News

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Stanmore Country Park. Nine Brown Hairstreak eggs found at Stanmore Country Park [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Peacock at Trent Park. 1 Peacock seen in flight & settled on base of Hornbeam, edge of Williams Wd/Trent Park [TQ294973] at 1325 GMT - my earliest ever, I don't think I have ever seen one in January [Posted by Robert Callf]

Brown Hairstreak quietly retaking London and beyond. Brown Hairstreak quietly retaking London and beyond in today's Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/31/brown-hairstreak-rare-butterfly-quietly-retaking-london [Posted by Peter Clarke]

Red Admiral in Bayfordbury. Saw my first butterfly of the year: a Red Admiral flying in the sunshine in the Pinetum at Bayfordbury [Posted by Ian Flack]

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Fryent Country Park. Three Brown Hairstreak eggs found at Fryent Country Park [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Fryent Country Park and Stanmore Country Park. 17 Brown Hairstreak eggs on the North West side of Fryent Country Park. Also 7 Brown Hairstreak eggs found at Stanmore Country Park [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Fryent Country Park. Six more Brown Hairstreak eggs found at areas not previously searched on the East side of Fryent Country Park [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Egg finds in Ware. Took a walk around my local fields in Ware this morning and finally found a White-letter Hairstreak egg on the elms by the playing field (usually much easier to find). Of note was that some of the elm flower buds were starting to burst. On blackthorn 5 Blue-bordered Carpet along Wood Lane and a further egg along the hedge near Hollycross Road. Had an odd egg which was on an oak leaf bud, where a Purple Hairstreak egg would be found - but it was ridged. Looked like a Green-brindled Crescent but wrong larval food plant and laying location??? [Posted by Liz Goodyear]

Brimstone at Oughtonhead Common. Tony Hukin saw a Brimstone at Oughtonhead Common, Hitchin at around 1pm [Posted by Peter Clarke]

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Fryent Country Park. Searched six field enclosures at the East side of Fryent Park. Brown Hairstreak eggs found in every field but one. Total of 13 eggs found [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Peacock in Bengeo. Had a Peacock in my back garden in Bengeo [Posted by Steve Kiln]

Red Admiral in Bishop's Stortford. A single Red Admiral flying north along Stansted Road Bishops Stortford at Fullers Court lunch time TL492212 [Posted by Laurence Drummond]

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Fryent Country Park. Short visit to Fryent Country Park, found four Brown Hairstreak eggs three of which were in a field enclosure not previously searched [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Fryent Country Park. A longer visit to Fryent Country Park, searched four field enclosures and found 27 Brown Hairstreak eggs [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Big City Butterflies Project Update. Big City Butterflies Project Update - Ele Johnstone and Steve Bolton YouTube video can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB63vbwQwbs [Posted by Peter John Clarke]

Brown Hairstreak eggs in Fryent Country Park. Three Brown Hairstreak eggs on a quick visit to the southern area of Fryent Country Park to the East of Fryent Way. NW9 9SE [Posted by Rohan Harris]

Branch Event. Brown Hairstreak egg search at Stafford Road Open Space. Volunteers joined a small handful of regulars at the Stafford Road Open Space in Ruislip to help with the annual egg survey for the Brown Hairstreak. Postponed from the original date because of potential snow, the new date proved to be a very fine day to be out searching. Most of the volunteers were new to the task but it took barely a minute to find the first egg and show exactly what it was that we were looking for. In fact, the first Blackthorn bush that was searched contained 10 eggs and, spreading out, the volunteers soon got into their stride with egg finds coming thick and fast. In the public Open Space area, it seemed that almost all of the Blackthorn contained at least an egg or two and every attendee had success finding eggs. In only a couple of hours or so of searching, a total of 103 Brown Hairstreak eggs (plus one Purple Hairstreak egg) were found, an excellent result that is consistent with the record number of adult sightings last summer. The Ruislip site seems to be going from strength to strength. Alongside the volunteer egg search, Malcolm Hull, Liz Goodyear and Nick Furtek met with Ricky, an enthusiastic representative of TfL, to search for eggs on the adjacent TfL owned land that is not accessible to the general public. A total of 15 Brown Hairstreak eggs were found, reinforcing how much this beautiful butterfly species is now part of the wider Ickenham and Ruislip landscape [Posted by Ian Watts]

Peacock in Panshanger Park. A Peacock was flying in the sunshine along the trees in Panshanger Park [Posted by William Bishop]

Campaign to save Whitewebbs Park, Enfield. Campaign to save Whitewebbs Park in Enfield from development hit the national press today with an article by Patrick Barkham in the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/09/locals-hit-back-at-spurs-football-plans-for-green-biodiverse-space-tottenham-enfield-london?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Otherfefdc75cc70b867&esid=d3229daa-9753-ee11-be6f-6045bdd0ef4d [Posted by Peter Clarke]

Red Admiral in Enfield. I was pleasantly surprised to see a Red Admiral in flight & settled on ivy-clad tree near Archer's Wd/Forty Hall CP, Enfield [TQ333992] this afternoon between 1317 & 1320 GMT [Posted by Robert Callf]