Butterfly Conservation Upper Thames Branch Butterfly Sightings 2017
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Butterfly Conservation Upper Thames Branch Butterfly Sightings 2017 ~ 24th December 2017 ~ David Fuller sent this news: "In our lounge on the 23rd a Peacock butterfly charging about so must have come in on our artificial Christmas tree which is stored in the garage. The butterfly was moved to a much cooler and drier place." ~ 20th December 2017 ~ Dave Wilton sent this news: "The nationally scarce Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae) is difficult to find as an adult, so to monitor how well it is doing we look for its eggs on blackthorn in the winter months. Searching has been going well this winter and we've already confirmed the butterfly's continued presence in many of the tetrads (2 kilometre squares) from which it is known locally, as shown on the accompanying map. One new tetrad has been added near Steeple Claydon in Bucks, our most northerly egg discovery so far. Even more pleasing has been to finally replicate an egg find from 2009 on a hedgerow on the opposite corner of the map, at Garsington near Oxford. The general impression so far is that in 2017 the butterfly had a much better egg- laying season than the previous couple of years. Weather permitting, our next group search will be at RSPB Otmoor on 1st January (see the Events page)." ~ 10th December 2017 ~ Wendy Wilson sent this news: "10th December: In my Gerrard’s Cross, Bucks garden (SU998895) today I was bashing snow from an evergreen bush overhanging my coal bunker so I could get some coal without being showered with lumps of snow. Suddenly a Red Admiral jumped out and landed on wet snow. It was alive but too cold to fly. The bush was now too wet to put it back, so I put it on the windowsill in a cold room, gave it some honey mixed with water and left the window ajar. Hopefully it will roost in there happily and fly out when we get a sunny day." Red Admiral Red Admiral Photo © Wendy Wilson Photo © Wendy Wilson ~ 23rd November 2017 ~ Heather Kazara sent this sighting: "23rd November: I saw one Red Admiral flying in a sunny spot at Summertown House, Oxford, Oxon (SP504098) at approximately 14:20 today ." ~ 19th November 2017 ~ Prem Roy sent this news: "19th November: The last Red Admirals, here in Lenborough near Buckingham, Bucks were on the 7th of November, this included this rather nice aberration [probably ab. millierei. David]. There were also a few Commas feeding on Verbena bonariensis." Aberrant Red Admiral Photo © Prem Roy David Hastings saw three Red Admirals on 19th November: "These three were feeding on Hebe flowers in my south-facing garden in Abingdon, Oxon from midday until 2.30pm today, even though the air temperature was only about 8°C. Incidently, based on wing damage, I had seen two of them before. " Michael Hunt sent this sighting: "17th November: A Red Admiral in the sunny south-facing garden at home in Buckingham, Bucks at 12:30 despite the cool air." ~ 16th November 2017 ~ John Lindley sent this news: "16th November: I'm still regularly seeing Red Admirals - five together today in the mild and sunny weather, feeding on rotting apples in a garden in South Stoke, Oxon." Catherine McEwan sent this sighting: "16th November: We had a female Brimstone in our back garden in Calcot, Reading, Berks (SU661717) this morning." Diane Hunt sent this sighting: "16th November: I was surprised to see a Red Admiral out today in Buckingham, Bucks ." ~ 15th November 2017 ~ Bob Tunnicliffe sent this news: "14th November: I was rather surprised to see a Red Admiral in our garden in Stony Stratford, Bucks on November 7th, after a frost the previous night - but I see it's not the latest sighting!" ~ 12th November 2017 ~ Malcolm Brownsword sent this news: "10th November: For the past month I have had up to 4 Red Admirals present on a single Chrysanthemum ‘Mrs. Jessie Cooper’ in a sunny sheltered spot in my West Hagbourne, Oxon garden. The attached image of the remaining one was taken today. I would recommend this plant for attracting late butterflies. The flowers are now starting to fade after 4 weeks." Red Admiral Photo © Malcolm Brownsword ~ 7th November 2017 ~ Stephen Jones sent this sighting: "6th November: At around midday today I was surprised to see a Comma in very good condition basking in the sun in Penn Wood, Bucks (SU912956). Temperature was 8°C." David Hastings visited Highmoor, Oxon (SU701852) on 6th November: "I found three Red Admirals sunning themselves on the same Beech tree trunk, and another Red Admiral and a Comma on a different Beech." Red Admiral Comma Photo © David Hastings Photo © David Hastings ~ 5th November 2017 ~ Michael Hunt sent this sighting: "5th November: One Small Tortoiseshell seen at 09:30 in the sunshine at the churchyard in Buckingham, Bucks." David Gantzel sent this sighting: "2nd November: One Red Admiral in garden in Hazlemere, Bucks today." ~ 2nd November 2017 ~ Ewan Urquhart posted this on the Oxon Birding blog: "2nd November: No fewer than 8 Red Admirals together on the trunk of an Oak tree at Lower Highmoor, Oxon, today." ~ 1st November 2017 ~ Michael Hunt sent this sighting: "1st November: Three Red Admirals seen in the sunshine in Buckingham, Bucks today." Nicholl Williams sent this news: "30th October: Recently I have been noticing Red Admirals in several places. This image was from central Oxford. " Red Admiral Photo © Nicholl Williams John Shelton sent this news: "30th October: I saw a Painted Lady in my garden in Marlow, Bucks today. Although in poor condition with not much of its hind wings left, it was very active moving between the surprising number of summer flowers still in full bloom. Shortly afterwards in the same location, I watched a Red Admiral fly into a spider’s web. Fortunately, with the aid of a nearby cane, I managed to free it and it flew off to the nearby magnolia tree apparently none-the- worse for the experience." Chris Brown sent these sightings: "Crowsley Wood, Sonning Common, Oxon (SU735795) on 6th October: Red Admiral 3, Comma 7 On 25th October: Red Admiral 2. Millenium Green, Sonning Common, Oxon (SU735795) on 20th October: Small Copper 2 (both worn/faded), Red Admiral 1. On 24th October: Small Copper 2 (both fresh), Red Admiral 7 (feeding on Sloes). On 30th October: Small Copper 2." ~ 30th October 2017 ~ Sue Taylor sent these sightings: "30th October: Lovely warm day today despite last night's frost. Unexpectedly I found myself at Waterperry Gardens, Oxon and saw 4 Red Admirals and a Small Tortoiseshell. to my delight and surprise I also saw a Small Copper feeding (for half an hour!) on Ageratum eupatoria ‘Chocolate’, maybe I will find some of that for my garden, as it was ignoring the Michaelmas Daisies." Dennis Dell sent this news: "29th October: Red Admiral nectaring on Erysium "Bowles mauve" in Aylesbury, Bucks: an indispensable nectar plant, flowering continuously from April till November. The other photo is of a Purple Emperor larva entering into hibernation mode." Red Admiral Purple Emperor larva Photo © Dennis Dell Photo © Dennis Dell John Lindley sent these sightings: "28th October: Despite a local frost this morning, there are still decent numbers of late butterflies about. This afternoon in Goring, Oxon, I saw 10 Red Admirals ans 2 Commas on a large Fatsia, nectaring on the flowers and sunbathing on the large shiny leaves." ~ 25th October 2017 ~ Paul Bowyer sent this sighting: "25th October: While talking to my neighbour today at Cherrywood Gardens, Flackwell Heath, Bucks (SU894898) I spotted a Holly Blue flying around the top of some ivy blossom. Chiltern warming?" ~ 22nd October 2017 ~ Charlie Jackson sent this sighting: "21st October: I had a very late Meadow Brown is quite good condition at Ivinghoe Beacon, Bucks (SP9570116304) this morning in high winds. Latest Meadow Brown I have seen." John Lindley sent these sightings: "21st October: On the footpaths around South Stoke, Oxon, in the bright, warm and breezy pre-Storm Brian weather. 1 Small White, 1 male Brimstone (possibly disturbed by the wind), 2 Speckled Wood, 6 Red Admiral, 2 Comma, 1 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, and most surprisingly 2 very fresh looking male Common Blue. Great to see eight species within a couple of hours so late in the year." ~ 18th October 2017 ~ Chris Brown sent these sightings: "Crowsley Wood, Sonning Common, Oxon (SU735795) on 6th October: Red Admiral 3, Comma 7 On 16th October: Brimstone 1, Red Admiral 2. Millenium Green, Sonning Common, Oxon (SU735795) on 6th October: Small Copper 3, Red Admiral 3, Painted Lady 1 (flew in from the north, fed on Yarrow for several minutes, then flew off south). On 15th October: Small Copper 1." ~ 16th October 2017 ~ David Ferguson sent these sightings: "15th October: Clouded Yellow and two fairly fresh male Common Blues at Wapsey's Wood WDS, Beaconsfield, Bucks (SU961891) this morning." ~ 15th October 2017 ~ Michael and Diane Hunt sent these sightings: "12th October: Seen at Coombs, Bucks (SP735323) today were 3 Red Admirals and 2 Speckled Woods." Jan Haseler sent this sighting: "8th October: We had what must be a 3rd generation Holly Blue in our Tilehurst, Berks garden (SU666742) today." Michael and Diane Hunt sent these sightings: "8th October: Seen at Stowe, Bucks (SP378671) today were 4 Red Admirals and 1 Small Copper." ~ 6th October 2017 ~ Jan Dunn sent these sightings: "On the Berkshire side of Windsor Great Park (SU969693) on 3rd October, a Clouded Yellow alighted briefly on a dandelion for a photograph. On 6th October a Small Copper with four blue spots on the hindwings - ab.