www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Ahhh!...having been there so recently those photos from Cornwall bring it all back, I can still hear the surf on the rocks and the Skylarks singing high overhead

That is some travelling Mark, one end of the country to the other with a detour across the Irish Sea in between

I saw some Silver-studded Blues at Upton Towans on June 5th as reported in my diary and a couple were already looking raggedy. I have no idea how long they had been on the wing but I had seen a couple of reports at the end of May before we went down which put it in my head to go there and look for them.

Great reports and photos

Neil.

Thanks Neil. I have now read your reports,and quite splendid they are,together with some excellent images. I thought i was going to miss all that this year,in the short time i had,i managed to see some great stuff in Cornwall.

My second and last day in Cornwall i spent with my father. I don't see him as much as i would like,so it was great to spend a day with him. A Cornishman through and through, we visited family there,as some of our old places from days gone by. Below he is,among the foxgloves on Madron Carn,where Painted Ladies and Red Admirals were active,as usural.

Driving from East Anglia to west Cornwall in one day and back the next is near the limit of what i can do. But no regrets,far from it-i enjoyed every second.

THURSDAY 17 JUNE

A morning spent at Hockley Woods. This is one of the Essex Heath Fritillary Woods. This was the first Essex wood to have Fritillaries emerging this year,and some were already showing signs of age. Others were excellent,and a great pleasure to see. Many dog walkers use this wood,quite unaware of the rarity of the butterflies flying aroun them!

On the downside,a couple of new coppice clearings,where a carpet of perfect cow-wheat has formed,though well intended, are too far away to be colonised by the fritillaries. Perhaps the contracters used simply don't realise what poor powers of dispersal this species has.

Hi EssexBuzzard,

Nice shots of the Heath Frits.
What sort of numbers did you encounter at Hockley Woods?
I'm considering a jaunt to that region at the weekend with perhaps a try at Starvelarks Wood too (if there are any there still).

Regards Kev

A lovely set of reports from Cornwall Essex Cracking Heaths too!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I've also been considering an outing to deepest Essex, but the poor showing of Heath Fritillaries in the various woods (Is Hockley the only spot to report any this year?) has put me off. Your photos may cause some reconsideration!

Dave

essexbuzzard wrote:THURSDAY 17 JUNEOn the downside,a couple of new coppice clearings,where a carpet of perfect cow-wheat has formed,though well intended, are too far away to be colonised by the fritillaries. Perhaps the contracters used simply don't realise what poor powers of dispersal this species has.

Could these perhaps be forward planning for future seasons beyond next year? At East Blean Wood this year they are centered around an area of Sweet Chestnut, coppiced around 4 or 5 years ago. Just a thought

Hi everyone,thanks for your comments. Anyone thinking of coming a long way to Essex for Heath Frits,in Hockley, only about 20 adults were seen,and that was over a week ago now,so a long trip may be risky. I would definately check the Cambridge and Essex branch of BC sightings page for more up to date info.If i get the chance,i will check myself and report back.

Unfortunately, when the opportunity arose for an introduction or this rare butterfly into the Essex woods,it is possible owners jumped at the chance to have such a rare beauty in thier wood,without realising the considerable and endless management required to maintain a colony,not to mention the great cost which,considering the cut-backs, is becoming harder to justify. Not for me,i love having them! But for the general public.

Although i saw my last British butterfly species earlier this month (Cryptic Wood White), for Esther there was still one to see,the Black Hairstreak. Perhaps the nearest reliable sight for us is Glapthorn Cow Pasture,so on Wednesday we went up. We were greeted on arrival by verges outside the site packed with cars-wow,it was busy! Lots of people,then,but the Hairstreaks were not co-operative. About 10 were seen, but very few landed,and then,only for a few seconds. A female sat for a loner period,but was tucked in the shade under a leaf. A slight shame,but at least we got to see them,and Esther completed her list.

After heading into Melton Mowbray for a pork pie and a drink in the park there,we headed home,stopping at Newmarket July Racecourse,to see the spectacular lizard orchids there. Several Marbled Whites there,too-my first for 2015.

Dave,just checked the sightings page. Not much there! In 2013,Starvelarks Wood was the best Essex performer. There were hundreds of Heath Frits in there! Although coppice quickly becomes unsuitable,i think this wood should definately be visited if you come,and Pound Wood has had recent maintainance,too. Both should produce Heaths this weekend, and Hockley should still have a few,too. The added bonus is that these three woods are close to each other. If you,or anyone else go,good luck.

Thanks, E.B. I went to Little Haven (part of Starvelarks I think) last year and saw a dozen or so, but noted a lack of cow-wheat anywhere near where the butterflies were flying. The year before I went to Pound Wood (perversely that's when Little Haven was so good) and again saw only a few. Your theories on the management of these woodlands may well be accurate - it's a tricky butterfly to get it right for. Even the "reliable" colonies in Kent are very variable from year to year. If I do get over there this week and miss out, I may well also take a look at the local WLH hotspots - a butterfly I continually fail to see each year!

(Actually, I've been looking enviously at your splendid postings from Cornwall, and I think a relocation there every spring would work for me! )

Dave

Hi EB,

I visited Starvelarks Wood today on my way out of Hadleigh Country Park. Not a single Heath Frit seen unfortunately.
Although it is probably late on for them now, I was surprised at how overgrown the coppiced area was compared to the peak I witnessed a couple of years ago. There seemed to be some extensive growth of other trees in the area. Perhaps it's my imagination, but is this area still being maintained with the Heath Frit's survival in mind?

Regards Kev

Thoroughly enjoying your reports from a broad area of Britain & Ireland Mark, you and Esther are certainly getting around this year...and why not...just enjoy

BW's

Bill

"When in doubt -venture out"

Hi Kev,i have raised my concerns about the Heath Fritillary,and i will raise it again at the branch AGM in Autumn, as lack of management seems to be a problem. Wish me luck!

Thanks Bill, yes we are certainly getting around, much to our pleasure!

WHITE LETTER DAY!

This week,it was time to make my annual trip to Hadleigh Castle Country Park,near Southend. It is a great pleasure to have such a great wildlife site right here in Essex. Here,elm trees grow as suckering shrubs,dying when they get to a certain size,to be repleaced by more suckering regrowth. What all this means is the White Letter Streaks in this colony have very little honeydew to feed on,so always come down to feed on brambles. Despite this,they are not always easy to photograph, and on this hot day,many were feeding in the shade.

The colony is now in full swing. Easily 20-30 adults were seen. Sometimes 2-3,and as at one point as many as 5,spun up together,chasing each other,breaking off,a couple returning to an elm branch. Others were feeding. All were a pleasure to see.

Surprisingly,several late Holly Blues were seen. Hutchinsoni Commas were plentiful, and amongst many Skippers, was my first Essex of the year. Marbled Whites were hyper in the heat,i didn't see one land until 7 PM!

Hadleigh is good for other wildlife,too. The hedges were full of field roses,and whitethroats were singing from the tops of bushes. Depford pinks are a just one of the rare flowers found here.

More pictures from Hadleigh;

right time, right place there I see! Great shots

Indeed as Bugboy states Cracking Whitters Essex

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lovely Shots of the WH's Essex I'm still looking for them Goldie

Just back from our holiday to the French Pyrenees with Naturetrek,brilliantly led by Mark and Jason. A full report will appear on the Naturetrek website,so this is just a summary of my highlights,with maybe a picture or two thrown in! We stayed at the Breche de Roland hotel in Gedre,where great French food and drink is served,just as it was when i visited 11 years ago!

Unlike GB,where the summer weather has been rather mediocre, France and much of Europe has been in the grip of a heatwave,with temps between 35-40C for weeks.

We arrived at Lourdes late afternoon Monday 6 July,and made the 1 hour drive up the increasingly narrow,winding valley up to Gedre,noting black kites and crag martins in the air,and Swallowtail and Black-veined White on the verge flowers. With a temp. of 36C,we opted for cooling drinks after dinner and,as the light faded,a brilliant stag beetle made a great start to the holiday!

Tuesday. Our first morning in the Pyrenees started bright and blue,and a walk near the village produced buzzard,honey buzzard and two golden eagles,one of which was surprisingly easily seen off by a tiny Kestrel! A grayling on some marjoram caused some ID problems,we opted for Woodland Grayling. Near a waterfall, many butterflies included Wood White and White Admiral.

After a delicious picnic lunch of french cheeses,hams,bread and fruit,it was up to the Cirque de Tromouse. Here were many Pyrenean irises,these were to become very familiar during our week. Many butterflies included our first Apollos, Marbled Skippers and Red-underwing Skippers,while in a stream,a Pyrenean brook salamander was found. Overhead,our first griffon vultures soared,and in the grass,gentians and birds-eye primroses added a splsh of colour.

A delicious evening meal was followed by another stag beetle. A great first full day!