Mark Colvin

[Mark Colvin]

Favourites from 2012 - Part 4

Continued ...

Lycaenidae

Not to be forgotten (the boys) ...

[Mark Colvin]

Favourites from 2012 - Part 5

Continued ...

During 2012, I have thoroughly enjoyed mixing my lifelong passion for entomology and the environment with recording what I observe with a camera. I have continued to keep things simple and remain pleased with what I've achieved. I have learnt a lot this season and look forward to next year with growing anticipation. I'd like to thank all those at UKButterflies who have provided positive comments on my diary ...

Thank you ...

Nymphalidae

What to include, what not to include ...

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Mark,

Some lovely shots in there and a good collection considering the appalling weather this 'summer'. My favourite is that beautiful female Common Blue from the Scilly Isles.

BWs, Neil

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Neil,

Many thanks for your kind message.

Some lovely shots in there and a good collection considering the appalling weather this 'summer'. My favourite is that beautiful female Common Blue from the Scilly Isles.

I'm not surprised the Common Blue was your favourite as she is certainly one of mine. I've had real difficulty choosing my favourite shot of the year as there were so many possibilities. However, I have now chosen and will post soon; it's not what I expect you think it is ...

Thanks again.

Kind regards. Mark

[Mark Colvin]

Favourites from 2012 - Part 6

And finally to my favourite ...

Looking beyond the picture ...

It has not been an easy task selecting my favourite image of 2012; there were many candidates and many special moments. To me, as an entomologist, a picture is not just about the quality of the captured subject but also, and possibly more importantly, the circumstances under which it was achieved. The location, weather conditions, temperature, time of day, the perfumes present in the air (particularly those that appear heightened at dawn), ambient sounds and, not least, if I was not on my own, the company with whom I shared the experience; the detail, the bigger picture. I know this all sounds a little 'airy-fairy' but it is important to me and is all part of my experience of being at one with nature, the environment and myself ...

With over a month's rain having fallen over West Sussex during a 24 hour period in early June 2012, several of my local rivers and smaller water courses had, not suprisingly, burst their banks. Extensive flooding occurred throughout West Sussex. After the storm came the calm and on the morning of 12 June I headed for Iping and Stedham Commons to look for the beautiful Silver-studded Blue, which had only recently started to emerge. It took little persuasion to tempt good friend Colin Knight to join me, who was also desperate to be out and about. We headed for a small south facing area of heathland where I discovered good numbers during their peak last year. In the poor light and low ambient temperature, I managed to find and photograph just three males in the short time I was there. On 27 June I returned, alone, to Stedham Common; my target, a female Silver-studded Blue. It did not take long before I found the first of many males, as they took flight from the purple heather and birch scrub; the smell of damp pine filled the air. Others, roosting amongst the undergrowth, gradually started to stir and as they did so they revealed their wings to the warmth of the new day. A slow walk through the heather finally produced four females; two rather tatty specimens and two very fresh individuals whose tiny gemstone adorned wings glistened in the hazy sun.

Considering all of the above comments, the female Silver-studded Blue below, an image not previously posted, is my favourite shot of 2012; not only because the composition and subtleties of colour please me, and its not the best shot I've ever taken, but more importantly because of the total experience and the memories which are consequently evoked ...

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Mark,

Excellent and evocative write up on your reasoning behind your choice, and a lovely photo as well, a classic case of less is more

Your comments actually descibe the main reason why I keep my own diary on UKB, to capture memories of times and places so that I can re-visit them.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Mark,
I totally agree with your sentiments, and such lovely photos. What beautiful memories.
All the best, Nick.

[MikeOxon]

a picture is not just about the quality of the captured subject but also, and possibly more importantly, the circumstances under which it was achieved.

I know you are an entomologist first but your photos show that you have an excellent feel for photography as well, and I do agree strongly with your motives for taking them. I have a huge collection of photos, ranging from holiday shots to details of all aspects of the natural world and, because of the associative nature of memory, I can conjure up so much about the events surrounding each one. I believe they are a way of storing up much pleasure for when I am unable to get out and about as easily as now. I hope hat you will enjoy that pleasure too.

Your SSBlue is indeed a delightful shot, even without the associated memories that you have. I like the subtle colour and also the attractive diagonal composition.

Mike

[Mark Colvin]

Dear Neil, Nick and Mike.

Thank you for your very kind comments which are genuinely much appreciated

Good hunting.

Kindest regards. Mark

[Mark Colvin]

Heyshott Escarpment, 24 October 2012

Making inroads …

Today, I joined Neil, and nine representatives of the Murray Downland Trust, for the fourth of our weekly conservation work parties at Heyshott Escarpment.

Fabulous results have already been achieved this season, as a large amount of scrub and secondary woodland has successfully been cleared. In addition, records were smashed today as, for the first time in memory, three substantial bonfires were required; the tiny holes that cover my clothing standing testament to the intensity of the heat of their aerial embers. Much of the area we are currently working on is the site of an old rubbish tip; as numerous old metal buckets, fragments of broken glass and barbed wire were found. Nearby, as shown in a map dating from 1874, lies the site of the old limekilns; we are currently working just to the northwest of this area. As I left the reserve shortly after 1pm, a Small White and Comma made the most of the sun, which was just starting to burn through the lifting cloud …

Roll on next week ...

[Mark Colvin]

Worthing, 25 October 2012

Off course ...

A male Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti) hunkers down out of the wind ...

Thanks Neil ...

[Mark Colvin]

Rewell Wood, 26 October 2012

Autumn work ...

Today, I joined fellow BC Sussex members Neil Hulme, Nigel Symington and Paul Day. We met up with Simon Mockford and several volunteers from the South Downs National Park Authority at Rewell Wood near Arundel.

The woodland here is cut on a rotational basis in order to help create and maintain ideal conditions for the Duke of Burgundy, which resides at this woodland site in growing numbers. Fabulous work has been carried out on this section of the Norfolk Estate in previous seasons, and I know that Neil has quite rightly documented this on more than one occasion in the past. Today's task, was to start opening up new areas of the wood; a challenge we welcomed and set to with some vigour. Our next work party at Rewell Wood is in several weeks time.

I just hope the weather is more welcoming ...

[Susie]

Exciting stuff!

[Mark Colvin]

Thanks Susie

Exciting and tiring but worth every single bit of effort ...

[Mark Colvin]

Plaistow, 2 November 2012

D(ice)ing with death …

At 1.15pm today, whilst working in my office at home, the clouds rapidly darkened, the wind picked up speed, and the skies suddenly opened; heavy hail began to fall. Looking out of my window, and with the autumn leaves being blown from the trees, I suddenly became aware that one of the leaves was in fact a Red Admiral; no doubt disturbed from its resting place by the aerial bombardment. I watched intently as it bravely diced with death and hoped it would find sanctuary under the eaves; though it was swiftly lifted away from the house and out of my line of sight. I almost expected to find its sodden and battered body lying lifeless on my driveway, when I popped out shortly after the downpour; the ice meteors glistening where they littered the ground.

I didn’t and hope it found refuge from the storm …

[Mark Colvin]

The Murray Downland Trust

As many of you will be aware, nearly every Wednesday, between October and the end of March, I am involved in an ongoing conservation project at Heyshott Escarpment; an extremely important chalk downland reserve lying just to the south of the beautiful village of Heyshott in West Sussex. I, along with several of the regular stalwarts, including Neil Hulme and Colin Knight, fly the flag for Sussex Butterfly Conservation; we work closely alongside the dedicated and indefatigable volunteers of The Murray Downland Trust. So who are The Murray Downland Trust (MDT)?

In brief, The Murray Downland Trust came into being in 1994. It is named after both Dr K. M. Elisabeth (Betty) Murray (1909-98), former Principal of Bishop Otter College (Chichester), and her brother, Kenneth Murray. The Murrays were pioneers of downland conservation at Heyshott, West Sussex. The objectives of the Trust are to rescue and enhance neglected areas of unimproved chalk downland in the counties of Sussex and Hampshire, revealing their richness in terms of the species of flora and fauna present. Five reserves are currently under their stewardship. These are at Buriton Down (Hampshire), Under Beacon, The Devil's Jumps, Heyshott Down and Heyshott Escarpment (West Sussex). All reserves are within the South Downs National Park.

In the September 2012 MDT newsletter, Sue Edwards wrote the following, wonderfully thought-provoking article on the inspiration behind the Trust: Betty Murray. It inspired me and further compounded my views that the sometimes controversial nature of the work we are undertaking at Heyshott, is indeed the right course of action; consequently I felt it worthy of sharing with a wider audience …

Betty Murray

An appreciation of a Founder of the MDT ...

Sometimes, as human beings, we become so enmeshed in the immediacy of the present that we tend to forget about the past. With the formation of the South Downs National Park and the changes which it is likely to bring to our very special part of the UK, it is perhaps apposite that we remember – and give thanks for – a very special member of our community whose vision and energy years ago paved the way for so many of the amenities which we enjoy locally today and, perhaps, take for granted. I refer, of course, to K.M. Elisabeth Murray, popularly and respectfully known as Betty Murray.

A woman of tremendous mental and physical strength and determination she was, first and foremost, an intellectual. Although functioning in an age when women still, largely, expected and accepted male dominance, she bucked the trend without a second thought and made her presence felt in numerous parts of the local landscape. Her tenure as Principal of Bishop Otter College, in Chichester (a training establishment for teachers), between 1948 and 1970, led to her recognition as one of the foremost mid-twentieth century figures in education. Under her guidance the College underwent a succession of major changes, progressing from being a genteel – almost boarding school – environment for young ladies to the admission, in 1960, of men. During the 1960s she instigated and oversaw an ambitious building programme for the College, including new student accommodation for which, using her artistic colour sense, she spent considerable effort and time selecting appropriate furnishings and décor. Under her guidance the student numbers almost trebled. A firm believer in the idea of community, she had, early on, instigated the tradition of The Trundle Walk, where all College members gathered together, early in the first term of the year, to climb the hill together. Upon joining this walk in the 1960s, men were advised that the Principal would always get to the top first. Taking this to mean that one was required to be courteous and allow Miss Murray to be the first to reach the hilltop, several of the men were then amazed to find their Principal striding onwards and upwards at a considerable pace and easily outstripping their efforts!

A College chaplain professed to feeling more in awe of her than of any bishop! Intimidation, however, was not her intention nor was it her modus operandi: she simply inspired awe and respect in those who came into contact with her, not least through her devotion to duty (which was paramount) but also through her perception of what was required for a task and her personal efforts to research it; her incisive comments; and her ability to understand people and their lives.

The Downs in all its moods excited and moved her. She possessed a keen eye for the beauty of landscapes and worked assiduously to preserve and protect them. Her strong aesthetic sense did not, however, lead her into promoting an adherence to the status quo and allowing Nature to take its course; rather, taking the avant-garde approach which she applied as much to her work at Bishop Otter College – as well as on numerous other bodies – she strove to keep rampant Nature at bay and to promote the natural attributes of native chalk downland, recognising the potential for the richness of flora and fauna which provides endless delight for the senses.

The Down behind her Heyshott home was a constant source of delight and wonder. However, during the 1939-1945 war years the Downs became forbidden territory, having been taken over by the army for the purpose of military training. Sandpits were used for the development and use of flame-throwers. Many areas of the Downs were ploughed up, consequently grazing declined and, eventually, the production of arable crops took over from the previously traditional practice of sheep-grazing. The Downs at Heyshott were used as ranges, which resulted in some areas becoming threatened by developing tree seedlings, much to the consternation of Betty Murray and her brother, Kenneth (who visited, biennially, from his work as an archaeologist in Nigeria). To ensure that the inevitable was not permitted to happen, the two intrepid countryside rangers would choose propitious moments to venture into temporary army land and wage war on the encroaching trees and scrub!

By the end of the Second World War, natural chalk downland had become an increasingly scarce commodity throughout the long stretch of the South Downs. As an active member of the Society of Sussex Downsmen from 1948 onwards, serving as one of its District Officers for forty years, Betty Murray spent many happy and energetic hours on the Downs, clearing scrub and protecting rights of way. She waymarked country footpaths and worked assiduously to help restore the Downs, particularly those at Heyshott, to their former open glory, ensuring that the habitat was suitable for re-colonisation by the beautiful chalk-loving flora in which she – and others – took such delight. There were many other claims on her intellect and time during this period, often to do with public enquiries; but one senses that she was never happier than when wielding an axe or attacking scrub.

A keen archaeologist, Betty Murray was fascinated by the wealth of material in the area, whether it be appreciating local bronze age barrows or working to ensure that the treasures of the Roman Palace at Fishbourne remained in situ and accessible to the public. Her trail-blazing proclivities provided her with the vision and energy to be a major force behind the creation of the Pallant House Gallery, which houses one of the best collections of 20th Century British art in the world. As a determined advocate of a civilised physical environment, Betty Murray also oversaw the creation of what was to become a significant art collection at Bishop Otter College, collecting works from some of the more modern artists and, at least in the early days of the collection, displaying it around the college for all to enjoy and admire. Chichester District Museum, the Sussex Historic Churches Trust and the Sussex Record Society are just a few of the organisations which also enjoyed her tremendous mental energy and physical determination.

Quiet and thoughtful, with her intelligence shining through in everything with which she became involved, Betty Murray led by example and, by undertaking projects with wholehearted intention and belief, encouraged others to follow suit. The idea of a community working together was an important one to her and, although she was never afraid to court controversy – in her view, anything was preferable to apathy – she valued the feeling of people working together for the good of a common cause and of being willing to experiment as they did so. Her enlightened thinking, within the confines of a positive framework, enabled her to continue to push forward the bounds of civilisation and to observe, with satisfaction, the outcomes.

The Murray Downland Trust came into being in 1994, nearly twenty years after the agreement of a lease with the Cowdray Estate which established the reserves at Heyshott; and also at the Devil’s Jumps, leased from the West Dean Estate. Originally, Betty Murray chaired the advisory committee which was set up, under the auspices of the Society of Sussex Downsmen, to manage the reserves. This committee included several individuals who are, today, still involved with the Trust. After the Society decided that it could no longer justify the expense of supporting the Heyshott and Devil’s Jumps Reserves, it agreed to provide a sum of money to allow the formation of an independent group to do so, hence The Murray Downland Trust was formed: a fitting tribute to its new Patron and indefatigable champion of chalk downland. Today, the Trust continues to celebrate her vision and enlightened thinking, preserving and managing for a new generation the wonderful first-hand experience of exploring chalk downland, and providing oases of beauty and calm to promote the well-being of mind, body and spirit in our increasingly hectic lives.[/i]

[David M]

Lovely piece of writing is that (and how nice to see proper punctuation!)

[Gibster]

And yet, just to play Devil's Advocate you understand, without her 'meddling ways', and without the advent of the rabbit into our countryside, all of this could have been so wonderfully different...

Seriously though, I do wonder how our native fauna and flora will fare in the face of global weather changes, land usage intensification and ongoing chemical adjustments to the atmosphere. I also wonder how certain invasive alien species will fare in the coming decades, and the effect they may have on our indigenous species. Certainly we should all applaud the efforts made by conservation work parties such as the Murray Downland Trust.

Mark, I have to ask, is there no way you are able to chip rather than burn your brash? There are a great many seeds, invertebrates, bryophytes and fungi that are, quite literally, going up in smoke with every bonfire. Chipping gives at least some of them a chance to survive intact. From your pics I see that heavy plant has access to your work sites. Surely a chipper is a viable option?

Cheers,

Gibster.

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Gibster,

Thanks for your message.

It is of course a fact, that all management is unfavourable for something; there will always be winners and losers. Man does play God and this is reflected in our own conservation efforts where we manage sites to benefit certain species at the inevitable cost of others. This is of course the basic stumbling block which gives rise to this sort of query.

It is a sad fact, that without ongoing human management, Heyshott Escarpment, and indeed many other sites, would not exist in the form they do today. Whether we create scrapes for waders, burn heather for the benefits of the red grouse or flood water meadows for wintering waders and wildfowl, man does and always will manage the environment for the benefit of some and to the disadvantage of others. We have of course been doing this since man first started to farm the land.

Spreading chippings, whose volume is likely to be in the region of 1.5 to 2 times that of the original wood, mulches and increases nutrient levels over a wide area; just the things we are trying to reduce in our task to reinstate the beautiful chalk downland environment at Heyshott. I’m not sure how many invertebrates, or indeed large seeds and lichens, would in fact survive a chipper. The resulting mulch is of course not the same thing as the original wood, so this also changes the nature of the resource in any case. Removal off-site, if it were practical to do so, increases the costs of the work, and does nothing for the possible included organisms, as they would end up in a dump or green waste recycling facility - very different from where they started out. It should of course also be pointed out, that there are a variety of species, both flora and fauna, that are highly dependant on sites of burning.

Heavy plant is generally not used at Heyshott, due to the dangers and difficulties of safe access over the majority of the reserve. We are currently working on the lower levels of the site where safe access is generally possible.

And so on ...

Kind regards. Mark

[Gibster]

Hi Mark,

that's a fairly comprehensive response, I shall consider myself newly educated and climb back into my pram!

My own patch is mid-Surrey secondary woodland with scrub invasion the norm. All on thick (and currently very waterlogged) London clay. We used to have bonfires, but now ,where possible, we leave the brash piles to decompose in the undergrowth, allow the log piles to fall slowly into the earth and rarely burn much of anything on most occasions. Apart from gorse, which crackles oh so beautifully! My patch is pretty resiliant to most of the abuse hurled at it, including the recent addition of three small herds of conservation cattle. Heyshott is obviously a very different case with a very different management strategy. But I love my little patch for what it is and for what I hope it could become. It's heartening to see Heyshott has it's own enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer work force, but a pity that so many sites would lose their diversity without such volunteers. Countryside management is vastly different nowadays than, say, even 50 years ago.

See you at the social,

all the best,

Gibster.