BUTTERFLY DIARY
This year's sightings from S. Gloucestershire
FEBRUARY 2020
Wednesday 5th
The first butterfly of the year was indeed a Red Admiral seen in flight from a garden in Hanham. (Nigel Warren)
MARCH 2020
Friday 6th
The first Comma of the year was seen in flight on West Littleton Down, Tormarton/ Marshfield (John Barnett), and the first Small Tortoiseshell was watched at Thornbury. (Matt Plenty)
Monday 16th
A bright spring day brought a flush of sightings and a couple of new additions for the year. A few Brimstone (Mark Coller, TBOSG) with individuals sighted at Yate and Emerson's Green and a male Orange-tip at Oldland Common. (Paul Francis) Also seen, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma.
Comma | Lisa Presland - Peacock | Adam Rawson
Saturday 21st
A walk from Oldland to Willsbridge this morning and saw two Brimstone and two (the first of the year) Small Copper (Wendy & Tim Ford), five Brimstone at Willsbridge Mill (Anthony Goodwin) and Brimstone and Peacock alongside the Little River Avon at Damery. (Adam Rawson)
Sunday 22nd
Reported today: Small Tortoiseshell and Comma. (Tim Ford, John Barnett)
Monday 23rd
Two Comma, three Small Tortoiseshell and seven Brimstone in the Warmley Cycle Path/ Warmley Forest Park area (Phil Barlow), Small Tortoiseshell at Marshfield (John Barnett), Peacock and Brimstone at Kingswood (TBOSG) and four Peacock at Oldbury Power Station (Pete Hazelwood). Tuesday 24th Several Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone and a couple of Peacock at Marshfield (John Barnett), Brimstone and our first Large White of the year at Severn Beach (Paul Bowerman), Large White, two Comma, two Peacock and Brimstone at Yate (Mark Coller)
Wednesday 25th
Green-veined White at Bradley Stoke (Vic Savery) and Small White at Oldland Common and Siston (Paul Francis, Phil Barlow) were both firsts for the year. Also on the wing was Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock Brimstone and Comma.
Green-veined White | Vic Savery
APRIL 2020
Friday 3rd
A male Orange-tip and Small Tortoiseshell on the wing in the Alveston area. (Rob Emery) Small Tortoiseshell also noted Kingswood and Marshfield. (TBOSG, John Barnett)
Saturday 4th
On the wing today were Comma, six Brimstone and at least five Peacock on Cock Road Ridge, Kingswood (Pete Coslett), Peacock and Comma at Marshfield (John Barnett), Small Tortoiseshell in Kingswood (TBOSG), five Brimstone, Comma, Orange-tip and four Peacock at Three Brooks LNR, Bradley Stoke. (Craig Lewis)
Monday 6th
Brimstone and Green-veined White from the Marshfield patch. (John Barnett) Seven Peacock, nine Small Tortoiseshell and Holly Blue were reported from Filton Golf Course and Charlton Common. (Avon Birds)
Holly Blue | Fen Marshall
Tuesday 7th
Reported today; Comma, Holly Blue, Peacock, Large and Small White, Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone.
Thursday 9th
Orange-tip, Speckled Wood, Large and Small White, Peacock, Holly Blue, Comma, Brimstone and Green-veined White.
Comma | Chris Teague - Speckled Wood | Fen Marshall
Friday 10th Orange-tip, Large and Small White, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.
Orange-tip | Mark Coller
Wednesday 15th
At least eight different Small White, three Orange-tip, Holly Blue and Peacock at Oldland Common. (Tim Ford)
Thursday 23rd
Oldland Common to North Common, Brimstone, four Peacock, Speckled Wood and at least 20 Orange-tip. (Tim Ford) An abundance of Holly Blue (at least a dozen) in the garden at Itchington. (Heather England) A Small Heath was reported from Oldbury Power Station. (Pete Hazelwood)
Holly Blue | Heather England
Saturday 25th
From the R. Frome at Yate, Green-veined and Small White, Orange-tip, Peacock, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Brimstone. (Mark Coller)
MAY 2020
Thursday 7th
At least one Dingy Skipper was present at ST: 765 729 adjacent to Great Moody's Wood, west of Marshfield. (David Glew) Plenty of Orange-tip, Peacock, two Speckled Wood, Brimstone and Small White at Oldland Common. Several Small Heath reported recently. (Tim Ford, Rich Ford, Mark Coller)
Dingy Skipper | David Glew
Friday 8th
Several Small Copper were reported today from Bradley Stoke and Yate. (Vic Savery, Mark Coller)
Small Copper | Vic Savery
Thursday 14th
Several Holly Blue and the first Brown Argus of the year was reported from The Orchard at Oldbury Power Station. (Phil Baber)
Saturday 16th
This years' first Common Blue were noted at Tortworth and Kingsgate Park, Yate. (Fen Marshall, Mark Coller)
Common Blue | Fen Marshall
Sunday 17th
At least two Dingy Skipper present at Sainsbury Fields, Marshfield today. (John Barnett) The first in the recording area for at least five years!
Wednesday 20th
Still at least two Dingy Skipper, several Common Blue, Brown Argus, Large, Small and Green-veined White from Set-a-side at Marshfield today. (John Barnett, TBOSG) Also on the wing today Orange-tip, Brimstone, Red Admiral and Holly Blue. (Chris Teague, Mark Coller)
Dingy Skipper, Brown Argus and Common Blue | TBOSG
Sunday 24th
The first Meadow Brown of the year was seen in meadows adjacent to Shortwood Landfill (Phil Barlow) and the first Small Heath of the year on the patch at Marshfield too! (John Barnett)
Thursday 28th
Wapley Meadows: Brown Argus, plenty of Common Blue, small numbers of Meadow Brown and a couple of Large Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Peacock. (Mark Coller, TBOSG)
Large Skipper and Meadow Brown | TBOSG
Sunday 31st Firsts for the year Marbled White at Oldbury Power Station (Rich Ford) and Small Skipper (four) on the patch at Marshfield. (John Barnett)
JUNE 2020
Thursday 4th
The first Ringlet of the year with an early specimen at Warmley Forest Park. (Phil Barlow) Also reported on the wing were Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell.
Sunday 7th
At Webb's Heath, Marbled White, Small Skipper, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell and Common Blue. (Phil Barlow) Also today the first Silver-washed Fritillary of the year was on show at Lower Woods, Wickwar. (Phil Hemming)
Marbled White | Phil Barlow - Silver-washed Fritillary | Phil Hemming
Tuesday 9th
Noted on the wing today; Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. (Chris Teague, Heather England, Rich Ford, Tim Ford, Fen Marshall)
Saturday 13th
The first Painted Lady of the year was noted near Old Down along with a couple of Red Admiral and lots of Meadow Brown. (Rich Ford)
Tuesday 16th
A walk around Wapley Bushes this morning saw Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell and Small Skipper. (Chris Teague) At Lower Woods, Wickwar, around eight Silver-washed Fritillary, two Marbled White, countless Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell. A few Small Skipper, perhaps ten Large Skipper and similar numbers of Comma and Red Admiral. (Paul Bowdler)
Small Skipper | Chris Teague
Sunday 21st This years first Essex Skipper was noted at Oldbury Power Station today! (Craig Lewis)
Essex Skipper - Craig Lewis
Monday 22nd
A couple of firsts for the year today with Dark-green Fritillary on show at Wapley Bushes, Yate (Mark Coller) and White-letter Hairstreak performing nicely from The Severn Way above Severn View Services, Aust. (Howard Taffs)
Dark-green Fritillary |Mark Coller - White-letter Hairstreak | Howard Taffs
Wednesday 24th
Nice to hear that White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary were on the wing at Lower Woods, Wickwar (Howard Taffs) and Ringlets, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Marbled White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown were noted at Three Brooks LNR. (Chris Teague).
White Admiral - Howard Taffs White-letter Hairstreak - Chris Teague
Thursday 25th Reported on the wing today from across the area: Small and Large Skipper, Large and Small White, Silver-washed Fritillary, Red Admiral, White Admiral, Brimstone, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Marbled White, 1,000's of Meadow Brown and Ringlet,
Brimstone | Keith Williams - Painted Lady | Rob Emery
Friday 26th
The first Purple Hairstreak of the year was present at Kingsgate Park, Yate today. (Mark Coller)
Sunday 28th
At least two White-letter Hairstreak from Elms in the Elberton area today. (Vic Savery)
Monday 29th
Purple Hairstreak on show around Lagoon III at Oldbury Power Station today. (Pete Hazelwood)
Purple Hairstreak | Pete Hazelwood
JULY 2020
Sunday 5th
Silver-washed Fritillary still on the wing at Lower Woods, Wickwar. (Vic Savery) And the first Gatekeeper of the year was noted on Chipping Sodbury Common. (Mark Coller)
Silver-washed Fritillary | Vic Savery
Monday 6th
Around Wapley Bushes LNR today; White-letter Hairstreak, Marbled White, Small and Large Skipper, Comma, Peacock, Small Copper and Gatekeeper. (Chris & David Teague)
White-letter Hairstreak | Chris Teague
Tuesday 7th
Reported from across the region today: Gatekeeper, Small/ Essex Skipper, Marbled White, 100's Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Large Skipper and Red Admiral (Phil Barlow, Keith Williams, Mark Coller)
Ringlet | Mark Coller
Friday 10th
Seen today: Holly Blue at Patchway, Large and Small White, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Comma, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Skipper at Wapley Bushes NR. (Chris & David Teague)
Holly Blue | Chris Teague
Monday 13th
On the wing in the Northwick Warth area: Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Large White, Red Admiral, Small Copper, two Small Tortoiseshell, two Essex Skipper and three Peacock. (Louise Bailey)
Thursday 16th
White-letter Hairstreak sitting on the grass on a common area in Thornbury! Also male Brimstone, Red Admiral, Peacock, Holly Blue, Comma, Speckled Wood, several Large White, Small White, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper. (Louise Bailey) Essex Skipper at Marshfield. (Tim Ford, John Barnett).
Essex Skipper | Pete Coslett
Monday 20th
Lower Woods: Plenty of Silver-washed Fritillary, Peacock, Gatekeeper. A Hummingbird Hawk-moth and Purple Hairstreak. (Keith Williams)
Thursday 30th
The first Clouded Yellow of the year was seen on Pining Wetland Reserve, Northwick Warth. (David Poulton)
Clouded Yellow | TBOSG
AUGUST 2020
Sunday 2nd
A Silver-washed Fritillary was seen around Tortworth Court Lake, a Brown Argus was reported around Lagoon III at Oldbury Power Station and a Clouded Yellow was noted south of Severn Beach. (Thomas Weston, Morris Benson, Stuart Matthews)