short drive along the foot of the Chiltern scarp to Ivinghoe Beacon. I was hoping to see Grizzled Skippers, but in a sheltered gully I have visited before, I found more Dukes. There were probably ten or a dozen, with territories spaced out along the length of the dip, and frequent clashes at the overlap points. Again, there was at least one female, but she did not succumb to any advances made so may well have already been mated. Dukes were by far the commonest species here, with just a couple Dingies, a few Brimstones and a solitary Peacock.
On returning home, there was just enough time to walk around my local patch. The usual customers were in evidence, with Orange Tips and Green-veined Whites settling down for the evening, and Peacocks still patrolling the paths.
Notably, I did see three Red Admirals - whether these are new arrivals from the South, or locally hatched, I can't really say - they were quite worn, so maybe the former.
I also saw two Commas and a female Holly Blue.
All in all, not a bad day at all.
Dave