Focus Nature Notes. Butterflies, Birdsong and Buddleia

Love Butterflies love the Butterfly Bush. We have five Buddleia in the small front garden and on Sunday, they were covered in the colourful panicles blowing in the breeze, we spotted the following welcome visitors: Just a 'recce' not a count, Butterfly Conservation's 2026 Big Butterfly Count runs from 17th July to 9th August. 

  Red Admiral 

Peacock 

Gatekeeper 

Tortoiseshell 

Painted Lady 

Whites Large and Small 

Hummingbird Moth 

This Youtube short of the first Buddleia, aka The Butterfly Bush, flowering in my garden on the 2nd July was filmed on my iPhone. I was concentrating on the blooming things blowing in the breeze I didn't spot the Red Admiral slowly wafting its wings on the Hydrangea. In the background a melee of twittering birds. 💛💜Love nature.

The following photos were taken with my trusty Canon camera later in the evening when the sun lit up the Senecio.

Yellow tones from the Senecio colouring the White Butterfly

Red Admiral on the Senecio

Short> First Red Admiral on the first flowering Buddleia and Birdsong 

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Butterfly Conservation's 2026 Big Butterfly Count runs from 17th July to 9th August. 

https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/

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North Devon Focus. Watching the changing seasons throughout the year, looking out and photographing events, nature, wildlife and places while walking on the North Devon coast and in the countryside. 
All photos/articles copyright Pat Adams (All Rights Reserved)

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Focus Nature Notes. Butterflies at last…

Last hurrah ….last week. 

Congratulations to RHS Garden Rosemoor with parts of the garden awash with bees, dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies at last …last week. Amongst the Whites are flashes of yellow, not Clouded Yellow as I thought but newly emerged Brimstone. It was a hopeful sight after the sad news about alarmingly low numbers from the Butterfly Conservation. #butterflycount. Also spotted a Peacock, 3 Red Admirals and my first and only Tortoishell of the year. Watch the clip below, enjoy a tranquil moment, I love to know what flowers are planted here.

“The Butterfly Conservation are calling on the Government to:

1. Declare a nature emergency

2. Implement an immediate and permanent ban on butterfly-harming neonicotinoid pesticides, without exceptions. 

If you agree, sign our letter and join leading conservation figures in calling on the Government to take action now.” Add your voice at (butterfly-conservation.org)

Seen 14th September

Watch the video here on youtube

 

 

 

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Butterflies at last. Butterflies count

I was beginning to wonder if the butterflies were ever going to return. Worryingly very few in numbers over the past couple of months.

I spotted the Speckled Wood in my wildlife friendly garden at the end of May. On my walks around coast and countryside I only saw a couple Orange Tips back in the Spring and very few Whites.

Yesterday I saw a good selection including

• Red Admiral (first I’ve seen this year)
• Gatekeeper (first I’ve seen this year)
• . Skipper (first I’ve seen this year)
• Comma (first I’ve seen this year)
• Large White
• Small White

There was also a solitary Brimstone among the many Gatekeepers fluttering around the beautifully sheltered Permaculture Garden at Tapeley Park.

I do the Big Butterfly Count every year, so I’m hoping my own garden count counts for something this year. I took the stunning Speckled Wood photo in  my garden at the end of May.

 

 Butterflies at last. Photo credit Pat Adams North Devon Focus

Large White - Photo credit Pat Adams North Devon Focus

Speckled Wood - Photo credit Pat Adams North Devon Focus

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 The Big Butterfly Count 2024 runs from 12 July - 4 August, spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot and help gather vital data to save butterflies and moths.

“Help the Butterfly Conservation take nature's pulse by joining the Big Butterfly Count. The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and type of butterflies (and some day-flying moths) we see.”
https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org

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Pat Adams' North Devon Focus. My North Devon Coast & Country Chronicle

Facebook 😊 - Flickr

Instagram - Youtube

Explore the Coast and' Country' side of  Bideford Bay and Beyond 

>North Devon Focus Website