September 2009 Sightings

[Denise]

Ha ha ha! Saint Nick eh?

Old Nick. Only joking.

Denise

[NickB]

Ha ha ha! Saint Nick eh?

....Gave up the Christmas job a while ago....
"Old Nick" more like .......
N
(Apology accepted, Denise! .....You were just too bleedin' quick with the answer, that's all!)

Next to Ballard Point on Ballard Down in Dorset, there is a place marked "Old Nick's Ground" on the OS map - obviously my spiritual home!
....Any takers for "Old Harry's Rocks"......next door?

[Zonda]

Old Zonda rocks too,,, when he's allowed to. Looking out of the window, that is unlikely to be today. It's like winter, dull, grey, drizzling, and largely depressing. Stamp collecting would have been a whole lot easier.

[Jack Harrison]

Thanks Neil for planning BH watching next summer. As you know, I had intended to visit Steyning with you this year but I faffed about and never made a decision – which I now regret.

An even greater regret is that from 1977 to 1981, I lived at nearby Partridge Green, yet never realised what superb localities were on my doorstep. I would travel miles to Surrey for Silver Washed yet the Southwater Woods were within cycling distance (I was a lot fitter 30 years ago!) In the other direction, was Steyning, Cissbury Ring and so on. I simply didn’t explore properly in the local area. Of course, there was no internet in those days, so details of localities spread by word of mouth, or in many cases, were often discovered without any prior knowledge. I heard rumours (and confirmed) about PB and Small PB Frits and also Duke of B were to be found not far away at Shaves Wood; apparently they have long since gone. I happened to come across Adonis Blue – working on an inspiration – at Wolstonbury Hill (I would imagine they are still there).

Modern butterfliers, having the dual benefits of newsgroups like this one and a more enlightened, open attitude about revealing localities, just don’t appreciate how different it was 30 years ago. I can go back even further to when as a youngster I lived in East Norfolk 1940s/50s. I was aware, for example, the Swallowtails occurred in the Broads but hadn’t a clue as to ideal habitat requirements, so only saw them by accident. I was unaware until within the past 20 years or so that DG Frits are found on the dunes in the Winterton/Horsey area. Grayling was another enigmatic species. They would occasionally turn up in the local lanes and even on buddleia in the garden. But in those days, I hadn’t a clue that they needed sandy soil - dunes or relict heathland in the Belton/Fritton area for example.

Having said that, finding out for myself was a valuable experience that I don’t regret.

Jack

[m_galathea]

I used to live in P Green too Jack! When you lived that way, could you cycle along the old railway line to Southwater? Lovely place to combine a bike ride and a little butterfly spotting

Alexander

[Jack Harrison]

Don’t think the old railway was yet open then as a cycleway.

One locality I used to walk to occasionally was at TQ204201 woods just to the south of the monastery. That certainly had White Admirals and I think (memory uncertain) also had SW Frits. Nearer to “home” was a big oak tree just over the boundary hedge at the bottom of my garden. That unsurprisingly had Purple Hairstreaks.

Another place I loved was Spithandle Lane (past Beggars Bush) at TQ168153. Although I never found any rarities there, it was always lovely in spring sunshine for Orange Tips. Indeed, when in Sussex in spring 2008, I made a point of driving along Spithandle Lane; it hadn’t changed one iota and still had plenty of Orange Tips and carpets of bluebells

Jack

[m_galathea]

Yes the Bluebells at Spithandle are super. I was going to go and have a look for Purple Emperors there this year but in the end the trip got left out. Why can't they have a longer flight season?!

PS you have a PM!

[Susie]

Sussex is an amazing place, isn't it?! I've only been here a couple of years myself and there is still so much more to explore (and never enough time) but I ticked another place off my list today.

Instead of going to the rifle range at Steyning as planned I went to Chactonbury Ring and what a smashing place it is (a bit spooky at times but that's another story). There weren't huge numbers of butterflies around (I went mainly for the views anyway) but managed to see plenty of small whites, large whites, and a few painted lady, peacock, speckled wood, small copper, meadow brown and my first brimstone of the autumn.

[Mandie]

Did you cut down, or dead head your Buddleia after the first flowering? I'm a novice at Buddleia management.

Just dead headed it, still loads of flowers to go (if we get a bit of sun!)

[Zonda]

That's a good tip, thanks Mandie. Everyone start dead heading wild Buddleias. I know where there is a large chalk pit full of them. Now that's a challenge.

[Trev Sawyer]

With a week of (albeit moderate) North Easterly winds coming up, what chance a Camberwell Beauty from Scandinavia to finish the butterfly season off? Keep a watchful eye on your Buddeleia bushes, Greengage trees and the like .

Trev

[Jack Harrison]

But I would have thought that the life cycle of Camberwell Beauties would parallel Peacocks and have “gone to bed” already. I hope I’m wrong.

I will however be going to Felixstowe Landguard within the next week hoping for a repeat of my 2007 visit mid September when I saw plenty of Clouded Yellows.

Jack

[NickB]

Looks like a SE to E wind in the next few days so I think Jack may be lucky in East Anglia...

N

[Alex]

Yesterday in the garden, good condition small copper, small tort, Brimstone and Speckled wood (the Ice plants are pretty popular at the moment). Also this small tort in not so good condition!

[Zonda]

Brill pics Alex, that copper looks very fresh.

[Zonda]

The peacocks are starting to move into my sheds. My goodness,,,the sun is coming out. 15.43pm Wednesday the 9th of September. ...It's sun,,,it's sun,, it's sun here,,,,(sob) at last.

[Dave McCormick]

Speckled woods galore here, must have seen over 20, all males. Sunny at last, also this single Red Admiral and several silver y moths flying very fast, darting through the forest here. The Red Admiral in this shot was gliding around the trees which looked nice to see, and it was feeding on forest floor and on bits of sap coming from fallen branches

Red Admiral Feeding on White Flower

[Simon C]

Hummingbird Hawkmoth yesterday, seen on the walk home through Bath - first of the year for me [even including several days spent in Switzerland, when I would normally expect to see two or three a day]

Today also around Bath: dozens of speckled woods, a couple each of of comma, tortoiseshell, red admiral and peacock, plus single brimstone, large white and small white. And 5 painted ladies, a couple fairly fresh.

Simon

[Dave McCormick]

Went to Mountstewart Gardens today and saw quite a few things:

3 silver-Y moths
1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (flew off before I got photo)
3 Red Admirals
5 Speckled Wood
1 Small Tortoiseshell
1 Painted Lady

here is the only photo I did get, small tortoiseshell resting

Small Tortoiseshell Resting

[Zonda]

Been to several local nature reserves today,,,,,,searching for a Comma gorging on over-ripe blackberries. Seen Small copper, Common blue, Speckled woods, Brimstones, Whites, Small torts, and Peacocks, but not one Comma. I am as it happens,,distraught.