Busy Weekend
An action-packed weekend started at Mill Hill on Saturday morning (27th April) where I saw my first Grizzled Skipper of the season, a full month later than last year. In the afternoon I led my first BC walk of 2013, in a predictably unsuccessful attempt at seeing Pearl-bordered Fritillary. One thing we did get was warm and sunny conditions, which we certainly didn't experience last year. Perhaps we can combine good weather AND butterflies in 2014? Despite the fact we saw just a single (much celebrated) Peacock, it was nice to catch up with eight members on such a pleasant afternoon. Fingers crossed for next Sunday.
On Sunday (28th April) I returned to Mill Hill, where Grizzled Skipper now numbered 3. Also seen were Small Tortoiseshell (3), Peacock (4) and an egg-laying Red Admiral on the upper slope. Lagging a month behind last year's timetable are the tiny moths which typically swarm over the short turf here. Of these, I managed to photograph my first
Pyrausta nigrata of the season.
In the afternoon I attended the BC Sussex Spring Social on Sir Charlie Burrell’s Knepp Castle Estate. After an entertaining talk we were given a tour of the southern compartment and observed some of the changes to the land being driven by this innovative rewilding project.
This morning (29th April) I returned to Mill Hill to photograph the Grizzled Skippers, with periods of cloudy weather providing the ideal opportunity to catch them at rest. The resident Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks were joined by a Comma, Large White and my first Speckled Wood of the year.