millerd

[millerd]

I thought you'd like the dandelion clock photo, Wurzel - in fact I thought of you as soon as the butterfly settled on it! I suppose we're only two or three weeks away from mid-May now, and the sudden rush of species emerging - it's a bad day on the Hill if you see fewer than 20... I shall be interested to hear any news from Bentley Wood as well.

Meanwhile, still on home turf, still in chilly April weather...

Thursday 25th April started with sunshine again, and though just as chilly as the day before, something about the quality of the light today encouraged a few more butterflies out. Only 21 individuals, but 7 species:

Peacock 6
GVW 5
Holly Blue 4
Orange Tip 3
Small White 1
Red Admiral 1
Speckled Wood 1

Despite the much larger numbers of Peacocks seen this year, I've actually seen at least one Red Admiral on more days. That's always true by the end of the year, but unusual at this stage. Here's today's Red Admiral...

...and one of the Peacocks, a female by the look of the bulging egg-laden abdomen.

The one Specklie today was a little worn...

...as was one of the GVW...

...and one of the female Orange Tips.

The others of these two species were in better nick...

that's a normal-sized buttercup - but a very small butterfly

...including two very different male GVW.

I'll leave the Holly Blues to a separate post.

Dave

[millerd]

25th April - Holly Blues.

There may only have been four of them, but they seem to magically appear on the brambles early on sunny mornings when ten minutes beforehand you could swear they weren't there. Chilly mornings are good, because at a certain point they decide they'll warm up better by opening up to bask rather than just sitting broadside on to the sun. If you're patient, you can watch them make the decision and ease themselves into position. This is the point for twiddling the camera settings and hope the sun doesn't go in at the crucial moment!

Dave

[bugboy]

I needed your whispering talents this morning, a nice fresh female refused to play ball!

[Wurzel]

You knocked those HB shots out of the park Dave back to your whispering best Battlesbury has started but Cotley is often a week or so behind, still feels like early days over here at the minute, almost as if we've skipped ahead to November

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I think it must be something to do with the habitat that makes the Hollies paly ball, The hedges they fly along are not too high, and there's lots of bramble for them to sit on and await those bursts of sun. They have a steady emergence too, and I see new ones throughout April and May most years and then the shortest of gaps before the next lot fly. They're a great species!

Hopefully the weather is due to improve this week, so if it does everything is going to appear at once! Where to go first?

Friday 26th April started as many days have done, with a short spell of sunshine which quickly became consumed by cloud. A few butterflies had appeared on my local patch, hoping (as I was) for something better.

The last two butterflies I saw were in a combination I'd not seen before - considering the amount of garlic mustard around at present, I wonder why they both chose this plant?

I returned home for lunch (during which I heard from Bugboy that annoyingly it was much sunnier over on the other side of London).

However, the sky then proceeded to clear, and the afternoon turned much sunnier. There was nothing for it, I'd have to go out again. Part two will follow...

Dave

[millerd]

26th April - after lunch.

With the continuing sunshine, things actually warmed up a bit, reaching the dizzy heights of fifteen degrees. Unsurprisingly, the butterflies responded, and I saw the first Brimstones for over a week - that shows how dull it has been. In the end, eight species appeared, and adding the morning and afternoon together, I probably saw around 50 butterflies.

I could tell it was warmer - the male Holly Blues had started to puddle on the many patches of wet path.

They also need to pause from time to time to have a sip of nectar or to warm up by basking. It seems they can only puddle with their wings shut.

Orange Tips were also activated by the sunshine...

still asleep

beginning to stir

awake!

...as were one or two other things. GVW are doing well this year...

...there's always at least one Red Admiral...

...there are still Peacocks to be found...

...and there was an extremely white, unmarked Small White.

I couldn't close in for a better shot as the target was bothered by a male Orange Tip - which then went and perched in a curious spot.

So - not a bad day in the end.

Dave

[trevor]

You had a great day on Friday Dave. We had a little sun, but it was brief.
No OT's or Specklies, but the Holly Blues continued to show well.

Warmer next week, will we see some sun?.

[Wurzel]

"Hopefully the weather is due to improve this week" not over this way, we'll just be wet and warm rather than wet and cold
Even more cracking Holly Blues Dave

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - it certainly looks a lot warmer, though it does look as if the further west you go the greater chance of a bit or rain. There could be some sunshine between the showers...

Friday was a much better day, Trevor - but Saturday 27th April was cool and cloudy almost all day. In the only brighter moment I can remember, a roosting Orange Tip briefly flexed its wings and then went back to sleep again.

Dave

[millerd]

Sunday 28th April was a bit of an improvement - slightly warmer and the meagre two hours of sunshine came in short bursts and later in the day. The total of 16 butterflies from 6 species seen locally was not very impressive, really. This broke down to:

Orange Tip 6
GVW 5
Large White 2
Small White 1
Holly Blue 1
Red Admiral 1

The Large Whites were something a bit different, as I've seen very few this year so far. One at least was a male - I think they probably both were. This one came down to ground level to nectar, something of a rarity as they mostly stay high up and nectar on the hawthorn blossom at this time of year.

The Orange Tips and GVW provided the most interest, and there was even some interaction - the female GVW rejecting the wrong-species suitor in typical Pierid fashion.

Both male and female Orange Tips posed well - the lack of much strong warm sunshine has certainly made them easier to approach and photograph this spring.

The GVW played harder to get today.

That left the customary Red Admiral...

...as the other two species declined the opportunity to be immortalised on this occasion.

It may only be the end of April, but the first of the bramble flowers are out. The many species, subspecies and hybrids of this ubiquitous member of the rose family make precise identification nigh-on impossible, but I think this is a kind of dewberry. The first fruits can appear in June and though edible, are a bit small and insipid.

Dave

[millerd]

Monday 29th April was a much better day locally - temperatures back up to the seasonal norm at 16 degrees, and lots more sunshine. I was up and out quite early again, but on a day like this it's hard to beat the Holly Blues.

Peacocks, Orange Tips and GVW provided most of the rest of the numbers as usual at the moment.

However, it was more pleasing to see three Commas - the first for ten days.

One of today's Red Admirals was doing Orange Tip impressions, nectaring on a patch of garlic mustard where the other species can always be found.

However, today's standout butterfly was a pristine female Large White. Rarely seen at ground level round here, and rarely stopping either, it was a welcome surprise to find this one doing both.

under cloud...

...and in sunshine...

...tempting it to open up...

...and even more.

I looked in vain for the first Small Coppers - I also attempted the path down to Staines Moor (where they appear in good numbers in spring) but found it under even more water than ever - and where water had been there was now thick gloopy mud. I shall have find another way down there...

Dave

[Katrina]

Striking open wing markings on your large white

[Wurzel]

"There could be some sunshine between the showers..." I'll get me coat...
Those markings seem to pull off an optical impossibility Dave - how can they be 'bright black' because they almost glow

Have a goodun

Wuzel

[millerd]

The forecast for the last day of April promised a whole day of good weather - sunshine, warmth and not too much wind. I took this as a signal to go further afield again, and once again headed out to Incombe Hole on the Chiltern Hills.

On arrival, I could tell things were going to be better than on my earlier visit - there were lots of Brimstones flying (I'd seen none last time). I knew there would be more Dukes and Green Hairstreaks, but I hoped to see my first Grizzled Skippers of the year, and maybe a Dingy too. To start off with, I made do with the Brimstones.

egg-laying way up in a buckthorn

a ragged male warming up

a battered female rejects the advances of a male

It wasn't difficult to find the first Dukes, and overall I probably saw ten or so.

There were quite a few other enthusiasts there today (good to see you again, Monica!), and someone had found a pairing. However, before I was able to have a look at them in their natural setting, the couple had been translocated to a sprig of cowslip which had in turn been fixed to the top of a tripod - not my kind of shot at all.

At one point, while talking to one of the other folk, a Green Hairstreak came down and sat right next to us. The consensus was that it was a female, lacking the male sex mark that shows through the forewing as a slight bump. It also wasn't chasing other nearby hairstreaks.

Then the shout went up - a Grizzled Skipper had been seen. It wasn't difficult to find, as it hopped from cowslip to cowslip and rested for a while between hops.

Mission accomplished, though no Dingy Skippers appeared. By this time, there were too many people around and the paths were becoming rather trampled, so I decided to head off elsewhere. Not far though - just along to Ivinghoe Beacon and the gullies where Dukes may also be found. There was just the one, but it was so much quieter over there.

Not a bad day at all, and it was good to see that Grizzlie!

Dave

[Wurzel]

Brill Grizzlie Dave - still to find one myself even though I've been to all the right places - they seem to be having a bit of a lie-in this year
Greenstreaks and Grizzlies out on the Hill and I found a Dingy at the weekend so it won't be long now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Many mrgreenworthy shots recently Dave.
But the Grizzly on Cowslip has to take first prize .
Nice work with the Dukes too.

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel and Trevor - the first ones are always good to see, and that one was actively seeking out cowslips to pose on! Yes, give it another week or so, and everything will be out. May is always like that!

Returning home from the Chilterns on 30th April, there was still time for a local walk to make the most of the rare gift of sunshine. That sun had made all the difference - in a relatively short time I'd found nearly 70 butterflies of nine species:

Peacock 26
Orange Tip 12
GVW 11
Holly Blue 10
Brimstone 3
Small White 2
Comma 2
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Red Admiral 1

The Specklies seem to have disappeared for the time being.

With the emergence of the females, the Peacocks have been indulging in courtship behaviour. After this shot, this pair took off into the trees.

A selection of other species...

a veritable banquet of bird poo

Dave

[millerd]

Before embarking on the journey into May, a quick overview of April in my corner of the world.

The highlight of the month has to have been the first Green Hairstreak I've ever found here in over 15 years of looking. That took my species tally for my local patch over this period to 29: 25 "regulars" and four one-offs. A very welcome addition, and one I hope becomes a regular in the future.

I have seen 11 other species this month, the vast majority being Peacocks - no doubt reflecting the bumper emergence here last July, and a decent hibernation survival rate. Despite a distinct lack of sunshine and a second half of the month that was cooler than the first half, I saw butterflies here on 28 out of 30 days. The peak days were 12th and 13th: high temperatures, good spells of sun and all 12 species were seen.

The weather stats (based on reports from the weather station at Heathrow, a couple of km away) look like this:

The average daytime maximum temperature was 15.0 degrees, which is spot on the average for 1991-2020 (the most recent reference period).
The highest daytime temperature was 21 degrees on 12th; the lowest "high" was 9 degrees on 22nd.
The average nighttime minimum was 7.2 degrees , over a degree above the average of 6.0.
There were no frosts, and the lowest overnight temperature was 3 degrees on 22nd/23rd.
Sunshine hours came to 126.3, compared to the average of 176.7.
Rainfall was 68.6mm, compared to the average of 42.3mm.

All of which highlights that it was a significantly dull and wet month here, but not (overall) a cold one. I think a fair proportion of the rain here arrived overnight, so that every day had at least some sunshine, even later in the month when temperatures were depressed.

More sunshine now, please!

Dave

[Wurzel]

I'm surprised that there weren't more diners at that banquet Dave, I fear that left alone that Holly Blue will end up like Mr Creosote Drew a blank at Bentley for Pearls yesterday but hopefully the Marshies will be out at the Hill next weekend...I'll keep keeping an eye out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

But that layer of nutrients is only "waffer thynn", Wurzel... I shall be listening closely for any news from points west.

May kicked off on Wednesday 1st with nothing exceptional locally. However, there is always something of interest, starting with another puddling Holly Blue, though one whose appetites were more modest.

He then retired to the brambles to digest his lunch and warm up.

Female Orange Tips are beginning to outnumber the males now.

They were busy with establishing the 2025 generation.

There are still plenty of Peacocks flying - well into double figures again today. A fair bit of variety was displayed in terms of colour and wear.

These two are definitely plump-abdomened females.

A Silver-Y moth popped up today, making me think "skipper", even though there are no Grizzlies or Dingies anywhere for miles. It landed on a dock leaf...

...but I was not alone in taking an interest.

However, the moth was quite aware of its possible nemesis, and relocated to an adjacent leaf.

Research tells me the spider is a juvenile raft spider dolomedes fimbriatus - which is aquatic when full-grown, but happy in adjacent damp grassland when younger.

A very smart-looking creature with its racing stripes.

A female Brimstone and a male GVW rounded off proceedings.

Dave