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Who Dares Wins

I was absolutely convinced that my guided walk at Rewell Wood today (29th April) was doomed. Since yesterday afternoon the area had been battered by near gale-force winds and lashing rain, unrelenting until lunchtime. Although the wind dropped and the rain eased, the forecast was still predicting complete cloud cover for the afternoon. I was rather surprised when cars started to arrive at 2pm and by the time 13 of us set off into the woods at 2.45pm there were thin bands of blue in the sky! After sheltering from a short shower we positioned ourselves along the edge of a coppice block and waited for the fast-approaching break in the cloud to meet the sun. Within 10 minutes Pearl-bordered Fritillaries started to appear around our feet. 5 minutes later the sunny spell was over and the butterflies returned to roost on the sweet chestnut, giving everyone with a camera the opportunity for fantastic close-up shots, while others were content to marvel at the beautiful underwing pattern through close-focusing binoculars. We were undoubtedly given a lesson in how the resourceful and opportunistic behaviour of these insects allows them to survive the worst that the British weather can throw at them! The only other Leps seen were numerous specimens of that crazy longhorn moth Adela reaumurella. Thanks to all those that joined me on the least promising of days.

Cracking shots, I'm watching butterflies vicariously now as I haven't experienced a break in the rain for two days in Salisbury now!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Your first photo of the P.B. with its wings open is excellent Neil, one to be proud of, well done.

All the best,

Nick.

Agreed, the first shot is fantastic. It really shows that it's the photographer that matters, not the camera - I was there with the same camera probably taking pictures of the same butterfly but none that good!

Thanks for leading the walk Neil.

Cheers
John

John W wrote:Agreed, the first shot is fantastic. It really shows that it's the photographer that matters, not the camera...

Absolutely second that, probably my favourite photo seen on here so far this year

And well done Neil for braving the weather and going ahead with your walk, well deserved results.

All the best,

Neil F.

Thanks all for your generous comments. I can't help feeling we got very lucky ... but sometimes that seems to add to the enjoyment!
Neil

Sunshine At Last!

Today (30th April) provided very welcome respite from the recent awful weather and butterflies made the most of the warm Sussex sunshine. I started off by meeting Susie Milbank and Mark Colvin at Houghton Forest, where we visited a large clear-fell to assess the size of the newly established Pearl-bordered Fritillary colony here. Many other species have also moved in, which goes to show the immense benefits of opening up otherwise dark and lifeless conifer-rich plantations. Our tally was 8 PBF, 5 Grizzled Skipper, 18 Orange Tip, 15 Peacock, 5 Brimstone, 3 Speckled Wood and a Comma. We then moved on to a site nearby where we added a Duke of Burgundy, a Dingy Skipper, 3 Grizzled Skipper, 2 Speckled Wood and single Peacock, Large White and Brimstone.

In the afternoon I headed to Rewell Wood with my parents and my capable assistant Mia Iris, later joining Brian Henham, a friend from Chichester. The Pearls were out in force and I counted 90 over five different areas of the wood. Along a 100m stretch of the narrow ride margin adjacent to a coppice block there were 31 PBFs nectaring on bugle, with 5 or 6 to a square metre on the best patches. Other species included 3 Peacock, 3 Orange Tip, 2 Brimstone and single Large White, Green-veined White and Comma. On the way back to the car we found a large swarm of the longhorn moth Adela reaumurella performing their strangely erotic dance at the top of a tree (lower image). Certainly the best day for quite a while.

And there was me chuffed about 3 Grizzlies at Martin Down

Have a goodun

Wurzel

And there was me chuffed about 3 Grizzlies at Martin Down

Quite. And I saw the amazing total of TWO Small Coppers at Holme NNR. (But not a single Green Hairstreak).

See your Thursday evening Neil. With your significantly greater success this season, the first beers are definitely on you.

Jack

Brown Argus!

Today (1st May) I made a couple of visits to woodland glades at Houghton Forest and Rewell Wood, later meeting Tom Dunbar and Alan 'Win' Wingrove on one of their regular visits to Sussex. Collectively we bagged an impressive tally of spring butterflies, most notably 2 very early Brown Argus! Other species included Duke of Burgundy (4), Pearl-bordered Fritillary (2), Grizzled Skipper (3), Green Hairstreak (1), Holly Blue (2), Orange Tip (1), Green-veined White (2), Large White (2), Brimstone (6), Speckled Wood (2), Comma (3) and Peacock (3). One slightly worn male Duke was greedily nectaring on wood spurge, something which is seldom observed. I also found some larvae of the rare and very localised Spotted White Plume moth Pterophorus galactodactyla, which can easily be spotted via the characteristic feeding damage it makes on the leaves of burdock (large, white-rimmed, rounded holes).

Prior Preparation ...

This afternoon (4th May) under leaden skies and with the temperature struggling to reach 10 degs, I met Jack Harrison at Rewell Wood. I had two tasks in mind, the first being to ensure that Jack's long journey was worthwhile in terms of butterflies, despite the disappointing weather. I also wanted to find some roosting Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, so that my second guided walk would produce the goods for anyone that would brave the elements tomorrow afternoon, particularly those travelling any distance. It was a bit like looking for the proverbial 'needle in a haystack', but patient searching eventually paid off, and I've marked the position of five individuals. I just hope it isn't bucketing down.

Usual cracking standard if shots Neil When Pearls roost do they hunker down in the vegetation or do they cling to stems etc? I was planning on visiting Bentley on Sunday so was wondering where to sart searching?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I have similar shots to Neil's only of course mine are better
I'll post them later when I get home. Meanwhile I am having to use an internet cafe so am slightly restricted.

Brilliant field craft by Neil. I only found one myself and that was when the sun shone for 11 seconds.

Might meet some of you this Saturday afternoon.

Jack

Hi Wurzel,

The roosting positions for PBF will depend on both the morphology of the site and vegetation available. In typical sweet chestnut coppice many will hang off the sweet chestnut leaves on the outer edge of the stools, anywhere between knee and head height. They will generally congregate along one side of the regenerating area, often close to a windbreak created by adjacent uncut coppice. They will also be on low vegetation at ankle to knee height, including brambles and dried seed-heads. I tend to avoid the Eastern Clearing at Bentley (too busy!), so can't recall what's available with any confidence. I seem to remember there being quite a lot of bracken, in which case I would look at this between knee and waist height.

Neil

Cheers for the info, the weather reports are ranging from 9 to 11 degrees so I'll be looking in the places you suggested. Interesting that you mentioned Braken as that's what my first ever Pearl was on. I've found Silver Washed, Greenish Silver Washed, Dark Green, and Small Pearl Frit on Bracken and I've also found all of my Purple hairstreaks on it too - bit of a butterfly wonder plant for me!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Weather Beaten

We beat the weather again on my second guided walk around Rewell Wood on Saturday (5th May). I was always confident that anyone turning up would get excellent views of Pearl-bordered Fritillary, having marked the position of 5 roosting butterflies the day before. Twenty people came along on a predictably cool and cloudy day, but all went away with smiles on their faces. Dr Dan Hoare (BC SE Regional Officer) joined us and did a great job of describing some of the more detailed autecology and habitat requirements of the species. At times the cloud thinned just sufficiently to allow a detectable (just!) improvement in temperature, which caused several of the PBFs to open their wings for the benefit of their admirers. Several attendees managed to find additional butterflies themselves, and the final tally rose to 10. The ubiquitous longhorn moth Adela reaumurella was seen in ones and twos, but it was too cold for the erotic group dance (either moths or people). We also saw three (2f, 1m) smart-looking Wheatears in an area of newly cut coppice. Thanks to all that attended and to Mark Colvin for the mugshot below.

The fact that you find the dance of long horn moths erotic speaks volumes ....

Hi Neil,

I have enjoyed reading these reports from Rewell Wood and also those by Mark, Jack and Susie in their diaries.
Some lovely photos taken by all, well done

Cheers,

Neil F.

Change Of Scenery

I've spent a lot of time in Rewell Wood recently so this afternoon (7th May), while Rewell was under thick cloud, we headed for Springhead Hill near Storrington. I chose this venue as there appeared to be a few streaks of blue in the sky in that direction, and I was with my parents and Mia, so a short walk was an advantage. As the sun broke through the cloud the temperature rose to a level I haven't experienced for far too long now. There weren't many butterflies about but it was great to see an Orange Tip and a couple of Green-veined White. Just as we were thinking of retiring to the car park for tea and cake I saw the flash of emerald I'd hoped for. This very obliging Green Hairstreak posed beautifully for us, continually hopping from one cowslip head to another. Equally pretty was a freshly-emerged specimen of the moth Pyrausta aurata. I finished the day with a solo visit to RSPB Pulborough Brooks, where the song of several Nightingales reached spectacular heights as darkness closed in.

Lady Of The Woods

With the promise of a little sunshine this afternoon (8th May) I slipped over the border to Botany Bay (although I consider this part of Sussex ). Within 100m of crossing the concrete bridge I started seeing Wood Whites, and went on to record a total of 11 between here and 'The Meadow'. The first one I noticed was sitting patiently on a dandelion clock, so this became one of the easiest photo-shoots I've ever attempted. Later in the afternoon I met up with my parents, who had stopped to chat with UKBer/BC Sussexer Colin Knight. Colin had located a mating pair of Wood Whites and I watched another female out egging further down the track. Every year I seem to find myself rediscovering the breathtaking beauty of certain species, including the delicate 'lady of the woods'.

Other butterflies included Orange Tip (2), Green-veined White (2) and Brimstone (1). Finally, on the way back to the car, I again met 'moth of the moment' Adela reaumurella. With warm sunshine on my back and the sound of numerous nightingales cascading through the wood it finally felt like spring again.