The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Hope to make occasional comments re successful plants,etc. and note interesting observations, especially being in website touch with Max and Colin Pumfrett as per previous years ( but also hopefully with other keen garden 'butterfliers').
So far this year in our BBH garden we've had :

March - Peacock
April -
Small Tortoiseshell
Small White
Green-veined White
Large White
Holly blue.

The next few weeks should see some interesting newcomers.


Regards,

Freddy

Hi Freddy.
My garden is coming along fine, i have not seen many butterflies yet but i hope to when my plants flower.I have been very busy in the garden, i have planted many new plants this year to attract as many species possible. the butterfly bed i have built now contains sedum, agastache, salvia, scabious and lots of marjoram, i have also planted a bed of verbena bonariensis, a bed of birds foot trefoil and a few standard buddleia, not forgetting the nine buddleia shrubs, so i am expecting a butterfly bonanza this year, thats if we have a good summer, and i have just finished building a raised viewing platform, next on the list a nice padded garden chair.

Colin Pumfrett.

Colin,

Do Freddy and I have to bring our own chairs or are you providing them lol

I can bring the ginger bics...

Regarding gardens my back garden is a flood of colour with Forget-me-Not and Honesty in full bloom, the Green-veined White seem attracted to it, spotted a Large White on it this morning, first one this year. Not had Holly Blue yet.

Max

_________________
GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Colin,
That's a fantastic selection of ' butterfly ' plants and shrubs, as well as their being very attractive in themselves. You really deserve a butterfly bonanza after planting that lot. If this Spring is anything to go by, we could? get a reasonable Summer and then your planning and hard work will certainly pay off. Good luck!
Max,
I think Honesty is an under-rated ' butterfly ' plant as well as being a terrific garden plant in itself. Reflecting on what you and Colin have said, I think one of the great advantages of garden butterfly watching is the relaxing nature of it all (no journey, no hassle ) - you can literally put your feet up and enjoy what arrives, plus a cheap and ready supply of snacks and drinks to hand, if required, and all the time being surrounded by attractive flowers and shrubs. What more could one wish for? We can now relax and post our news as it appears.

Regards,

Freddy

As April finishes (with indifferent weather), the only update new arrival in the garden was -
29 April - Speckled Wood.
The Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells are now absent, with the only regulars over the past few days being Holly Blue and the 3 Whites (sounds like a Non-PC Pop Group but I am talking butterflies.)

Regards,

Freddy

Better numbers of butterflies in the garden today and in the last day or so :

Essex Skipper - 1 today (Sat), my first of the year and in the garden, too (on Lavender)
Holly Blue - female
Ringlet - up to 4
Small Tortoiseshell
Painted Lady
Meadow Brown
Large White
Small White
Green-veined White
with a Red Admiral on 30 June (not since) but still no Gatekeeper yet.
How are your Buddleias, etc. coming along Max and Colin?

Regards,

Freddy

Hi Freddy
Essex skipper, i need one of those. today i cleaned out the garden shed and during that time i saw the 3 whites, small tortoiseshell, a painted lady, small and large skippers, ringlet and gatekeeper.
The buddleias are beginning to flower except for four, another month.

Colin.

Hi Freddy,

Nothing to report this end. One brach of one Buddleah is in flower, the rest are getting ready.

Cheers
Max

_________________
GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Hi Freddy and Colin,

Although not had Gatekeeper yet [ they are all at MSQ and Risby by sounds of it lol ] had a decent day today with a total of 23 spread over seven species, managed quite a few pics but wish it had been less windy.

Regards

Max

_________________
GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Actually managed 14 species in the garden this morning in the warm,humid conditions before hailstones the size of marbles put an end to it all.
Painted Lady - 14
Peacock - 21
Red Admiral - 2
Gatekeeper - 4
Holly Blue - 2
Common Blue - 1
Large White - 18
GV White - 4
Small White - 8
Speckled Wood - 1
Comma - 3
Small Tort - 7
Meadow Brown - 11
Ringlet - 2

Interestingly whereas the Buddleahs are full of Large Whites the Small Whites seem to shun them and are mostly on Catmint, Golden Rod and Marjorum. The Blues were favouring the Golden Rod. Gatekeepers seem to love Ragwort as they favour this in the garden and also they are mostly seen on it during the Butterfly transects at Gib Point.

Hi Ed,
That's a terrific list of species, plus in very good numbers too - and on the same DAY : a real butterfly garden. I've now had all those species (plus Essex Skipper) in the garden since the beginning of July (ie over the past MONTH) but in much smaller numbers of Meadow Brown, Painted Lady and Peacock.
Marjoram is my main Gatekeeper lure and the Whites seem to love Lobelia.

Regards,

Freddy

Hi Freddy,
Agreed - My Marjoram isn't fully out yet but it will be my best Gatekeeper plant when it is.
Incidentally there is only one small clump of Marjoram at Gib just next to cafe and it is always covered with Butterflies.Today there were 10 Essex Skippers, a Large White and 2 mating Brown Argos's enjoying it's nectar.

11 August update :

With the main Buddleia blossom now over until the next flush, numbers are lower in the garden but there is still a reasonable range of species (11 ) visiting in the welcome sunshine :

Holly Blue
Common Blue (male) - on Marjoram
Essex Skipper - on Marjoram
Gatekeeper - on Marjoram
Painted Lady
Peacock
Small Tortoiseshell
Meadow Brown
The 3 Whites.

Regards,

Freddy

Plenty of butterflies still in my garden.
this morning 81+ peacocks
lots of painted ladies
small tortoiseshell
comma
red admiral
gatekeeper
meadow brown
the 3 whites
Chopped down all the conifers ready to plant more buddleias for next year.

http://colin-aeshna.blogspot.com

1st September update

There was a good showing of species on/off throughout August, dependent on the weather of course, but with some of the following trailing off towards the end of the month :
Holly Blue
Common Blue
Essex Skipper
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Speckled Wood
Peacock

As September starts with a new flush of Buddleia and with a fine sunny morning ( so far, anyway ), there are still good numbers of :
Small Tortoiseshell
Painted Lady
Red Admiral
and the 3 Whites.
But no Wall, Small Copper or Brown Argus this year.

Regards,

Freddy
PS Max, did that 'damned elusive Gatekeeper' eventually visit your garden in August?