Graylings at Chobham Common, Surrey

FlyByWire · Post by **FlyByWire** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:43 pm

I stopped at Chobham Common on the way home in the afternoon. Saw my first ever Graylings. Thanks for the tip-off Jack!

The changing weather (frequent cloudshadow) meant they settled down more easily and were not too hard to photograph. (In the sunshine they were indeed hard to get near once they started moving again.)

http://piccies.flybywire.org.uk/Butterf ... yling1.jpg
http://piccies.flybywire.org.uk/Butterf ... ling2a.jpg
http://piccies.flybywire.org.uk/Butterf ... ling2b.jpg

Last 2 were of same butterfly. 7-8 seen overall. Also saw Large Skipper, Small(Essex?) Skipper, Meadow Brown (one with those red mites attached), Gatekeeper and Red Admiral.

Cheers.

-Mike

sahikmet · Post by **sahikmet** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 4:44 pm

Hi,

Great pictures, could you advise as to location as you know Chobham has many car parks and covers a large area. Getting a bit too old to walk all the way round!!

Cheers

Sezar

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 4:58 pm

It might be of interest Mike that I had never seen Graylings at Chobham Common nor indeed had I actually heard of them occurring there. The habitat seemed right (we of course had that Silver Studded Blue success last year) so I had simply presumed that Graylings would also occur there. I suppose it was a hunch based on some 60 years of butterflying!

A first for me today, Saturday. Well not a new species, but Small Copper in the garden for the first time. Nectaring on buddliea would you believe.

Jack

FlyByWire · Post by **FlyByWire** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:00 pm

I saw them at approx SU972653. Car park was the one by the roundabout to the west-southwest of there. Looking at getamap the hill is called Oystershell Hill, and I saw the majority of them on the northwest slope. I followed the path Eastwards from the carpark, up the hill and then left and down the northwest slope path. Took my pics there.

Well good hunch Jack.

It was a beauty.

-Mike

sahikmet · Post by **sahikmet** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:03 am

Thanks, I will try early next week.

Sezar

FlyByWire wrote:I saw them at approx SU972653. Car park was the one by the roundabout to the west-southwest of there. Looking at getamap the hill is called Oystershell Hill, and I saw the majority of them on the northwest slope. I followed the path Eastwards from the carpark, up the hill and then left and down the northwest slope path. Took my pics there.

Well good hunch Jack. It was a beauty.

-Mike

sahikmet · Post by **sahikmet** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:16 pm

Hi,

At Chobham today, Oystershell Hill at least 15 Graylings, managed some pictures. Thanks Mike for the info.

Cheers,

Sezar

FlyByWire · Post by **FlyByWire** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:20 pm

Well done! Glad you found them. And nice pics.

-Mike

James Blake · Post by **James Blake** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:39 pm

Visited Chobham Common for the first time today and saw two Graylings, one at the Bee Garden and one near Staple Hill at about SU975650. Very few other butterflies about.

James