Lee Hurrell

[Lee Hurrell]

Monday 17th May 2010

A sunny day and a few visits meant I saw 2 Small or Green Veined Whites in Hounslow, a male Orange Tip on Piccadilly Line between Osterley and Boston Manor (I was, he was outside) and then a male Small White near Acton Town tube station (nectaring on a butch!).

I took the 207 along Uxbridge Road and walked through West Middlesex Golf Course on the way home and saw a Peacock basking in the late sun.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thursday 20th May 2010

I was home in time for half an hour in the cemetery from 5pm and had another good look for Common Blues and Small Coppers but with no joy. The clover, trefoils and vetch is really starting to flower now so it can't be toooo long.

I did see 1 male Green Veined White, 1 male Small White and 3 Peacocks - one of which was so large it looked like a small bat in flight!

Whilst looking for Blues and Coppers I noticed a commotion on a dandelion head. It was these shield bugs, different to the previous ones and with much more striking markings. I presume it was 2 males fighting over a female as they dislodged all the dandelion seeds.

Photos of the shield bugs to follow.

[Padfield]

... (nectaring on a butch!).

Brilliant visual! Thanks, Lee!

Guy

[Lee Hurrell]

Ah...perhaps I should explain!

For those who may not have read the previous posts...Butch is my nickname for a Choisya ternata sundance bush.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thursday 20th May 2010

Whilst looking for Blues and Coppers I noticed a commotion on a dandelion head. It was these shield bugs, different to the previous ones and with much more striking markings. I presume it was 2 males fighting over a female as they dislodged all the dandelion seeds.

Here are the photos of the shield bugs which I think I have identified as the sloe bug, dolycoris baccarum and a little friend.

[Lee Hurrell]

Saturday 22nd May 2010 (Lycaenid Heaven!)

What a glorious day. Another life tick for me and more Blues, Coppers and Hairstreaks than you could shake a stick at!

Today was really all about the blues. My target was the Small Blue which I’d never seen. I picked three locations, Swyncombe Downs, Oxfordshire (SU666914), Aston Rowant NNR, Oxfordshire (SU730966) and Yoesden Bank, Buckinghamshire (SU789980) because they all supposedly had Small Blue, they weren’t too far from home and I could do all three in one day. Yoesden Bank also had the possibility of Adonis but I didn’t see any. I only saw the one Small Blue in the end but at least I did see one!

Driving up the M40 I noticed 2 pairs of Buzzards and as I got to the Chilterns, as usual, Red Kites were soaring above the motorway cutting.

I drove through Watlington and there must have been a Red Kite feeding station as there were about 25 circling and swooping down behind the houses. Must be quite a sight for people living there! More Red Kites later.

Swyncombe Downs 10.30 – 13.00 (SU666914)

What a fantastic location, wonderful views and a good mix of downland, scrub and woodland. It was baking hot too.

Just through the gate and I could see Common Blues and Brown Argus in abundance. I spent a good while walking the downland and investigated every Brown Argus I could just to make sure until after about 2 hours I found a Small Blue! As it turns out, the Brown Argus is quite silvery in flight while the Small Blue was noticeably more violet in hue, so I presume it was a male. I only saw this one in the end during the whole day.

Here he is in a rather poor photo to prove I saw him:

The Common Blues and Brown Argus were my first of the year and I also saw my first Small Coppers.

At the end of downland footpath there is some scrub in a cutting and I noticed a Green Hairstreak which I observed for about 20 minutes going back and forth between about 4 perches. I was particularly pleased to find this one as I hadn’t found one myself in the past but it turned out to be 1 of 8 I saw.

The Green Hairstreaks were in good numbers and on the walk back I edged the scrub and found a few more. They were also to be found on the ground too. At one point I was taking Captain Oates’ advice and sitting down taking the location in as another Green Hairstreak, several Common Blues, several Brown Argus, a Small Copper and a Small Heath were dancing around my feet! Magical.

The Common Blues were mainly male (100+) and were very flighty and not easy to photograph. (The two shots on today’s post were the best I could do with the hundreds of males I saw today ). I only saw 2 females at Swyncombe and I would imagine as the males are pretty fresh out they only have one thing on their mind.

One of the two females I did see here seemed to have orange lunules on one forewing and white lunules on the other, which looked a bit odd:

Sightings for Swyncombe Downs:

Small Blue (male) x1 (my first ever!)
Common Blue (male) x 100+, (female) x 2 (first of the year)
Brown Argus x 100+ (first of the year)
Small Copper x 20+ (first of the year)
Green Hairstreak x 8
Small Heath x 10+
Speckled Wood x 3
Orange Tip (male) x 1
Brimstone (male) x 5, (female) x 13
Large White x 2
Small or Green Veined White x 6
Dingy Skipper x 1
Cinnabar x 2
Mother Shipton x 4
Red Kites over head

I also saw these charming little green beetles and this fearsome looking hornet which was a good 2 inches long

Aston Rowant NNR 14.00 – 15.30 (SU730966)

I didn’t realise but it was here that the Red Kite was re-introduced with 93 birds released and now numbering over 300. Certainly explains why it’s here I always see them on the M40! Aston Rowant is perhaps understandably one of the best places to see them up close. I switched lenses to a 300mm zoom because of the kites and I’m quite glad I did:

It took a while to see any butterflies at Aston Rowant but there are sheep there keeping the turf very short. I did find some further down the bank eventually.

Sightings for Aston Rowant NNR:

Common Blue (male) x 30+, (female) x 1
Brown Argus x 30+
Small Copper x 1
Small Tortoiseshell x 1
Comma x 1
Small Heath x 7
Brimstone (male) x 2, (female) x 1
Small or Green Veined White x 4
Dingy Skipper x 2
Mother Shipton x 1

Yoesden Bank 16.00 – 17.30 (SU789980)

Parking at St Mary’s Church I made my way across the fields and up towards the wood. To the right of the wood is a small clearing and area of scrub which had Common Blues and a good colony of Dingy Skipper. Through the wood I saw a fresh looking Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and a Holly Blue.

The bank to the left and below the wood though is a lovely area of fairly long sward. Lots to see in both locations:

Common Blue (male) x 50+, (female) x 2
Holly Blue x 3
Green Hairstreak x 2
Red Admiral x 1
Comma x 1
Peacock x 5
Small Heath x 1
Speckled Wood x 1
Orange Tip (male) x 7, (female) x 1
Large White x 5
Small or Green Veined White x 8
Brimstone (male) x 2, (female) x 1
Dingy Skipper x 25+
Cinnabar x 1
Burnet Companion x 5
Brimstone (moth) x 1

So assuming I saw both Small and Green Veined Whites, I had a quite a day today – 17 species, 1 life tick, 3 firsts for the year and a full house of post hibernators!

[Lee Hurrell]

Sunday 23rd May

Park Wood, Ruislip 13.30 -15.30

Maybe in hindsight 2 hours in near 30 degrees wasn't such a good idea. The butterflies seemed to think so as there wasn't much to be seen today. I think for this location though it was just inbetween the end of spring and beginning of summer and I'll be back for the woodland species later!

2 Small or Green Veined White
1 female Orange Tip
1 male Brimstone
2 fresh looking Large White, 1 male, 1 female
1 Holly Blue

Whilst sitting in a shady spot for a moment I also watched a bee fly hover around my foot like a mini helicopter and then vibrate its body, clearing the dust on the ground as it went - quite funny to watch.

[Lee Hurrell]

Monday 24th May 2010

I did mean to go to work today and even set off as normal only to be called back for washing machine related delivery issues. In that I had to be at home...

Anyway, at 07.40 it was warm enough (17 degrees) to see a male Small White nectaring on dandelions not far from home.

While stuck at home on the warmest day of the year I noticed 2 Small or Green Veined Whites over the road.

Later on, old washing mahine removed, new washing machine installed and working, B&Q supplies purchased and a new plug fitted to the kitchen sink, I ventured over to the cemetery.

Greenford Park Cemetery 17.00 - 17.40

At last! Some 'home grown' blues. Saw about 5, hard to say if any were repeats. 2 were nectaring on trefoil and vetch.

5 male Common Blue
1 male Large White

Call me hairy...

[Lee Hurrell]

Sunday 30th May 2010

We were in Worcestershire staying with my Nan for the weekend and I nipped out to Grafton Wood (SO973562) for a couple of hours on Sunday, some 4 or 5 miles from the village.

It's a nice site, and looks well managed. It's jointly so by Butterfly Conservation and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust according to the sign. This sign also says it holds the only colony of Brown Hairstreak in the West Midlands, something I might be popping back to see! It also mentions Purple Hairstreak and White Admiral. I wouldn't be surprised if Silver Washed are there too.

In a lovely narrow meadow, bordered by trees on all sides, to the east of the main wood there were loads of dragonflies about; red and orange, one bluey green and even some of those broad bodied ones. I hadn't seen those before. I also saw my first Large Skippers of the year although I mistook them for Essex at first as they were quite small and seemed to lack underside markings. Thanks to Neil for the correct ID.

Along the woodland rides were a few whites about and the Ragged Robin seemed very attractive:

Sightings for Grafton Wood:
1 male Brimstone
5 male Orange Tips
2 male Green Veined Whites
3 Large Whites, 2 were definite males
4 Small or Green Veined Whites
5 Large Skippers

Perhaps the highlight though for me was hearing my first Cuckoo of the year, who was calling for my entire visit. That was nice enough but then I heard another one and was lucky enough to see it! I don't think I've ever seen one before.

I have an aunt, uncle and cousin in the same village and I walked Alice, their boxer, with my cousin later on. Here's Alice:

Around the fields near the village we saw 2 Small or Green Veined Whites and 2 male Common Blues.

The first one closed his wings for the night a second after the shutter clicked.

[Lee Hurrell]

Here's another couple of shots of the Large Skippers.

[Lee Hurrell]

The bus I get to work (E3) takes me past Barnes Pond, on Popes Lane in Ealing just before the north circular.

It was recently cleared up and all the vegetation stripped back and it does look much healthier. Before this it was stagnant and unattractive although I did used to see 1 sometimes 2 turtles basking in the morning sun on some days, no doubt ex-pets someone has released. Haven't seen them since the clear up though...

Anyway, since the clean up it has looked much nicer but as is the way, some idiots have started chucking things in there again, traffic cones and (twice) the complete rubbish bin that was by the bus stop. I note the council have not yet replaced the bin for the second time but both are still in the pond, poking out the water.

Each day I tut to myself on the bus in a grumpy old man sort of way but this morning I had reason to cheer instead!

A pair of Moorhens with at least 2 chicks were nest building on the part of the bin sticking out the water. Brilliant - what we see as unsightly nature may still take full advantage of.

Oh, and there was a pair of very tame Mallard in the College garden yesterday taking food from people too.

[Lee Hurrell]

That's it I'm officially on holiday We're staying with friends on Sunday night and have a whole world of getting ready to do before then. Monday will be Au revoir Angleterre, bonjour République Française. Tres bien!

Even if I do manage to pop out over the weekend I probably won't be able to post before I go, so the next installment may well be a trip report from France.

Keep your fingers crossed for good weather, I'll be back in a couple of weeks!

Lee

[Susie]

Have a great time, Lee.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Susie!

In the end I did have time yesterday for 2 and half hours at Park Wood, Ruislip and a 2 hour snooze in the afternoon. Unheard of for me, I never sleep during the day!

Not much action at Park Wood, although once again I missed the best of the sunshine arriving at 13.30.

3 Small or Green Veined Whites and 2 pristine Speckled Woods (2nd brood I guess, although could these be individuals that hibernated as larvae rather than pupae?)

A few interesting looking other insects too, one large dragonfly and hundreds of gossamer winged damselflies.

One male Large White was in the garden when I got back and later at dusk what I think was a Stag Beetle flew through! It had huge jaws anyway.

That really is it for now, be back in a couple of weeks. Au revoir!

[Lee Hurrell]

I've started my French trip report, which can be found at:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=4269&p=33488#p33488

Cheers

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Sunday 20th June 2010

I nipped up the M40 to Bernwood Forest and Meadows this afternoon to search for another new species to me, the Black Hairstreak. They were right were Adrian Riley said they would be and I spent a lovely couple of hours in their presence. I saw about 20.

They were not easy to photograph and I didn't have the sugary treats tried by Nick et al! This is about the best I could do...

I tried switching lenses but in the end just watched them until the biting flies became too much.

The rest of the forest seemed well, a bit empty really compared to the first week in July from last year.

Also seen, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Hutch Commas, my first British Meadow Browns of the year (10+), 10+ Speckled Woods, 10+ Common Blues, 1 Small Copper, 15+ Large Skippers, 1 Large White and 4 Small or Green Veined.

The Commas were much more obliging:

I was hopeful of an early Silver Washed of White Admiral but it wasn't to be. I'll be back of course!

After an hour traffic jam on the M40 - one of those where you just have to turn the engine off and wait - I stopped off at Park Wood, Ruislip but not until about 1800 and saw 3 Speckled Woods and 1 Comma, which looked like a Hutch but was quite worn:

[Lee Hurrell]

Saturday 26th June 2010

I had the whole day out today and planned on 3 locations.

Fairmile Common (TQ0124616) 09.45 - 11.00.

Based on Jack's and Vince's posts I went to Fairmile in search of a new species to me, the Silver Studded Blue. I parked the car, crossed the road and entered the heath and saw one within 5 feet. They were very abundant, easily 150+ males and 20+ females. There were many in view at any one point and seemed to be around every clump of heather. Lovely butterflies. I saw some courting, some mating too and one poor male that had reached his end in a spider's web.

Having never seen them in the wild it was interesting to compare them to Common Blues. SSB's in flight behaviour seemed much different, they of course checked out other blues they come across but very rarely seem to leave ground level.

By the time I got back to the car they were even in the car park and about to fly in my open windows! Also seen, 1 Meadow Brown, 2 Large Skippers, 1 Small Skipper and a few dragonflies - one lime green and one pale blue one.

check out the female in the bottom right

here she is again

His charms obviously didn't work!

Juniper Bottom (TQ179525) through to Box Hill (TQ179513) 11.30 - 15.00

I wanted to see if I could find any Dark Green Fritillaries at Juniper Bottom and they didn't disappoint. There was even one in the car park as I pulled in! This was all too easy....

As it turned out I saw 7, and 5 Silver Washed Fritillaries too. I even saw the two sparring.

Seen at Juniper Bottom:
7 Dark Green Fritillary
5 Silver Washed Fritillary
2 Red Admiral
4 male and 3 female Brimstone still going at the end of June...
4 Marbled White
20+ Ringlet
50+ Meadow Brown
7 Speckled Wood
2 Common Blue
5 Large Skipper
Speckled Yellow moth

Seen at Box Hill:
50+ Marbled White
50+ Meadow Brown
25+ Ringlet
1 Speckled Wood
1 Small Heath
1 Comma
1 Small Tortoiseshell
3 Common Blue
1 Brown Argus
1 male Brimstone
1 Small or Green Veined White
6 Large Skipper
lots of Burnets

Denbies Hillside (TQ141503) 15.30 - 16.30

I'd never been but heard a lot about Denbies from Susie and others. It is a stunning place too and the views are even better than Box Hill as you can see right along the valley. I did try and get to Denbies once before, the day I went to Box Hill last year. Then, I'd parked at Juniper Bottom again and walked through to Box Hill. I'd anticipated walking on to Denbies but, man that's a long walk. I got as far as the A24, gave up and turned around and then had to climb Box Hill on those steep steps So this time I drove

Seen at Denbies:
1 Marbled White
5 Small Heath
25+ Meadow Brown
5 Common Blue
1 Brown Argus
lots of Burnets
2 Burnet Companion moths
5 Large Skipper
3 Small Skipper
1 Small or Green Veined White

This Common Blue had upperside markings a bit like a Holly Blue. I caught sight of the other forewing and it was symmetrically marked.

[millerd]

I think I saw 31 species at Denbies last year - which does not include the woods of Ranmore Common on the other side of the road.

Dave

[Lee Hurrell]

That's a good tally Dave, anything unusual?

Cheers

Lee

[millerd]

Not really! Clouded Yellow was the notable species around in 2009 that I'd not seen there in previous years.

Denbies has a splendidly long season, kicking off in April with Grizzled Skippers, Dingy Skippers and Green Hairstreaks, and winding down in October with the last Common Blues and Small Coppers. The stars are the Adonis Blues, which are generally pretty numerous, and the Silver-spotted Skippers, which aren't. They are easier to find at Box Hill. I have also seen second brood Dingy Skippers at Denbies in both 2008 and 2009, so shall be looking for them again this year.

Dave