Brown Hairstreak eggs at Fort Purbrook. As in other parts of the country Brown Hairstreak is spreading far and wide in Hampshire. Until a few years ago the nearest to me was twenty miles away. A cursory check of a few blackthorn suckers on this morning's dog walk quickly turned up a couple of eggs in another new area near Fort Purbrook [Posted by Mark Tutton]
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| Photo © Mark Tutton | Photo © Mark Tutton |
Three Clouded Yellow butterflies. Three Clouded Yellows seen on dandelions on my field this morning in the weak sunshine. A marvellous sighting. [Posted by Ralph Stephenson]
Seafield Park & Promenade Field, Hill Head. The welcome sunshine provided an opportunity to record six species at Seafield Park and the adjacent promenade scrubby field today. From 1245-1410 with the temperature around 16 deg C I was surprised at just how much flora remains in the park. Yet until a Clouded Yellow turned-up here I recorded just Red Admiral and Speckled Wood within its confines. Two further Clouded Yellow were noted in the promenade field and the fourth was found hunkered-down on the beach itself. Some consistent sunshine would clearly extend the season. Total: Red Admiral (2)(1F); Speckled Wood (1)(M); Clouded Yellow (4)(1)(F); Large White (1); Small White (5); Common Blue (M)(1). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Common Blue male Photo © Francis Plowman | Small White male Photo © Francis Plowman | Clouded Yellow female Photo © Francis Plowman |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. An inauspicious return to Hampshire and searching for its butterflies after 4 weeks in sunny Cyprus (26 species). A glimpse of sun brought me out of the gloom of the last few days and a quick walk around Monks Walk (1110-1240, 14 deg C) which provided sighting of just three species. A distant basking Comma provided the only target for photography. Total: Speckled Wood (2); Comma (1); Small White (M)(1). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| High on a branch a Comma Photo © Francis Plowman |