David James

I've created a new website, here you will find lots of information about the butterflies of Northants. It includes species and site guides, tips on recording and the latest butterfly sightings. I've shared a lot of my photos on it too. Hope you enjoy it! northantsbutterflies.com

A second brood Wood White in Bucknell Wood this morning. The males of this brood look absolutely tiny!

Sometimes you can be lucky enough to find a female Common Blue that is an absolute jewel! Such as this one, which was at Old Sulehay a few days ago.

Mammatus clouds forming over Pitsford Nature Reserve at 11am this morning! @NNweather

Two new locations for Black Hairstreaks have been discovered so far this weekend in Northamptonshire. Please keep checking those blackthorns as there must be more out there. White-letter Hairstreaks are also now out so please check any elms for new populations of those too!

Exciting news! Twywell Hills & Dales has been added to the Northamptonshire Black Hairstreak distribution list today after the transect walker photographed one drying out its wing after recently emerging. There are more details here in this blog post! northantsbutterflies.com/blog/its-time-…

A Black Hairstreak in Salcey Forest this afternoon, what a stunning butterfly!

I popped into Cambridgeshire today to look for the Great Reed Warbler at RSPB Ouse Fen. What a great bird! The other wildlife at the reserve didn't disappoint either!

A quick update about how the butterfly season is progressing here in Northamptonshire! northantsbutterflies.com/blog/a-warm-st…

It was fantastic to count so many Green Hairstreaks at Collyweston Quarries today. A total of 31 were recorded which is the highest count at one site in Northamptonshire for 13 years @wildlifebcn

An Orange-tip roosting on a Cuckoo Flower in Hazelborough Wood.

We’re looking for someone to take on a butterfly transect survey at a site near Barby in Northamptonshire. If anyone is interested please let me know via the contact page on my website. northantsbutterflies.com/contact

I'm a bit late to the party but it was good to catch up with the Richard's Pipit at Newport Pagnell today.

A few shots of the Mandarins at Barnwell Country Park. You have to admit they are a very dapper duck!

It was an absolute delight to see this stunning male Red-breasted Merganser busily feeding in the channel by the road bridge at Blatherwyke Lake at lunchtime today. What a bird! #northantsbirds @bonxie

After Chequered Skipper went extinct in England some 50 years ago, the reintroduction of the butterfly has been declared a success by conservationists: bit.ly/3C4bNtg

The Northants' 1st sighting charts on my website have now been updated & I have added the last sighting dates too. It is interesting to see how some species are showing a longer season; this may be why the Black Hairstreak has extended its range recently. northantsbutterflies.com/annual-first-s…

Here is the review of the 2024 butterfly season in Northamptonshire, with accounts of the winners and losers (spoiler alert, it's mainly losers). Let's hope our butterflies do much better in 2025! northantsbutterflies.com/the-butterflie…

This Wednesday - please come along to help to clear the Butterfly Garden at Sywell for the winter. Parking permits and refreshments available. @dave_b_james @BedsNthantsBC

The second burst of the aurora was incredible, even with the naked eye! I don't think I will ever forget this evening! The aurora borealis over Horton in Northamptonshire @NNweather @bbcweather

The aurora borealis photographed over Horton in Northamptonshire this evening @NNweather