Recap of 2019

Posted on December 5, 2019 by admin

This post will recap the more exciting finds of 2019. I really didn’t do too much butterfly wise in 2019 due to a number of factors. The spring was wet and weekends always seemed to be messed up. I was also counting down towards retirement and everything that comes with that. Other than a few local trips I only made four butterfly outings beyond the immediate area; 1) Florida – April, 2) North Carolina – June, 3) Rickett’s Glen, PA – July and 4) Lower Rio Grande Valley – November.

Barry Marts and I were on the first three trips together. In April we drove most of the Florida peninsula in search of 2 birds; American Flamingo, Key West Quail-Dove and 2 butterflies; Oak Hairstreak and Goatweed Leafwing. We were successful with all four.

Florida: The Quail-Dove took 5 hrs of searching but finally was located in brambles under a fig tree. I personally had spent 40 hours over many days on previous trips in the Florida Keys looking for this species. The American Flamingo was at St. Mark’s NWR. The “Southern” Oak Hairstreak was at St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park and the Goatweed Leafwing was at Suwannee River State Park. Many thanks to our good friends Mark and Holly Salvato for helping with location information regarding the leps!

North Carolina: We went to the Sandhills area in south central North Carolina in search of Yehl Skipper and King’s Hairstreak. Barry and I helped out on the butterfly count at Weymouth Woods and saw 5 hairstreak species.

Pennsylvania: Our yearly summer trip to Rickett’s Glen State Park. A beautiful area ladened with waterfalls. No Tortoiseshells this trip but 30 species were seen highlighted by Eyed Brown, Dion Skipper and Bog Coppers.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: Recently returned from three weeks in the valley. Severe summer drought affected timing and species diversity while I was there. For sure the worst numbers I’ve encountered in my 7 years going in November. Having said that the week after I left many new and rare species started to be found… always happens right? Notables on this trip were a lifer Manuel’s Skipper, multiple Blomfild’s Beauties and several White-angled Sulphurs. It was also a banner season for White-patched Skippers.

97 species for the trip (In contrast Barry and I saw 135 species in 2017).

A few photos below of the lifers and some highlights. I’m going to get into the field more next season with hopefully a trip to southern California in the spring.

Click on any image to enlarge

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Posted in Brush-footed, Butterfly ID, Gossamer-winged, Remote Trip, Skippers, Whites and Sulphurs | Leave a comment

A lifer after all these years…

Posted on December 5, 2019 by admin

Hi All,
I retired in October and have had a change of heart in regards to the blog. It mostly had to do with the site and domain renewals costs. So we’re back in business. One of my goals going forward is to make at least a couple of trips out west for butterflies per year as I’ve done very little butterflying out west. I’ve made one trip to the Wasatch mountains of Utah, one trip to south east Arizona (while chasing a couple of birds), One trip to Olympic National Park in Washington and a brief stop in San Diego in April of 2014 while on another birding trip. During the southern California trip I stopped for a couple of hours at a local park on the east side of San Diego. I encountered 6 species, one of which was a Behr’s Metalmark. I had taken a photo of a skipper an label it as a Fiery Skipper. Five years later with more experience across the board I looked through those photos again and they do NOT look like a Fiery Skipper. Instead it looked like an Umber Skipper, a March-October species in that area. As I write this posting snow showers are falling which has me longing already for warmer temps and butterflies.

Umber Skipper

Posted in Remote Trip, Skippers | 3 Comments

Monitored Monarch population in Mexico – Highest in 12 years

Posted on January 31, 2019 by admin

The World Wildlife Fund Mexico in collaboration with CONANP and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) announced the total forest area occupied by overwintering monarch colonies today. Fourteen (14) colonies were located this winter season with a total area of 6.05 hectares, a 144% increase from the previous season. Check out this link for more information:  Monarch Watch

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Lower Rio Grande Valley – 2018

Posted on November 19, 2018 by admin

Every year is different in November and this year kept suit with that trend with a twist. Weather wise this was the most extreme I’ve ever witnessed in all of my birding and butterfly fall / winter trips. Mike Smith and I arrived on the 8th to sunny skies and 94 degrees. That all changed the next day with the first of two consecutive cold fronts going through. We didn’t really get out looking for any butterflies until 5 1/2 days later. Winds blowing from the NW at 20+ mph and temps struggling to get above 50 for a couple of those days. It was downright cold, cloudy and windy. The temperature dropped below freezing (31) one morning. Mike and I went to Walmart for long underwear, hats and gloves. We saw a 63 degree swing in temps!

All was not lost however as there are always birding opportunities. This year offered a very rare Roadside Hawk (near and around the National Buttefly Center and Bentsen Rio Grande State Park) and a rare Masked Booby on South Padre Island. Sprinkle in a Golden-crowned Warbler, Aplomado Falcons and Fulvous Whistling Ducks and there was plenty to keep us busy as long as we could stay warm.

The butterfly rarity this November was Hermit Skipper which was reported in multiple locations. Even though it’s seen off and on in the valley probably every year this was the first time I’ve seen any reported in November since I’ve been going to Texas for butterflies. I spent most of my time  lepping with good friends Deb and Bill Marsh from Ohio. All the other fall regulars (people) where there and we kept in constant touch via group texting if something good was found. It was great to reacquaint with old friends and make some new ones. Other real good butterflies were a lifer Yojoa-scrub Hairstreak (thanks to Deb Marsh for spotting this gem) at the gardens in Roma, Banded Patch and Hermit Skipper at Falcon Dam State Park, White Angled-Sulphur at the Retama Village (thanks to Phil Kelly) and a beautiful male Four-spotted Sailor at the National Butterfly Center.

I can’t wait until next November when I’ll be celebrating retirement in the valley.

Click on any image below to enlarge
Posted in Brush-footed, Gossamer-winged, Remote Trip, Whites and Sulphurs | 2 Comments

Remarkable diversity of November Butterflies

Posted on November 1, 2018 by admin

With November beginning with super temps and partial sunshine I located 12 species in three different locations in the Neighborhood here in Berkeley County.

Clouded Sulphur        1
Orange Sulphur         2
Eastern Comma          3
Question Mark          1
American Lady          1
Painted Lady           1
Variegated Fritillary  1
Red Admiral            1
Monarch                3
Common Buckeye         3
Sachem                 1
Fiery Skipper          1
Posted in Brush-footed, Milkweed Butterflies, Skippers, Whites and Sulphurs | Leave a comment