Cheers, David. It was a pretty good tally, though none of the species are that unusual. I'd seen a Brimstone the previous day, too, which would have made 19.
Cheers, Trevor - the odd thing is it's not in any way an exceptional piece of countryside. There's just a bit of a mix, and one area in particular benefits from being mostly left alone. This will almost certainly change when Heathrow expands unfortunately. Wood Whites coming up! A double dose in fact as I went down to Chiddingfold twice this last week.
Thank you, Wurzel! I saw the Silver-Y go to ground right in front of me, and it just vanished. It took a while to spot it...
Monday 16th July: Chiddingfold again, this time to see how the second brood Wood Whites were doing. Very well indeed was the answer - there were dozens, both along the rides and in the cleared meadow area near the Triangle. I spent most of my time in this area in fact, as that's where most of the other species were to be found: SWF, Large and Small Skippers, Large, Small and GV Whites, Brimstones, Peacocks, Gatekeepers, Ringlets and Meadow Browns. Aside from the Wood Whites, the most memorable sighting was that of a
valesina Silver-Washed Fritillary. Unfortunately, it was nectaring in only semi-shade, and the day was very warm, so aside from one or two clear glimpses when it changed flowers, I didn't see a great deal of the dark upperside. Unmistakeable, though and a first for me. I did get a few underside shots though.
Some ordinary ones for comparison.
There were lots of new Brimstones, and though the female is partly obscured, I did find this pair (one of each sex) on the same flower.
Before the Wood White section of the post, here are a few of the other species seen.
Wood Whites were the main event, and amongst the multitude were quite a few indulging in their curious courtship ritual.
Another good day. It always seems strange to see Chiddingfold bereft of purple people and the strange aromas that come with those magical days around midsummer, but there's plenty to make up for it at this time of year. Worth another visit later in the week!
Dave