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CORNWALL,SATURDAY 8 JUNE-LAST DAY

THE GRAND FINALE!
Was surprised to wake up to a thunderstorm,which deposited nearly an inch of rain at nearby Culdrose.

One of the reasons i wanted to come to Cornwall in early June was to see the Marsh Fritillary. Living in the east,i don't get the chance very often! I tried a couple of sites earlier in the week,but with no luck. This is no disaster-they like everything else,they are late this year,or i may have even missed the exact breeding area. So i opted for a larger site,which i know from my past visits. Breney Common is in mid Cornwall which,as i am heading east today,fits the bill nicely.
As i arrived,the sun was coming out, nice and warm. I was pleased to hear a cuckoo singing,and also many willow warblers,with their lovely descending song. Soon the butterflies started to show-whites first, but also several Small Heath. Small Pearls were also quick to take flight,speeding around looking for mates. After a bit of searching,i found what i was looking for-Marsh Fritillary. Great! One or two other people were looking for them,too. While i was taking photo's,one of the others was doing a count- 13 Frits in one field,and all males,as far as i could tell,suggesting it was still early in their season. Many were holding territory,darting out at anything that passed. I enjoyed watching them for a while,before heading off to join the Cornwall branch of Butterfly Conservation for the afternoon...

GREENSCOMBE WOODS,LUCKET FIELD TRIP

Arrived at Lucket car park under perfect warm blue skies. It was nice to catch up with a few familiar faces-and some not so familiar ones as well. Soon we were heading into woods, and in a sunny corner,several beautiful demoiseles had assembled. Some were tenerals,some fully mature. A great start!
Moving up the hill,the first of several Brimstones was seen by most of the group-what long lives these beauties have! 11 months since they emerged,and still going strong. Then my first Large Skipper of the year was breifly seen. Further up the hill,several Green-veind Whites and a Large White were seen. Then we walked through the hill top meadows,where Small Heath and Burnet Companion were added to the list. Southern marsh and heath spotted orchids were just opening. And then came the shout-Heath Fritillary! The delight on peoples faces,some of whom had never seen one of these rare treasures before! Much management has been done here,and also in the nearby wood,to try to get the colony to spread out. Their efforts have been rewarded,for we we estimate we saw 40 of so perfect adults,nearly all males-and this is only the start of the season! We spent some time here,adding Speckled Wood to our tally. Then is was time for a quick look elsewhere in the wood,seeing more Brimstones in the process,before most of us departed,and i returned to the top,by now,some of the Heath Frits were begining to perch up for the night,making irresistable photo oportunities. Then down the steep hill again,back to the car park,where many beautiful demoiseles were playing by the stream,in the evening sunshine.

Sadly,it's time to go,with a heavy heart,as i cross the border,into Devon,and home.

I say again,i was extraordinarily lucky with the weather,and it was a fabulous trip. Had i gone this week,one doubts it would hve been so good.
Photo's to follow.

Sounds absolutely cracking Essex. Heath Frits are my one of my targets this year (along with Large Blue) so I'm looking forward to seeing your shots.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Coming right up,Wurzel!

Lovely Heath Fritillary photos!

I believe they're out in your neck of the Essex woods now (Hockley and Little Haven) as well, so I feel a drive round the whole of the M25 may be in order soon...

Dave

Yes,they're out. Pound Wood is very good,too-just look under the power cables. Probably best to leave it another ten days or so,when greater numbers have emerged.
Heath Fritillaries are very easy to find so if you do come,enjoy!

Absolutely cracking shots of the Frits, well worth waiting for Any idea when this species peaks at East Blean?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I recon you're looking at the first week of July this year,Wurzel.

ORCHIDS,BUTTERCUPS-OH,AND HEATH FRITILLARY.

On Thursday,visited a few local Essex sites,including a wood where i was delighted to find greater butterfly orchids at their peak. These are scarce in East Anglia,and are a treasure to see. In these same woods,the paths and rides were full of common spotted orchids. Green-veined white was seen,and i was surprised to see a late male Orange Tip.
Meanwhile,the local marshes had early marsh and southern marsh orchids in flower,as well as ragged robin and other interesting things.

At lunchtime,headed off to see the flowering meadows at Willow Park,near Basildon. These fields are yellow with buttercups at the moment-a splendid sight! Yellow rattle is abundant in the meadows. This pretty flower is interesting,as it is semi-parasitic,obtaining nutrients by rooting onto grasses,sucking out the goodness from its host. Trefoils were also abundant,and with them,attendant Common Blues and Burnet Companions. While here,i was pleased to see my first Essex Large Skipper and Painted Lady,the latter speeding through,almost a reminder of that great invasion a few years back. Speckled Woods were near the hedge. Again,common spotted and southern marsh orchids were in the meadows,as well as many other flowers,and tiny crickets.2 Small Heath also seen.

Just up the road is Pound Wood,so with warm,if rather cloudy weather,finished the day watching the Heath Fritillaries here,as they began to slow down for the evening. This is only a small colony,and i only saw half a dozen or so,though it's still early. There are several other sites nearby,alas not enough time today. If anyone is visiting,they are welcome,but can they please try to avoid trampling the cow-wheat plants,where possible? A late Peacock was a surprise, 11 months after it emerged. Lastly,a Holly Blue female seen.

Hi everyone!

So,here we are,back from our butterfly holiday to Greece with Naturetrek,which was very good.

It is worth reminding ourselves about the Greek climate. Summers,as we know,are reliably hot and sunny! But winters are cold and continental,at least in the hills,and they expect long spells of cold,snowy weather most winters,even on the islands. Autumn to spring brings plenty of rain and,as the weather warms up in spring,it is possible to go skiing in the mountains one day,then drive to the coast and have a beach day the next!

We have all heard about the struggling economy there,and there is plenty of evidence of this to be seen. Half-built houses and developements,and roads full of cones,where little seems to be going on-with no money,i wonder if these improvements will ever get finished? Cards are not accepted in many places,and ATM machines don't like giving out cash!

It seemed strange to find hooded crows common here,at the other end of their range,being also found in Ireland and NW Scotland. In Scotland,their range has been contracting north-westwads,with former hooded crow areas now taken over by carrion crows. Eventually,hooded crows will probably be pushed out completely. I wonder what is happening at the other end of their range,whether carrion crows are expanding there as well? Or whether hoodies are moving northwest there as well?

Perhaps the most dissappointing thing about Greece was how tired and brown the vegetation was already. I was hoping that there would fields full of flowers,with butterflies in attendance,like i see when i go to the Alps. There were plenty of butterflies,but little for them to nectar on in the dusty,tired landscape. I would have expected this at the end of August,but not June. With this and the heat,photography was difficult,and mostly confined to early mornings and evenings.

So,got some photo's to go through,and a few id's to check,so i'll sign of with a few pics from Starvelarks Wood,Little Haven, which seems to be the best performing Essex wood for Heath Frits this year-there were hundreds in there yesterday! A check at Hadleigh fo White Letters was fruitless.I have seen them from 20 June here in some years,shows how late things are this year. Then Grays gorge,where the last man orchids were still good,normally they are long gone by July. Also saw my first Ringlets and brown hawker of the year,and the rare round-leaf wintergreen,which is in flower,with many pyramidal orchids.

Finished work at 4PM today,so off to Devils Dyke,which runs along Newmarket July racecourse. Late this month,this place will explode into life with hundreds of Chalkhill Blues but today,i came to see the lizard orchids. These peculiar plants,which smell of goats,are big and spectacular,rather than beautiful. While enjoying them,my attention was taken by several Dark Green Fritillaries and Marbled Whites. This was a surprise,as well as a pleasure,as they are both new to the Dyke,and i've never seen them here before.
At the bottom of the Dyke,in the nettlebeds,Small Tortoiseshells were abundant,often 4 or 5 together,in a chase for mates of rivals. Also present were Small Heath,Meadow Brown,Ringlet,Large White,Speckled Wood and several five-spot burnet moths.
What a great evening!

Fantastic images of the Heaths Essex Sometimes I can't quite see why certain Orchids have a particular name but I can see lizards tails coming out of this Orchid

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Me too,and you can just about see the back legs of the lizard,too. Have you seen any Heath Frits this year,Wurzel? If not,now is the time!

WEDNESDAY 10 JULY.

This morning,i had a rare chance to relax,enjoy the summer sunshine,and watch the butterflies in my garden. Two male Large Skippers were holding territory. When another butterfly or bee flew over,they would launch themselves in combat at great speed,often vanishing breifly before returning. When a female landed,one of the males was all over her,but she vibrated her wings,meaning she had already mated. I spent several hours watching their comings and goings,and it was most enjoyable watching their behavior. While watching them,several Meadow Browns,Ringlets and Large and Small Whites came into the garden. Not huge in terms of species,but it made a change to see what normally goes on when i'm out!

Then,after lunch,off to Hadleigh Castle Country Park,to see if the White-letter Hairstreaks have emerged. They have! Though only in low numbers so far,there should be more to come. Most of them were on bamble blooms,including a couple of nice females,with tails intact. For sheer numbers of butterflies,this is one of the best sites in Essex. A multitude of Essex Skippers,Small Skippers,Marbled Whites, Ringlets and Meadow Browns will continue to emerge in the next week or two, and Hutchinsoni Commas are especially plentiful here. Large Skippers,Large,Small and Green-veined Whites,Small Tortoiseshells and Speckled Woods also seen,as were late first brood Common and Holly Blues.

Benfleet Downs,at the western end of the park,is one of the best areas for butterflies in abundance,and there are some nice flowers there too. Further in,amongst the elm scrub,are the WLH,usurally on bramble or thistles.

Happy days!

A GREAT WEEK!

What a wonderful week it's been! I have spent some of my spare time this week simply walking the hedges and wood edges near my Essex home. There are so many more butterflies this year! The grassy areas are alive with bobbing Ringlets and Meadow Browns. On the low shrubs, Large Skippers dart out at anything that moves,often these are Hutchinsoni Commas,especially in the evenings. Large whites are flying up and down the wood edges in good numbers. Everywhere,abundant Small Tortoiseshells flying,nectering,looking out for mates and rivals. I cannot remember a summer with such an abundance of these cracking insects! Smaller numbers of Small Skippers and Green-veined Whites have been seen.
Not many photo's this time,just pleasure and meories of glorious weather and abundant butterflies of high summer!

Indeed it's been a great week but I was hoping of a photo of an Essex Skipper in Essex by Essex Buzzard

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I've seen them Wurzel! Just got to see one in the evening,when they slow down enough for a photo!

Cheers!

At your service,Wurzel!
Yesterday,after work,i took a walk around the area of common land behind my Essex home. Amongst many Large and Small Skippers,were several fresh male Essex Skippers. So,just for you Wurzel,here are Essex Skipper pic's,taken in Essex by Essex Buzzard!
And i saw buzzards,too.

Cracking cheers for accommodating me Essex

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Nailed on Essex, Essex.

Well done!

Thanks,you two! The pleasure was all mine,Wurzel!

FERMYN WOOD.

On Wednesday,thanks to advice from Neil Hulme, and after the great pictures coming onto this site,went to Fermyn Woods and Lady Wood,to see his royal purpleness,the Purple Emperor. Never been there before,but found it easily. Arrived 9 am with allready lots of cars outside! A White Admiral near the entrance was a great start. Several Emperors were seen on the entrance track, and soon found several of these magnificent butterflies on the ground. Their attraction to obnoxious,disgusting things is legendary among entermologists. Sure enough,many were feeding on fox dirt,rotten meat and other baits. Met many interesting people including Matthew Oats and Mark 'tuts'. Around lunchtine,in the heat of the day,many flew up to shelter in the tree canopy,reappearing late afternoon early evening. Silver-washed Fritillaries were present,with many Ringlets and common species. I recon i saw twenty or thirty Emperors low down,and a similar number gliding and soaring in and out of the canopy. There were still some on the ground when i left at 8pm!

I think most people,myself included,went home happy!

Many thanks to our own Neil Sussex Kipper for his help with ths species.

BUTTERFLIES OF SOUTHERN GREECE

Ok,now for our Greece butterfly holiday with Naturetrek. This is my personal report of my highlights and photo's,a more professional report will appear on their website.

So,on June 22nd we arrived at Heathrow and,after one or two minor problems at the airport,safely arrived at Athina (Athens) 3 and a half hours after take-off. Leaving wet GB and getting off the plane in 35 degree heat in GR was extaordinary!

Loaded the hire minibus and drove for an hour when the bus proptly broke down! Waithed two hours in blistering heat for breakdown service,but eventually things were sorted and we arrived at our hotel in Kalavrita,for our first few nights stay.

Was delighted to have lots of swallows,red-rumped swallows,housemartins and swifts flying around our hotel,and a spotted flycatcher nest with chicks in the wall,all visible from our balcony,set to a backdrop of woods and hills. Sleeping with the balcony doors and windows wide open,we heard scops owls at night.