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.