essex buzzard

[Padfield]

Hi Buzzard. Your first unknown is a male Lexias pardalis, from South and South-East Asia. The next is Junonia lemonias, also from South and East Asia.

Guy

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Guy, I will look those up. Here is my last instalment from the Butterfly Farm. The first is an Orange-banded Shoemaker.

The next, I believe, is a Variable Cracker, Hamadryas feronia.

There were plenty of these in the glass house. They are the Glass Wing.

These two I’m not so sure about, any suggestions would be welcome!

To sum up, our trip to the Butterfly Farm was most enjoyable, and I would thoroughly recommend it. True, it’s a slightly artificial set-up, but what better way to beat the long winter season? Stratford has plenty of other things to keep one busy as well.

[David M]

Delightful, Mark. A much needed injection of colour during this dismal winter.

Hopefully, it's only a few short weeks before the return of the real thing!

[Padfield]

Hi Buzzard. Your Papilionid is Parides iphidamas. Not so sure about the Satyrid, without any clue to where it comes from, but I would suggest Yphthimoides patricia or something closely related. This is a very variable species but some forms are close to yours. See http://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/html/03CA1 ... 7AA33DFC5E.

Guy

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks David. With the New Year, we can now start to look foreword, not back. And the day are getting longer-by the end of this month, it will be light until closer to 5PM in southern and western areas. Well, you have to start somewhere!

Thanks Guy, especially for the link which I will have a look at.

Well, a happy New Year to one and all. For us, it started with a visit to the Epping Ongar Railway. It is wonderful to see this charming Essex branch line given a new lease of life. I went to school at Ongar in the 1980’s. Those days, Epping to Ongar was part of the London Underground network although, by then, services ran at peak times only. There was much sadness in the town when London Transport closed the line in 1994. That Friday, 30 September, many enthusiasts gathered at the station to ride, photograph or simply watch, the last LT train to leave Ongar station, signalling the end of an era.

However, by the early 2000’s, enthusiasts had formed a group, with the aim to raise funds and re-open the line. A private benefactor financed materials, a Volunteer Society provided the workforce, and contractors were employed for tasks the membership were unable to carry out. The Stations were lovingly restored to their Great Eastern Railway appearance,new track was laid and, on 25 May 2012, steam hauled passenger trains were seen at Ongar and North Weald once more. Heritage busses run from North Weald to Epping and,today, the branch brings delight to a great many visitors from Essex, London and beyond.

[David M]

Nice story, Mark. there's something about steam railways, isn't there? I'm still fascinated by the one on the Isle of Man where my mother came from. Maybe it's nostalgia for all those photos we saw as children?

[essexbuzzard]

There certainly is, David. I have been on steam trains in various places, but for me, this one has much sentimental value!

[Goldie M]

Hi! essex, I used to ride the Steam Trains on a regular basis when I was younger we used to catch one about 5.30pm from Rossendale where I used to live to go to Blackpool dancing and catch the 11pm back ( those were the days)

They closed the rail line, (thanks to Mr Beeching) But now the Steam train has been brought back to the Valley and runs between Rossendale and Bury and on Sundays it's especially very popular. Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks for that, Goldie. Lovely to hear. We hope you are getting through the winter, we’ve now turned a corner and the days are getting longer!

Visited my local reservoir earlier this week. When I arrived, the first thing I was treated to was the extraordinary sight of this mid-winter swallow, which I just managed to get into a picture.

Great white egrets are increasing, and have been ever present for over a year now.

A smew was present. So far this winter it’s been only females, known as redheads.

Long tailed ducks are uncommon inland.

Finally, a great crested grebe in it’s grey winter plumage. In six weeks, they will be moulting into their splendid breeding colours.

[essexbuzzard]

So, I hope we have all had a happy new year so far. A time when we start to look foreword. But first, there is chance to look back at 2019 one last time, in particularly the weather, and it’s effect on butterflies and other wildlife.

Winter was mild, with no significant cold spells. And, who could forget, this cumulated in a spell of wonderfully warm sunny weather at the end of February. By sheer luck, we had a trip to Cornwall booked for this time! Never before had I seen all the hibernating butterfly species before spring began.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Mark, Just catching up on your visit to Stratford Butterfly Farm, some great photos

I don't live too far from there, just about 35-40 minutes drive, but haven't visited for some years now. My oldest son Chris lives in Stratford now and could walk there in 15 minutes.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Some great images Essex - that Swallow was a bit of a shocker What was that doing here so early or had it been hanging around during the mild winter we've had so far? The Smew is brilliant - I've not seen one of those for a good few years now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Yes, the swallow was most unexpected! It’s been left behind by its parents and is now probably trapped here, being unable to accumulate enough resources to fly south. Amazingly, it has survived all the wind and rain of November and December, but still has it’s work cut out to make it through to spring.

Did we all get to see the wolf moon tonight? Here it is while it was rising.

By 17.30, it had the warm glow of a typical full moon.

The difference by 19.10 was obvious, the moon had a much colder look.

[Goldie M]

Great shots of the Moon essex, your first shot looks like the Blood moon of 21st Jan last year Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

Spring 2019 was a typical mix, but overall was slightly warmer, drier and sunnier than average. March was sunny and fairly warm but April was cold, especially at night, with lots of overnight frosts. However, low pressure over Spain later in the month sent a surge of warm air north, resulting in a splendid warm sunny Easter weekend. Orange Tips emerged in abundance during this spell, and went on to have a good season, lasting for six weeks-slightly longer than last year. Also because of the warm weather, the bluebells were again early, and peaked in late April. I also saw my first Pearl-bordered Fritillaries for two years, with a trip to Sussex on the 29th.

May 2018 was a vintage month, and 2019 was never going to live up to that. And it didn’t. Temperatures were rather low, but it was mostly dry , and most spring species seemed to do well, perhaps partly due to great conditions the previous year. The two bank holidays saw typically cloudy, cool conditions, but these were cancelled out by sunny, fairly warm weather mid month. One of butterflies that did particularly well was the Small Blue. Vast numbers were seen at many sites, and I had the pleasure of joining the action on the 22nd, with another trip to east Kent. This day was also blessed with many orchids, including these monkey orchids.

[Wurzel]

Lovely look back Essex Hopefully the successes of the Small Blue will continue this year - it's nice to have a success story for a change The sight of those Bluebells has got me pining for spring - 2 months to go!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Yes, we’re on the right track. Be sure to get those brownie points in the bank, Wurzel!

[essexbuzzard]

It was a warm, fairly sunny, but not dry summer. However, it was a cold start-June was a wet month, and temperatures were mostly below average. There was a chance to visit Dorset early month, where we found Lulworth Skippers at the start of their flight season. Heath Fritillary numbers at Hadleigh were reasonable mid month, and there were plenty of White Letter Hairstreaks, again at Hadleigh, by late June.

It warmed significantly in July. A European heatwave was going on at this time, with lots of temperature records being broken. We tapped into some of this heat at times, with nearly 39C recorded. However, it was also accompanied by frequent thunderstorms and downpours. Perhaps my most successful day during the month was a visit to Surrey, where I found Chalkhill Blues and Wood Whites. Chalkhill numbers were rather low, by their standards, at the sites I visited.

August was unsettled in northern and western areas, but in the south it was dry and quiet warm. Silver Spotted Skippers emerged early, and their flight season was well underway by early month. One of my favourite species, and something to look foreword to in late summer. Small Tortoiseshell also emerged well in their second generation, both at home and other places I visited. The summer ended with a splendid late heatwave over the bank holiday weekend.

[Wurzel]

Another cracking look back Essex That is a beautifully fresh looking Lulworth, one of my all time fave species In amid the others beauties the Chalkhill would normally not stand out but not your one - those are very pronounced spots along the hind wing margins - I can't recall seeing another so well marked

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Wurzel, that Chalkhill from Denbies hillside was a cracking specimen.

Autumn 2019 was cloudy and wet. It started well enough, but Adonis Blue numbers were lower than I expected at all the sites I visited. Here is one from Osmington in Dorset.

High pressure mid September brought several days of warm, sunny weather which, in the event, were the last such days of the year, as wet, dull and cold weather then set in depressingly early. It was during that last warm spell that I caught up with the Walls on Canvey Island.

October was dull, cold and wet, as if winter had arrived early. A few last Painted Lady and Long-tailed Blues emerged, but they emerged into a world that was quite unsuitable for any butterfly, never mind one of tropical origins. A rare bright day tempted me to Sussex. Even then it was cold and windy on the hill, but one Long-tailed Blue was found.

There after, it was one deluge after another, with below average temperatures and an almost total lack of sunshine. I trip to Germany mid-month brought some respite, with lots of glorious sunny weather and I felt warm, and happy, for the first time in weeks. The scenery was splendid, and the autumn leaves were the best I have ever seen. Forget New England, this was New Deutschland!

November continued the theme of dull,wet weather, and temperatures were again low. In contrast to Germany, Autumn leaf colours were poor, owing perhaps to them being blown off by the win and rain. Sometimes I can keep the butterfly season going until the beginning of this month but, this year, the season was pretty much finished by late September. Autumn was most disappointing.