April 2016

[David M]

Hi David - I was the weirdest day ever - at one point I sheltered under some Alder as the storm raged around and my Springer spaniel Flossie just looked at me as the hail started to turn her white and I am sure she was thinking " can we go home now" which is definitely NOT her normal demeanour - this spring is becoming very challenging!!

You're very polite to say 'challenging', Mark. Personally I would describe it as disgusting. Kangerlussuaq in GREENLAND was two degrees warmer than Swansea today! What's more, wind speeds there were approx 3mph, whilst ours were nudging 20.

I don't know how much more I can take. I've actually started looking for jobs lately....not because I hate the one I'm currently doing, but because I really need to escape this climate.

[nomad]

It has been cold here in Wiltshire the last two day's with snow showers and two nights of low temps with frosts. How will this affect the adults of the early emerging Duke's, skippers etc, that have been shown here

[Jack Harrison]

28th April

Wonder of wonders. A Small Tortoiseshell today near Forres, Moray. Bright sunshine, 8 dgrees.

But the Pink-footed Geese haven't all gone to breeding grounds in Iceland and Greenland.



Findhorn village in background.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

30th April

Green-veined White Nairn dunes.

Jack

[David M]

30th April

Green-veined White Nairn dunes.

Well done, Jack. You've seen more butterflies than I have this week.

[Jack Harrison]

Got the date wrong. GV White 29th April not 30th. Goodness knows why the date slipped but when I wished my wife happy May Day today, she kindly pointed out that it was still April

Jack

[Catteraxe]

Spent a few days in Pembrokeshire during the week. Conditions sunny but a strong cold wind. Only saw two butterflies, a small copper and an unidentified blue near Solva on the 27th. Good walking though.

Kevin.

[Hoggers]

The Small Copper season is well under way at Dungeness. I counted 22 this morning

Lots more to come!

Best wishes,

Hoggers.

[Matsukaze]

Black Rock, Cheddar, Somerset - Grizzled and Dingy Skipper fighting.

[Allan.W.]

Hello all,
After a terrible start to the 16' butterfly season ,having only seen a few of the 4 regular overwinterers,and 3 distant "Small whites" things finally changed today! along the lanes
between Ashford and St Marys bay(Kent),I saw my first two Orange Tips of the year,from the car.Visited the ma in law ,who had a nasty fall (but thankfully is recovering ),nipped home,and was itching to get out and about,so thought a trip to Dungeness seemed a good idea,glad we did as we managed to find twelve Small Coppers ,was well pleased,but we still seemed to be chasing the breaks in the clouds ! also saw a single Small Tort; and a couple of Small Whites, the plants are just beginning to look good,and I made a half hearted attempt to find the rare Small flowered buttercup,but no joy,but I did find the scarce "Shepherds needle" and hundreds of "Shepherds Cress" at its only site in Kent(I think). My highlight though was a pair of Small Copper, I first noticed them skimming low across the turf in the moat,the female landed with open wings on a broken roof tile,and was quickly joined by the male who approached her and gently kept nudging her,and twisting his abdomen underneath her, she didn't re-buff him ,and adopt the " Turkey strut " attitude (see Hoggers diary ) ,and after several attempts at coupling
he finally succeeded. I was very pleased to witness this ,unfortunately I was a bit pressed for time so was unable to time the mating . By now the clouds had really built up ,and it was as black as black over towards Ashford,by the time we reached Brenzett we were caught in a heavy sleet,still the Coppers cheered us up !! Regards Allan.W.

[Pete Eeles]

Excellent post, Allan! This is a sight that few get to see so thanks for illustrating it so clearly.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Testudo Man]

I agree with Pete, a great set of images of the Small Coppers, and mating too! Allan, well done.
I was the other side of Maidstone this afternoon, and looking towards Ashford way/direction, we could see nothing but very dark skies!!

Stayed in the garden all day today! because Im planning on going out tomorrow/Sunday, just hoping for some nice Butterfly weather
Species seen in my back garden today were - 2 sightings of a male Orange Tip, 2 sightings of a Comma, 2 Small Whites dueling, a Large White, 4 sightings of Holly Blues. Just the Comma and Holly Blue landed, the others were fly throughs!

I had the wrong lens on my camera for images of small butterflies, and a "schoolboy error" of leaving my other cameras upstairs, whilst the Holly Blue landed on a Bramble leaf(when the sun was behind the clouds) left me struggling for a half decent image!
I was using a 300mm prime lens, with a Nikon V1, so with the 2.7 crop factor, it was the equiv. of 810mm!!...But i still got a few pics, it was just the wrong way to do things really. I ran upstairs for another camera...too late though, the sun came back out, the Holly Blue was gone!

Location - Kent, cheers Paul.

Image of Holly Blue is not cropped.

PS. Target Species for Sunday - Grizzled/Dingy Skippers, Green Hairstreak and Small Copper...any thing else will be a bonus.

[Hoggers]

Allan, if this is how you start your butterflying year then we are in for a treat!

Best wishes,

Hoggers

[Allan.W.]

Hello all,
Many thanks for the comments, Pete, Paul and Hoggers ,as you say I was lucky to witness a mating ,hoping for Green Hair; today . Regards Allan.W.

[Ian Pratt]

Small copper seen on April 20 at Afton chalkpit.