Monday 1st June 2009

Colin Everett (Assistant Recorder for birds in Herts!) sent this report today: "Monday 1st June: On rough land off Lodge Lane nr Chorleywood/Little Chalfont, Bucks TQ0096, a CLOUDED YELLOW paused briefly on Red Clover before continuing NE. Also seen there: 3 Large Skippers, Common Blue, 20+ Painted Ladies (including 8+ flying N & 2 NW) and a Peacock on bramble blossom. At nearby Roughwood Park Lodge TQ0095 was a male Orange-tip."

On Sunday 31st May Graham Taylor visited Wytham Woods, Oxon (permit only) and had sightings of: 1 Green Hairstreak, 3 Red Admiral and 1 Brown Argus on the hilltop.

Wendy Wilson was walking in and around Coleshill in Bucks this morning, Monday, 1st June: "I saw my first Meadow Brown of the season - a dark male in mint condition. During our two hour walk Maggie Cartridge and I also saw 11 Large White, 12 Small White, 2 Green-veined White, 1 female Orange-tip, 1 Holly Blue, 3 Peacock, 2 rather faded Painted Ladies, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral (which Maggie rescued from under the net on someone's allotment), 1 Comma, 3 Speckled Wood and numerous other unidentified whites. We also spotted 2 Burnet Companions. Painted Ladies are still around, but not in such huge numbers as last week. I have recorded 187 at various places in Bucks and Slough during the last two weeks."

Mick & Wendy Campbell went to Asham Meads on 1st June and saw 3 pristine Small Tortoiseshells. Other species recorded were Common Blue, Small White, Speckled Wood, Large White, Painted Lady (5 - 1 very worn, nectaring on bramble flowers), Small Heath and Green-veined White. Moths were Silver-Y (3), Burnet Companion (2) and a Grass Rivulet.

On May 31st David Turnbull paid another visit to Pitstone in Bucks: "The site still revealed 60+ Small Blues (see report for 22nd May) and now a similar number of Common Blues. Strangely no Skippers were seen but 10+ Small Heaths, only 2 Painted Ladies and a late male Orange-tip. Also of note were 5 species of orchid with White Helleborine in profusion and a Lesser Broomrape."

Pete Eeles paid a visit to Hartslock, Oxon on Friday 29th May and saw: 6 Common Blue (all male), 4 Dingy Skipper, 1 Grizzled Skipper, 5 Small Heath, 1 Large Skipper and 12 Painted Lady. He was also surprised to see his earliest ever Meadow Brown (male) of the year. He then paid a visit to Lardon Chase, Berks, finding 6 Small Blue (all female), 7 Common Blue (all male) and 4 Adonis Blue (3 male and 1 female)."

Nigel Parsons writes: "I expect everyone has experienced the mass invasion of Painted Ladies over the last week or so. I was amazed and delighted to see over 100 in about 15 minutes whilst in Somerset and another 65 in about 10 minutes during my lunch break on Friday (29th May) near Aston Abbots and Weedon, Bucks. On both occasions the butterflies were flying rapidly across a field and along field hedges. I have also been out tetrad bashing near Chalfont St Giles on 31st May and saw my first Large Skipper of the year. Generally, the number of butterflies has dipped from a few weeks ago but I still managed to see several species, including Orange-tip (4 males), Large White, Small White and Green-veined White (15, 4 and 7, respectively), Peacock (6), Painted Lady (4) and Speckled Wood (3). I noted that many of these butterflies were attracted to the flowers of water cress along the sides of the River Misbourne."

Saturday 30th May 2009

John Parsons sent the following report: "On 28/05/09 I saw Small Blue (Cupido minimus) on Greenham Common, Berks. They seemed very interested in the muddy remains of a puddle."

Wednesday 27th May 2009

Dennis Dell sent this news today: "27th May - Cloudy, raining, 11 degrees, but that did not stop a Painted Lady from coming into our garden and allowing Sonia to snap it on our Choisya. Maybe the bright yellow leaves made it feel warm!"

At a site in Frieth, Bucks on Tuesday 26th, Alan Gudge, Dennis Dell and Mick & Wendy Campbell saw their first Clouded Yellow of the year, heading N-W at speed. Is this the first of many to come? Also seen were 25 Painted Ladies, Green-veined White, Large White and Speckled Wood. Then in the afternoon, Mick & Wendy went to a site near the Ridgeway in Wantage and recorded 35 Painted Ladies, 9 Common Blue (inc a mating pair), 10 Green Hairstreak, 8 Small Heath, 1 Dingy Skipper (worn) and 2 Brown Argus. Moths were Wood Tiger (6) and Cinnabar (1).

On 26th May Adam Bassett wrote: "Like everyone else I've seen quite a few Painted Lady butterflies recently, several through the garden (Marlow, Bucks) on 25th and c10 at Oaktree garden centre nr Ascot on 26th."

Juliet and Alan Gudge reported as follows on 26th: "Our experience of the Painted Lady influx in our garden in Frieth (Bucks) yesterday was a constant stream flying over heading roughly north-west and a number which settled to nectar through the day. Their favourite plant was Sweet Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) and the most PLs we had at any one time in the garden was 18. They carried on into the evening with 3 or 4 still at it at 8.30pm. Today the numbers are much lower due presumably to the wind and lower temperatures. Look forward to more arriving!"

Judith Barnard, Webmaster for Beds & Northants branch, sent the following on 26th: "Today in the area around the church in Willen, Milton Keynes, in the space of half an hour, I saw about 15 Painted Ladies and one Large White. Grid ref: SP882414."

David Fuller had seven Painted Ladies in his Maidenhead (Berks) garden on 26th May.

Chris and Marilyn Taylor reported the following on 26th May: "We would like to notify you of a sighting of a Green Hairstreak at Wildmoor Heath, Crowthorne on Sunday 10 May 2009."

Martin Walters, Loosley Row SP8101 (Bucks) sent this update on 26th: "Howling WNW gale blowing on the Chiltern Ridge today (what a difference a day makes), after my report yesterday on Painted Ladies they have all disappeared. On a walk round my wood, however, in reasonable shelter, I counted over a dozen of them flying rapidly around and giving the resident Speckled Woods a run for their money."

Dennis Dell reported the following on 26th: "59 Painted Ladies in one hour flashing through Aylesbury park golf course yesterday afternoon. Interesting the regularity of this 'fly-past' - one per minute. Quite a few landing for a 'lunch break' on bugle and common vetch. Also one Small Tortoiseshell."

Ched George says he counted 54 Painted Ladies flying across Yoesdon Bank, Radnage, on 25th May. "This was over 2 hours while looking for everything else, so may have missed many. No Adonis Blue, 3 Dingy Skipper, 20+ male Common Blue but only saw 2 females. 3 Small Blue, 1 Grizzled Skipper, 2 worn Peacock. I have not seen Small Tortoiseshell for some time, but only nymphalid larvae seen were 10 Small Tortoiseshell about 1 inch long."

Grahame Hawker sent this email on 26th May: "Many hundreds of Painted Ladies in Berkshire. Over one field Lesley and I counted over 20 flying by in one minute - that's over 1200 per hour. All heading rapidly north. By 8 in the evening they had stopped migrating and were forming duelling groups along the country lanes."

Tuesday 26th May 2009

Dave Wilton sent this report yesterday, 25th: "Today there seemed to be an even greater number of Painted Ladies in transit locally than there were yesterday. A ten-minute count while standing in the middle of a large field near to me in Westcott, Bucks produced 138 butterflies flying strongly in a north-westerly direction. That equates to more than 800 per hour in just one spot! During the day I found a few of them taking a breather, with two nectaring in the disused railway cutting at Westcott (see below) and another 15 found on buttercups near the Calvert land-fill site. The disused railway cutting also produced my first Large Skipper of the year as well as Dingy Skipper (15, numbers on the wane now), Grizzled Skipper (8), Green Hairstreak (1), Brown Argus (2), Common Blue (139) and Small Heath (8)."

Helen Hyre sent this on 25th May: "I thought I saw a high-speed Painted Lady in Bierton, Bucks, on 24th May, but usually we don't see them in this garden until at least 8th June. I checked the UTB website on 25th and decided it must have been a Painted Lady. On 25th May we had 2 Painted Ladies for an hour in the garden, sitting on paving but mostly nectaring on Sweet Rocket and Erysimum. For another 2 hours one or both of them were in the garden. In between all this excitement, I went to Bierton churchyard where 3 PLs crossed at high speed, a few seconds apart. At 6.50pm a PL was still active in our garden, despite all the other butterflies having gone to bed!"

In David Fuller's garden in Maidenhead, Berks recently: "Saturday 23rd Painted Lady, Sunday 24th Painted Lady 2, Monday 25th Painted Lady 4 all together on White Valerian. Also Orange Tip female, Holly Blue female, Peacock, Green-veined White at least 3 and Large White 1."

Danny Howard (Cowley, Oxford) reported the following on 25th: "Went to the shops today and saw a few Painted Ladies on the way so when I got back to the house I thought I'd actually do a count. In a ten minute timed period from 16:10 to 16:20 I counted 31 flying through. Mostly around house roof height and heading between North and North West. Throughout the day one or two have stopped in the garden for a feed but most have just flown on by."

Derek Brown sent this update on 25th: "And still they come!! The Painted Ladies were coming through the garden in Beenham, Berks, today at a rough rate of 1 every minute or so. That adds up to several hundred during the course of the day, all heading North. An amazing sight and one I've not seen before."

Martin Walters, Loosley Row in Bucks, sent this report on Monday 25th: "Having seen no Painted Ladies last year, I must have seen several hundred this afternoon moving rapidly from a SE direction heading NW. Several nectared on the large amount of Sweet Rocket we have in the garden and adjoining field. Our map reference is SP817017. I have completed the garden survey for many years and the above is one of the most exciting butterfly events since I have been recording."

Lloyd Garvey completed the Butterfly transect at Greenham Common (West Berks) yesterday, 25th and counted 112 Painted Ladies, along with 99 Common Blues, 3 Small Blues.

Monday 25th May 2009

Chris Woodrow reported the following today, 25th: "A friend of mine up in Norfolk witnessed part of an invasion of Painted Ladies yesterday, counting over 100 butterflies passing over his garden in a 3 hour period. He contacted one of the County Recorders Andy Brazil, who advised as follows: Yes, we're in the middle of a hugh influx of painted ladies - counts have been as high as 800 an hour at Strumpshaw, and they're moving in across a huge front from here down to Sussex. Possibly the largest migration event of our generation may be happening (Italy is reporting "millions", and Spain "hundreds of thousands". The bulk of them haven't got here yet.) Apparently it's all the result of a wet winter in the sahara, which has led to a population explosion."

Gerry Kendall reports on the 2 recent UTB Field Meetings:
Thirteen Butterfly conservation members took advantage of the fine weather to join the Field Meeting at Aston Upthorpe Downs on 23 May. Butterflies came by steadily and we found the realistic target species: both spring Skippers and Green Hairstreak. Neither Adonis Blue nor Duke of Burgundy appeared. The former should emerge shortly, but the Duke now seems rare indeed on the site. However, a good number of other butterflies and moths compensated for the absence of the rarities. In particular around the Fairmile there was a Small Blue hotspot with perhaps fifty in a couple of hundred metres. The pleasure of the walk was increased by some nice birds and flowers, including Corn Bunting which seems to be doing well in this area whatever may be happening nationally. The total number of butterfly species for the day was seventeen – a very reasonable number in May. Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper, Small Blue, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Small Heath. Moths included Cinnabar, Small Yellow Underwing, Common Heath, Common Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet and Latticed Heath. Plus Six-spot Burnet cocoons.
Paul Bowyer led a successful Field Meeting at Calvert Jubilee on 24 May. The group saw thirteen species of butterfly: Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Painted Lady, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Small Heath. The moth list included Mother Shipton and Burnet Companion, Treble Bar and Common carpet. Worthy of special note was the stream of northbound Painted Ladies making their non-stop way through the reserve as if their final goal was a distant one. But the most unusual sighting was a 25 cm red-eared terrapin which was found close to the lake margin.

Tim Watts says he only managed to get out late afternoon in Bucks today: "I still counted 96 Painted Ladies in under 10 mins at Granborough, all bombing North and another 90 in 10 minute stop at East Claydon. At Calvert there was a constant stream flying up both lakes and surrounds. Would have been fantastic to have been sitting on the summit of Quainton Hills where I have seen Red admirals migrating in numbers and often get odd Painted Lady. Presume the total day count up there, where you have a wide field of view would have been in the thousands!! Home counties bird websites still reporting very large numbers on the move."

Pete Eeles writes from Thatcham, Berks: "The Painted Lady invasion continues! I saw between 8 and 9 per minute flying over my garden this afternoon - with several settling to nectar. That's around 500 per hour! All heading in a northerly direction."

Paul Warham observed Painted Ladies today flying N. through Marlow (Bucks) in ones and twos at a rate of c.50/hour between 14.00 & 15.00.

Dave Maunder says: "Today my wife and I took a stroll around nearby fields to our house in Aylesbury (Bucks) and we found:- Painted Lady (1); Peacocks (3); Small Tortoiseshell (1 adult, 2 more batches of 4th instar larvae); Holly Blue (1); Large Whites (3); Small Whites (7); and Green-veined White (1)."

Phil Todd reported these sightings today, 25th: "At Salden disused railway were:- Wood White: No more than 6. Very flighty in hot sunshine with only 2 individuals landing to feed. Common Blue: very common at least 50. Orange-tip: 10-20. Brimstone 2-4. Small numbers of Small White and Large White. Moths: 1 Mother Shipton, 2 Burnet Companion, 1 Pyrausta Aurata."

Dave Miller visited Pitstone again yesterday (24th): "A glorious day, and the butterflies were out in force, especially on the lower steeper slopes and in the dips. I quickly lost count of the numbers of Small Heath, Brown Argus, Common Blue and Dingy Skipper. One of the female Common Blues was entirely blue, except for the orange spots. Along the bottom of the slopes next to the Hawthorn scrub were good numbers of Green Hairstreak – the males squabbling in the trees and the females egg-laying on the nearby open slopes. I also encountered about half a dozen Grizzled Skippers, several very worn Speckled Woods and one brand new one. Finally, as noticed by many people across the south of England I think, there were Painted Ladies. I would say that one passed me roughly every 10-15 minutes, heading along the Ridgeway roughly North/ NorthEastwards. Driving back to Heathrow, I spotted them whizzing across the M25 at frequent intervals too. I’ve attached a decent picture of a pristine Brown Argus from Saturday’s trip.

Danny Howard reports: "I went for a walk in the sun around Coombe Hill near Wendover (Bucks) yesterday (24th) and must have seen 20+ Painted Ladies, as well as my first Small Heath of the year and a fair number of Brimstones and 1 male Orange Tip."

Wendy Wilson says: "Yes, Painted Ladies have reached east Bucks and quite far north as well. I saw 2 in Gerrards Cross at 9am yesterday, 24 May, one was in my garden. I then drove up to North Bucks near MK to visit my daughter and saw one in Great Brickhill, in SP9030, and two in Stoke Hammond churchyard, in SP8628 tetrad, in the early afternoon."

Ched George writes: "Painted Ladies flying steadily through Radnage (Bucks) and Kingston Blount (Oxon) all day yesterday, flying west-north-west. 1 or 2 seen every few minutes. Evidently a large migration of Clouded Yellows approaching from Essex and Herts."

Derek Brown writes: "Looks like my previous comment 'might be a good year for them' was something of an understatement! Like everyone else we had another 20-30 Painted Ladies flying through the garden in Beenham (Berks). Most were on a Northward mission but the odd one stopped to nectar on the Mexican Orange."

Sunday 24th May 2009

Maureen Cross reports that her daughter saw a male Adonis Blue on Lardon Chase, Berks, today (Sunday 24th).

Graham Taylor says he was sitting in a park in central Witney, Oxon, today 24 May: "I watched a mass migration of Painted Ladies. There were never more than 2 or 3 flying together at a time, but over the course of an hour and a half there were individuals visible at least every couple of minutes – often more frequently – all flying at speed in the same northward direction. All were keeping low to the ground, except when avoiding a large circus tent. I didn't keep a count, but must have seen close on a couple of hundred individuals. I've not watched a migration like this in the UK before! On a more mundane note, one Holly Blue in our garden in Cumnor (Oxon)."

Jim Asher writes from Abingdon, Oxon: "Today (24th), and especially this afternoon, the commonest butterfly was Painted Lady. We had over 50 sightings on the Downs south of East Hendred, Oxon - almost all flying strongly northwards. If the invasion force hasn't hit Bucks yet, it soon will! This morning I went to target some blank squares nearby and recorded Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Green Hairstreak, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Small Heath plus Small Blue. So far this weekend, I have seen 17 species ... and it's not over yet!"

Pete Eeles spent just over an hour in Upper Bucklebury, Berks, this morning (24th) and, whilst walking his dogs, saw: 2 Common Blue (1 male, 1 female), 2 Painted Lady, 2 Large White (both female), 11 Speckled Wood, 1 Small White (male) and 3 Cinnabar moth. He spent lunchtime at Newbury racecourse and saw 22 Painted Lady in just under an hour - all heading purposefully in a northerly direction. This afternoon he also had 2 Painted Lady flying across his garden in Thatcham, Berks.

John Ward-Smith saw three Painted Ladies in his Bracknell (Berks) garden today, 24th, and possibly another dozen or so that flew swiftly through without stopping.

Tim Watts sent this sightings report today, 24th: "I'm sure everyone knows about the massive Painted Lady influx/invasion!! but here are my sightings - Painted Lady seen at 5 mid-Bucks sites a.m., 2 in our garden and I counted 26 bombing past me, all heading North, in 1 hour at the end of Calvert landfill. The birdwatching websites are reporting numbers seen by observers that dwarf this. Also seen in Calvert drain area were large numbers of Common Blue and Dingy Skipper, 5 Green Hairstreak and 3 Grizzled Skipper but no Wall Brown yet!"

Jan Haseler did the Lardon Chase butterfly transect this morning, 24th May, and saw: "3 Painted Ladies, 16 Small Blues, 1 Silver Y, plus Thisanotia chrysonuchella, Crambus lathionellus and Crambus perlella but no Adonis Blues. We then went across to The Holies where we saw: 32 Painted Ladies (almost all heading fast north) + 18 Adonis Blues, including 2 mating pairs."

This news came from Dave Wilton today, 24th: "Did anyone NOT see at least one Painted Lady today?! There must have been thousands upon thousands of them in transit northwards through our region. I visited several sites in west Bucks between Bernwood Forest and the River Ray during today's glorious sunshine and absolutely everywhere one seemed to pass by every few minutes. At about 1pm I stopped for 15 minutes to eat a sandwich in Leaches Meadow (BBOWT), north of the A41 near Marsh Gibbon, and counted 23 powering along the same hedgerow in that time. Quite an event!"

Dave Maunder sent the following today, 24th May: "While working at my allotment in Aylesbury, Bucks, today I witnessed some good visible migration, as I saw at least 31 Painted Ladies flying past at speed over a period of 3 hours, all heading north, none stopping to feed! So hopefully we will see a good Painted Lady year. Also seen were Peacock (1); Small Tortoiseshell (1); Brimstones (2); numerous Large Whites and Small Whites, Green-veined Whites (2); Speckled Wood (1) and Holly Blue (1)."

Andrew Bolton, Hants Branch, sent this report on 23rd May: "After a most enjoyable walk around the Aston Upthorpe Downs site during the field trip on Saturday where we saw about 16 species, I went on for a late pm visit to Lardon Chase, Berks, my first visit here. I saw the following species between about 3.20 - 4.50 pm - it was really warm too. Grid ref. SU 588809: Common Blue 16, Small Blue 3, Adonis Blue 1, Painted Lady 3, Brimstone 2 and Large White 1. I would have liked a photo of the Adonis Blue from a better angle, but it was warm and the insects were really lively and off it went so I was lucky to get anything at all!"

Saturday 23rd May 2009

Jan Haseler writes that members on the BBOWT walk to Paices Wood near Aldermaston (Berks) on Saturday 23rd May had an excellent opportunity to watch butterflies and day-flying moths. The 9 butterfly species included Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Brown Argus, Common Blue and Small Copper. Moths included Drab Looper, Silver-ground Carpet, lots of Speckled Yellows, Burnet Companion, Mother Shipton and Lesser Treble-bar."

This news came from Derek Brown today: "We have had several Painted Ladies recently in our garden in Beenham (Berks) - looks like a good year for them. One on Tuesday 19th and a couple today 23rd May. I must admit I didn't think these 'garden centre' Pansies would be attractive to them."

Richard Soulsby spent this afternoon, 23rd, in his garden in Benson (Oxon): "It produced visitations from Holly Blue (2), Common Blue (1), Small White, Large White and two sightings of Painted Lady. Taken together with the species seen on the enjoyable and productive field trip with Gerry at Aston Upthorpe Downs this morning, gave a very satisfactory total of 18 species for the day."

Dave Miller thought he’d investigate the Pitstone area, having seen several reports on the website of Small Blues there: "I walked up onto the hill from the National Trust car park but was unable to find the Small Blues. However the bit I did investigate was worth a look as there were 5+ Common Blues (inc. 1 female), 10+ Brown Argus (an even split between m/f I’d say), two Green Hairstreaks (female by behaviour), 5+ Dingy Skippers, 2 Grizzled Skippers, 2 Large Whites and 10+ Small Heaths. There were many multi-species disputes, notably a four-way tussle between a Common Blue, a Dingy Skipper, a Small Heath and a Brown Argus. The last of these, by far the smallest, kept his ground. Site location: SP952147. A sheltered ditch with one slope facing south."

Friday 22nd May 2009

David Turnbull sent the following report today: "A visit to a site in Pitstone, Bucks to look for Small Blues to photograph led to quite a surprise when I found 100+ on three consecutive days - the 20th, 21st and 22nd May. Also seen were 10+ Dingy Skippers, a few Common Blues, Large White, Green-veined White & Orange-tip."

This news came from David and Pippa Lloyd today: "Two Painted Lady sightings in Berkshire today, 22nd May. Firstly in Charvil Country Park, at about 1230 on grassy area just west of the lake. Secondly by David White at Dinton Pastures on the path running on the east side of White Swan Lake about 1615."

Wednesday 20th May 2009

Andy King visited Pitstone late this afternoon, 20th: "I saw the following: x3 Dingy Skippers, x2 Small Heaths, several Common Blues, x2 or 3 Brimstones and x18 Little Blues (Small Blues, if you prefer). The Little Blues were congregating for roosting and could be found in or near x3 clumps of grass, near where the site's chalk bank 'turns a corner'."

Dave Wilton sent this report today: "Having got a couple of Chilterns transects out of the way, I called at a site near Pitstone, Bucks late this afternoon (20th) and was pleased to find Small Blue (10) active in the sunshine. Other species present included Dingy Skipper, Small Copper & Common Blue."

Tuesday 19th May 2009

Dave Ferguson sent the following today: "I saw a Painted Lady at Pipers Corner (near the Hughenden Valley, Bucks) this morning, 19th May."

This news came from David Fuller today: "My first sighting of a Painted Lady in my Maidenhead (Berks) garden yesterday 18/05/09."

On 18th May Dave Maunder wrote: "I recently found two batches of Small Tortoiseshell larvae on nettles near my house in Aylesbury, Bucks, one batch of which I've kept to see if the parasitic fly Sturmia bella is present!"

Saturday 16th May 2009

Robin Carr reports on the Field Meeting to Ivinghoe Beacon on 16th May: "A total of seven people braved the weather to be rewarded with the sighting of a total of 25 Dukes of Burgundy on the beacon side of the road, 6 of these were in the gully. There were none seen on Steps Hill probably because the sun hadn’t come out by then. Other sightings were 2 Green Hairstreaks, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Large Whites, 4 Dingy Skippers, 1 Small Heath, 1 Green-veined White and 1 Orange-tip, also 1 Green Carpet and 1 Common Carpet."

Pete Eeles saw a female Green-veined White egg-laying on Garlic Mustard in his garden in Thatcham, Berks, last week and noticed that the eggs were hatching this morning, 16th May. He rushed to get a photo of the event (see below).

Monday 11th May 2009

This report came from Dave Wilton today: "On 8th May another visit to the disused railway cutting west of Westcott Airfield, Bucks provided a healthy total of Skippers with Grizzled Skipper (21) and Dingy Skipper (27) recorded. Common Blue was starting to emerge, with a dozen seen there, and the first Small Heath for the site was out. A very quick look at two places near Calvert, Bucks on 10th May found healthy Skipper numbers there as well. On waste ground at Calvert Green I recorded Grizzled Skipper (7), Dingy Skipper (21), Green Hairstreak (1), Small Copper (1), Common Blue (2), while the Calvert Jubilee reserve produced Grizzled Skipper (15), Dingy Skipper (18), Green Hairstreak (1) & Common Blue (5). A brief return visit to the disused railway cutting by Westcott Airfield on 11th May, where the site was nicely sheltered from the north-easterly gale, produced Grizzled Skipper (24), Dingy Skipper (61, the highest total I've ever recorded there!), Green Hairstreak (3, including a female egg-laying on bird's-foot trefoil), Brown Argus (5) and Common Blue (104). After two years of very poor numbers, the Common Blue colony here seems to have bounced back rather well. In contrast, has anyone else noticed a lack of Holly Blue butterflies so far this year? Apart from one in our garden on 26th April I've failed to record the species anywhere locally."

Pete Eeles visited Hartslock, Oxon, on the morning of 10th May, for just over an hour and saw: 12 Small Heath, 19 Dingy Skipper (including a newly-emerged female that was drying her wings and being accosted by an amorous male!), 15 Common Blue (14 male, 1 female), 8 Grizzled Skipper (all looking worn), 9 Green Hairstreak, 2 Green-veined White, 5 Orange-tip (all male) and 1 Brown Argus (male).

David Redhead sent the following report: "Dog walks on 10th May near my house in Littlemore, Oxon, produced my first 2009 sightings of two common moths - early morning a Common Carpet, early evening a Green Carpet. An active Speckled Wood and Large White were also seen before 9am. In the afternoon a 3 mile walk from the southern car park at Port Meadow to Binsey Churchyard and back produced a disappointing tally of 8 Peacock, 3 Orange-tip (two female, one male) & 2 Speckled Wood. 7 of the Peacocks were interesting though - by a field gateway halfway along Binsey Lane there were suddenly 4 Peacocks flying about, a look over the gate into the field gave a sighting of a mating pair settled on a post with a "gooseberry" in close attendance. Presumably the four initially seen were also frustrated males. 26 Orange-tip eggs and one caterpillar were found along the way on garlic mustard. All the eggs were orange bar one which was still white and the majority were either in the more sheltered car park or churchyard - the most heavily laid plant in the car park had a female roosting on the top. Meanwhile in our garden Wendy recorded 8 species - Brimstone, Comma, Green-veined White, Large White, Orange-tip, Peacock, Small White & Speckled Wood."

Here are Malcolm Brownsword's sightings for Hartslock (including the extension) on his BBOWT transect on 10th May: "Having abandoned my transect 3 days earlier, due to bad weather, I managed to complete it before bad weather forecasts for the next few days. 19 Dingy Skippers, 3 Grizzled Skippers, 1 Large White, 2 Small Whites, 5 Green Hairstreaks, 3 Brown Argus, 8 Common Blues, 1 Peacock, 5 Small Heaths and also 2 Burnet Companion moths. Many more than the 19 Dingy Skippers recorded were seen outside the transect route. Considering the wet summers of 2007 and 2008, this seems a good start for 2009. All of the Grizzled Skippers were nectaring on Milkwort in the extension to the reserve. 4 of the Dingy Skippers, 2 of the Brown Argus and 4 of the Common Blues were also recorded in the extension, which is being grazed using sheep and goats during the summer months."

Don and Sandra Otter saw one or possibly two Wood White in the disused railway cutting near Mursley, Bucks on Sunday 10th May.

On the afternoon of 10th May, in fine weather, Sonia and Dennis Dell visited the Duke of Burgundy hotspots on the south west slopes below Ivinghoe Beacon. Six were seen on the north side of the road and two more lower down to the south of the road. It is interesting to note that this species remains loyal to a few well-defined, small, areas on these slopes and is only seen elsewhere in very good seasons when the numbers are higher than average. Other species seen: Holly Blue [1], Small White [11], Brimstone [10], Dingy Skipper [7], Green Hairstreak [4], Small Heath [2], Speckled Wood [2], Peacock [3], Grizzled Skipper [1], Orange Tip [3], Large White [1]. The Dukes were all in good condition, indicating that the peak is being reached about now.

Malcolm Brownsword sent the following report of his BBOWT transect in Homefield Wood (Bucks) on 9th May: "1 Brimstone, 5 Large Whites, 1 Green-veined White, 2 Small Whites, 7 Orange-tips, 1 Common Blue, 5 Peacocks and 3 Speckled Woods and one hornet! I found numerous Orange-tip eggs on 'Jack by the hedge' - see photo below."

Wednesday 6th May 2009

Dennis Dell and Dave Wilton visited Ivinghoe Beacon yesterday afternoon, 5th May: Unfortunately the weather forecast didn't live up to its promise of sunny intervals and there was a south-westerly gale blowing so few butterflies were seen, but they did include three Dukes of Burgundy. Two were in the usual gully on Beacon Hill while the other was flushed from scrub on the lower slopes of Steps Hill. The latter example exhibited some unusual behaviour by shooting straight up to roost 8ft off the ground in a hawthorn bush.

Monday 4th May 2009

Dave Miller, member of the Herts/Middx branch of BC, sent this report today: "I found myself yesterday (3rd May) with an hour to kill at Cherwell Valley Services on the M40, and three boys (aged 4-12) to entertain. I was amazed to find that round the back of the service area is a large meadow full of wild flowers with a bit of mixed woodland at the back. During the hour, we saw at least a dozen male Orange-tips (no females, curiously), 6 or 7 Green-veined Whites, 2 Brimstones (one of each sex) and a Painted Lady. One of the Orange-tips had lost a huge chunk of one forewing (no orange left at all) and part of the hindwing, yet managed to fly quite happily. Unfortunately, the Painted Lady was not posing for pictures. Just shows you can find butterflies in unlikely places – and keep the kids happily occupied at the same time!"

May Webber reported the following today: "The two Orange-Tip eggs I have been monitoring in my garden in Witney, Oxon, have finally hatched! They are very very small and I had great difficulty trying to find them again to show my Mum!"

Chris Iles made a visit to Hurst Hill, Cumnor in Oxon (SP4704) on 3rd May: "When the sun came out, it was very enjoyable to see the appearance of hyperactive Small Coppers. These were chasing each other around the glades, where there is abundant sheep's sorrel for their caterpillars. At least 11 seen, along with 5 Speckled Woods, a Large White, a Peacock and a couple of unidentified whites; also a Winter Moth larva which descended onto my hand, and an unidentified micro-moth. I looked for White-letter Hairstreak larvae on some English elm in a nearby lane, where there was some feeding damage on the leaves - however, these turned out to be March Moth larvae."

Terry Hotten sent the following sighting yesterday, 3rd May: "I have just viewed your first sightings data and have an earlier date for Common Blue. There were 1 or 2 Common Blues flying at Hartslock, Oxon on April 29th, first seen by the warden Chris Raper and then by me."

Mick Jones spent most of Saturday morning, 2nd May, at Dancersend, Bucks: "There were 2 male Dukes of Burgundy holding territory in the meadow plots area, but none on Anthill which is a bit of a puzzle. Friday lunchtime I had a very tatty female who looked as though she might have been laying right in the centre of the meadow plots, so things not quite going by the book - mind you, we've only just reached the normal emergence date for Dancersend. Had Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skippers as well. Also, my first Cuckoo of the year."

Saturday 2nd May 2009

Dave Wilton sent this sighting today, 2nd May: "While carrying out a transect in a private mid-Bucks wood this afternoon I was delighted to find a Dingy Skipper, a species I've not previously recorded there. However, better was yet to come. About 20 minutes later, while walking along a wide N-S ride, I was dive-bombed by a large brown Vanessid which then carried on along the ride, each time settling high up in sallows and blackthorn before my hurried arrival spooked it into moving again. When I finally managed to sneak up on it, I got a brilliant view through my binoculars of a Large Tortoiseshell sunning itself high up in some sallow! While scrabbling to get my camera out of my rucksack the sun went in and the butterfly closed its wings. By the time the sun re-appeared it had adjusted its position so that only a distant underside shot was possible, but here it is for the record. A few seconds later the beast shot off again and further searching over the next half an hour failed to relocate it. I'm not aware of a record for this species in Bucks since one was caught at Penn Street in August 1964."

Ben Miller sent the following report today: "Despite an extensive search this afternoon, 2nd May, I was unable to find any Duke of Burgundys at Dancersend. Just reasonable numbers of common woodland butterflies, espescially Orange-tips (including my first female of the year), Speckled Woods and Green-veined Whites. A calling Hobby was the avian highlight, my first away from the ressies this year."

On the Lardon Chase (Berks) transect this morning, 2nd May, Jan Haseler saw the following: "Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper and Small Blue. Then over at The Holies, I saw about 20 Dingy Skippers, 2 Grizzled Skippers, 8 Common Blues (all male), a Brown Argus and 3 Small Coppers. A Small Yellow Underwing moth was at both Lardon Chase and The Holies."

While doing his transect on Sands Bank, High Wycombe, Bucks yesterday (1st May), Tony Speight saw his first Common Blue of the year. "This is 10 days earlier than I saw them last year. I also saw 14 Dingy Skipper, 11 Brimstone, 2 Large White, 2 Orange Tip, 2 Peacock and a Speckled Wood."

Judith Barnard, Beds & Northants branch, sent this report today: "Last Wednesday (29th April) I saw many Speckled Woods, Orange Tips and a female Holly Blue in Willen, Milton Keynes."

This news was received from Nick Bowles on 1st May: "On Sunday last (26th April) I went to the Pitstone area in Bucks and saw a Small Heath the position of which I described to Tom Dunbar who was arriving as I left. He couldn't find it but instead saw Small Blue in the area I sent him to, which didn't please me as I have yet to see one this year! There were approximately 15 Dingy Skipper there and oddly no Green Hairstreak; other species included Brimstone, Large White, Orange-tip, Peacock, Comma. Also on Sunday 26th, I saw two Grizzled Skippers (one of each sex) in Wendover Woods, Bucks. This sighting is especially pleasing as Forest Enterprise, who manage this wood, have done such an excellent job of creating habitat which is ideal for this species. Grizzled Skipper is a high priority species within the UK Biodiversity action planning and is not known to be present at any site within about 5 miles of this section of Wendover Woods. If a strong colony can develop here it could well spread to occupy other adjacent sites."

Richard Soulsby says his visit to Aston Rowant NNR (North) on 1st May in mediocre weather at 9:30am yielded only three butterflies: "However one was my first Small Copper of the year (the other two were Speckled Woods). Then, mid-morning in my garden (Benson in Oxon), I noticed a Holly Blue sitting with closed wings on a flower of evergreen Ceanothus. When I inspected it more closely it identified itself as a female by laying an egg on a flower calyx, which can just be seen in the centre of the photo below. My various reference books list a wide range of shrubs that are used as larval hostplants of the Holly Blue, but I can’t find Ceanothus mentioned. A few years ago, I saw an egg laid on a flower bud of a Cotoneaster tree, a few feet from the Ceanothus, and I can’t find this listed either. I wonder if other people have seen Holly Blues laying on these plants? It may just be a mistake on the part of the female. I’ll keep an eye on this egg and see if it hatches and whether the larva survives on Ceanothus."

Thursday 30th April 2009

Wendy & David Redhead took the dog for a walk yesterday afternoon, 29th April, on the rough grassland near their house in Littlemore, Oxon and the second of the two Peacocks they came across was hanging from the underside of a nettle leaf where they suspected she was egg laying. When she moved on they inspected the leaf and found a small pile of green eggs attached. Also seen were a male Orange-tip and two Speckled Woods.

Tuesday 28th April 2009

Mark Calway sent this news today: "Whilst on a family walk on Sunday afternoon (26th April) we noticed our first batch of Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars - around one-third to one-half full grown. These were in Berkshire between Earley and Wokingham."

David Gantzel sent this report yesterday: "At Little Hampden, Bucks, on April 23rd I saw 2 male Brimstones, 2 Large White, 1 Speckled Wood and 1 male Orange-tip."

Sunday 26th April 2009

Dave Ferguson visited Lodge Hill on the morning of the 26th April: "It produced 4 Grizzled Skippers, 4 Small Coppers, a Speckled Wood, Orange Tips, Brimstones, Small Whites and Peacocks."

Wendy Wilson has carried out some more surveys in Bucks recently: "At Denham Country Park today, 26th April, 21 Orange-tips were competing with 13 Green-veined Whites for the cuckoo flowers blooming in the damp meadow between the Misbourne and Colne rivers. An aggressive male Orange-tip dived repeatedly at a mating pair of Green-veined Whites, but they carried on regardless (as you can see in the photo). Several female Orange-tips were ovipositing and I spotted some orange eggs as well as freshly laid ones on the cuckoo flowers. Also there were 3 Small Whites, 7 Peacocks, 3 Holly Blues, 3 Speckled Woods, 2 Large Whites and 4 rather worn Commas. I also saw a Hornet scraping wood from a fence post. Also, on Sunday 19th April, I decided to see if I could find some butterflies in a hitherto unrecorded area between Slough and Heathrow, an urban area close to the M25 and M4. I was not hopeful, but I got a delightful surprise as I entered the very pretty churchyard at St Michael's, Horton, as the first thing I spotted were 2 Small Tortoiseshells nectaring on the same dandelion (see photo). Also there were 4 Holly Blues, 2 Peacocks, 1 Orange-tip and 2 each of the three whites."

Mick Jones sent the following email: "Sunday 26 April I was finally able to confirm that Duke of Burgundy had emerged at Dancersend. 3 Dukes were seen in two of the usual areas - very brief sightings due to the gusty wind. Did anyone see them during the week when I couldn't get there? If you visit the reserve please contribute to the Duke of Burgundy survey - contact me at m.d.jones@open.ac.uk and I will send a recording form and map."

Robin Carr reports that the first Duke of Burgundy at Dancersend, Bucks, was seen this morning, Sunday 26th, at the west end of the meadow plots.

David Redhead didn't have much time for butterflying today, 26th, but says two dog walks proved interesting: "The early morning dog walk to Rivermead Nature Park in Oxford produced sightings of an active male Orange-tip and Green-veined White at 8.15am with the temperature about 8C. Then in the afternoon a walk through the rough grassland near my house in Littlemore (Oxon) was proving rather unproductive when we suddenly came across our first Brown Argus of the year."

Francis Gomme did a walk in Turville, Bucks, on Saturday 25th April: "I managed to find Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Small Heath, Comma, Peacock, Orange-tip and Large White despite the rather fresh wind and patchy sun!"

Friday 24th April 2009

David Redhead visited the disused railway near Salden Wood, Bucks today, primarily to survey the Wood White colony: "My total identified butterfly count was 120 plus 28 unidenitified whites - Brimstones 29 (24 male, 5 female with one investigating buckthorn), 26 Peacocks, 20 Green-veined Whites (either nectaring on ground ivy or settled on damp patches), 17 Orange-tips (all male), 10 Speckled Woods, 9 Small Tortoiseshells, 5 Large Whites, 3 Wood Whites and 1 Small White. I only saw one patch of Orange-tip larval food plant, 7 garlic mustard flowers just west of the old station - three had a white egg, one had an orange egg (laid on the edge of a leaf). Not a sniff of a Grizzled Skipper!"

Dave Wilton sent this report today, 24th: "Over the past week I've visited several Grizzled Skipper sites local to me in Bucks and found the species active on waste ground at Greatmoor (1 on 19th, 8 on 22nd), along the disused railway near Salden Wood (1 on 20th), on waste ground at Calvert Green (4 on 21st), in the Calvert Jubilee nature reserve (7 on 21st) and in the Finemere Meadows nature reserve (1 on 23rd) as well as along the disused railway cutting west of Westcott Airfield (8 on 21st and 20 seen today). Also present in the cutting today were Dingy Skipper (1), Brown Argus (1), Peacock (6) and Speckled Wood (4) as well as the usual pierids. The Brown Argus would have made a Small Blue look large! It was so small that it was difficult to keep up with when it flew and I only managed one rather distant picture."

John Parsons sent this email on 24th April: "At Greenham Common (Berks) today I saw my first Small Copper of the year."

David Fuller sent the following on 23rd April: "I usually go to Watlington Hill (Oxon) in the first week in May but as we have had some hot weather I went today. Not so hot today but the following were seen: Grizzled Skipper 3, Green Hairstreak 1, Brimstone males 7 females 2, Peacock 4, Green-veined White 4, Speckled Wood 1. Also, in my Maidenhead (Berks) garden: Holly Blue male and Green-veined White 2 and at Bolter End (Bucks) an Orange-tip female."

Thursday 23rd April 2009

Francis Gomme reported the following sightings: "One Duke of Burgundy on Ivinghoe Hills (Bucks) yesterday morning, 22nd April, plus Green Hairstreak, Grizzled Skippers (5), Large Whites, Orange-tip, Brimstones, Speckled Woods and Peacocks. A pleasant surprise on Steps Hill was a Small Tortoiseshell. Then today, 23rd, I had my first Small Heath on a field boundary just south of Princes Risborough, Bucks."

Some butterflies seen over the last few days in Aylesbury by Dave Maunder include: Peacock (1); Small Tortoiseshells (2); Orange-tips (3); Brimstones (7); Large Whites (10); Small Whites (30+); Green-veined Whites (2); Speckled Woods (5) and Holly Blue (1).

Tim Watts was up on Quainton Hill, Bucks again yesterday, 22nd and saw another Painted Lady in the same spot as the day before (see report below).

David Redhead sent the following on 22nd April: "Further to my report of the 14th April, we now think that the hatching of the monitored Brown Hairstreak eggs is complete - last year we had to wait until the 1st May for the last eggs to hatch. I have now seen two female Orange-tips - one nearly landing on my hand as I inspected a Lady's Smock flowerhead for eggs. Yesterday every other unshaded Lady's Smock and Garlic Mustard flowerhead on the marshland near my house (in Littlemore, Oxford) possessed an Orange-tip egg and several had two. The total egg count was 44. At this time last year I had not even found my first egg and by mid-May this area only contained 38 eggs on slightly more plants. Our garden seemed quieter yesterday morning than on previous days and a visit to Bernwood Forest in the afternoon to do the Shabbington Wood transect proved a bit disappointing - in an hour and a half my count was just 24 butterflies - 9 Speckled Wood, 6 Orange-tip (all male), 3 Peacock, 2 Brimstone (both male) and 4 unidentified Whites. This years first sightings list seems to be challenging April 2007, let's hope this April does not prove to be a false dawn as well."

Tuesday 21st April 2009

Ched George sent this news today: "1 Duke of Burgundy seen at a site in South Bucks today, 21st April."

Tim Watts sent this report today: "Tonight, 21st April, I watched a Painted Lady in flight then basking on dry mud on the summit of Quainton Hill, Bucks. This spot is good for migrant birds and it has produced Painted Lady, Clouded Yellow and Red Admirals, presumably all migrating, in the past."

Peter Cuss had a walk at Moor Copse (OS 175 SU633738) today, 21st April, to see what was on the wing: "I can report Orange-tip (25) Speckled Wood (12) Comma (2) Peacock (4) Small White (5). Also 3 Scarlet Tiger caterpillars feeding on comfrey. Still no sighting of Small Tortoiseshell, which I have not seen in Berkshire for 3 years now."

Alun & Chrissie visited West Wycombe Hill (482778) on Sunday April 19th: "We had 7 Small White, 8 Brimstone (all male), 3 pristine Orange-tip, 3 Holly Blues (2 probable female) and our first Small Copper, a rather fine male. Anticipating a lot more sightings if the weather continues like this."

Monday 20th April 2009

Francis Gomme reported the following today: "I visited Grangelands, Bucks, yesterday, 19th April. Just 1 Dingy Skipper (my first this year) but Grizzled Skipper numbers are growing, 15+ on a circular walk. Also Holly Blue, Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Large White, Small White, Brimstone, Comma and Peacock."

Another update from David Fuller today, 20th April: "My garden in Maidenhead, Berks: Speckled Wood 2, Peacock 3, Orange-tip male, Holly Blue male, Green-veined White 2, Small White 1.
Towpath River Thames Maidenhead: Speckled Wood 6, Comma 1, Peacock 3, Green-veined White 2, Orange-tip 1.
Romney Walk and Romney Island Windsor: Peacock 3, Brimstone male and female, Holly Blue 2 males, Green-veined White 2, Speckled Wood 3, Orange-tip 2 males."

Mick & Wendy Campbell went to the disused railway cutting near Salden Wood in Bucks this afternoon, primarily to look for Grizzled Skipper: "It was a lovely warm afternoon, 20-22C, and quite humid in the cutting. We walked west along the track and achieved a count of 62 butterflies of 11 species: Orange-tip (17), Peacock (16), Large White (3), Brimstone (7), Small White (4), Small Tortoiseshell (3 - 1 worn and 2 in good condition), Speckled Wood (7), Comma (1), Green-veined White (2). On our return journey we managed to find a single Grizzled Skipper and, unexpectedly, two close up sightings of Wood White. Our only moth was a fresh Burnet Companion."

Ched George writes: "10 species seen in Radnage, Bucks, today, 20th April, including Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Green Hairstreak and 1 Dingy Skipper on Yoesdon Bank."

Tony Croft visited Wytham Woods, Oxon this morning, 20th April: "I went to check on the Brown Hairstreak eggs and to look for Green Hairstreaks. I managed to find four of the seven eggs all of which I am pleased to say have hatched. I was also delighted to see two Green Hairstreaks. Six of the seven Brown Hairstreak eggs in my garden (Easington, Bucks) have now hatched."

Jim Asher sent this report yesterday, 19th: "I had my first sightings today of Dingy Skipper and Grizzled Skipper, both at Aston Upthorpe (Oxon)."

Ched George sent the following on 19th April: "A cold north-east wind kept butterflies close to the ground on Lodge Hill (Bucks) on Saturday April 18th, but we did see a Grizzled Skipper as well as 4 Peacocks."

Dave Maunder went to his allotment in Aylesbury on 19th April: "I saw:- Peacock (1); Small Tortoiseshell (1); Brimstones (2); Large Whites (3); Small Whites (6+) and Speckled Wood (1)."

David Fuller sent this report on 18th April: "My garden in Maidenhead, Berks today, 18th, Orange-tip 3 males together chasing each other, Holly Blue 2 males, Peacock 1 and Green-veined White 2 my first of the year. Then in Bourne End a Holly Blue male, new site for me."

Nick Bowles did his transect at Coombe Hill on 18th April: "Just 1 Grizzled Skipper today, plus a Peacock and Green-veined White both off transect. Had the sun come out sooner it would definitely have been more seen."

Friday 17th April 2009

Ched George surveyed a number of areas on 15th April trying to fill in some blank tetrads for the 2005-8 recording period (see "Butterfly recording 2009 - we need your help!"): Kingston Blount - Brimstone male, 1. Kingston Stert Brimstone male, 1. Adwell Comma 1, Green-veined White 2, Orange-tip male 1, Speckled Wood 1, Brimstone male 1. SP 685005 Speckled Wood 1, Green-veined White 1, Large White 1, Brimstone male 1. Easington Peacock 2, Green-veined White 2. Near Chalgrove Peacock 1, Orange-tip male 1, Small Tortoiseshell 1. Near Rofford Hall Orange-tip male 1, Green-veined White 1, Peacock 1. SU 626993 Green-veined White 1, Comma 2."

Tom Stevenson sent this email on 16th April: "I was interested to read Chris Brown's comments (14/04/09) re. Small Tortoiseshells. Not sure if I have found a hotspot but during a walk between Benson (Oxon) and Warborough yesterday (15th) I counted 2 Brimstone, 2 Green-veined Whites, 10 Peacocks, 1 Speckled Wood and 12 Small Tortoiseshells. Just the one today along Hollantide Bottom near Benson with 3 Green-veined Whites, a Small White, a Speckled Wood but a distinct lack of sun."
[Help is needed to discover why Small Tortoiseshell numbers are declining - click here for more information..]

David Gantzel sent these sightings for 15th April: "Bassetsbury (High Wycombe, Bucks) - male Brimstone, male Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell (worn) and Peacock."

Francis Gomme visited Bald Hill, Aston Rowant (Oxon) on Tuesday 14th April: "I found my first Green Hairstreak for 2009 at Bald Hill, also 2 Grizzled Skippers plus Large Whites, Small Whites, Orange-tip, Brimstones, Peacocks and a Comma. There were also Grizzled Skippers flying at Grangelands, Bucks, on Wednesday 15th."

Wednesday 15th April 2009

Chris Brown sent these Berkshire sightings: "Crowsley Wood 14/04/09 SU736796 - 3 Male Brimstone, 1 Female Brimstone, 2 Male Orange-tip, 11 Peacock, 3 Comma.
Blounts Court 14/04/09 SU715806 - 3 Speckled Wood (very bright yellow spots so guess newly emerged).
Kennylands Field (Millennium Green) 15/04/09 SU714794 - 3 Male Brimstone, 1 Large White, 2 Male Orange-tip, 2 Holly Blue, 1 Small Tortoiseshell (counting my blessings seeing one of these!), 6 Peacock, 1 Comma and 1 Speckled Wood."

Terry Hotten from Farnborough visited BBOWT's Moor Copse reserve in Berkshire on 14th April: "I was pleased to see 2 Early Purple orchids in bloom. On the butterfly front there were good numbers of Orange-tips with a few Green-veined Whites, Peacocks, Comma and Brimstones."

David Redhead (UTB Brown Hairstreak Champion) sent this report on 14th April: "Just over a quarter of the 155 Brown Hairstreak eggs under surveillance at four different sites had hatched by the afternoon of Easter Monday - on the same date last year only 2 eggs out of 119 at the same four sites had hatched. This means hatching is about a week in advance of last year, which was by no means a late year, and if we do not have a cold snap hatching could well be complete the earliest in the last five years. Thanks go to Shelagh Harlow, Wendy Wilson, Tony Croft and Stuart Jenkins for their monitoring efforts. Before checking the eggs again at Shotover today I managed to see my first Green-veined White and Speckled Woods of the year. The Green-veined White was nectaring on ground ivy in the rough grassland by my house in Littlemore, Oxon. The Speckled Woods, six of them, were flying in a bridleway by Garsington (Oxon). They were accompanied by four male Orange-tips, a Small White and a Peacock was flying in an adjacent field.
Has anybody seen a female Orange-tip yet? They are about, although I have not knowingly see one yet, as on my early morning dog walk I found an egg on a garlic mustard plant on the marshland near my house. The plant was checked yesterday morning so the egg was definitely laid on Easter Monday making it the earliest I have ever found by 6 days. Later at Shotover I found another along with three Green-veined White eggs - the latter are laid on the back of the garlic mustard leaves rather than on the flower stems."

Roger Kemp and Ched George visited Cadsden Glen, Bucks on 14th April: "1 Grizzled Skipper, 1 Large White, 1 Comma, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Orange-tip, several Peacocks and several Brimstones. We witnessed a female Brimstone ovipositing many eggs on Purging Buckthorn."

In David Fuller's Maidenhead (Berks) garden on 14th April: Orange-tip male, Peacock 2, Holly Blue male, Brimstone male and female. Then along the River Thames Towpath in Maidenhead: Orange-tip female, Small White 2, Comma and Peacock 2.

Tuesday 14th April 2009

All winter I've been keeping an eye on a Large White pupa on the outside of one of the windows of our house in Bucks. Yesterday the wing colour became visible through the pupal case and this morning (14th) the butterfly emerged. I managed to grab my camera quickly enough to get a photograph before the wings had finished unfurling. We also had our first garden visit from an Orange-tip (male) and Holly Blue today. Wendy

Tom Stevenson sent this report today, 14th: "Holly Blue at my Benson (Oxon) allotment yesterday and, today, a Speckled Wood in my Benson garden plus another at Millbrook Mead with a male Orange-tip there also."

A walk this morning (14th) in the Stadhampton/Chalgrove area of Oxon produced a good crop of butterflies for Richard Soulsby: "2 Speckled Woods, 3 Orange-tips (M), 1 Small Tortoiseshell, M & F Brimstone, 2 Peacocks. Later in my garden in Benson, Oxon, I saw my first Holly Blues (2) of the year, plus Orange-tip (M & F), Green-veined White (1), Small White (2), Large White (1) and Peacock (1), bringing the total for the day to 9 species. A short walk yesterday (13th) in Benson gave 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacocks, 2 Orange-tips and 3 Brimstones. But I haven’t seen a Red Admiral yet this year."

Dave Wilton sent this report today, 14th: "Acting on a tip-off from Tom Dunbar who saw two Grizzled Skippers there yesterday (13th), I visited the disused railway line to the west of Westcott Airfield today and found four Grizzled Skippers enjoying the sunshine in the cutting. Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Comma were also seen, as were moths Pyrausta purpuralis and Common Heath."

John Parsons visited Greenham Common, Berks on 14th April: "Today on Greenham Common I saw a Grizzled Skipper and a Common Heath moth."

Chris Brown sent this email today: "As yesterday (13th April) was the only good day of the bank holiday weekend I went for a wander along the river at Goring/Streatley. It was worth it as there were many butterflies about. The only positive ID's I got were: 5 Male Brimstone, 1 Female Brimstone, 1 Male Orange-tip. There was also a Ruby Tiger moth crawling across the tow-path and fortunately I was looking down at the time!"

David Redhead reported the following: "The welcome sunshine on Bank Holiday Monday, 13th, brought a flood of butterflies back to our garden (Littlemore, Oxon) with 4 Peacocks, 3 male Orange-tips, several whites including a Large White and a couple of Small Whites but no Green-veined Whites as far as we could tell, 2 male Brimstones, a Comma and our first Holly Blue of the year. A couple of the Peacocks spent their time nectaring on the flowers."

Pete Eeles made the most of the good weather that finally arrived from the west yesterday, 13th. He visited Midgham Lakes, near Thatcham in Berks, for an hour and saw 1 Peacock, 4 Speckled Wood, 4 Green-veined White (2 male, 2 female), 4 Orange-tip (all male) and a single male Brimstone. At his home in Thatcham he saw 1 Holly Blue, 1 male Orange-tip and 1 male Green-veined White.

In David Fuller's garden in Maidenhead, Berks yesterday 13th April: "Five species appeared although there was a brisk breeze as soon as the sun came out - Peacock 2, Small White 2, Orange-tip 1 male, Holly Blue 1 male and Brimstone 1 male."

Saturday 11th April 2009

Helen Hyre sent this report today: "I saw an Orange-tip at Dunton churchyard (in Bucks) on 7th April."

Thursday 9th April 2009

David Fuller saw the following yesterday, 8th April: "Along the River Thames towpath at Maidenhead 11.00 am - Orange-tip male and a Peacock. My garden (in Maidenhead, Berks) - Orange-tip male 12.30am, Peacock 2, Small White."

Tuesday 7th April 2009

John Rust sent the following report on 6th April: "Whilst out walking on Sunday (5th April) I spotted quite a number of Orange-tips. The area was Toot Baldon churchyard (Oxon) at about 11.30am."

This report came from Richard Soulsby on 6th April: "I was pleased to add Orange-tip (male) and Large White to my 2009 list during a walk near Toot Baldon (Oxon) yesterday 5th."

Sunday 5th April 2009

Helen Hyre sent this report today: "I saw a handsome Large White in Bierton, Bucks on 4th April."

Saturday 4th April 2009

Stuart Hodges sent this news today, 4th April: "This afternoon I saw an Orange-tip at the Steeple Claydon (Bucks) level crossing, in just the same place as I saw one last year on the 30th of March but on the opposite side of the road."

In David Fuller's garden in Maidenhead, Berks, today (4th April): "A Holly Blue male - first of the year for me - and Peacock 2, Brimstone male, Small White male."

Friday 3rd April 2009

Tom Stevenson sent the following report today, 3rd April: "How nice to have a real Spring for a change - half an hour down Millbrook Mead, a very small nature reserve in Benson (Oxon), revealed 2 Peacocks and one each of Comma, Brimstone and Green-veined White."

Mick & Wendy Campbell visited Yoesden Bank, Bucks, on Thursday 2nd April: "It was a warm, sunny afternoon, about 18-19C. A number of butterflies were very active along the top edge of the bank, including 5 Peacocks, 1 Comma and 3 Small Tortoiseshells, two of which engaged in a long chase up and over the tree tops."

John Parsons saw a Speckled Wood on Greenham Common, Berks on April 2nd.

Wednesday 1st April 2009

Wendy Wilson writes: "Today, Wednesday 1st April, I walked round Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens, Bucks, as no butterflies have been recorded there (SU 975 826) in recent years. I was delighted to see 11 Peacocks, 4 Commas, 3 Brimstones, 3 Small Whites and my first Holly Blue of the year. There was also a pair of Egyptian geese with six cute goslings on the lake. The photo is of a male Brimstone which posed obligingly on a daffodil in my garden yesterday."

David Bainton sent the following on 1st April: "I saw a Speckled Wood butterfly this morning 1st April near to the Queens Head pub in Old Chesham, Bucks."

David Redhead sent this report on 1st April: "On Sunday afternoon, 29th March, I went searching for Brown Hairstreak eggs in Oxford. My first finds were in Great Meadow by St Catherine's College. The three previous winters I had been unable to find any in this location but this time I found three. These eggs are the closest we have ever found them to the city centre and indicate that last summer a female Brown Hairstreak was within 900 metres of achieving my ambition of one being recorded flying over Magdalen Bridge. Later on I completed the Marston Meadows egg transect, just over a kilometre north of Great Meadow, to bring the transect total to 40, nearly twice the numbers found in the previous two winters. Perhaps any students of Magdalen College reading this could find time to check out any blackthorn growing in their college grounds. To add to my delight a Small Tortoiseshell flew by me just east of Parson's Pleasure.
At 1pm today (1st April) a couple of male Brimstones, a pair of Small Whites, a Peacock and a male Orange-tip were all active in our garden (Littlemore, Oxon). A little earlier in the grassland/scrub area near our house I saw another Small White, two Peacocks and a Comma. Five species on the first day of the 2009 transect season reminded me that I needed to finalise the rota for the Shabbington Wood transect!"

Dennis Dell saw his first Speckled Wood of the season in his Aylesbury (Bucks) garden on 30th March.

Mark Calway found this Green-veined White in his garden in Earley, Reading (Berks) on 30th March.

Sunday 29th March 2009

Pete Eeles saw his first non-hibernator of the year on 29th March with a single sighting of a Holly Blue (male) in his garden in Thatcham, Berks. He also saw a Small Tortoiseshell in a nearby field, the first he's seen in the Thatcham area for some time, which is an encouraging sign.

Nigel Parsons sent the following report on 27th March: "I visited Iver Heath Fields (Bucks), a site reasonably local to me, in the hope of seeing my first butterfly of the year on Sunday 15th March and was rewarded by seeing 4 Commas, 2 Brimstone and a Small Tortoiseshell. On the following Saturday 21st March I returned and this time saw eleven Commas and one each of Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Small White."

David Fuller saw a Peacock at Bratwick Park Nature Reserve Maidenhead, Berks on 26th March.

Tuesday 24th March 2009

A group of UTB egg-searchers spent some time at Finemere Wood, Bucks on Saturday 21st March: Butterflies active while they were there included Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma. It was very pleasing to see five Small Tortoiseshells in all, four of them on the same flowering sallow bush.

Sunday 22nd March 2009

David Fuller reports on his last 2 days' sightings: "21/03/09 : My garden in Maidenhead, Berks - Peacock, male Brimstone and Small White female; Odney Island Cookham - 2 Comma. I didn't think I would be reporting anything for today (Sunday 22nd) as I went on the same route as last Sunday when I saw 11 Brimstone butterflies but none today. However mid afternoon in my garden I saw Comma 1 and male Brimstone 1."

Friday 20th March 2009

Richard Soulsby sent these sightings today, 20th March: "This week I at last broke my duck for 2009, with Brimstones in Abingdon and a Comma in my garden in Benson (Oxon) on the 16th, another Comma at Howbery Park (near Wallingford) yesterday 19th, and my first non-hibernator, a Small White, in my garden today. But 1½ hours spent at Swyncombe Downs, Oxon in shirt-sleeve weather this afternoon produced not a single butterfly!"

Pete Eeles sent his first sightings of the season today, 20th March: "While taking my dogs for a walk close to home in Thatcham, Berks, I spotted my first butterflies of the year - a very faded Red Admiral, a single Peacock and a single Comma."

David Fuller has sent in these sightings over the last three days:
18/03/09 my garden (Maidenhead, Berks) : 2 male Brimstone and 3 Peacock all spiralling together.
19/03/09 my garden - male Brimstone; Cliveden Woods Bucks - male Brimstone, Comma.
20/03/09 Tetsworth, Oxon - 2 male Brimstone."

Wendy Redhead reported these sightings on 19th March: "Five butterfly species were active in our garden (Littlemore, Oxon) today. First on the wing was a male Brimstone which was shortly followed by a Large White and Small White investigating the blossom on the bullace/cherry plum trees. They were soon joined by two Peacocks and a Comma whilst another pair of Commas basked on the gravel paths in the vegetable garden."

Tony Croft reported the following on 19th March: "We're doing well with Small Tortoiseshells having six in our garden (Easington, Bucks) at one time yesterday, 18th."

Dave Wilton had a walk through Rushbeds Wood (Bucks) on 19th March: A Peacock and two Commas seen at the central ride cross-roads.

Chris Brown sent this sightings update on 18th March:
17/03/09 Peppard Common SU 706 816 - 2 Peacock, 4 Comma.
18/03/09 Millennium Green SU 713 793 - 1 Comma.
18/03/09 Blounts Court Johnson Matthey SU 714 806 - 1 Small Tortoiseshell nectaring on purple heather, 1 Peacock.

Tuesday 17th March 2009

Tony Croft sent this report today, 17th: "In common with other reporters so far, this weekend produced the first butterflies of the year in the garden (Long Crendon, Bucks). Sunday (15th) produced a Brimstone, a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell. Today there were three Small Tortoiseshells nectaring on bergenia and heather."

David Fuller recorded the following today, 17th: "A Peacock in my garden in Maidenhead, Berks and 6 Comma at Woolman's Wood Hedsor, Bucks."

Chris Brown sent the following report today: "16/03/09 at Crowsley Wood (Berks), 1 male Brimstone, 1 Peacock and 5 Comma."

Dave Maunder had a good butterfly day yesterday, 16th March: "At my town-centre (Aylesbury, Bucks) allotment, I saw Peacock (1), Commas (2), Small Tortoiseshells (2), at least 6 Brimstones, and my first Green-veined White of the year!"

Dave Wilton had a quick look around Finemere Wood Monday afternoon, 16th March: "It produced Peacock (6) and Comma (12) but - surprisingly - no patrolling Brimstones, although one did make several appearances in our garden at Westcott."

Monday 16th March 2009

David Fuller recorded a number of butterfly sightings today, 16th March: "Male Brimstone and a Peacock in my garden in Maidenhead, Berks. At Dorney Wetlands, Jubilee River, Berks : Comma and Peacock. Maidenhead Weir : Comma and male Brimstone."

Judith Barnard, BC Beds & Northants Branch, sent this report today: "In Willen, Milton Keynes, Bucks today (16th) I saw a Brimstone, Peacock and a Comma. My first sightings of the year!"

Mike Wilkins reported the following today: "I was pleased to see my first butterfly of the year yesterday, 15th March, in the garden (Abingdon, Oxon) nectaring on celandines. I was even more pleased that it was a Small Tortoiseshell. I wonder if that is a good omen? It was closely followed by a Brimstone."

Nick Bowles sent this news on 15th March: "I couldn't find time for a butterfly walk today but did go for a bike ride from Tring (Herts.) to Ashridge Forest (also in Herts.) and back, but I went through Bucks on the way in the area of Pitstone Hill and Stepps Hill. I was busy not falling off and such, but still saw a min. of 8 Brimstone (male), 1 definite Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock and 1 Comma. I also saw a probable Peacock and a Small Tort/Comma at height against the sun."

Sunday 15th March 2009

Wendy Wilson comments that butterflies were out in force today, Saturday 15th March: "I recorded 5 Peacocks, 2 Commas and 1 Brimstone on Austenwood Common Chalfont St Peter and four more Brimstones nearby. They were all in reasonable condition, considering they have lived through such a hard winter, as you can see from the photo below. Also below is a Red Admiral photo I took at Langley Park Arboretum on 2nd March."

Alan Miller, Member BC Yorkshire Region on holiday at Berkhamsted, sent this sighting today: "Just to let you know that I saw two Brimstone in the car park for Startops End Reservoir (Bucks) near Tring at 11.40am today Sunday 15th March."

This report came from Martin Townsend today: "Never thought I'd see the day that I felt moved to immediately report a Small Tortoiseshell, but I had one today at Farmoor (Oxford) on willow blossom, in one of the rough enclosed areas on the bank on the way around to Pinkhill at about SP 443070. I only saw 1 in the county last year, at Chimney Meadows, but I did see dozens at Gibraltar Point in Lincs on about 30th August, all nectaring on Sea Aster (and would have probably with more time, seen hundreds given the extent of the saltmarsh). I remember Nick's comment about possible immigration, but I feel that they were as likely to be locally bred. The mature dunes nearby have become very overgrown, with abundant nettles, and maybe Sturmia hasn't got there yet! Plenty about today - 3 Brimstones (2 at Farmoor), Peacock in the garden (Littlemore, Oxon) and an unspecified Pieris flew over the ring-road heading towards Rose Hill."

David Redhead sent this news today: "At least 10 butterflies visited our garden (Littlemore, Oxon) today and between about 11.30am and 2.30pm you could not go out into the garden without seeing one. Brimstone and Comma were most numerous - at one stage 2 male Brimstones were nectaring on lungwort (never seen anything except bees on it before although the patch has been there for several years) and a third was flying about, later a female was in evidence. The Commas peaked later in the day with two spiralling around each other, a third watching from near the top of a conifer and the fourth studiously ignoring them while it basked on some dead grass. A Peacock made fitful appearances and was usually to be found basking on the gravel paths in the vegetable garden. Best of all was a Small Tortoiseshell which spent about 20 minutes nectaring on the first of the bullace flowers before disappearing."

Dave Wilton saw the following today, 15th March: "My Westcott (Bucks) garden has just produced a Small White! So far today, that and a Brimstone have been encouraged out into the sunshine."

David Fuller reported the following sightings: "A Brimstone male in my garden in Maidenhead, Berks, a Brimstone male and a Comma at Odney Island Cookham, Berks, all seen on 14th March. Then today, 15th, a male Brimstone and a Peacock in my garden, and 10 other male Brimstones counted around Maidenhead, Twyford, Hare Hatch and Knowl Hill."

Nick Bowles sent this sighting on 14th March: "I had to pop out of the UTB CAD meeting (in Aylesbury, Bucks), to let some late joiners in through the locked outer doors, and there was a Comma basking on some low conifers."

Friday 13th March 2009

David Redhead sent this news on 12th March: "Wendy saw a Peacock and a Brimstone in our garden (Littlemore, Oxon) in the sunshine about midday on Wednesday 11th March. Meanwhile I had been inspecting Hairstreak habitat in Wytham Woods with Tony Croft but all we managed to see were three Blue-bordered Carpet Moth eggs."

David Fuller reported the following on 12th March: "A male Brimstone in my garden (Maidenhead, Berks) and one in Cookham (Berks) per Brian Clews, both seen on 12/03/09."

Danny Howard sent this sighting on 12th March: "I saw my first butterfly of 2009 on 11th March (not including those I saw in the butterfly house at Blenheim the day before!). It was a male Brimstone in Florence Park, Cowley (Oxon)."

Monday 9th March 2009

Pete Eeles has spent the last couple of weekends surveying his local area for Purple Hairstreak eggs: On 1st March he found a single egg on an oak at Upper Bucklebury, West Berkshire, and found a further 6 eggs today (8th March) on a couple of oaks at Bowdown Woods near Greenham Common, Berks.

Dave Maunder sent the following on 7th March: "A couple more butterflies seen last week were - Comma (1) on 2nd March, at `Dayla` in Aylesbury, Bucks where I work, and a female Brimstone in my garden (also in Aylesbury), seen by my mum."

Tom Stevenson reported seeing his third species of the year on 6th March: "It was a Small Tortoiseshell at Ewelme Watercress Beds (Oxon) to go with my earlier Brimstone (Feb 26) and Red Admiral (Jan 17 as reported below) both in my Benson (Oxon) garden."

Thursday 5th March 2009

Paul Bowyer sent the following report today: "Sightings for Friday 27th February. My front garden (High Wycombe, Bucks), 1 male Brimstone and a further 3 in Marlow (Bucks) amongst the houses between the High Street and the station."

Welcome to the website new contributor Ruth Wood, who lives in Bracknell, Berks. Ruth sent this interesting report on 27th February: I found a Red Admiral hibernating in my garage which was a surprise to me as I always thought that they died at the end of the summer. I'm living in a new housing development, so it's good to see that wildlife is visiting so soon!"

Saturday 28th February 2009

Dave Maunder reported his first butterfly of the year today: "It was a Peacock, seen last Saturday (21st February), sunning itself on a house near mine in Aylesbury, Bucks."

David Fuller saw a male Brimstone at Bourne End (Bucks) garden centre on 25/02/09 SU896866. Also, a male and female Brimstone seen in his Maidenhead (Berks) garden on 27/02/09 SU 900833.

With the lovely weather on 27th February, Chris Brown decided to cycle down to the Crowsley Park Wood site to look for any violets in flower: "It seems not yet, but I found some Lesser Celandines in flower for the Phenology records and as a bonus 2 male Brimstones were out and exploring so I thought I would try and contribute all my butterfly sightings for the UTB page this year by starting with these 2."

Dave Wilton sent the following on 27th February: "In the sunshine at Westcott, Bucks today (27th) our garden produced a Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell both in transit, several active bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) covered in crocus pollen, a hoverfly (Eristalis tenax) feeding from box flowers and our first Treecreeper on the trunk of the ancient lime. And all that before lunch!"

Thursday 26th February 2009

This sighting came via Richard Soulsby today: "I had a report yesterday of a Brimstone seen by Carol Johnson in her garden in Benson (Oxon) on Saturday 21st February, but I have yet to see my first butterfly of the year!"

Sunday 22nd February 2009

Dave Ferguson saw a Peacock fly past him on Saturday afternoon, 21st, near Nash, Bucks as he was doing some bird atlassing.

Saturday 21st February 2009

Mike Flemming sent this sighting: "My first Brimstone of the year was in my Abingdon (Oxon) garden around lunchtime today, 21st. Grid ref: SU 508983."

UTB Member Nick Bowles reported the following from his garden in Tring, on the Bucks/Herts border: "My first sighting of a Small Tortoiseshell here in Tring, Herts (the field behind my garden) today, 21st. I know it isn't in Bucks - or even UTB land - so realise it won't count towards the UTB 'first sighting' listings."

The following was reported by David Redhead: "I managed a Peacock today (21st) to add to yesterday's Comma. It was seen flying about the farmyard of the Oxford University farm at Wytham. I was surprised not to see more butterflies on the wing as it got up to 12C with continuous sunshine and Wendy had a nil return back home in the garden. I note Brimstone, Comma and Peacock have been seen in the last couple of days but no Red Admiral - I wonder if there will be any more early local sightings or will they have all failed to survive the hardest winter for 30 years?"

This news came from Dave Wilton: "On Saturday 21st February, following a successful Brown Hairstreak egg search on nearby MoD land (77 eggs in two hours), Stuart Hodges and I were pleased to see our first butterfly of the year in Piddington, Oxon where a male Brimstone was found patrolling a roadside hedgerow."

Graham Taylor sent the following: "Just to let you know that we had our first Brimstone of the year in my garden in Cumnor (Oxon) today, 21st February."

Friday 20th February 2009

The following came from David Redhead today: "Following up on Tony's excellent discovery of Brown Hairstreak eggs in Wytham Woods on Wednesday (see below), I spent 90 minutes this morning (20th February) to the west of Wytham Woods searching an area of reasonable habitat with blackthorn for Brown Hairstreak eggs but with no success. In fact no eggs of any sort, but compensations were a 7 spot Lady, a weasel scurrying across the path just in front of me, a roe deer, a couple of buzzards fairly low overhead and a lot of small bird activity. But best of all was a Comma flying along the footpath to meet me at 11.30am and 10C."

Maureen Cross sent this news today: "Today, 20th February, to my delight I saw my first butterfly of the year, a Peacock flying in the hills above Goring (South Oxfordshire) and just half an hour later a Brimstone flew into my garden in Streatley (West Berkshire). Is it Spring at last?"

This exciting news came from Tony Croft: "I have been meaning to do a Brown Hairstreak egg search at Wytham Woods, Oxon (permit required) this winter and finally managed it on Wednesday, 18th February. I found four Brown Hairstreak eggs including one doublet! From records of the late 1980s the Brown Hairstreak had been found in this wood, but not where I found today's eggs. I'm sure that this is not a case of the butterfly becoming extinct there and making its way across the A34 recently, I suspect they have always been present but presumably went unrecorded."

Tuesday 10th February 2009

Nick Bowles reported on the February Holtspur Bottom conservation work party - click here to read the report.

Thursday 29th January 2009

Wendy Wilson saw her first butterfly of the season on Tuesday, 27th January: "It was a Red Admiral below Shardeloes Lake, Amersham, Bucks. It flew out from behind the groundsman's shed straight at me, just missing my eye. It settled briefly on my shoulder before zooming off across the cricket field at great speed, with me in hot pursuit, but I lost him when he disappeared among the trees. It was all too quick for a photo. The temperature on my car thermometer was only 5C, but the sun had come out after the freezing fog we had earlier, though this still lingered on the shady side of the valley."

Tuesday 20th January 2009

Tom Stevenson sent the following report: "My first sighting at lunchtime on Saturday 17th January - a Red Admiral in my Benson (Oxon) garden."

Friday 16th January 2009

Dr Peter Vaughan from the BC Hampshire Branch spotted the first UTB non-hibernating butterfly of the season: "While out for a lunch time stroll on the Harwell Science Campus (Didcot, Oxon) on Wednesday 14th January I saw a Red Admiral basking on a tree trunk, about a metre and a half up from the ground (map ref SU 477 873). It had its wings fully open, taking advantage of the bright sunshine. I did not see it fly but on close examination it was showing a slight, rapid vibration of its abdomen, presumably to try to boost its body temperature. Although the tree trunk was slightly warm to touch, there was still frost on the ground in shaded areas. Interestingly the insect had positioned itself part-covering a 2.5 cm diameter metal identification disk set into the tree trunk, presumably this was not coincidental but rather because the metal had warmed up slightly quicker than the surrounding wood."

Monday 12th January 2009

The following came from David Redhead on 7th January: "Following last night's (6th Jan) very low temperatures I thought I ought to do a safety check on the header water tanks in the lofts of our house in Littlemore, Oxon and my Mother-in-Law's next door. I am pleased to report all was well and whilst up there I decided to do a wildlife check. My Mother-in-Law easily won the contest as her loft contained twelve intact hibernating Peacock butterflies, a Herald Moth and the nest of a solitary wasp. Ours contained just 2 intact Peacocks but there was evidence of at least another five with half a dozen wings scattered across the floor and another two sets of wings caught up in spider's webs. Sadly no Small Tortoiseshells in evidence as there would have been a decade ago."

Ched George (Radnage, Bucks) sent this news on 5th January: "I disturbed a hibernating Peacock butterfly as I brought in logs from the woodpile today. I've put it in a cardboard box in the shed, hoping it will survive."

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Wednesday 31st December 2008

This news just in from Peter Holland: "I thought I would send you a photo of a Red Admiral that very obligingly visited my garden in Wallingford (Oxon) on Christmas Day, resting on the trunk of an apple tree for several hours, occasionally sunning itself. My last butterfly sighting of 2008!"

Jan Haseler reported seeing a Peacock at Linear Park, Calcot (Berks) on 17th December.
[A Red Admiral was also seen in Bletchley, Bucks on 17th, reported to the UK-Leps yahoogroup.]

Tuesday 25th November 2008

Nick Bowles sent the following on 21st November: "A presumably confused Peacock sat on the glazing bar and then tried to fly in through an open window at work (in Aylesbury) on 19th November. It soon turned back and acted, as I would if I could, by heading smartly away from work!"

Dave Ferguson reported as follows on 20th November: "I attach a photo (see top of page) of a Red Admiral which was sunning itself on a mahonia in our garden in Beaconsfield on 19th November."

This news came from Jan Haseler on 18th November: "There was a Red Admiral on ivy blossom at Shinfield Park, Berks on 18th November."

Dave Maunder has had a couple of recent butterfly sightings in Aylesbury: "A Red Admiral on 14th November and a Peacock on the 15th, both seen near Fairford Leys on two lovely mild, sunny days. Peacocks do seem to be enticed out later in the year by this unseasonal weather!"

Dave Wilton reported the following: "We had a female Brimstone active in the garden at Westcott on 14th November, the first butterfly I've seen anywhere since our last sighting here of a Red Admiral on 24th October."

David Redhead was in Peasmore Piece, Oxon, on 14th November: "As I was getting out of the car in Copse Lane there was a Red Admiral flying about - sun still shining and 12C."