August 2014

[jasonbirder]

Reminds me of the fantastic County Durham Bee-Eaters...can't believe that's 12 years ago!

[The Doc]

Hi Paul , the National Trust site of Swellshill Bank is approx Grid Ref 860022 to the south of Stroud. Plenty of parking on the lane above. There should be plenty of Adonis Blues on the Wing. Regards Peter.

Thanks Peter, my first post, great to get an answer Hope they show as well for me as for you, great pics

[David M]

There should be no shortage of Adonis Blues at Swellshill Bank this weekend. I reckon they may even be the commonest species if Chalkhills have declined sufficiently.

[David M]

A four and a half hour visit to West Williamston today yielded the following:

Green Veined White 20-30
Small Tortoiseshell 15-20
Speckled Wood 15-20
Brown Hairstreak 3
Small Copper 3
Hedge Brown 3
Silver Washed Fritillary 2
Common Blue 2
Comma 2
Peacock 1
Holly Blue 1

[The Doc]

Thanks to all. As David said, plenty of Adonis Blues at Swellshill Bank, great way to get my 50th species in the UK for 2104, great new site for me too. Very accessible as only 130 miles down the M6 and M5 for me from Cheshire, I'll be back in Spring in 2015

Lots of Adonis Blues, a few Chalkhill Blues srill but pretty tatty, a few Common Blues too and lots of Brown Argus. Small Heath, Meadow Brown & Speckled Wood also seen as well as a mystery fritillary at thw bottom of the bank. This flew through at about 30m range, never paused & never re-appeared, couldn't get my bins on it but suspect it was a Dark Green Frit. Also present Dark Bush Cricket and we found a single Rufous Grasshopper amongst all the others we checked. Autumn Gentian out too. Sunny intervals with a couple of showers, but as I said before it didn't disappoint, thanks again


Adonis Blue

p.s. first ever picture posted so please let me know if others can see it. I digiscope my butterflies which was fun on such a precipitous bank!!! Pretty hard too!!

[Ian Pratt]

p.s. first ever picture posted so please let me know if others can see it. I digiscope my butterflies which was fun on such a precipitous bank!!! Pretty hard too!!

The picture is fine.
Ian

[David M]

also seen as well as a mystery fritillary at thw bottom of the bank. This flew through at about 30m range, never paused & never re-appeared, couldn't get my bins on it but suspect it was a Dark Green Frit.

It was almost certainly Dark Green Fritillary. The ONLY possible alternative would have been Silver Washed, but there's insufficient woodland for this species to be present in this area.

Glad you nailed the Adonis Blues.

Swellshill is a beautiful location which I'm sure you will visit again.

Try a repeat visit next (late) May where you'll find first brood Adonis along with Duke of Burgundy (fewer flies too at that time of year!)

[The Doc]

Cheers David, I will certainly be back in Spring Coolish yesterday so no real bother with biting or stinging things Dark Green Frit was down on my species list already as I reckoned that was the only possibility too

I am already planning next year so that I can take in several species in single visits, reckon the Cotswolds & Northants will be on my itinery lots, nowt much specialist here in Cheshire but well placed to do the northern & southern stuff without mega long journeys 50 species this year (with Clouded Yellow still likely) is just a reccie for the real deal next year


Adonis Blue

[David M]

nowt much specialist here in Cheshire but well placed to do the northern & southern stuff without mega long journeys

I understand what you're saying, Doc, since I grew up in St. Helens, but you have 2 notable species within an hour's drive: Large Heath at Whixhall Moss and Silver Studded Blue at Prees Heath (Shropshire).

Within 2 hours you can go to see Mountain Ringlet (Irton Fell), Northern Brown Argus, High Brown Fritillary and Scotch Argus too (Arnside Knott).

Plenty of Green Hairstreaks in the Trough of Bowland as well when I was a kid.

It's not as bad as it seems!

[Steve Babbs]

Hi

Anyone know what the numbers of silver-spotted skipper are like at Aston Rowtan at the moment, and their condition - as I'm keen to get photos of good condition ones? I know it's probably well past their peak but was considering a look tomorrow.

Thanks

Steve

[Jonny721]

Will be going down to Portland 2nd-10th September, does anybody know if there will be any second brood Adonis Blue butterflies still flying whilst I'm there? I went at the same time last year and failed to find any in 3 visits to the area around the High Angle Battery, so am hoping for better luck this time!

Also I think Lulworth Skipper and Chalkhill Blue will have gone over by now?

[The Doc]

Hi

Anyone know what the numbers of silver-spotted skipper are like at Aston Rowtan at the moment, and their condition - as I'm keen to get photos of good condition ones? I know it's probably well past their peak but was considering a look tomorrow.

Thanks

Steve

Don't know if you have set off yet Steve, sorry if you have. There is a report for Aug 23rd on the Upper Thames Butterfly site of just 3 Silver-spotted Skippers at Aston Rowant. The list looks like the observer searched the slopes pretty thoroughly, so it looks like just the last few are left there now. Good luck if you are going or have already gone.

Cheers
Paul

[Rosalyn]

Hummingbird Hawk Moth seen in my garden for 3 days running. Is this usual? I Have assumed it is the same one. Evening on Wednesday and Thursday around 7pm and 9am this morning. As this post is way after my bedtime that's yesterday morning

[Hoggers]

Dungeness today :

BINGO!

I've put more photos in my diary.

Best Wishes,

Hoggers.

[David M]

Excellent day spent at the Pembrokeshire Brown Hairstreak site in West Williamston between 9.45am and 2.10 pm:

14 different species seen (which won't be repeated before May 2015):

Speckled Wood 40-60
Small Tortoiseshell 30-40
Green Veined White 10-20
Brown Hairstreak 7
Red Admiral 4
Common Blue 4
Small White 2
Comma 2
Peacock 2
Meadow Brown 2
Clouded Yellow 1
Small Copper 1
Holly Blue 1
Silver Washed Fritillary 1

[Philzoid]

After drawing blanks for Brown Hairstreak on three previous occasions I'd more or less resigned myself to not seeing this species this season. However encouragement from Sussex Skipper and Wurzel who reminded me of their long flight period and therefore to keep on trying, proved very rewarding in the end . My daughter Isabella and I met up with Wurzel and both his girls at Shipton Bellinger. Our initial plans for Tuesday 26th were scuppered thanks to the weather but by Sunday conditions were ideal ... i.e we had some sunshine at last .

This Brown Hairstreak session proved to be the most fruitful I ever had with 11 butterflies seen , 10 of those being females in varying but mainly good condition with the one male looking very faded. Other species were there in good numbers too, notably Speckled Wood in the hedgerows lining the tracks, and at the top of the site, Brimstone and Red Admiral.

Lots of Specklies patrolled the hedgerows along the main track

It was a smashing day slightly marred by a large 'aggressive' Labrador not on a leash and whose owner had little control over it (desperately trying to get hold of his collar to pull him back) . The dog is snapping and baring its teeth, the kids are terrified and the owner is saying don't be frightened he won't hurt you . Yeah right, but what if he does? There's nothing that you or I or anyone else who could do anything about it. It seems to me that this type of problem is on the increase: increase in dog ownership: increase in their dogs not being on a leash . Unfortunately that encounter set the tone for the remainder of the day so when the kids encountered other better behaved dogs they themselves behaved (understandably) in a way that might be seen by some as 'over-reacting'. That's not my view. Personally I think all big dogs/aggressive breeds should be on leads wherever they are. There I've said it.

Last years hot-spot was the line of woods that separates the site from Tidworth Road. By the time we got there we had already seen 4 Brown Hairstreak (the one male and three of the females). The male was using some of the last remaining bramble flowers while the females were either basking or checking out blackthorn for egg-laying (or sometimes being sent packing by a territorial Speckled Wood).

One of the three females seen along the track

Things continued to improve at the hot-spot with three females encountered in quick succession . Most were either basking or taking juices from blackberries as were other species such as Red Admiral; Comma; Meadow Brown; Brimstone and Holly Blue.

In the grass field bordering the brambles were Common Blues; Brown Argus; Small Heath and even a female Brown Hairstreak doing a passable impression of a Meadow Brown (flying low over grass and flowers).
We watched another female arrive on the scene spiralling down from a tree and landing on some blackthorn. She proceeded to go walkabout frequently touching down her abdomen before eventually laying an egg . Presumably tired-out from that she moved onto a bramble leaf to rest a bit then made her way back up into the trees.

Large egg for a small butterfly(?)

Another thing of note was a pair of courting Red Admiral with the male flapping around the female a la Silver-washed Fritillary fashion . Something I've not seen before in Red Admirals. Unfortunately I only saw it for a few seconds before they were out of sight.

The Brimstones loved this blue flower

Around 14:30 (Wurzel will know exactly when, as he likes to keep an eye on the time ) it started to go quiet on the Brown Hairstreak front and by around 15:30 we were off, to take the kids to the park in Salisbury for their turn to have some fun .

Phil

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Philzoid You're right the uncontrolled dog was a mar on the day and it hasn't done anything to help my girls get over their fear of dogs . It was a shame because there were some really well behaved dogs round that day with responsible owners but my girls were twitchy after that encounter so I kept getting distracted - still I got a few shots too - but it'll probably be August 2015 before I get round to posting them

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Glad you found the Brown Hairstreaks, Philzoid! I half expected you to appear yesterday when I went to Bookham (and saw no less than four of the little beauties - I was staggered). I have every sympathy with you in your dog experience - similar experiences have spoiled many days out for me. My youngest son is very wary of dogs, and rightly so in my view with so many irresponsible and frankly uncaring owners around.

Dave

[CJB]

Hi Philzoid!
Awesome pics of the BH's. I have tried in vain to find them around me (Gloucs) but hope that my quest will be rewarded one day.
Flutter on!
CJB

[adrian riley]

Cracking shots Philzoid You're right the uncontrolled dog was a mar on the day and it hasn't done anything to help my girls get over their fear of dogs . It was a shame because there were some really well behaved dogs round that day with responsible owners but my girls were twitchy after that encounter so I kept getting distracted - still I got a few shots too - but it'll probably be August 2015 before I get round to posting them

Have a goodun

Wurzel

There's no such thing as a bad dog - just a bad dog owner.
Adrian Riley