Re: Neil Freeman
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 8:07 pm
Thank for the comments Mike, David and Bugboy
.
June 3rd -10th A trip up North part 3.
Number 58 - Chequered Skipper.
Over the past five years, since my early interest in butterflies became re-ignited, and with kids now grown up and having more time to do what I want (well, sometimes), I had managed to see 57 species of UK butterflies. The only mainland species that I had yet to see was Chequered Skipper and so it was that this year I had decided to make the effort. As with all our trips, I try and plan to give myself the best chance of seeing other species as well as my main targets but the timing comes down to various factors including booking time off work in advance.
Anyway, plans made and B&Bs booked we headed north as described in the previous reports and after spending a couple of nights in Silverdale we carried on to Scotland on the Sunday (June 5th). We made good time on the drive up which enabled a stop off at Glasdrum Wood, where we duly arrived at about 2.30pm on a sweltering hot afternoon.
Within a few minutes of walking up the path and onto the section beneath the telegraph poles I had seen my first Chequered Skipper quickly followed by my second as they both engaged in a little squabble over territory. In the space of an hour here I saw between 15-20 although the vast majority were worn males looking well past their best. I took a few record shots but in the hot conditions they were mostly settling with wings half shut and the harsh afternoon light didn’t help with the photos.
It was obvious that the skippers had been out for some time and I remember reading somewhere that Glasdrum is an early site for Chequered Skippers compared with some of the sites a little further north. It would also become increasingly obvious over the next few days that the season in that part of Scotland was well ahead of the rest of the UK.
Oh well, at least I had already seen my main target and I was hopeful that I would get chance for better photos over the next few days.
My next chance came the next morning (Monday 6th) when we drove up to Glen Loy. After finding another worn male in one spot we drove further along the track and checked a couple more spots without any luck. I had just decided to return to the first spot when we came across a car parked up and a couple of figures looking along the verge. I stopped to chat and they turned out to be none other than UKB members Rosalyn and Phil who very kindly showed me to a spot further along the glen where they had seen some CSKs the previous day. Over the next couple of hours spent in their very good company we saw a number of skippers, fairly worn males but also a couple of females that were in a bit better condition.
By mid-day it was again getting very warm with the temperature getting up into the mid-twenties so we departed for a drive up to Loch Arkaig for a look around. Whilst up there we stopped off at Alt Mhuic where I saw a couple of male CSKs but these were again very worn and tired looking. I must admit that I wasn’t overly impressed with Alt Mhuic, something just seemed ‘off’ about the site and I have heard others say similar things about it. We also had a drive along to the end of the loch, just to see what was there, and checked a couple of spots along the way but without turning up any skippers. We did see plenty of big Northern Eggar moths bombing about at high speed though.
The next day (Tuesday 7th) we drove down to Cuil Bay in the morning where I found a couple of faded Marsh Fritillaries plus a Painted Lady. The forecast had said that we may get a thunderstorm or two during the day and with some dark clouds building to the south and clearer skies to the north we headed back to Fort William for a cuppa. I couldn’t resist the temptation to return to Glen Loy for another look and so early afternoon found us back at the spot that Rosalyn and Phil had shown us the previous day. This time I managed to find a few skippers that were in quite reasonable condition, both male and female.
I also found a male that looked fresh but sods law meant that he totally refused to open his wings fully.
It was during this session that my attention was drawn to a butterfly flapping about over the other side of the track and following it I was pleasantly surprised to realise that it was a Large Heath ssp. scotica. I soon saw a couple of others and took a few photos, a couple of which I posted in the June sightings thread last week. More on these to come in due course.
Anyway, back to the Chequered Skippers. Glen Loy is such a fabulous place that I found myself returning again the following morning when who should I bump into but Pete Eeles and Mark Colvin who were in the area on a tour of Chequered Skipper sites. They were also interested in my Large Heath sightings and so we all went along the glen to the spot where I had seen these. We all spent a couple of very pleasant hours here before it again got very hot and butterfly activity seemed to mostly come to a stop, so myself and Jane went off to find a somewhere for a bit of lunch (and a cold beer).
After then going into Fort William where Jane wanted to do a bit of shopping for pressies to take home, she said that she was feeling tired and wanted to go back to the B&B and that I could disappear for a couple of hours. With it now getting a bit later in the afternoon I figured that I would go back for a last session in Glen Loy as this was easily my favourite spot and was only a few miles away.
I think I saw mostly the same skippers that had been about earlier in the morning…
… but there was also one female that stood out as having more extensive yellow patches on her forewings,
Plus another nearly fresh male,
The next morning we would be heading back to Silverdale for another couple of nights before heading home. My initial impression on getting to Scotland and seeing the faded condition of many of the Chequered Skippers, particularly at Glasdrum, was that I had left it a bit late for them this year. In the end I saw some in quite good condition but there is no doubt that the season up there was well in front of that in my part of the midlands which almost caught me out.
Bye for now,
Neil.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
June 3rd -10th A trip up North part 3.
Number 58 - Chequered Skipper.
Over the past five years, since my early interest in butterflies became re-ignited, and with kids now grown up and having more time to do what I want (well, sometimes), I had managed to see 57 species of UK butterflies. The only mainland species that I had yet to see was Chequered Skipper and so it was that this year I had decided to make the effort. As with all our trips, I try and plan to give myself the best chance of seeing other species as well as my main targets but the timing comes down to various factors including booking time off work in advance.
Anyway, plans made and B&Bs booked we headed north as described in the previous reports and after spending a couple of nights in Silverdale we carried on to Scotland on the Sunday (June 5th). We made good time on the drive up which enabled a stop off at Glasdrum Wood, where we duly arrived at about 2.30pm on a sweltering hot afternoon.
Within a few minutes of walking up the path and onto the section beneath the telegraph poles I had seen my first Chequered Skipper quickly followed by my second as they both engaged in a little squabble over territory. In the space of an hour here I saw between 15-20 although the vast majority were worn males looking well past their best. I took a few record shots but in the hot conditions they were mostly settling with wings half shut and the harsh afternoon light didn’t help with the photos.
It was obvious that the skippers had been out for some time and I remember reading somewhere that Glasdrum is an early site for Chequered Skippers compared with some of the sites a little further north. It would also become increasingly obvious over the next few days that the season in that part of Scotland was well ahead of the rest of the UK.
Oh well, at least I had already seen my main target and I was hopeful that I would get chance for better photos over the next few days.
My next chance came the next morning (Monday 6th) when we drove up to Glen Loy. After finding another worn male in one spot we drove further along the track and checked a couple more spots without any luck. I had just decided to return to the first spot when we came across a car parked up and a couple of figures looking along the verge. I stopped to chat and they turned out to be none other than UKB members Rosalyn and Phil who very kindly showed me to a spot further along the glen where they had seen some CSKs the previous day. Over the next couple of hours spent in their very good company we saw a number of skippers, fairly worn males but also a couple of females that were in a bit better condition.
By mid-day it was again getting very warm with the temperature getting up into the mid-twenties so we departed for a drive up to Loch Arkaig for a look around. Whilst up there we stopped off at Alt Mhuic where I saw a couple of male CSKs but these were again very worn and tired looking. I must admit that I wasn’t overly impressed with Alt Mhuic, something just seemed ‘off’ about the site and I have heard others say similar things about it. We also had a drive along to the end of the loch, just to see what was there, and checked a couple of spots along the way but without turning up any skippers. We did see plenty of big Northern Eggar moths bombing about at high speed though.
The next day (Tuesday 7th) we drove down to Cuil Bay in the morning where I found a couple of faded Marsh Fritillaries plus a Painted Lady. The forecast had said that we may get a thunderstorm or two during the day and with some dark clouds building to the south and clearer skies to the north we headed back to Fort William for a cuppa. I couldn’t resist the temptation to return to Glen Loy for another look and so early afternoon found us back at the spot that Rosalyn and Phil had shown us the previous day. This time I managed to find a few skippers that were in quite reasonable condition, both male and female.
I also found a male that looked fresh but sods law meant that he totally refused to open his wings fully.
It was during this session that my attention was drawn to a butterfly flapping about over the other side of the track and following it I was pleasantly surprised to realise that it was a Large Heath ssp. scotica. I soon saw a couple of others and took a few photos, a couple of which I posted in the June sightings thread last week. More on these to come in due course.
Anyway, back to the Chequered Skippers. Glen Loy is such a fabulous place that I found myself returning again the following morning when who should I bump into but Pete Eeles and Mark Colvin who were in the area on a tour of Chequered Skipper sites. They were also interested in my Large Heath sightings and so we all went along the glen to the spot where I had seen these. We all spent a couple of very pleasant hours here before it again got very hot and butterfly activity seemed to mostly come to a stop, so myself and Jane went off to find a somewhere for a bit of lunch (and a cold beer).
After then going into Fort William where Jane wanted to do a bit of shopping for pressies to take home, she said that she was feeling tired and wanted to go back to the B&B and that I could disappear for a couple of hours. With it now getting a bit later in the afternoon I figured that I would go back for a last session in Glen Loy as this was easily my favourite spot and was only a few miles away.
I think I saw mostly the same skippers that had been about earlier in the morning…
… but there was also one female that stood out as having more extensive yellow patches on her forewings,
Plus another nearly fresh male,
The next morning we would be heading back to Silverdale for another couple of nights before heading home. My initial impression on getting to Scotland and seeing the faded condition of many of the Chequered Skippers, particularly at Glasdrum, was that I had left it a bit late for them this year. In the end I saw some in quite good condition but there is no doubt that the season up there was well in front of that in my part of the midlands which almost caught me out.
Bye for now,
Neil.