Black Hairstreaks at Glapthorn

[Paul33]

Emerged at Glapthorn Cow Pasture on 8th June 2014, photographed today.

[Rogerdodge]

Paul
Thanks for that.
I am in N. Scotland on tour at present.
Hope they are still flying when I pass through around 19/20th.
Roger

[Steve Babbs]

Nice photos. Any one thoughts of where is best, for black hairstreak: Glapthorn or Monks Wood? I might go this weekend anyone got any tips about best spots? Time of the day? etc.

Regards

Steve

[PhiliB]

Steve
I spent over 4 hours in Monks Wood today in nigh on perfect conditions and saw only 7 Black Hairstreak, 3 of which were egg laying females. Jason(birder) also found another female at low level. This number is well down on sightings from yesterday & Tuesday. It appears that they have already peaked at this location. This, together with a relatively poor weather forecast for the weekend, means that a visit here may not be successful.
I shall be returning again tomorrow and shall report here if the news is any better.
I have no knowledge of numbers seen at Glapthorn at the moment.
Phil

[Rosalyn]

Black Hairstreak reported from Glapthorn into double figures today but the forecast for the weekend isn't looking good

[brian laney]

I visited Glapthorn Cow Pastures on the 14th June. I got there in the afternoon and noticed two times when it got cloudy for quite a period of time that the Black Hairstreaks came down to the blackthorn bushes in bigger numbers than when it was warm and sunny. I was the last person to leave the site at 7.50pm. Even at that late time there was at least 5 individuals low down happily feeding from the brambles. I think if the weather stays warm but goes cloudy then don't give up hope especially if any of you are coming from quite a distance. And I think even if it is quite late in the day as I found out it is worth a go.
Good luck to those of you who go. And I hope you get as much enjoyment as I did yesterday afternoon.

Brian Laney Northamptonshire County Recorder for Reptiles and Amphibians.

[Yashca]

Hi everyone,

I have booked three and a half hours off work tomorrow to spend at Monk's Wood during the sunny period from about 10.30 am and 1pm. I was hoping to get there this past weekend but I wasn't feeling particularly well.

As I won't have hours and hours to search and I don't know the site at all, I wondered if people could give me specific sites on where to park, where to look, and how to search. I'll only have about three hours so I really need to make the best of it by being in the right area!

Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

[Yashca]

Another idea has occurred to me - Glapthorn is about an hour away from where I am, so I could in theory have an hour there rather than two at Monk's Wood. Which site is more reliable?

[dilettante]

I've PM'd you re Monk's Wood - hope that helps.

[Yashca]

Thanks for everyone that gave me advice re Black Hairstreaks. After much internal debate, I booked the middle of the day off work yesterday and drove to Glapthorn, where I saw at least eight individuals in about an hour, all showing fantastically on bramble flowers or privet flowers. At one point I saw two sitting on the same flower of privet at the same time, but alas they didn't stay still long enough for a photo. An absolutely amazing species, a lifer, and I was utterly delighted by it.