BUTTERFLY DIARY

2023

 

February

 

Monday 13th

Red Admiral in Ridge Woods, Yate and Small Tortoiseshell at Downend. The Small Tortoiseshell occurrence represents the earliest date for this species for S. Glos! The previous earliest date was February 15th 2019 at Highfield Farm near Wick.

 

Tuesday 14th

Brimstone from the cycle track at Mangotsfield. This occurrence represents the earliest date for this species for S. Glos! The previous earliest date was February 22nd 2019 at Oldbury Power Station.

 

Wednesday 15th

Two Red Admiral were noted on the wing in the Dean Road/ Collett Way area at Yate.

 

Sunday 19th

A Brimstone was seen on the wing at Horton Bushes, Horton.


March

 

Sunday 12th

A Red Admiral was seen on the wing in a private garden in Longwell Green today.

 

Red Admiral | Donna Harvey

 

Friday 17th

A flurry of Brimstone today with two along the R. Avon at Hanham and a further two in a private garden at Mangotsfield.

 

Saturday 18th

The first Comma (3) of the year were seen at Willsbridge Mill today. Also present were a couple of Brimstone.

 

Comma | Donna Harvey

 

Sunday 19th

Reported on the wing today were; Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma in the Willsbridge/ Hanham loop; Brimstone at Oldland Common; Small Tortoiseshell at Yate.

 

Tuesday 21st

Two Brimstone and a Common at Willsbridge Mill.

 

Wednesday 22nd

Peacock, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma all at Frampton Cotterell; Three Small Tortoiseshell and two Brimstone at Oldbury Power Station; Brimstone at Lyde Green.

 

Friday 24th

Small Tortoiseshell in Kingsgate Park, Yate.

 

Small Tortoiseshell | Chris Teague

 

Monday 27th

Peacock, three Comma and three Brimstone at Willsbridge. Peacock at Kingswood.


April

 

Sunday 2nd

The first Holly Blue of the year was seen on the wing at St Anne's Church, Oldland Common today.

 

Holly Blue | Donna Harvey

 

Thursday 6th

The first Speckled Wood of the year was encountered at Yate today.

 

Speckled Wood | Chris Teague

 

Friday 7th

The first Small White's of the year were noted at Willsbridge, Bridgeyate, Oldbury Power Station and Wickwar today.

 

Small White | Donna Harvey

 

Monday 10th

The first Orange-tip of the year was noted at Oldbury Power Station today.

 

Tuesday 18th

This years first Large White seen was on the wing in a private garden at Yate today.


May

 

Thursday 11th

The first of this year's Small Copper (3) were present in a private garden at Avening Green this afternoon.

 

Small Copper | Fen Marshall

 

Monday 15th

The first Painted Lady of the year was seen at Oldbury Power Station on the 15th.

 

Painted Lady | Pete Hazelwood

 

Saturday 20th

A remarkable sighting today of SMALL BLUE at a site near Hawkesbury Upton. This is just the second 'known' site in S. Glos for this species. Also today, this years first Common Blue at Hawkesbury Upton and Green-veined White at Wickwar.

 

Small Blue | Mark Coller

 

Green-veined White | Paul Sadley

 

Monday 22nd

The first Small Heath of the year was logged at Oldbury Power Station.

 

Tuesday 23rd

A Clouded Yellow was found at Bristol Parkway, Stock Gifford this afternoon.

 

Clouded Yellow | Paul Bowdler

 

Small Copper | Paul Sadley

 

Sunday 28th

The first Brown Argus of the year was spotted near Hawkesbury village today.

 

Brown Argus | Chris Teague


June

 

Friday 2nd

This years first Large Skipper was on the wing at Oldbury Power Station today.

 

Large Skipper | Pete Hazelwood

 

Sunday 3rd

On the wing today; The first Meadow Browns' of the year were noted at Oldbury Power Station and Hawkesbury Upton (8). C.40 Common Blue, four Small Blue, Brown Argus, five Holly Blue Small Heath, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and Large White in the Hawkesbury Upton area.

 

Meadow Brown | Heather England

 

Small Blue | Mark Coller

 

Monday 5th

At Webbs Heath: Small and Large Skipper, Meadow Brown and Common Blue. Near Hawkesbury Upton: Two Small Blue still present.

 

Monday 12th

This years first Marbled White was noted at Avening Green today.

 

Marbled White | Fen Marshall

 

Sunday 18th

Our first Ringlet of the year on Hanham Hills from the path off Bagworth Drive, Longwell Green. Reports from Oldbury Pill; Brown Argus, Common Blue, Small Skipper, Marbled White. Hawkesbury Upton; Common Blue, Marbled White of note.

 

Small Skipper | Heather England

 

Monday 19th

Sims Hill, Stoke Park: A male Essex Skipper, the first of the year plus Marbled White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown and a few Small and Large Skipper.

 

Ringlet | Phil Barlow

 

Thursday 22nd

At least three White-letter Hairstreak along the R. Frome at Frampton Cotterell today.

 

White-letter Hairstreak | David Hanks

 

Friday 23rd

At least six Silver-washed Fritillary at Lower Woods, Wickwar this afternoon.

 

Silver-washed Fritillary | Mark Coller

 

Sunday 25th

Lower Woods, Wickwar: Two White Admiral, 10+ Silver-washed Fritillary, Large and Small Skipper, Large and Small White, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Common Blue, Speckled Wood and Comma.

 

White Admiral | Mark Coller

 

Wednesday 28th

Five Essex, two Large and 100+ Small Skipper, 20+ Small Heath, 100+ Marbled White and 'loads' of Meadow Brown on Chipping Sodbury Common this afternoon.

 

Thursday 29th

The first Gatekeepers were noted at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach and the Oldbury Power Station environs today. Also today the first Purple Hairstreak and Silver-washed Fritillary (valesina) at Lower Woos, Wickwar.


July

 

Saturday 1st

Lower Woods, Wickwar: Silver Washed Fritillary plus one 'valesina' form also Comma, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Gatekeeper and Hummingbird Hawk moth.

 

Silver-washed Fritillary 'valesina' | Heather England

 

Kingsgate Park, Yate: Brimstone, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Large and Small Skipper.

 

Sunday 2nd

Silver-washed Fritillary was reported today from Tortworth Court Lake early afternoon and in their '100's from Lower Woods, Wickwar. Also today, White Admiral at Lower Woods.

 

Thursday 6th

Lower Woods, Wickwar: Good number of Gatekeeper, Silver-washed Fritillary including the 'valesina' form, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Large White, Painted Lady and Brimstone.

 

Friday 7th

Lower Woods, Wickwar: White Admiral, good numbers of Purple Hairstreak and 'masses' of Silver-washed Fritillary. Severn View Services, Aust: Just one White-letter Hairstreak present today.

 

White-letter Hairstreak | Vic Savery

 

Sunday 9th

Still plenty of Silver-washed Fritillary at Lower Woods, Wickwar including one 'valesina' form.

 

Monday 17th

Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Marbled White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Large and Small Skipper, possible Essex, Holly Blue, Large, Small and Green Veined Whites in the Willsbridge area.

 

Tuesday 18th

A rather battered White-letter Hairstreak was seen on thistles at The Glebeland, Frampton Cotterell this morning.

 

Wednesday 19th

A White-letter Hairstreak was a first for the observer in his garden at Bradley Stoke today!

 

White-letter Hairstreak | Mike Prior

 

Saturday 22nd

Not a butterfly but well worth a mention here! Hummingbird Hawk moth from the observers garden at Yate today.

 

Hummingbird Hawk moth | Mark Coller

 

Tuesday 25th

An Essex Skipper was noted in a private garden at Wickwar. Hundreds of butterflies on the wing at Charfield Meadow; Including Gatekeeper, Comma, Common Blue, Large Skipper, Small White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral. Peacock, Marbled White, Brimstone and Meadow Brown.

 

 

Essex Skipper | Paul Sadley

 

Sunday 30th

Lower Woods, Wickwar: Scores of Meadow Brown, many Gatekeeper, Common Blue, three Silver-washed Fritillary plus Green-veined White.


August

 

Tuesday 1st

A Silver-washed Fritillary was reported from the garden at Willsbridge Mill today.

 

Thursday 3rd

Chipping Sodbury Common; Essex Skipper, Peacock, Common Blue and Brown Argus.

 

Sunday 6th

Silver-washed Fritillary at Lower Woods, Wickwar. From Oldbury Power Station; Common Blue, Brown Argus, Speckled Wood, Small Heath, Peacock, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large/ Small White and Holly Blue.

 

Friday 18th

A very worn Silver-washed Fritillary was seen briefly in a private garden at Yate today.


September

 

NOTED ON THE WING THIS MONTH: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown , Small Heath, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue.

 

Small Copper | Vic Savery

 

A Clouded Yellow was seen at Oldbury Power Station on the 3rd.


October

 

NOTED ON THE WING THIS MONTH: Red Admiral (100+ on the Marshfield patch on the 3rd), Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Brimstone.

 

Painted Lady | Fen Marshall


November

 

NOTED ON THE WING THIS MONTH: Red Admiral reported from Yate and Downend on the 23rd.