essex buzzard

[Willrow]

Several interesting reports and insights Mark, we lost Turtle Doves in Wales a few years back (I believe) the last birds hung on in a corner of Monmouthshire, I would make an annual pilgrimage just to hear them I understand your concern and can only commiserate...in the words of Bob Dylan...'The times they are a changin' and not for the better in many ways!

Your Cornwall holiday was very productive and your species list for the year looks very healthy, glad it all went well for you Great pics to enjoy too, well done!

Best Wishes,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Bill for your positive comments, hoping to get a few more species of butterflies in the next couple of weeks...

This morning (Wednesday) was cloudy,windy and cold,but was expected to improve,so lunchtime we headed an hours drive west, to Bison Hill,Whipsnade Downs. Although cold and windy here too,a few blue patches were visible. This is a new site for us,but a sheltered area soon produced a couple of Common Blue and a Grizzled Skipper. Heading down the slopes, sheltered from the cold wind by bushes, Dingy Skippers were seen in good numbers,as well as a Green Hairstreak and my first Brown Argus of 2015. Then,in a small dip,we saw our first Duke of Burgundy. The sun vanished for long periods,but a few more breaks and butterflies suddenly appeared,including a few more Dukes and 3 Greens,spiraling together. By 5 PM, many of the Dingies were perching on old knapweed heads,as well as a few Grizzled.

Despite feeling more like March than May,a short but most successful afternoon.

[kevling]

Buzzard, nice photos from Bison Hill. Your report has reinforced my decision to go there this weekend. If you had that much luck in poor weather, hopefully this weekend will be even better.

Regards Kev

[essexbuzzard]

It's been several years since i say Glanville Fritillaries in GB, so this year i decided to put that right. I vould love to have seen them on the Isle of Wight,but circumstances were against us,so we went to Hutchinsons Bank,Croydon. The Glanvilles were easy to find- we saw 3 males in the first hundred yards! Working the site a few more were found,but in low numbers,and it remains to be seen whether this site can retain Glanvilles in the future.
Several Small Bles were seen,as were plenty of Dingy Skppers and Brimstones,some of these were laying eggs on buckthorns. After a couple of hours here,it was time to head to Denbies Hillside for the afternoon.
Pic's to follow.

[Willrow]

Nice report with good images Mark...I have fond (but fading) memories of Glanville Fritillary at Sand Point in Somerset...oh well!

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[bugboy]

Glad you had better luck at Bison Hill than I did a week ago, didn't see a single butterfly! I've made a couple of visits to see those Glanvilles this year. The weathers not been perfect for them this year but apparently they have been seen in good numbers over the past couple of weeks so I'm optimistic about there future there. On the plus side it is a well managed reserve and there's oodles of Ribwort Plantain for them

[essexbuzzard]

So onto Denbies. All the expected butterflies were seen. Again,lots of Brimstones, plus Dingy and a few Grizzled Skippers, and plenty of Adonis Blues with a few Brown Argus and Common Blue.

At both sites i saw people with nets. Nothing wrong with that-i've used nets myself on occasion,especially in Europe-but after what hapened with the Long-tailed Blues and Maps, where most of the adults seem to have been scouped up rather quickly,i am a little uneasy and prefer to see people with cameras.

[Goldie M]

Lovely Photos essex, the Adonis looks great.
I also saw some one with a net at Gait Barrows, she didn't go near the Dukes so I wasn't too worried but it still gives me the chills to see them. Goldie

[Pauline]

Lovely shots of the Glanvilles Mark, especially the closed wing. I am missing them

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks for your comments,everyone. Been busy recently but i always read them.
Just back from holiday. We got a morning flight to Glasgow,picked up the hire car and drove up along Loch Lomond, stopping for picture taking,to arrive in Aviemore for an early evening meal. We then headed west,though lots of rain,but arrived at Fort William to clearing skies,revealing the Nevis range glistening in fresh snow!

[essexbuzzard]

It was raining again at Fort William,to we headed east,through the Great Glen,stopping for an hour or two at Fort Augustus, then spent the rest of the day at Inverness,where it was dry with bright spells. A mixture of carrion,hybrid and hooded crows were seen and,by the river,a dipper nest was under a bridge.

[Willrow]

Ah! your bringing back memories Mark...hope you get to see all you want...enjoy

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[essexbuzzard]

WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
The big day. This was the best weather day of our short trip,so there was only one thing to do. Glasdrum. No contest really. We arrived early to sunny spells,and soon found our first Chequered Skipper. Lots of people began to arrive,sme from as far away as Cornwall and Essex-i think we had all been waiting for this day!

Soon more skippers were seen,as well as a few Small Pearl-border Fritillaries,Green-veined Whited and Orange Tips. The Chequered Skippers vere variable,some heavily marked than others. Most were males in good condition,but a few females were seen. Spent the morning here,before heading elsewhere for afternoon.

[essexbuzzard]

We would love to have spent the rest of the day looking at other Chequered Skipper sites,but with only one good day, we decided to head for Ben Nevis,Britains highest mountain. Near the top,a ptarmigan,2 ring ouzel males and several snow buntings were seen. Unfortunalely,the summit was shrouded in cloud and fog,and it even snowed for a while. But it was most enjoyable,and quite a novelty walking through deep snow in summer! Chequered Skippers in morning,snow in afternoon! Not much to see at the top,so i made my way down.

[Hoggers]

Fascinating reports EB - stunning photos especially of the Skippers- Congratulations!

Best wishes

Hoggers

[trevor]

HI Essex,
That's certainly a bizarre day out, Butterflies and snow in one day. Well done tracking down the
Chequered Skipper and some good images too. It's a pity this species is no longer found in England.

Best wishes,
TREVOR.

[essexbuzzard]

The next day-our last day-dawned with the more familiar rain and leaden skies,which was a shame,as the previous evening had been glorious. We headed for the spectacular Glen Coe,where by luck the rain breifly stoped. The fields beside Loch Creran was blue with wild hyacinths. Then we headed for the Cairngorms and the osprey centre. Guess what? No ospreys! It seems a rival osprey kiked the eggs out of the nest,and they deserted. We did see a crested tit though,and a couple of squirrels. By now,it was becoming increasingly cold and wet,so we headed south,along Loch Tay then Loch Lonond,and down to our hotel at Glasgow airport,happy that we had achieved our main aims,and in readiness for our early flight tomorrow morning.

[Pauline]

Slow down Mark, I can't keep up! Great shots of both butterflies and location

[essexbuzzard]

The image below shows a Skipper with different markings to the others. I took it from a distance as others were looking at it. So it is cropped.
Thanks Hoggars! It was great to catch up with these again. Thank goodness we got a break in the weather!

Thanks too Trevor.It is truely bizzare,as you say. But it shows what a splended part of the country this is,and i probably wouldn't have gone there is it wasn't for the Chequered Skipper!

Thanks Pauline,i can't keep up with yours and everyone else's diaries either!

[Neil Freeman]

Great reports and photos from Scotland Mark, particularly liking the Chequered Skippers, that one is still on my (now very short) to see list, maybe next year.

Seeing that photo from the summit of Ben Nevis puts our rainy day here yesterday into perspective a bit.

Cheers,

Neil.