Violets & Small Blue Scrapes 2013

Hairy Violets are flowering in large numbers at Hutchinsons Bank, and appearing in the Small Blue scrapes done last year, this years scrapes are mainly still to be seeded/planted. Hopefully we shall see Dingy and Grizzled Skippers on the next 2 walks, 1st & 8th May.

Merrow & Pewley Downs Walk

On the warmest day of the year so far, we met at the car park, then walked across Merrow Downs, brimstone was the first sighting, then over the road onto Pewley Downs, along the blackthorn hedge peacock butterflies were feeding.

There were plenty of male and female brimstones flying, and egglaying on buckthorn.

Our first Orange Tip of the year was seen on the walk back after lunch.

Ham Riverlands Walk

The first butterfly walk of the 2013 season.

the car park at Ham was blocked off due to a film being made at Ham House, but a few cars were allowed in.

The first butterflies seen near the car park were Brimstone, Comma and Holly Blue, the group then walked into the site looking for the elusive Orange Tip, several Small Tortoiseshell were seen over stinging nettle patches.

A Small White was seen in the distance but flew back towards us.

We looked out across the lake and river, at the turn around point.

Several Peacock and Commas were in a small area along a track, another Small White flew past. After the walk it was back to Hutchinsons Bank to walk the butterfly transect, but only Comma, Brimstone and Peacock were seen.