Bill Smylie reserve - Duke of Burgundies

2 May - A sunny bank holiday and a good opportunity to look for Duke of Burgundies at Bill Smylie reserve at Cleeve Hill - flying early this year in the prolonged warm and sunny weather. At least 4 seen well (2-5). Also present - Green Hairstreak (7), Small Blue (6), Common Blue, Orange Tips, Brown Argus (9), Dingy Skipper (8) (and a probable Grizzled Skipper )and Speckled Woods. All photos JM.

2011 season commences - Orange Tips

25 April - With the warm, sunny spring so far, it has been an excellent early season for butterflies. This Orange Tip was one of several I saw at Shorncote in the Cotswold Water Park this morning.

Garden Butterflies

15 Aug - a fine summer's day and good numbers of butterflies observed at leisure on the buddleias in the garden - Red Admiral, Large White, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell (at least 5 of the last species).

Brown Hairstreaks

8 August - A morning trip to Shipton Bellinger in sunny weather and good numbers of Brown Hairstreaks seen, at least 12, mostly males around the tops of the Ash trees but also a brief view of at least 1 female lower down. Photos a little distant with 200mm lens.

Six-spot Burnet

5 Aug - This Six-spot Burnet Moth was at Aston Rowant this morning, difficult to photograph as the flower heads were all swaying around in the breeze.

Aston Rowant

5 Aug - despite conditions being more cloudy and breezy than expected, I had reasonable views of Silver-spotted Skippers (upper photo, 8+) and Chalkhill Blues (lower photo, 30+) at Aston Rowant. The Skippers (top) were very active, but fortunately a couple settled near the ground briefly.
Also seen - Common Blue, Marbled White, Painted Lady, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Blakehill Butterflies

1 Aug - an afternoon walk at Blakehill reserve, some sunny intervals and some of the commoner butterflies in evidence - 5 Small Coppers (1) seen, as well as 70+ Common Blues (4,5), also Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns (2), with a Marbled White and a Small Tortoiseshell (3). A Purple Hairstreak was glimpsed up in the canopy.