[James Emerson]

I saw three Brown Argus butterflies around Norwich today, one on Earlham Road near the cemetery and another two near Three Score. Also quite a few Red Admirals and Speckled Woods about.

[firstreesjohn]

3 Peacocks at Walsey Hills NOA today, on the buddleia, with a few Red Admirals.

2 Walls 'up the top' (one very faded, the one depicted slightly battered) and a Small Copper.

A male Bullfinch flew off, calling.

[Tideliner]

Two silver washed fritillaries today at Swanton Novers NNR feeding on bramble along the track that runs throught he woodland. Remember there is no access to the woodland , but the track running down from the Church is a public footpath. Also plenty of red admirals and commas.

[Lightthiscandle]

At Strumpshaw today there were scores of Gatekeepers, Red Admirals, Peacocks and Meadow Browns as well as countless whites of all three common species.
On the back road to Buckenham the same again, plus a Purple Hairstreak.

[NoSpringChicken]

Originally Posted by Lightthiscandle

At Strumpshaw today there were scores of Gatekeepers, Red Admirals, Peacocks and Meadow Browns as well as countless whites of all three common species.
On the back road to Buckenham the same again, plus a Purple Hairstreak.

Yes, I saw lots of above there yesterday, with the exception of the Purple Hairstreak. There were also several Commas and Speckled Woods, one rather tired looking Small Tortoiseshell and a few Blues which wouldn't settle and which I couldn't identify. There was also a report of a Swallowtail on the board but I didn't see that!

Ron

[firstreesjohn]

I have it on good authority that there were several Painted Ladies on the saltmarsh at Warham Greens yesterday.

Antlions have been seen in nearby areas, too.

Despite walking out to the metal bridge and 'duning' at Holkham, I was unfortunately unable to replicate the sightings. It was cool and somewhat windy.

[firstreesjohn]

Gramboro’s lone buddleia turned up trumps in yesterday’s hot sun, with a fresh Painted Lady and a patch tick: a Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

The butterfly would not play ball and resolutely refused to be in a suitable position for a good shot. The bank is a problem here, too, and I could easily have fallen. It hasn’t rained recently, so it would’ve been a tumble dry.

The Wall was another patch tick- this time for Pat at the Cley NWT VC.

A foray to Wiveton Downs and Blakeney Esker gave a few Purple Hairstreaks (their imperial glory much faded) and the gatekeeper depicted (RH photo).

[O.Reville1989]

Originally Posted by firstreesjohn

It hasn’t rained recently, so it would’ve been a tumble dry.

Ah now that has brightened up my day!

[Tractorboy69]

Lots of Chalkhill Blues out at Warham yesterday.

Originally Posted by firstreesjohn

A foray to Wiveton Downs and Blakeney Esker gave a few Purple Hairstreaks (their imperial glory much faded) and the gatekeeper depicted (RH photo).

John

I think you meant to say Grayling!


Simon

[firstreesjohn]

No, I didn’t, Simon- but well spotted. (I wondered who’d be quick on the ball.) Or, should I say, well marked ?

The Grayling was on the gate as I arrived, constantly returning to various parts of it, as I disturbed it photographically.

I was, thus, employing ‘gatekeeper’ (note unemboldened font and lack of capital letter) in the literary sense.

Walsey Hills NOA had this Painted Lady, 8 Peacocks, 2 Walls and a Red Admiral on the one buddleia today.

[O.Reville1989]

Found this earlier on my front door! Total guess but Pine Hawk-Moth?
Would be the 4th Hawk Moth we have had this year here if so.

[Kieren Allinson]

Originally Posted by O.Reville1989

Total guess but Pine Hawk-Moth?

You're dead right.

Nice find.

[Picathartes]

Visited the camp yesterday afternoon for my first views of Chalkhill Blue, a really striking butterfly. Without doing a formal count, I would estimate over 100 males on the wing and that was just from doing a half circuit of the camp. Only one female seen. The hedgerows along the footpath also had a lot of Gatekeepers, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown and a few roving Whites.

[Thing]

Garden tick? - Ringlet?

[HarassedDad]

Yep - it's a male. (females have three spots on the forewings rather than two)

A walk behind the heliport at Yarmouth this afternoon produced 2 Wall and 4 Peacocks, along with the usual stuff. They were the first Peacocks I've seen this summer - hopefully a sign that they are starting to bounce back. A marshie started up and drifted over the helicopters towards caistor - should have been a nice garden tick for anyone looking up at the right moment.

[Tideliner]

A forth SW Fritillary today at Swanton Novers. All confirmed feeding \ resting butterflies and all on the same ride in the past few weeks. Also three fritillary species seen but not confirmed , but probably SWF though DG frilillaries have been recorded a number of times in the past and cant be ruled out. As all comfirmed and 2 of the possible records have come from the same area breeding may have occoured last year during the 2010 influx , though we have no records on site.

Also first of the second brood common blues flying along with holly blue. Purple hailstreak still emerging and a couple of very fresh ringlets today. Plus a single white admiral. Dont expect to see many more of them this year.

[Thing]

Originally Posted by HarassedDad

Yep - it's a male. (females have three spots on the forewings rather than two)

Splendid! Shrortly after that critter appeared there was a Holly Blue in the garden, another garden tick.

[lilyfenn]

can someone give dirrections, please, to warham camp.

[Jealously Blue]

Hi all, newbie here, so I hope I'm posting in the right place - forgive me if not.
I'm going on holiday to Horning at the end of August, and I was hoping I could get some advice of where to see butterflies close by?

I'm hoping to see some species that are new to me, Swallowtail, blues, white admiral, marbled white, purple emperor, but anything will make me happy :)

Thanks in advance :)

[James Emerson]

I managed to see 11 Purple Hairstreaks at Mousehold Heath today. I couldn't see any on the oak at Zak's, but there were at least five around an oak near Vinegar's Pond, 2 along the ride north west of it and 4 on Gilman Road, on two separate trees a way apart (so potentially four different colonies?)

Also on the heath three Small Coppers, lots of Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, and Whites, plus 2 Speckled Wood and a Red Admiral. I did check the area I saw Green Hairstreaks in the spring in case of a second brood, but didn't find any. Dragonfly wise several Brown Hawkers and Common Darters plus a male Emperor.

Originally Posted by lilyfenn

can someone give dirrections, please, to warham camp.

Going along the coast road (A149) east from Wells go past a road off to the right signposted to Warham (you could take this but for directions purposes its easier to take the next one!). You pass the Wells to Walsingham railway on your right. Take the next road to the right, signposted to Warham. You should come to a crossroads with the village sign on your left and a church ahead of you. Go straight ahead and over a narrow bridge. You will need to park up on the left (an area of verge has been cut or squashed flat by cars) as there is no proper parking. The entrance to Warham Camp is on the right, but not properly signed. You will see a gate with a "no parking access required at all times" on the right with a footpath going past it. Follow this track down and go through a kissing gate to reach the old fort. The Chalkhill Blues will be immediately apparent as you get closer, and I had a Wall Butterfly on the track down to the camp in the week.

Originally Posted by Jealously Blue

Hi all, newbie here, so I hope I'm posting in the right place - forgive me if not.
I'm going on holiday to Horning at the end of August, and I was hoping I could get some advice of where to see butterflies close by?

I'm hoping to see some species that are new to me, Swallowtail, blues, white admiral, marbled white, purple emperor, but anything will make me happy :)

Thanks in advance :)

Hi, welcome to BirdForum.
You may struggle with that list I'm afraid. Marbled White and Purple Emperor aren't regular in Norfolk. White Admirals will be over by the end of August, as will Silver-studded Blue. You might well see a second-brood Swallowtail, I saw two at Strumphaw Fen on the 25th August last year. Ranworth, Hickling Broad and How Hill are other Swallowtail sites close to Horning. Its probably worth keeping an eye on this thread nearer your holiday so that you can find out what people are seeing.

[lilyfenn]

thanks very much james

[Jealously Blue]

Hi James, and thank you for the welcome and the advice :)
I'm sure I'll manage to see something new, even Hairstreaks would be nice as they seem to avoid me up here.
I was hoping to see a humming bird moth too, but I'll be happy chasing anything as long as the light is good :)

[Daveb21]

Had a very quick 30 minute visit to Foxley Wood today - 1 x Painted Lady, 1 x Holly Blue, 2 x Small Skipper (they didn't settle so no close look), Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, and a number of whites. Met some other butterfly people who reported seeing 1 SW Fritillary; unfortunately no time to go looking. Going back tomorrow if sunny and warm for a few hours.

[firstreesjohn]

Chalkhill Blues were flying away from the Camp (Warham), as I approached it along the track. Someone told me there were hundreds: they were right. Someone else said there were ‘clouds’ of them: they were right, too.

In the past, it has often been difficult to locate these rather nice butterflies; however, today the conservative estimate of c140 from a few days ago has become a liberal 200 plus and, not wishing to labour the point, or stretch my green credentials, the total could well have been much, much more. I did not essay a survey in the savage heat of midday, assuaged only by an intermittently strong breeze.

Whatever has been going on ? Last year they must have taken the lepidopteral equivalent of Viagra, to have reached the present stupendous numbers. The RH photo shows that they are making strenuous efforts to ensure their survival !

A Brown Argus, Common Blue and female Banded Demoiselle completed the tally.

[Paul Woolnough]

[QUOTE = James Emerson 24 July; 2201405] I saw three Brown Argus butterflies around Norwich today, one on Earlham Road near the cemetery and another two near Three Score. Also quite a few Red Admirals and Speckled Woods about.[/quote]

A lunchtime visit to Earlham Cemetery on Monday 1 August in warm sunshine.
West of Earlham Road main entrance and near graves close to houses on Earlham Road and south of first tarmac roadway running west of entrance.
Two brown arguses, a holly blue, lots of flighty small whites with perhaps a few large whites, meadow browns, gatekeepers and a speckled wood.