Gibraltar

17 September - Two-tailed Pashas seen (photo) at Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, also presumed Lang's short-tailed Blue - has 2 eye spots but no post-discal stripe. A Swallowtail seen at the top cable car station.

Silver-spotted Skippers and Chalkhill Blues

9/11 Aug - A couple of trips to Linkey Down and Stockbridge Down, good numbers of Chalkhill Blues at both sites and 10 Silver-spotted Skippers at Linkey Down, and 4 at Stockbridge. Fine sunny weather continues. Brown Argus also seen on the 9 Aug trip. Skipper photos, 1 from each site - Chalkhill Blue and Brown Argus taken at Linkey Down.

Brown Hairstreak

5 August - At a North Wiltshire site, excellent views on a hot sunny afternoon of a fresh Brown Hairstreak nectaring on brambles. Also seen - Speckled Wood and female Common Blue.

Silver-spotted Skipper at last!

2 August - A cold front moved through and blue sky appeared in the afternoon, so I headed for Aston Rowant in Oxfordshire. Another try for Silver-spotted Skipper, and successful this time as I found at least 2 on the short grassy slope at the southern end of the reserve. Silver spots obvious in flight, less so at rest, flight low and fast. Some worn Dark Green Fritillaries and Essex Skippers also seen.

Arnside Knott - Scotch Argus emerging

29 July - continued fine weather, and a visit to Arnside Knott to look for another new species. After a bit of a search, Scotch Argus seen on the southern slopes below the summit. Also Grayling (photo) and Wall basking, and in the woods a High Brown Fritillary (photo) seen briefly with several worn Dark Green Fritillaries.

Durlston Country Park

28 July - a morning visit to Durlston in Dorset, with sun forecast. A walk around the gullies and slopes revealed at least 20 Lulworth Skippers, a very localised resident of coastal Dorset, and a new species for me. Fairly restless, but nectaring in the sun in sheltered corners. Also seen - 2 Walls, Marbled Whites and my first Chalkhill Blues of the year.

Fritillaries....High Brown and others

19 July - A visit to Dunsford, Devon, the weather proving much better than the forecast with hot sun and no wind. A lot of butterfly activity, and a couple of hours around the bracken meadows alongside the river produced the main target, a couple of worn High Brown Fritillaries, the underwing being seen (as in photo x2), also probable Dark Green Fritillary and fresh Silver-washed Fritillaries (photo). Ringlet, Common Blue, Marbled White, Small Skipper and Small Copper also seen.

Heathland foray

14 July - a rare appearance by the sun coincided with an excursion to Hazeley Heath in Hampshire. 20-25 Silver-studded Blues were seen (including some fresh males) a beautiful tiny member of the Blue family, and rather localised. I also flushed a Grayling from the path and saw it well several times as it settled. Heath Orchids were also flowering, and dragonflies included Keeled Skimmer and Ruddy Darter.

Emperor!

7 July - a visit to a packed Bentley Wood, and a wait in the car park, eventually gave good but brief views of a presumed female Purple Emperor, flying from the oaks to a sallow then perching on an oak branch (in the shade) before flying off back to the oakwoods. I managed a record shot only. White Admiral was also seen.

Large Blues at Collard Hill

17 June - an afternoon visit to Collard Hill, sl breezy conditions and sunny intervals, 3+ Large Blues seen at the bottom of the slope. Approx 12 adults apparently present in total.

Black and White-letter Hairstreaks

9 and 23 June - June has been generally cool and unsettled with rain, but on 2 dry days with some sun I went in seach of Black Hairstreaks. On the 2nd, I had brief views of two high in some blackthorn at Whitecross Green, the on 23rd at nearby Asham Meads, one Black Hairstreak was nectaring on a low thicket in a sheltered corner and I managed some photos. Also at this site, several White-letter Hairstreaks were flying around the top of an ash tree in an elm hedgerow, too high for the camera.

Whitecross Green Wood

2 June - Making the most of the fine weather, Wood Whites seen at the BBONT reserve on the Oxon/Bucks border. Another new species for me.

Bentley Wood again

2 June - a sunny day after some unsettled weather. The eastern clearing at Bentley Wood again, this time for Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, several of which were seen well.

Martin Down

5 May - a visit to Martin Down later in the day revealed a lot of early butterflies - Grizzled and Dingy Skippers, Small Blue and Green Hairstreak, as well as 2 more Marsh Fritillaries.

Lydlinch Common

5 May - as it turned out, the very last day of the fine spell. First port of call was Lydlinch Common, where I saw half a dozen Marsh Fritillaries (while listening to a Nightingale).

Bentley Wood

28 April - with the continued fine weather, butterflies are continuing to emerge much earlier than normal. Today I visited Bentley Wood, and had very good views of Pearl-bordered Fritillary in the eastern clearing.

Duke of Burgundy

21 April - A visit to the Noar Hill butterfly reserve in West Sussex. Due to the exceptionally warm and sunny conditions, Duke of Burgundy has emerged very early this year and I saw 3, 1 of which was very co-operative. Dingy Skipper, Brimstone and Orange-tip also seen.

Review of 2006

10 May - wet, cool, weather - time to work on the website. First, some highlights of photos from 2006, my first real summer of serious butterfly-watching.

Marbled White, Adonis Blue, Chalkhill blue, Martin Down, Hants - White Admiral and Silver-Washed Fritillary, Ravensroost Wood, Wilts - and Brown Hairstreak, Alner's Gorse, Dorset.

The aim in 2007 is to find, see and hopefully photograph some more species on the UK list.