www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

After umming and ahhing whether to try Fontmell or Martin Down for Silver-spotted Skipper, I finally plumped for Fontmell, and spent 6 hours there today. It was gloomy and windy at first, but gradually improved and was eventually quite warm. Pretty hard work finding any Silver-spotted Skippers, but I eventually saw 2 females . Very good numbers of Chalkhill and Adonis Blue were seen. Other headliners were 3 Dark Green Fritillary and 10 or more immaculate Brimstone.

Total species seen were: Adonis Blue, Brimstone, Brown Argus, Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Gatekeeper, Green-veined White, Large White, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Silver-spotted Skipper, Small Copper, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Speckled Wood.

Jon

I made a quick visit to Alners Gorse this afternoon on the way back from a trip over to Kent. There were Ringlets, Meadow browns, Gatekeepers, Red Admirals, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells, Common Blues, Brimstones, Small Coppers, Silver Washed-Fritillaries, Speckled Woods, Large White, Small Whites and possibly Brown Argus. In fact, the only thing I didn't see was the Brown Hairstreak which I was hoping to see. I met a couple of Butterfly enthusiasts who'd seen one there today. I never thought that their flight period would be cut so short (i.e. when I arrived there....)

Roosting blues of various sorts were the order of the day in the West Wight on the IOW this afternoon. Photos attached.

There appears to have been another round of Speckled Woods in my corner of Middlesex, including one caught here indulging in a lovely rotting blackberry. And on the subject of feasting, I also found a spider tucking into a nice fresh Common Blue...

Dave

I've seen surprisingly few graylings so far during my brief visit to East Suffolk. Maybe the cool weather has kept them at bay, or maybe they flew early this year and used themselves up in the mini-heatwave. I had my first today in Rendlesham Forest.



Guy

Thanks to Lee, Zonda, Pete and Millerd for the Lulworth Skipper info and links. I was getting my sites confused and was thinking of Hengistbury Head, not Durlston CP. I've managed to wrangle TWO days off of work now, this coming Wed and Thurs but Sami only has Thursday off...hmmm, I have a cunning plan re my free time on Wednesday - watch out Dorset, I'm on my way!!!

Only kidding, Thursday it is. (I'll watch the bedroom walls all day Wednesday else I'll only get told off)

All the very best

Gibster.


PS - Thanks for the "Good luck with the quest" wishes, Lee. Remaining targets for the Blitz List are Lulworth Skipper, both races of Scotch Argus, Brown Hairstreak, Wall Brown (!) and Clouded Yellow. Plus various non-breeders and a few extra races.

We've completely missed Mountain Ringlets mnemon , scotica and Small Heath rhoumensis though. Bloomin' work always gets in the way, huh?

Sami and Gibster, I have been following your mission with interest. You are both completly mad . I salute you .
I posted some details regarding Scotch Argus at Arnside Knott in the July Sightings forum. Let me know if you need any further details.

I have set myself the more modest target of 50 species for this year and just need Painted Lady, Clouded Yellow and Lulworth Skipper. Hopefuly my week in Dorset booked for early September should get a result.

Good Luck,
Vince

Jonathan Evans said:

After umming and ahhing whether to try Fontmell or Martin Down for Silver-spotted Skipper, I finally plumped for Fontmell, and spent 6 hours there today.

I was there from 11.00am to 1.30pm. Our paths must have crossed. Were you with the Paul Butter guided walk? I was the fat one in dungarees. I only did half the transect, and completely missed the Dark Green Frits you saw. Did get some SilverSS shots tho.

Zonda wrote:

A good day in the garden: BH, Common and Holly Blues, Large and Small Whites, Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Comma and Silver Washed Fritillary.

You aint half lucky having Brown HSs in your garden. How big is the colony?

Thanks, I know. I'm not sure how big it is to be honest.

Hello,

15 August 2010
Despite the cloudy autumnal weather conditions, the blue butterflies were out and about with over fifty Holly Blues on the outskirts of Shoreham (Sussex) and over a hundred each of Chalkhill Blues, Adonis Blues and Common Blues on Mill Hill (north of Shoreham).
About 15 Holly Blues were around the bushes at the top of Chanctonbury Drive, (SE of Mill Hill Bridge) but just about anywhere there was a hedgerow in town and on the outskirts a Holly Blue would flutter around but they would very rarely settle with their wings open. The 1.2 transect on the lower slopes of Mill Hill was timed at 30 minutes because I stopped to take photographs and on a few occasions the blues were too numerous to count exactly but the total was a minimum of 39 male Chalkhill Blues and 73 Adonis Blues, including at least five females, and an estimated 30 Common Blues, including occasional females. A pair of Adonis Blues were mating. Over half of the butterflies were resting and many of the Adonis Blues were spotted resting in depressions amongst the herbs. After counting I stopped to rest and many more of all species appeared. The blue butterflies were all over the steeper slopes and the total numbers were at least three times the numbers counted and probably many more than that. Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers were still frequently seen and there were two Small Heaths on the lower slopes (and half a dozen more on the upper plateau), with six Wall Browns on the lower slopes (and at least five more on the middle slopes and two on the Pixie Path). Common Blues were seen all over Mill Hill, with 30+ in the middle slopes (Triangle area) but the top meadows were not very well populated with just 20, but there were another 50 seen including 20 seen south of the Reservoir, many resting in the long grasses which probably had hidden many more. Other butterflies present were frequent Large Whites, a few Speckled Woods in the Mill Hill scrub, a Brown Argus definitely identified although female Common Blues were most likely.
On the south-western part of Mill Hill Cutting, the Chalkhill Blues were courting and mating with at least a dozen males and five females. The Pixie Path hosted occasional Gatekeepers, a Speckled Wood, Holly Blues and a Small White.

No more pictures on the web pages. I have run out of web space.

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2010.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2010.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: August 2010
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/August2010.html
Sussex Downs Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111843132181316




Twelve species

Zonda wrote:I was there from 11.00am to 1.30pm. Our paths must have crossed.

Hi Zonda. No, I wasn't with the the guided walk, I travelled down from Cardiff and was at Fontmell from 8am to 2.30pm. I briefly bumped into the group at about 1pm. I spent most of the morning working a sheltered gully on the south-west slopes; it was very productive and full of many species nectaring on bramble and knapweed. This is where the Dark Green Fritillaries were. Silver-spotted Skipper was my last target species of the year, which has been a pretty successful one, with all my 51 target species seen, and 49 photographed. 35 species were new to me. I didn't target any northern species or go to Norfolk for the Swallowtail. Next year I will probably try for Swallowtail and Large Heath, and try to get some shots of Purple Emperor and Wood White, both of which I saw this year but couldn't get any pics of. Here's hoping for a short Winter .

Jon

Jonathan Evans wrote:[Next year I will probably try for Swallowtail and Large Heath, and try to get some shots of Purple Emperor and Wood White, both of which I saw this year but couldn't get any pics of.

Hi Jon,
I know it's a long trip to see both Swallowtails and Purple Emperors from Cardiff or South Wales. Where did you go to see the Emperors?
Michael

Michaeljf wrote:I know it's a long trip to see both Swallowtails and Purple Emperors from Cardiff or South Wales. Where did you go to see the Emperors?

Hi Michael,

I went to Bentley wood for the Purple Emperors. It's a great place. I went 4 times this year and saw my first Silver-washed Fritillary and Pearl-bordered Fritillary there. It takes about 2 and a half hours from Cardiff, but it's well worth it.

Jon

Great at the New forest heath yesterday I saw 7 Graylings (as you said Pete) + a mating pair plenty of common blues, 1 male Brimstone, 1 Holly blue.

I don't think so but maybe some Silver-studded blues but again I don't think so.

I love the new forest!

Felix

Jonathan Evans wrote:I went to Bentley wood for the Purple Emperors. It takes about 2 and a half hours from Cardiff. Jon

Hi Jon,
yes - we have been going to Bentley wood for about 4 years now, but found that it has been a bit of a 'law of diminishing returns' regarding the Emperors, though timing is crucial and you can go down one day, find out that the forecast was wrong, and what was previously a good idea turns into a long drive to see Silver-Washed Fritillaries. I know that any Purple Emperor spot from Cardiff is a long drive. Regarding Bentley Wood, we've found that driving down early morning (as you have to) you can cut the journey down to Bentley to about 2 hours if you go M4 jnct 14, A346, A338, and approach it via the B3084. We've tried about every route from Cardiff and this one is the fastest and easiest, as long as you can work your way via the small roads at the end of the route. You may use this route already! Also you pass via a good Tesco store at Tidworth, so a stop for supplies or the loo is easier (given no facilties at Bentley).

Bookham Common in Surrey can be done from Cardiff in about 2 hours as well, though we tried there this year and the view tends to be of the Emperors 'up a tree' a long way away.

I would really encourage you to try the trip to Fermyn Wood off the A14 in Kettering, Northamptonshire. It can be done in about 2hrs 45 from Cardiff, which is the longest distance of the three sites, but going from the views of the Emperors we had this year it is by far the best site to see them (given the weather being OK). There are also toilets and a cafe at Fermyn Wood, albeit a couple of minutes drive from the best Emperor spot.

Michael

Felix 123 said:

Great at the New forest heath yesterday I saw 7 Graylings

Great sighting Felix,,, last year i saw just one.

Jonathan Evans said:

I travelled down from Cardiff and was at Fontmell from 8am to 2.30pm.

Crikey Jonathan, you must have left at 5.00am. That's an enthusiast, you got some good shots tho.

Zonda wrote:Crikey Jonathan, you must have left at 5.00am.

No, I had a lie-in and left at 5.30am Only took 2hrs and 10 mins (plus 20 min break). Not only does the early bird catch the worm, but he misses the rush-hour .

Jon

Michaeljf wrote:we have been going to Bentley wood for about 4 years now

Hi Michael,

I've tried a few routes to Bentley Wood and am very familiar with the Tesco store at Tidworth , but from there I usually continue via Salisbury/Firsdown/Middle Winterslow. I'll certainly try your way next year though; anything to cut the journey time down- have to leave at 4.30am . From what I've heard about Fermyn Wood it's certainly worth the trip.

Jon

LOL a late rising. Maybe i'll see you there next year.