Hutchinsons Bank

[MrSp0ck]

I thought i would start a topic for this lovely site.

[David M]

Any landscape images would be welcome.

I've heard a lot about it but can't picture it in my mind's eye.

[MrSp0ck]

Here are a few pictures of the habitat taken 6th May 2015

The Start of the Cutting

Looking towards the Glanville Hot Spot, scrapes can be seen on the bank on the right. The area around the Bench is a lot warmer and very sheltered.

Other Grassland Slopes

[David M]

Thanks, Spock.

I now have an image to go on.

[jasonbirder]

Hutchinson's Bank looks a lovely site and its great to see that many butterflies are thriving here...
But am I the only grump that thinks all the publicity/photo's etc etc the Glanvilles are getting here just encourages/validates this sort of illicit re-introduction?
Apologies if that's a controversial opinion...but even if this site was ONLY started with relocated larva from the now defunct quarry site (and even if it has NEVER been "topped up" subsequently) who's to say it won't encourage others to try elsewhere...and realistically speaking there's only one place they're going to get their seed stock from isn't there?

[MrSp0ck]

The re-introduction was not done without the permission of the site managers, by BC Surrey so is no way illicit, its similar to the other re-introductions eg Large Blue, Pearl Bordered Fritillary, Duke of Burgundy, Small Blue. It was kept quiet until the other mainland populations died out, as we did not want many visitors for it. Things changed in 2013 and it was only last year when somebody posted them on here, that we joined and mentioned them.

People know there origin and can see them if they wish, or not its up to them.

[Gnome]

I'm thinking of visiting this site over the next few days. As someone who's not been there before I was wondering where the best area is to look for the Glanville Fritillaries. Is there a Google Map or something available, marked out with the key areas? Also, is the best place to park Farleigh Dean Crescent?

Thanks in advance for any help on this matter


Adam

[John W]

I went to Hutchinsons Bank this afternoon and saw three Glanvilles in about 3 hours. The weather was mainly cloudy with intermittent sunshine, I expect you would see more on a really sunny day. I parked right at the beginning of Farleigh Dean Crescent and saw the Glanvilles in the fields to the left of the path that runs along the bottom of the site, parallel to Featherbed Lane.

Cheers
John

[Gnome]

I went to visit Hutchinson's Bank yesterday (Thursday) in what turned out to be perfect weather, lovely and sunny with hardly a breath of wind. I managed to come across a couple of Glanvilles, one at "the Cutting" (judging from the photos above) by the bench and another on the track by the main road that leads back to the entrance to Farleigh Dean Crescent. For those who aren't familiar with the layout, below is a shot of the map. The Cutting is on the track which carries on from the end of Farleigh Dean Crescent and the butterfly was roughly near the right-hand side of the "you are here" icon in the image. For those who are interested, there's a write-up on my blog at: http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2015 ... illes.html