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Butterflies everywhere (1 Viewer)

luke

luke

A Welsh birder in Dorset!
Had a good day watching butterflies today, the hot weather has certainly picked things up a little. in a little bit of woodland i got spec wood, brimstone, comma, and a few commoner ones, then up onto the mountaion side where i got dark green fritillery, marbled white, ringlet, gatekeeper, grayling, large skipper, small heath. there were more butterflies than birds?

also could anyone point out wether any of the species i seen today are rareish or uncommon, i don't know alot about butterflies only what they are, so help would be appreciated!
 
Hi Luke,

Given your list I'd say that Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Comma, Marbled White, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Large Skipper and Small Heath are relatively-widespread within their range. In other words, within their range, you may come across them "anywhere".

Dark Green Fritillary and Grayling are more local and often require a visit to specific sites to see them.

Cheers,

- Pete
www.ukbutterflies.co.uk
 
off to a spot now to photograph grayling already got some shots of the frits, just need to get them developed.
thanks for the info!
 
I probably know less about butterflies than you do Luke but have certainly noticed numbers have been high in north east England since the spring. I was on the Isle of May (Firth of Forth) last week and have never seen so many small Tortoiseshell in such a small area.
 
hopefully got a few pics of the graylings, providing they come out alright, no probs finding them, just missed judged my timing as the light, well what was left of it, was in the wrong places. but hopefully got a few nice shots.
 
In all the years I've been here, I've never seen such numbers and variety though notable absentees are the Red and White Admirals and the Tortoiseshells. I don't know if it's happening in the UK but the French are doing a "census" of butterflies this summer to find out how much they are being affected by pesticides and how this problem might be reduced. So guess who's having to type all the Latin names into Google France to find out what they are called here! Ohh, the things we do for love!! :D
 
I always get great pics of Graylings on the Brecon Mountain Railway walk, there seems to be loads of them there. (Along with loads of Wheatears, Redstarts and Stonechats, plus the odd Whinchat). Have you been to Cwm Darran Park for the butterflies Luke? They've got all the species you mentioned, plus Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Wall Brown and there are usually quite a few Clouded Yellows every year. Got great pics of them last year, after running up and down waiting for them to settle for 45 minutes! The only problem I have in Cwm Darran Park is the Clegs, they're prolific there and they really hurt when they bite! (Which they always do). It's prime Cleg time right now, I'm not happy!
 
White*Kite said:
I always get great pics of Graylings on the Brecon Mountain Railway walk, there seems to be loads of them there. (Along with loads of Wheatears, Redstarts and Stonechats, plus the odd Whinchat). Have you been to Cwm Darran Park for the butterflies Luke? They've got all the species you mentioned, plus Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Wall Brown and there are usually quite a few Clouded Yellows every year. Got great pics of them last year, after running up and down waiting for them to settle for 45 minutes! The only problem I have in Cwm Darran Park is the Clegs, they're prolific there and they really hurt when they bite! (Which they always do). It's prime Cleg time right now, I'm not happy!
Click to expand...


Clouded Yellows have been the bane of my summer, so far. Aren't they difficult! Not one decent shot from heaven knows how many attempts.
 
White*Kite said:
I always get great pics of Graylings on the Brecon Mountain Railway walk, there seems to be loads of them there. (Along with loads of Wheatears, Redstarts and Stonechats, plus the odd Whinchat). Have you been to Cwm Darran Park for the butterflies Luke? They've got all the species you mentioned, plus Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Wall Brown and there are usually quite a few Clouded Yellows every year. Got great pics of them last year, after running up and down waiting for them to settle for 45 minutes! The only problem I have in Cwm Darran Park is the Clegs, they're prolific there and they really hurt when they bite! (Which they always do). It's prime Cleg time right now, I'm not happy!
Click to expand...

i will have to try cwm darran, some species which i wouldn't mind seeing there!
 
luke said:
i will have to try cwm darran, some species which i wouldn't mind seeing there!
Click to expand...

Hello Luke,

Parc Cwm Darran is 'my patch' it's been a very good year up to now for most of the species previously mentioned, the Marbled Whites have never been better, on my last visit I counted more than 20 on the wing, while lower down the valley in excess of 50.

Regarding Grayling the reclaimed colliery sites (i.e Parc Cwm Darran) have become something of a stronghold for them, and as you probably know the South Wales valleys has lots of them, that are now thriving country parks.

You may also consider visiting Parc Penallta near Ystrad Mynach where I feel you would have more success with Clouded Yellow, it's only about 5 miles from Parc Cwm Darran.

Hope this also helps Luke.

Bill.
 
Paminfra said:
Clouded Yellows have been the bane of my summer, so far. Aren't they difficult! Not one decent shot from heaven knows how many attempts.
Click to expand...

Pam,

As an avid butterfly photographer, it is my view that Clouded Yellow are a real hit or miss species, don't try chasing them unless your super fit, sit in an area that has lots of clover or in my neck of the woods purple headed flowers such as hardheads or thistles are also favoured, sooner or later with patience you will be rewarded when they settle and then concentrate on feeding....oh..don't forget to look out for the pale variety known as helice they are very beautiful and make up around 10% of the Clouded Yellow population.

Good luck with your efforts, hope your successful.

Best Wishes,

Bill.
 
WHIMBREL said:
Pam,

As an avid butterfly photographer, it is my view that Clouded Yellow are a real hit or miss species, don't try chasing them unless your super fit, sit in an area that has lots of clover or in my neck of the woods purple headed flowers such as hardheads or thistles are also favoured, sooner or later with patience you will be rewarded when they settle and then concentrate on feeding....oh..don't forget to look out for the pale variety known as helice they are very beautiful and make up around 10% of the Clouded Yellow population.

Good luck with your efforts, hope your successful.

Best Wishes,

Bill.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Bill, but I have sat like Patience on a monument smiling at them (apologies to Mr. Shakespeare!) for ages as they rest on the lavender, Clouded Yellows, the pale ones and Bergers and I swear they see the movement of my finger on the shutter release and are off. But I have some excellent pictures of moving yellow blobs!!!
 
Clouded Yellow in the dunes at Kenfig on Monday, and one at Merthyr Mawr, near the Ogmore Estuary a couple of weeks ago.
Last October, one flew through our back yard in Penylan, Cardiff, so keep your eyes open anywhere. Also saw one at Goldcliff last August, and one at Slimbridge, in the Flamingo Pen!
 
Will have to try Penallta, thanks for that Bill! I never knew it existed!

Here's one of the Clouded Yellows from last year at Cwm Darran. There were 4 different ones there all on the same day but I could only get pics of this one by waiting for it come back to the same spot. I can never get pics of them with wings open though, which is a shame because they're always remarkably bright.
 

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