Neil Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Planting For The Future

This morning (18 September) I joined a crowd of nearly 40 people including special guests South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) Members Norman Dingemans (Deputy Chair) and David Coldwell, SDNPA Staff and Volunteer Rangers, and a large contingent from the Steyning Downland Scheme http://steyningdownland.org/ to plant 1500 Primula plugs (1000 Primrose, 500 Cowslip) at Steyning Coombe. This will be followed by a second event to plant a further 1500 elsewhere on the Steyning Downland Scheme area on 5 October, to encourage colonisation by the Duke of Burgundy. A very obliging female Brown Hairstreak dropped by to reward our efforts.

[Neil Hulme]

Wall Of Death

I snatched an hour on the slopes of Mill Hill yesterday (21 September), while en route to a BC Sussex committee meeting. The sun was already sinking and at first I struggled to locate the third brood Wall I was seeking, with just a single female located at the southern end of the lower level. With the temperature gradually falling below ideal I suspected they would most likely be on the part of the scree slope tilted flattest to the sun, which involved some mountaineering.

Please be very careful if you're tempted to traverse the steeper parts of the main slope (not recommended) as the terrain is genuinely hazardous. Here I found a further 2 females and 4 males. I rearranged some old planks to form the perfect sunny perch and within five minutes had a beautiful female Wall posing for me.

[David M]

Lovely images, Neil, specially the second one, which gives an excellent indication of how well camouflaged this species is.

[Goldie M]

Neil, those Wall's look great and I second David on the second one, it seems to be changing to Autumn colours ready to suit an Autumn back ground Goldie

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Goldie and David. I always think the underside looks like granny's old Axminster carpet.
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Exodus

While writing the 46th of the 53 species accounts for the forthcoming 'The Butterflies of Sussex' (at last there is light at the end of the tunnel!) I was distracted by the almost constant presence of Red Admirals in my Worthing back garden today (24 September). This species has provided a welcome lift to a generally very poor butterfly season, but has been heading south in significant numbers over the last few weeks.

Almost everywhere I've been in Sussex I've noticed an almost constant stream of them, although in the majority of cases it's just been ones and twos. However, in some areas near the coast, where Ivy is in flower, they have been congregating to take on supplies before crossing The Channel. A friend has consistently had upwards of 25 in his garden (also Worthing) over the last ten days.

[Katrina]

Well done with the writing! There has definitely been more Red Admirals around than usual.

[Neil Hulme]

Bugboy's Shrike

With Hannah looking after a friend's children this afternoon (25 September) it was unlikely that I'd find much peace and quiet at home, so I used this as an excuse to pay a quick visit to Newhaven Tide Mills, where bugboy's Red-backed Shrike is still performing well. Rumours of its extraordinary tameness were not exaggerated and I managed to get some reasonable shots even with a Lumix. Well done that man!

There were a few Clouded Yellows and Common Blues present. No sign of LTBs, but I can't claim to have looked very hard.

[bugboy]

Glad you had a good encounter with 'my' Shrike Neil

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Pleased to see you made it over here to see the friendliest Shrike in the U.K. Neil. I don't think we even managed a quick look for LTB's after bugboy showed us his photos on the back of his camera. If there are any LTB's there let's hope they won't be made a meal of buy this or any other hungry birds!

ATB

James

[David M]

No sign of LTBs, but I can't claim to have looked very hard.

Do you think they might be about this October, Neil?

[Neil Hulme]

Hi David,
The Long-tailed Blue has barely reached the UK this year and the number of arrivals is minute compared to 2013 and 2015. I suspect that large influxes, when they occur in future, will make themselves known before the end of August, and mid September at the latest. The main waves started to arrive in early August in both 2013 and 2015. I'm expecting a damp squib rather than fireworks.
BWs, Neil

P.S. DIARY NOW CLOSED UNTIL DECEMBER DUE TO:

[peterc]

Neil, good luck with the book.

Although I do not live in Sussex I spent some of my childhood there and mum lived in Worthing in the last 15 years of her life. I look forward to receiving a copy

ATB

Peter

[trevor]

HI Neil,

Saw your brief moment of fame last evening on BBC's ' Inside out '.
Pity the BBC couldn't find a shot showing full glorious purple, but that pupae was stunning.

All the best with the book,
Trevor.

[David M]

I shall look forward to the release of this book, Neil. I'm sure it will provide wonderful images as well as valuable commentary on the impressive range of species Sussex has to offer.

[PhilBJohnson]

Hi Neil,
I was just catching up on a few diary pages. It's great to see the disease resistant Elms and the book progress. I once lived in Surrey and I once bought a book with a "hypnotic purple front cover" . Although it looks like you are almost there anyway, my advice would be to try and make any technical information easy to understand for ordinary people and leave at least one typo on page 867 for Pete E to spot !
Best wishes for the projects,
Philip

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Philip. I think the book should meet your criteria, apart from the typo on page 867, which we cunningly avoided by having only 288 pages.
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

The Pain Is Over

A few days ago 'The Butterflies of Sussex' http://www.naturebureau.co.uk/bookshop/ ... sex-detail went off to the publisher, comprising >126,000 words (more than 100,000 of which are written in my blood, sweat and tears), >350 images and >100 maps and charts. There are photographic contributions by many UKBers, including Vince Massimo, Mark Colvin, Badgerbob, Susie, Butterflysaurus rex, William, Trevor, Buchan Boy, Gary.N, Downland Boy, Colin Knight, mud-puddling and, of course, Pete Eeles. Jamie Burston also has a few of his drawings in the mix.

Here's a sneak preview of some of the lovely graphics (DRAFT) produced by Bob Foreman, showing how the distribution of Marbled White has changed between 1990 - 1994 (small map) and 2010 - 2014 (large map).

I've invested approximately 1,200 hours of 'spare time' in the project this year, and although I'm sure I'll look back on the finished article with some degree of pride, it will be the feat of endurance that sticks in my memory. I will hopefully have recovered by the time the first Orange-tip takes to the air.

[bugboy]

Congratulations Neil (and all others involved). I'm sure if they could, the butterflies themselves would thank you

[Mark Tutton]

Congratulations Neil - really looking forward to receiving my copy which I ordered a while ago
Kind Regards
Mark