Asdon Rowant, Oxfordshire

[Trev Sawyer]

Hi Guys,
Hope to pop to Asdon Rowant at the weekend to photograph Silver-Spotted Skippers...
I realise that the nature reserve is split in two by the motorway, so is one side any better than the other (North or South). Am I right in thinking that the open section just below the motorway would be a good place to look, or is there a better area please? Maybe someone who has been could let me know.

Cheers,

Trev

[Paul Brock]

Trev

I live in the New Forest now, but used to look for butterflies in that area. There is a car park on the right not too far after you cross over the M40: near here you should find various common butterflies and dragonflies. I found Watlington Hill (further up the road, plenty of parking) much better, you may have already been there? Last time I went a few years ago were a good number of Silver-Spotted Skippers up the hill, often on low growing thistles.

Hope the weather is okay and that you track some down.

Paul

[Nigel]

I hope to visit either one of these two sites during the next few weeks maybee even later this week, looking at my O/S map of the area, they both look look fairly large, does anyone have any advice on where to go at each site or any sightings and therefore which may be better for Silver Spotted Skippers this year.

Thanks Nigel

[Paul Brock]

Nigel

I can only comment on past years, but if you go to Watlington Hill, park in the car park and there is a main track (running fairly near the main road), which leads you to slopes with, hopefully, many Silver-Spotted Skippers flitting around nectaring on low growing thistles etc. It's probably a ten minute walk, you'll see plenty of other butterflies en route....you'll have time to visit the other nearby site, probably much less of interest.

Regards

Paul

[Tony Moore]

Hi Nigel,

Just back from Aston Rownant and there were many SSSs. Also CHB,CB, BA, MW etc. Cross to the south side of the motorway and carry on past the main carpark, which is in the woods on the left. Almost at the end of the woodland - 200 M past the carpark entrance - there is a small, muddy pull off on the right by a small gate to the reserve. Follow the steep path down and you will find another gate on your right, where you can get on the the bottom of a hill with very short grass. Follow along the bottom of this hill (you may see SSS here) and through another gate. This opens onto a wonderful hillside with a wild flower meadow at the bottom. It's all there!! Good luck,

Tony Moore.

[Nigel]

Thanks to everyone who replied, went to both sites yesterday afternoon and only managed to see a handful of SSS's but without your help, I doubt if I would have seen any.

Many thanks
Nigel
http://www.nigelspencer.co.uk

[Trev Sawyer]

Ditto!
I'd also like to thank those who helped me find a few SSS's at Aston/Watlington vis this thread. Pity the weather was a bit iffy at the weekend (and the wind annoying), but I did get a few "keeper" snaps in the end (see "sightings" thread).

Trev