Norfolk

[Debbie]

Hi,

When will Swallowtails be on the wing? Can anybody please tell me of any booklets, leaflets or books that would help a first time butterflier to Norfolk?

Thanks Debbie

[David M]

Hi Debbie.

Swallowtails normally emerge towards the end of May and carry on through most of June. There is also a partial second brood in August.

The best guarantee of seeing them is Martin George's garden at Strumpshaw Fen, where he has deliberately planted sweet williams to attract the butterflies. There are other sites too:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species. ... es=machaon

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Debbie

Strumpshaw Fen is a good spot for Swallowtails on the meadow trail, in the RSPB garden outside the Visitors Centre or in the Doctors Garden by the railway line.
The Doctor allows people in hisgarden when Swallowtails are feeding there.
I've seen them in all three spots in the middle of June but if you keep an eye on the RSPB Strumpshaw Fen website they'll give records of Swallowtail sightings.

Good luck.

[MikeOxon]

It's a few years since I was there but Strumpshaw Fen yielded the most sightings.

I saw my first-ever Swallowtail at the Butterfly Conservation Catfield Fen reserve. The reserve is tucked away down narrow lanes and you can only walk around the edge but it is a lovely remote-feeling place. See the BC website for more info.

Catfield Fen,Norfolk - 4th June 2006
Nikon D70 with 70-300 lens - 1/750s@ f/5.6 ISO400

Mike

[Debbie]

Thank you David, Paul and Mike for the info and Mike for the great photo too.
Hubby has os map out and is pinning the areas to work out the best area to stay when we go.

Debbie

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Debbie,

I can recommend this place http://clippesby.com/ to stay on a Swallowtail-watching holiday. Camping or chalet (varied sizes) options and good onsite facilities. You will be perfectly placed for Strumpshaw, How Hill, Hickling Broad and Catfield. I would personally focus on the first two venues. How Hill comes into its own slightly later in the season, once the tall thistles on the riverbank start to flower (past eel-catchers cottage to the riverbank, then turn right and walk a hundred metres or so).

Neil

[Goldie M]

Hi! Debbie I went to Strumpshaw Fen in late May and saw nothing. this was 2 years ago 2010, I went back in eary June the year after and they were flying. How Hill was where I saw loads of them by the Broads Goldie

[Debbie]

Thank you Neil and Goldie.

All of this is really helpful.

Debbie

[Jack Harrison]

Dr. Martin George's garden at Stumpshaw is pretty much guaranteed but as the butterflies nectar on cultivated flowers, it is difficult to get a "natural" shot. eg this doesn't really satisfy:



Jack

[David M]

Dr. Martin George's garden at Stumpshaw is pretty much guaranteed but as the butterflies nectar on cultivated flowers, it is difficult to get a "natural" shot

Agreed, Jack, but if you've travelled 200 miles then it's better than nothing.

This must be the only UK species that you can identify the finest single location to see them down to a single garden.

[Rosalyn]

This was taken on 10th June last year in the field to the left of the garden as you look at it. The RSPB website reports sightings.

[David M]

That's a lovely shot, Rosalyn. Very natural.

Yes, there's a field just beyond Dr George's garden that is much frequented by these butterflies. Given reasonable weather conditions an hour spent just prior to midday in said field would be almost certain to produce results.

[EricY]

I seem to remember a lot of butterflies were early in 2011. On friday 13th May (lucky for us) there were no flowers in bloom in the garden, so Swallowtails had nothing there to necter on. The field next door was covered in yellow flowers & @ 9.30am we had at least 12 Swallowtails all around us.

[Neil Hulme]

The uncultivated meadow/slope mentioned by Rosalyn, David M and EricY is certainly one of the natural 'hotspots' at Strumpshaw, and usually the best. However, if you are going to focus on this area it is important to be there in the morning to very early afternoon period. The Swallowtails are feeding on the yellow Rough Hawk's-beard flowers, and these close up at 2.00 pm - 2.30 pm every afternoon. The butterflies know this and start to disperse soon after 1.30 pm, one by one moving back onto the fen.

Neil

[Rosalyn]

My photo was taken at 9.58 It might be worth mentioning you do need a ticket for the fen if you aren't a RSPB member. The only place I have seen them here is over the railway crossing near the doctors garden, from there walk on to just past the hide. Good luck

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Debbie,
The number and emergence dates vary quite a bit with Swallowtails,so check this site and also the RSPB website for up to dat info. Last week May to first week of June usurally best for fresh adults, but they were a good 2 weeks early in 2011.
As others have said,at Strunpshaw,the doctors garden and the rough field next to it,i have found most reliable.
Enjoy!

[Debbie]

Thank you everybody, all this information is really helpful. The photos are wonderful.

I still have to see over half of the british butterflies including the swallowtail.

Thanks Debbie

[Neil Freeman]

I was in Norfolk last year during the last week of May. We went to Strumphaw a few days after the first one was reported on their website and saw a few. As you walk down the lane towards the doctors garden there is a clearing on the right before you get to his garden. We saw a couple flying around here and also what we believe were the same ones flying around the wasteground just past the doctors.

We also saw a couple further into the fen, across the railway crossing and continue along the path towards the river we saw two together about half way to the river.

All individuals that we saw were very flighty and I believe they were possibly all males full of newly emerged vigour. I only managed a couple of record photos but it was a joy to see them skimming across the fen and performing their arial displays around each other.

We also saw a single individual at How Hill, close to the cottage by the river.

In truth, we were a bit early last year and they had only just started emerging, quite a bit later than in 2011 apparently.

Cheers,

Neil F.