David M

[David M]

Sunday 11th August – Very poor range…

Mid-August is a time of year when the range of species ought to be very good. That wasn’t the case today during my visit to the dunes at Port Eynon, with a mere 6 species seen.

There were decent numbers of Meadow Browns, almost 50 in total, but Hedge Brown numbers have fallen off a little – I saw just 20, with even the females looking worse for wear:

The solitary Small Copper seen was also missing part of its wing:

Unusually, Large Whites outnumbered Small Whites but both fell short of the Common Blue total, which numbered 20:

When you’re used to seeing 60+ species each day on the continent, it’s a reminder of how restricted our range of butterflies is in the UK.

[David M]

Good to hear that the Southern Hermit is still around, was it at the most “normal” lokation ?

Yes, John. Photographed on eryngium just beyond the power pylon.

[David M]

Monday 12th August – Blue Monday…

Today was an opportune moment to go looking for two Blues, namely Adonis and Chalkhill, both found on the Commons near Stroud.

The latter was an easy win – I saw over five dozen at Swells Hill Bank, with many of them found nectaring from the copious scabious growing in this sheltered dip:

The majority were males. Some were rather faded but there were just as many that looked fresh:

Of the handful of females seen, this one was unusual due to the blue suffusion on the upperwings:

I do not normally see any blue on the uppersides. All the others were the usual plain brown.

Not much else was flying except for around 40-50 Meadow Browns. The other 4 species, Hedge Brown, Brown Argus, Small Heath & Small Skipper, were in single figures, whilst Adonis Blues were clearly yet to emerge as I saw none.

[David M]

Friday 16th August – That time of year again…

This is possibly my favourite annual pilgrimage – down to West Williamston in Pembrokeshire to look for Brown Hairstreak.

It usually comes with a caveat however, with the weather often fairly unreliable and today was no exception, with cloud cover that hadn’t been forecast proving to be highly irritating.

Each time I visit, it saddens me to see the further decline in the tree cover due to Ash die-back. As little as 7 or 8 years ago, the trees around the perimeter of the horse’s field were in rude health and would regularly contain several male Brown Hairstreaks dogfighting in the canopies:

This time, there was no horse in the field, and no suggestion there had been one for quite some while as the grass was dense and high. A little management work is desperately needed here as this normally productive part of the site is in danger of becoming overgrown.

There weren’t huge numbers of butterflies around. Hedge Browns, with around two dozen seen, were easily the commonest but many were showing signs of wear:

Small White was the only other species in double figures, with 7 Large Whites also being respectable.

After a slow start, I ended up seeing a healthy 5 Brown Hairstreaks. This first one, seen just after midday, was the best of the bunch but she flew into the canopy when I tried to walk round to get an image from behind her. All I got was this front-on shot:

The next one seen had wing damage:

As is often the case, you don’t see any for a while and then two turn up simultaneously. This female flew in while I was watching the previous one, and decided to lay some eggs:

A further female was seen in the hawthorn scrub but I was unable to get close, although I did rather better with this male Common Blue:

This Peacock was also a welcome distraction:

Finally, prior to leaving, I did one last circuit of the horse’s field. This contained a pleasant surprise in the form of a nectaring male, something I seldom see here in Wales:

Other butterflies seen were Speckled Wood (6), Red Admiral (3), and singletons of Comma, Silver Washed Fritillary & Small Copper.

[David M]

Sunday 18th August – Ultimate UK pinnacle reached…

On the morning of 17th August, I noticed Paul (Bugboy) had posted this message on the Sightings page:

Some American Painted Ladies photographed on a Pembrokeshire coastal Path yesterday. Look very fresh.

The rest of that day was cool, grey and cloudy, so I figured any vagrant butterfly would almost certainly still be close to where it had first been seen when the next sunny day arrived, which was the following day.

Fortunately, I was able to find the GPS reference of the sighting and I duly made plans to leave early the next morning as there was only one small car park in this rather remote area of coastal west Wales.

The journey was a simple one, taking less than 2 hours, and by 7.20am I was in the car park, alongside two camper vans that had been there all night!
It was a 40 minute walk down the coastal path to reach the GPS location, and unsurprisingly there were no butterflies at all as it was a mere 13c just after 8am with a moderate wind blowing off the sea.

To keep myself occupied, I walked up and down the track, stopping regularly to admire the views:

I figured it would take till at least 9.30am before any butterfly was likely to appear so it was a question of simply biding my time and indeed, just after 9.30 I finally spotted my first – a male Small White settled on a convolvulus leaf.

The American Painted Lady had been photographed on a bank with scabious flowering along it and every time I approached this area, my senses were on high alert.

Finally, at 10.05am, after rounding the corner prior to this bank, I saw a burnt orange coloured butterfly flying around the scabious about 20m away. I knew immediately that it was the butterfly I had been searching for, and I quickly took a long distance record shot in case it suddenly flew out of range:

[John Vergo]

Congrat with that one David did you get a closer photo ??

[bugboy]

I too managed to find an accurate grid ref and figured it was a no brainer that you'd go looking for it when I made that post. (I also briefly had a look at trains to the area but prices soon put paid to any fanciful day trips to South Wales, let alone travel times!)

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of the handsome beast. Word is a supporting cast of migrant moths also turned up in the general area (and other areas where other APL turned up) around the same time who naturally inhabit the Mediterranean area so there can be little doubt it was a natural occurrence.

[Goldie M]

Well done David I hope you got more shots Goldie

[David M]

Congrat with that one David did you get a closer photo ??

Coming next, John, when I can work my way through all the images.

[David M]

Sunday 18th August, continued…

The butterfly was restless and quick in the air but remained faithful to a 40m stretch of the coastal path, being continually drawn back to the knapweed and scabious in the shelter of this knoll:

It made a bee-line for this particular knapweed flower:

I moved towards it slowly, appreciating just how beautiful it was, reminding me of same feeling I had when I first saw Vaucher’s Heath in the Atlas mountains of Morocco:

You see these insects in books but nothing prepares you for the real thing:

It went missing for a few minutes but returned further up the track so I was able to attempt getting some images of the striking undersides:

I spent half an hour in its company, and not a single person passed by. In fact, during the 3 hours+ that I was on the path, I only saw 5 people – two joggers and three walkers.

I was amazed that no-one else had made the journey that day given only 30 or so had ever been recorded in Britain and although I willingly posted details of the location after I had arrived home later that day, the weather for the next several days was not conducive for butterflying.

[John Vergo]

Good work David what a stunning butterfly

[selbypaul]

One of those amazing butterflying experiences we all live for. Congratulations David. Stunning photos too!

[Padfield]

Great photos of a very rare butterfly! Congratulations, David!

Guy

[millerd]

What a splendid butterfly that is, David, and well worth the effort of travelling and tracking it down. An amazing addition to your UK butterfly list, the sort of thing we all dream about.

Cheers,

Dave

[Goldie M]

Fantastic shots David well done Goldie

[David M]

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of the handsome beast. Word is a supporting cast of migrant moths also turned up in the general area (and other areas where other APL turned up) around the same time who naturally inhabit the Mediterranean area so there can be little doubt it was a natural occurrence.

Thanks, Paul. It's not the easiest place to reach via public transport so I can understand why you didn't make the journey.

As to the provenance, it's hard to be sure, although I think we can rule out a release, given that one was spotted on the Gower, where I live, a few days later!

[David M]

Good work David what a stunning butterfly

Right up there with the finest I've seen, John.

[David M]

Sunday 18th August, continued…

There was a small range of other species on the coastal path, mainly in the more wooded section closer to the car park.

The commonest was Speckled Wood, with around two dozen seen, although 5 Wall Browns were the most welcome, as I’d seen precious few domestically this year:

Small White (3), Meadow Brown (2) and singletons of Holly Blue & Hedge Brown made up the set, along with this fresh Red Admiral which I found in the car park:

[David M]

One of those amazing butterflying experiences we all live for. Congratulations David...

Absolutely, Paul. A lifer in my own country....Wales!!

The only other candidate I can think of is Scarce (Yellow-Legged) Tortoiseshell, but that would be far more unlikely given they would arrive on the east coast.

[David M]

What a splendid butterfly that is, David, and well worth the effort of travelling and tracking it down. An amazing addition to your UK butterfly list, the sort of thing we all dream about.

Thanks, Dave. I don't think it can ever be eclipsed in all honesty. Even Bernard Watts & Martin Davies were of the same mind when we spoke about it at the recent EBG meeting.

Great photos of a very rare butterfly! Congratulations, David!

Thanks, Guy. Very rare and phenomenally beautiful. I hope I may see more in the Canaries next spring.