Hi David, it seems that happily the season has a bit of life left in it yet
Thanks Mark, I didn't see Neil's report until I returned so was unaware he had seen the SPBFs at Kennack Sands, must admit they were a pleasant surprise
as, like I mention in my previous report, I didn't see any there on my previous visit.
Hi Bugboy, it is the other way around for me, I haven't been to the south-east for years. I must make the effort one of these days with all the Long-tailed Blues, Queen of Spain Fritillaries and such like that have been turning up in recent years.
Cornwall – August 19th to 26th ...part 5.
There were a number of species that were seen everywhere and usually in large numbers, these being
Meadow Brown,
Gatekeeper,
Speckled Wood and
Common Blue.
It looked as if Meadow Browns were still emerging with some very fresh examples seen, both male and female, although getting a decent photo was difficult with most of them being either very active or settling with wings closed. This species is known to fly in cloudy conditions and sometimes in light drizzle and sure enough they were still quite active on the Monday afternoon when the cloud and mist rolled in from the sea at Kynance Cove as described in my earlier report.
- Meadow Brown - Kynance Cove 21.08.2017
Over the past few years I have been seeing more and more females with extended orange forewing patches including quite a few with orange patches on their hindwings. I am now in the habit of looking out for these and found a number amongst the population between Kynance Cove and Lizard Point.
- Meadow Brown- Kynance Cove 21.08.2017
- Wish I had got a better photo of this one - Kynance Cove 22.08.2017
- Meadow Brown - Kynance Cove 22.08.2017
Equally as numerous as the Meadow Browns were Gatekeepers and these also included some in remarkably good condition considering the time of year. I always think of these as a butterfly of hedgerows and woodland rides and I was surprised to see how many were on the wing along the cliff top paths and more open areas that I visited, as well as flying in the more usual spots.
- Gatekeeper - Kennack Sands 23.08.2017
Speckled Woods were also ubiquitous along every path I walked along, again in all conditions from old and tired to nice and fresh.
- Speckled Wood - Kennack Sands 21.08.2017
It was good to see Common Blues living up to their name, in fact to the point where they were the most numerous butterfly seen during the week. The males were the most obvious, chasing each other about in almost every patch of grass, but there were also plenty of females who varied from very brown individuals to almost totally blue ones.
- Common Blue - Kennack Sands 21.08.2017
- Common Blue - Kennack Sands 23.08.2017
As well as the species mentioned above there were also a few species seen in much lower numbers. These included
Small Heath,
Grayling,
Wall Brown and
Small Copper, all of which were seen in ones or twos scattered about around Kennack Sands and on the coast path between Kynance Cove and Lizard Point. Apart from the Small Heaths which looked quite fresh , the others were all looking faded and past their best but no less active for that.
- Small Heath - Kennack Sands 24.08.2017
- Wall Brown - Kynance Cove 22.08.2017
- Wall Brown - Upton Towans 25.08.2017
- Grayling - between Kennack Sands and Cadgwith Cove 23.08.2017
- Grayling - Kennack Sands 24.08.2017
- Small Copper - Kennack Sands 21.08.2017
I got the impression that the few Small Coppers that I saw were the tail end of the previous brood. I saw loads of them between Kynance Cove and Lizard Point last year but that was in the first week of September and I was just that bit too early for their next emergence this year.
Large,
Small and
Green-veined Whites were all seen flying with a few of each stopping long enough to be positively identified and at Kennack Sands a single worn female
Small Skipper made up the final tally of 19 species seen during the week.
- Small Skipper - Kennack Sands 23.08.2017
Just one more report to come from Cornwall...
Neil.