Neil Hulme

[jhanlon]

Sadly, it would be a rather long way for me to go to "twitch" these Large Tortoiseshells on the Isle of Wight.

Jack

Are you sure? I think I live just a few miles from you in South Cambs, but I'm hoping to try on Tuesday. Plenty of space in the car for anyone who wants to join me.

James

[David M]

Sadly, it would be a rather long way for me to go to "twitch" these Large Tortoiseshells on the Isle of Wight.

Jack

Are you sure? I think I live just a few miles from you in South Cambs, but I'm hoping to try on Tuesday. Plenty of space in the car for anyone who wants to join me.

James

Jack now lives on the isle of Mull, James.

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks for your comments all - appreciated.

As far as status of the Large Tortoiseshell is concerned, without going into detail, here are my thoughts. These are applicable to the 21st Century. I could write loads in justification of these views, but that's a winter job.

Migration: Rare but quite regular migrant to the South Coast (and IOW), usually detected in very low numbers. Larger influxes sometimes occur (e.g. 2007).
Over-wintering: Occasionally over-winters on the mainland. Annually over-winters on IOW.
Breeding: Unproven, but increasing weight of circumstantial evidence tentatively suggests that it is breeding on IOW. Even if the Large Tortoiseshell is breeding, this situation is likely to persist for a number years, as the discovery of eggs/larvae/pupae(!) will present quite a challenge, particularly in such an elusive species occurring at very low densities.

It might be a while yet before we can restore this magnificent butterfly to the British list, but my gut feel is that it will happen in time.

[jhanlon]

Sadly, it would be a rather long way for me to go to "twitch" these Large Tortoiseshells on the Isle of Wight.

Jack

Are you sure? I think I live just a few miles from you in South Cambs, but I'm hoping to try on Tuesday. Plenty of space in the car for anyone who wants to join me.

James

Jack now lives on the isle of Mull, James.

Aah, I guess that counts as a little too far to twitch then! Well two of us are day tripping tomorrow from Cambs. Any further updates or specific gen gratefully received!

[Neil Hulme]

Small Tortoiseshells Rife

This season is proving to be rather interesting, and yet it has barely begun. After the excitement of Large Tortoiseshells at the weekend, today (22nd April) it was the turn of the Small Tortoiseshell to amaze. This species has already shown quite strongly in Sussex this season, so I paid a visit to one of the best local sites I know of, to see if numbers are up on recent years. After 2.5 hours of thorough searching along both banks of Ferring Rife, I had counted 194; this is the highest number of Small Tortoiseshells I've ever counted. As the tally continued to grow I rather hoped that the score card would remain clear of other species, but in the end it would include single Peacock and Comma. Given the well documented difficulties faced by this childhood favourite, the sight of so many in one place made a very welcome change.

[Neil Freeman]

Encouraging stuff indeed Neil.

It makes you wonder where they all were last year when so few were being recorded. I must admit I have been wondering whether some of the low numbers recorded of some species last year was due to people not going out if the weather did not look promising. My own experiences on some days showed me that it only took a brief break in the gloom and butterflies came forth. That is not to say that some species did not struggle, just that things are a lot more complicated than we sometimes think.

Neil F.

[Jack Harrison]

I have never kept any formal counts of Small Torts but in 60+ years, I have seen its fortunes wax and wane. I once collected perhaps 100 larvae from a group of nettles and every single one was parasitized (that was long before Sturmia bella put in an appearance). It seems pretty obvious that Small Torts undergo boom-bust cycles in response to parasite numbers. It could be that in some areas, eg Scotland where Small Tort is usually single brooded, the parasite cycle is less pronounced and although Small Tort numbers might be lower than in the boom times in the south, there is far less of a cyclic abundance in numbers.

Edit. Mustn't overlook immigration.

This would make a good research project or has it already been done?

Jack

[David M]

Small Tortoiseshells Rife

This season is proving to be rather interesting, and yet it has barely begun. After the excitement of Large Tortoiseshells at the weekend, today (22nd April) it was the turn of the Small Tortoiseshell to amaze. This species has already shown quite strongly in Sussex this season, so I paid a visit to one of the best local sites I know of, to see if numbers are up on recent years. After 2.5 hours of thorough searching along both banks of Ferring Rife, I had counted 194; this is the highest number of Small Tortoiseshells I've ever counted. As the tally continued to grow I rather hoped that the score card would remain clear of other species, but in the end it would include single Peacock and Comma. Given the well documented difficulties faced by this childhood favourite, the sight of so many in one place made a very welcome change.

Highly interesting stuff, Neil.

I too have seen decent numbers of Small Tortoiseshells thus far this year. They seem to pop up everywhere, which is surprising given how abject conditions have been so far this year.

I can only guess that last year's abnormally wet conditions have had some kind of unexpected beneficial effect. The wet weather in 2012 certainly allowed nettles to grow more lush than for many years, but perhaps they have also had an adverse effect on Small Tortoiseshell parasites.

There are always winners and losers in every butterfly year. We already know that last year proved to be a bonanza for Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Scotch Argus (damp favouring species). Maybe those damp conditions have provided a delayed boon to Small Tortoiseshells as well.

[badgerbob]

Fantastic news Neil. As I mentioned yesterday on April Sightings Matt saw several Small Tortoiseshells flying in off the sea when he was at Splash Point birding so certainly some are migrating in.

[Susie]

Hi Neil, will the BC walk be going ahead on Saturday?

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Susie,
Yes, all BC Sussex events run, irrespective of weather. At the moment the forecast doesn't look too bad. Given the choice I would come on the second Rewell Wood walk (all details on BC Sussex website), as the first might be a little too early to catch PBF. The butterfly calendar will start to catch up now, but it's still running very late.
BWs, Neil

[Susie]

Thanks, Neil.

[Neil Hulme]

Spring At Last

My own definition of spring was finally satisfied today (23 April), with the sighting of my first newly emerged butterflies of 2013. Having waited for so long for a single Orange Tip, 8 came together, accompanied by 4 Green-veined White, 1 Large White and 1 Holly Blue. A few ex-hibernators were also enjoying the sunny lanes around Five Oaks, including 5 Brimstone, 2 Peacock and 1 Comma. As if to emphasise that winter really has been banished, the sound of a cuckoo drifted across the fields. My mother looked after Mia while my father and I gave chase with the camera, but these butterflies were too full of the joys of spring to stop for us.

Chasing Orange Tips

[Jack Harrison]

Can Mia i/d any butterflies yet?

My daughter Polly was of similar age when we were in a wildlife "park" with many calling Chiffchaffs. Polly kept repeating "Chiff Chaff" for the next several days; it actually became a little tedious for everyone else! That was her first wildlife i/d. Sadly at the age of nearly 21, I don't think her i/d skills have progressed all that much. But I am sure she doesn't have the time with all that studying that she assures me she is doing at Uni

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Sounds Of Spring

Yesterday (25th April) I didn't get out until much later in the day, by which time the Orange Tips were beginning to slow down, occasionally taking on a little nectar or briefly basking during their fidgety search for somewhere to roost. What could be better than watching these gorgeous butterflies to the soundtrack of a Cuckoo, or the liquid gold song of a Nightingale bursting from the scrub nearby.

I later travelled onwards to the RSPB reserve at Pulborough Brooks, where more Nightingales were performing well in the evening sunshine, sometimes singing boldly from exposed perches. Last stop was Waltham Brooks, where I stopped to listen to the reeling of a Grasshopper Warbler as the light began to fade. Days like this are all too rare.

RSPB Pulborough Brooks

[Neil Hulme]

Busy Weekend

An action-packed weekend started at Mill Hill on Saturday morning (27th April) where I saw my first Grizzled Skipper of the season, a full month later than last year. In the afternoon I led my first BC walk of 2013, in a predictably unsuccessful attempt at seeing Pearl-bordered Fritillary. One thing we did get was warm and sunny conditions, which we certainly didn't experience last year. Perhaps we can combine good weather AND butterflies in 2014? Despite the fact we saw just a single (much celebrated) Peacock, it was nice to catch up with eight members on such a pleasant afternoon. Fingers crossed for next Sunday.

On Sunday (28th April) I returned to Mill Hill, where Grizzled Skipper now numbered 3. Also seen were Small Tortoiseshell (3), Peacock (4) and an egg-laying Red Admiral on the upper slope. Lagging a month behind last year's timetable are the tiny moths which typically swarm over the short turf here. Of these, I managed to photograph my first Pyrausta nigrata of the season.

In the afternoon I attended the BC Sussex Spring Social on Sir Charlie Burrell’s Knepp Castle Estate. After an entertaining talk we were given a tour of the southern compartment and observed some of the changes to the land being driven by this innovative rewilding project.

This morning (29th April) I returned to Mill Hill to photograph the Grizzled Skippers, with periods of cloudy weather providing the ideal opportunity to catch them at rest. The resident Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks were joined by a Comma, Large White and my first Speckled Wood of the year.

[Neil Hulme]

Orange Tips

This afternoon (30th April) I spent more time in the quiet lanes and meadows around Five Oaks, where Orange Tip males have now been joined by the first females of the season. Brimstones and Green-veined Whites were also enjoying the sunshine. The recent warmth has certainly accelerated plant growth and the Lady's Smock and Bluebells have suddenly burst into life. Spring won't last long this year, so I'm trying to get out and enjoy as much of it as possible.

[Neil Hulme]

Woodlands Brimming

The Brimstone seems to be having a good spring, at least in my neck of the woods. I saw more than 20 in various parts of Rewell Wood yesterday. Peacock numbers aren't bad either. Before heading to Rewell I dropped in briefly at Mill Hill, to get a topside shot of a Grizzle. On the way home I stopped at a copse on the Angmering Park Estate, to watch the Orange Tips go to roost. I'm hoping for plenty more days like this one.

[Jack Harrison]

Hey Neil. You haven't sneakily bought a DSLR have you? Those subtle blurred backgrounds are just what the DSLR aficionados rave about.

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Jack,

It's true that I recently bought a second camera. It's another Lumix FZ38, second-hand off eBay. I've given the FZ38 a real work-out since March 2010, so need to make sure I have another in reserve.

BWs, Neil