www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Not sure I'll be seeing anyone next week if the BBC forecast is anything to go by. It may be getting warmer but other than that it looks worse than this week!

I hope to pop over there on Mon & Tues, Paul, weather permitting.

We had sunshine that actually felt warm for a short while this morning.
Not wishing to squander such a gift I headed to the Cuckoo Trail. A few ' whites ' flew in the distance,
but a lovely Large White landed very near me, unlike an immaculate female Holly Blue which was
just a little too far away with no chance of a closer approach without risk of disturbance.
Two male Holly Blues completed my short visit, with very little else flying.

Lovely Holly Blue Trevor
"Not wishing to squander such a gift " - that seems to be the best way this season Trevor, I did exactly that this afternoon and picked up a Dingy and a Duke PM me next time you're over this way and I can put you onto a couple of other good sites

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Wurzel. Have a for your Duke, and another for the Dingy .
If the weather behaves ( not holding my breath ) I'll be searching for something more exotic this week.

Thanks for the offer!

In a 3 hour visit to Park Corner Heath and Rowland Wood this morning I only saw
4 Peacocks, 3 male Brimstones and a female Orange Tip. Apart from some
Speckle Yellow moths nothing else seemed to be flying.
I was however serenaded by at least 1 Nightingale during my stay.

After lunch a visit to the Cuckoo Trail was more lively, with 5 Green Veined Whites
flying in a group, separating, before re-joining again. Several nectared on Spanish Bluebells.
Prize of the day went to a very docile female Orange Tip, found as I was returning to the car.
The Holly Blues were too active for any shots, as was a frisky Red Admiral.

Great density of bluebells there - captured very well

Thanks Katrina, I couldn't resist such a dense mass of Bluebells.

This morning I drove over to Horseshoe Plantation. As I neared Birling Gap the weather
suggested that I might have a couple of Green Hairstreaks waiting for me.
Not a bit of it! Nothing appeared for over an hour, about to give it up as a bad job a GH
briefly came down to the brambles. I then saw a GH dispute of two soon to be three, things
were livening up. As i wandered around the site I noticed an apple tree in full blossom,
and thought it would be great to see a GH on the blossom, and then promptly found one
deep in a bloom. Next came another long, frustrating wait for the butterfly to not only
show. itself, but position itself for a decent shot. Eventually, patience paid off.

So a worthwhile morning in the end, which also included a male Brimstone, and a male
and female Speckled Wood.

The other butterflies seen today.

Congratulations on you GH shots
I particularly like the way you have captured the gold colour.
I looked hard at Kithurst but didn’t find any today

Thanks Katrina. That's a shame. No visit to Kithurst is complete without a GH or two.

Cracking Greenstreaks Trevor Also that Specklie is really heavily marked - bit of a beaut that one Thanks for the for the Duke and Dingy, I look forward to handing them back your way soon

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Wurzel, I can spot a Spring brood female Specklie at 10 paces, by the enhanced cream markings.

The weather improved enough this afternoon for a trip to High and Over, although the strong breeze remained.
Seven male Wall Browns were eventually found, but unusually they were spaced out over the hill,
and were found in areas sheltered from the strong breeze. A solitary Red Admiral completed my visit.

I wondered if the Walls would be out, Trevor... Nice shots of some new-looking butterflies. You were lucky to get some sunshine today - it was wet and cloudy all day up here.

Cheers,

Dave

No rain yesterday, Dave, and no Sun until the afternoon. Not idea for Walls.

I killed two birds with one stone this morning, by calling in at Kithurst Hill on my way to Halnaker.
This saved an 80 mile dedicated return Journey to Kithurst Hill.
For once the weather was perfect for the whole visit, and the butterflies responded. Over my
two hour visit we had Dukes and Duchesses, a mating pair of Dukes ( thanks to Emma Varley ),
A Green Hairstreak on a Cowslip, and my first Grizzled Skipper of the year. ( No Dingy Skippers though ).
I did phone the Guy I work for that I would be late, but not as late as I was

It was good to meet faces old and new including Emma Varley, Andrew Burns, Mark Jones, and briefly Neil.

Cracking stuff Trevor, and as expected it didn't take long to get the back Here's one for the Dukes in cop as well as the brilliant Walls It's great when things fall into place sometimes - makes up for all the walking that you have to put in at other times Still waiting on some Marshie news from the Hill...fingers crossed! I found some 'cats' crawling about on the path at Martin Down yesterday so hopefully this doesn't mean a delay in their emergence

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Wurzel. Much walking and hoping this morning produced very little.

I spent 3 hours at Park Corner and Rowland Wood this morning in perfect weather.
I could not believe how quiet both areas were. The final tally was 2 Red Admirals,
5 Peacocks and a fresh Green Veined White. A female Brimstone provided a quick flyby.
Yellow Speckle moths however were everywhere.

It's funny how these things go, Trevor - one good day (those Dukes are splendid! ) and then the next one has very slim pickings (though the Red Admiral on the bluebells looks rather good). With Pearls out elsewhere in Sussex, it can't be long before your more local ones appear.

Cheers,

Dave

I had a similar trip round Bentley on Saturday Trevor so I feel your disappointment What makes it worse is that everything points to it being a great day and then when you get there it seems that no-one told the butterflies Still it can only get better

Have a goodun

Wurzel

If it makes you feel better I had the same experience at Abbotts Wood. 4 GHs briefly seen, 4 large whites and a few Peacocks.

A wonderful display of shots in your diary, especially since May began, Trevor It's really hard to single any out as they're all amazing, but if I had to, it would be the Dukes and the Walls not forgetting the Grizzled Skipper which I've yet to see this year