Whitecross Green Wood?

[EricY]

As weather forecast for this w/e is currently favorable, we are contemplating a long day trip from nth west Norfolk to Aston Rowant/Watlington hill for the silver spotted skippers.
Whitecross green is not far off the way back so we could pop in to look for Brown Hairstreaks if out then. We would welcome any pointers to the best location in the wood to save walking as it is a very long day trip from Norfolk for us & we are not as fit as we used to be. Eric

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Eric

Brown Hairstreak are generally along the main ride from the car park. I know folks have spotted them in the car park but the best spot when I've visited has been along the main ride from the point where a second ride branches off to the left to the end of the ride.

They can be tricky to find here but if all else fails try Asham Meads just down the road.
There is a parking area with a nature reserve sign on the left along a lengthy farm track. You'll need to go through at least one gated farmyard to get there. I found male BH along the hedgerow along the left side of the first field from the car park and a female along the bridleway the other side of the same hedge. Might be worth a try if you have time.

Asham Meads information can be found under BH on this site.

[Michaeljf]

Just to add - we were at Bernwood Meadows on Sunday (24th July) and saw only one Brown Hairstreak there. We visited Whitecross Green Wood as well later that afternoon and despite glorious weather didn't seen any BH's there yet. The good weather this week may have brought them out since.

I'm in contact with David Redhead who is the BH champion for the area - when I emailed him late Sunday he said that the BH we spotted at Bernwood Meadows was only about the 4th flying adult for the area so far this year. He'd seen one or two further North in the woods that day, but it's still lowish numbers for last weekend at least. If you're over on Saturday (looks the better of the two days) Bernwood Meadows might be a better bet than Whitecross Green Wood, as it's only about half a mile down the road. You can get grid ref for the Meadows off the species site guide from this site. But by all means consider Paul's tip as he's pretty on-the-ball on species sites!!

Thanks

Michael

[Paul Wetton]

Must admit of the three places Bernwood is by far my favourite, having the woods and the meadows.

I've seen Brown Hairstreak at the end of July on a patch of thistles where the path to the meadows leaves the main ride from the car park. This is the first path off to the right only about 200 yards from the main car park. Good site for Silver washed Fritillary, Purple Emperor, White Admiral, Marbled White and great for Purple Hairstreak along the main ride. I've seen up to 25 individuals in a single Oak along this ride. All date dependant of course.

Let us know how you get on.

[Lee Hurrell]

Just to add - we were at Bernwood Meadows on Sunday (24th July) and saw only one Brown Hairstreak there. We visited Whitecross Green Wood as well later that afternoon and despite glorious weather didn't seen any BH's there yet. The good weather this week may have brought them out since.

I'm in contact with David Redhead who is the BH champion for the area - when I emailed him late Sunday he said that the BH we spotted at Bernwood Meadows was only about the 4th flying adult for the area so far this year. He'd seen one or two further North in the woods that day, but it's still lowish numbers for last weekend at least.

Blimey, we were lucky on Sunday! Good spot from you, Michael

Cheers

Lee

[Neil Freeman]

I have been to Aston Rowant this morning and called in at Bernwood on my way home this afternoon.

Silver Spotted Skippers were out in fair numbers, I saw a least a couple of dozen, not sure on exact numbers because I zigzagged up and down the slope and may have seen the same ones more than once.

At Bernwood, I parked at the meadow and walked through to the wood. On my way back I checked out the long field alongside the road and saw a single Brown Hairsteak half way along. It was a female by the splash of orange on its wings....in fact I almost mistook it for a Gatekeeper until it settled.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Lee Hurrell]

That's the exact spot I saw a female last year.

Cheers

Lee

[MikeOxon]

I saw Brown Hairstreak this afternoon on Otmoor.

Roman Road, Otmoor, nr Beckley, Oxon - 28th July 2011

It was at the south end of the Roman Road, adjacent to the RSPB carpark, near Beckley. The lane was very hot and sheltered, with clouds of gatekeepers rising at every step. I was delighted when, on approaching a bank of flowers, one of the brown butterflies turned out to be the hairstreak! It was in a far from pristine condition, so was clearly not newly emerged.

Mike

[EricY]

many thanks guys for all the info, I had not realized there were several sites close together. In view of Mike's seperate post about Otfield & Padfields added info I do not think we will be trying that one. At moment bbc weather is giving sunday as best day for sunshine & traffic should be lowest although we have to go by Silverstone that has the superbke's on sunday! Final decision tomorrow but I cannot go next week due to family commitments up north. Eric

[Pawpawsaurus]

On Friday I visited Whitecross Green Wood, on the hunt for Brown Hairstreaks. Despite what I thought were favourable weather conditions I found none, and of the five other BH hunters whom I met on site, four had been no more successful. The one person who'd seen a BH was still photographing it, but even he had seen no others in the four hours he'd spent looking.

After leaving WGW I headed for Bernwood Meadows, and although I saw no BHs there either I'm happier to overlook this as the day was wearing on by then. Nevertheless, I was quite disappointed with my day out.

I must admit that my main reason for choosing WGW in preference to any of the other UKB-listed sites in the cluster around Boarstall was its four-star rating. Clearly any such rating system is bound to be subjective and BH is in any case a low-density species, but my four trips to WGW (three last year and one this), have yielded a grand total of just three BHs. Is this par for the course, I wonder? Other members have reported seeing larger BH numbers elsewhere in a single day. As well as leaving me slightly miffed, this makes me question whether WGW's four stars are justified.

Most other UKB-listed sites in the area carry no stars at all. I guess it's just possible that some of them might be at least as good as Whitecross Green Wood, but because BH seekers like me are tempted elsewhere by golden stars, the sites' actual status goes unreported.

I'd be grateful to anyone who can provide some kind of objective comparison between any of these unrated sites so that my future trips, which I hope to make before this season is over, might not be wasted. Failing that, I may have to spend a day visiting a few of them at random, in the hope that I can strike it lucky.

Paul

[Michaeljf]

Hi Paul,
I'm sorry to hear your lack of success at WGW. However, it's status is merited even in this year. Below I am quoting numbers of Brown Hairstreak spotted by the local butterfly counters headed by David Redhead. This report was sent out about a week ago, so there will no doubt be better numbers counted by now. Unfortunatly Brown Hairstreaks are very picky about when the conditions are good enough to fly in...so some days you might be lucky at one reserve, and some days you could be unlucky (unfortunately) .
Michael

Whitecross Green Wood has soared to the top of the league table with 45 reported sightings. The Piddington/Ludgershall area is now in second place with 19, Gavray Drive Meadows on the edge of Bicester third with 18 but Bernwood Forest & Meadows, after leading the way, languishes in an unusually lowly fourth place with only 9. South Otmoor and Lapland Farm/Rushbeds Wood are the other significant areas with 8 and 7 reported sightings respectively

[Pawpawsaurus]

Hi, Michael

Thanks for that - those figures have boosted my confidence somewhat, though I don't really understand why I've been so unlucky on all my visits so far. In fact, last year I met someone there who had connections with BBOWT, and even he couldn't understand why the BHs weren't showing, so it's not just me who was having trouble.

I'm thinking about heading back to WGW tomorrow (Monday) as the weather forecast seems favourable (assuming that 'warm and sunny' meets with the BHs' satisfaction).

Unfortunately, it's a 130+ mile round trip for me, passing through a couple of town centres. I know that some people wouldn't bat an eyelid at that (and yes, I have seen your other recent posts ), but I'd rather not make the journey too many times on the offchance.

I managed to find Black Hairstreaks much more easily than this ...

Paul

[Michaeljf]

Hi Paul,
I hope if you returned to Whitecross Green Wood today you had better luck. I sort of feel slightly responsible having encouraged you to go back I know it can be a painful experience travelling a long distance only to miss out on your target species...
Michael

[Pawpawsaurus]

Michael,

Yes, I did return to WGW today, and I made sure to arrive earlier than before to allow the BHs more opportunity to show themselves. The outcome was hardly much better though. I saw two BHs in total: one was a fresh-looking female (which perched almost out of view for under 30 seconds, and certainly out of camera range), and the other, amazingly (to me, at least), was the same tatty male which I'd seen on Friday, feeding on the same clump of Hemp Agrimony flowers.

BH hunters were out in force again, but the only reports of sightings were from someone with a telescope trained on an Ash tree, where he'd seen two in three hours, and none near ground level.

I left WGW earlier than I'd done on Friday to give Bernwood Meadows a fighting chance to redeem itself, but despite searching all the decent Blackthorn hedges I know about (the long thin field, the north edge of the larger field and the hedge to the north of Hell Coppice), I saw none. I also ventured into Bernwood Forest itself for only the second time, but it's really too big to search if you don't know where the hotspots are.

I'll probably visit WGW once more this year, but I'd like it to be when activity is higher.

BTW, it was my decision to go back again for another try; it's not your fault that BHs don't like me.

Paul

[Michaeljf]

BTW, it was my decision to go back again for another try; it's not your fault that BHs don't like me. Paul

Hi Paul,
I do know the feeling and I'm sorry for you . I can only guess that the peak of the Brown Hairstreaks for many of the Oxfordshire / Southern counties has gone, or has been disrupted by the strange weather patterns. I'd offer for you to stay with us when we go to visit West Williamstone in Pembrokeshire (later emergence this side of the country), but that really would be too far a journey, and like you, we will still be victims to the vagaries of the population emergence and the weather
Michael

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Paul,

If you do venture back to Oxfordshire, I was at Bernwood Meadows on Sunday and saw at least 5 (4 female and 1 tatty male) all, if not on the ground ( ), then nectaring at chest height, all in the long thin meadow. 2 of the females were in pristine condition too. I don't want to rub it in though!

I really do rate Bernwood for BH but I think the weather plays a huge part. It started overcast and grey against forecast but did brighten up after a couple of hours and I think I was there to see them waking up and start nectaring - just luck I guess. Also, it had rained the day before and my theory is that any species that spends time up in trees drinking honeydew are more likely to venture down to flowers when the rain has washed it all off!

PS - If you do go, watch out for the recently added cows though....

Photos and trip report to follow in my diary.

Good luck!

Lee

[Pawpawsaurus]

Thanks, Michael and Lee, for your replies.

I can only guess that the peak of the Brown Hairstreaks for many of the Oxfordshire / Southern counties has gone, or has been disrupted by the strange weather patterns.

Do we know whether numbers have already peaked yet, and whether this year's BH season has been early? Last year I visited WGW during the first few days of September, and although sightings were few and far between I did eventually find two low-level females.

Thomas & Lewington reckon that: "egg-laying females are seldom seen before mid-August, and reach a peak of activity in early September". This year's first sighting was 11th July, but that's early by any standards, and I'm not at all sure how the overall 2011 timings compare to an 'average' year, if such a year exists.

If you do venture back to Oxfordshire, I was at Bernwood Meadows on Sunday and saw at least 5 (4 female and 1 tatty male) all, if not on the ground ( ), then nectaring at chest height, all in the long thin meadow. 2 of the females were in pristine condition too. I don't want to rub it in though!

Well if that's not rubbing it in, I don't know what is. I'm going to *have* to go back now.

Also, it had rained the day before and my theory is that any species that spends time up in trees drinking honeydew are more likely to venture down to flowers when the rain has washed it all off!

PS - If you do go, watch out for the recently added cows though....

I think it had rained quite heavily last Thursday, which raised my hopes for Friday. And yes, I've met the cows twice now - it can be quite disconcerting to see them walking slowly towards me.

Paul

[David M]

Weather permitting, I hope to visit the West Williamston reserve again in early September as I'm sure the Hairstreaks here are 7-14 days behind most of the English sites.

I think the lady who does the transect there was still seeing females in early October last year, so it's not too late. I'm just praying for a sunny day with light winds (the sort that are in short supply in Pembrokeshire).

I'd like to see how many would be visible on a perfect early autumn day as the territory is fantastic for them there with sheltered blackthorn suckers everywhere you look.

[Lee Hurrell]

PS - If you do go, watch out for the recently added cows though....

And yes, I've met the cows twice now - it can be quite disconcerting to see them walking slowly towards me.

Yes, they did that to me too - I think they thought I was going to feed them. My cat does the same thing albeit in a rather more 'Feed me NOW - I haven't eaten in days and simply must eat' manner...

Cheers

Lee