Big Sussex Butterfly Count
Yesterday (13th July) I took part in the highly competitive Big Sussex Butterfly Count, an event organised by Dr Dan Danahar to celebrate the start of the national Big Butterfly Count (14th July - 5th August
http://www.bigbutterflycount.org). Two teams battled hard to record as many species as possible across West (Team Purple Emperor) and East (Team Silver-spotted Skipper) Sussex. Team Purple Emperor was led by TV naturalist Nick Baker and comprised Dr Martin Warren (BC CEO), Patrick Barkham (Guardian journalist and author), Trevor Beattie (South Downs National Park CEO), Dr Dan Danahar (BC Sussex, Dorothy Stringer School, Event Organiser), Richard Bradford (Dorothy Stringer Head Teacher), Jan Knowlson (SDNPA Ranger, landrover driver), Colin Knight (BC Sussex, UKB) and me. Our worthy opponents were led by Tony Whitbread (Sussex Wildlife Trust CEO), Nigel Symington (new BC Sussex Chair), John Barradell (Brighton & Hove Council CEO), Pete West (B & H Council Chair Environmental Committee), Matthew Thomas (B & H Council Ecologist), Pete Varkala (Steyning Downland Scheme), Bob Foreman (BC Sussex), Crispin Holloway (BC Sussex) and Paul Gorringe (B & H Council Ranger, landrover driver).
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Team Purple Emperor got off to a flyer and took a commanding lead. Before we had driven more than a mile we were slowed by a traffic queue, but seeing a golden opportunity I leapt from the landrover and bagged an Essex Skipper beside the road. At Southwater Woods we notched up quite a few woodland species including the valuable Purple Hairstreak and added several more at Botany Bay, having redrawn the county line. Sadly this did not include either the Emperor or Wood White, potentially our trump cards, although we did get Dark Green Fritillary and Common Blue. However, Martin Warren pulled a cat out of the bag by finding a tiny Dingy Skipper larva. News on Twitter put us way out ahead and complacency set in; I suggested either a leisurely pub lunch or a matinee showing at a local cinema. As we strolled back to the vehicle Dan found a beautiful Elephant Hawkmoth beside the track ... beautiful, but scoring nothing.
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By the time we arrived at Iping Common for Silver-studded Blue the opposition had overhauled us and the mood changed. We suddenly realised we were in a real battle as Team Silver-spotted Skipper had bagged a tricky Painted Lady and a surprisingly difficult Large White. We replotted our course and picked up a single Chalkhill Blue at Bevendean (urban Brighton & Hove), having failed at Mill Hill, then headed to Hollingbury Park for the possibility of White-letter Hairstreak. It was now late afternoon and the wind and falling temperature were against us, but we were now looking defeat in the face. As we approached the hedge-line I said to Patrick Barkham "we need to look on these thistle heads". A pristine male hairstreak was perched on the first flowerhead he examined. Following a dash back to the Butterfly Haven at Dorothy Stringer School we recorded a Peacock with only minutes to spare, snatching a 23 - 21 victory over our rivals, with a combined tally of 26 species.
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I would like to thank Dorothy Stringer School, Brighton & Hove City Council, South Downs National Park Authority and BC Sussex for providing vehicles, fuel, staff time, packed lunches and financial support for this event. Please take part in the Big Butterfly Count. I went home with a smile on my face, having had a whole heap of fun.
Guardian article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... ly-hunting
Nice You Tube clip at http://t.co/0bvmrWK5