Sharpenhoe Clappers Saturday 14th July 2007
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:31 pm
Hello there. I went riding today out in the Chilterns on the motorbike. I was planning to stop at Sharpenhoe for lunch anyway, but when the weather turned out much better than I expected I ended up wandering for 2-3 hours until I ran out of food, water and stamina.
The best area was the Eastern slope in the lee of the wind (it was blowing a hoolie on the western slope so not much in the triangular meadow), where scores of Dark Green Fritillaries (some very worn, some still brightly coloured, size quite variable) and hundreds of Marbled Whites (again size quite variable) and Meadow Browns in particular were present. In all atleast 16 species (17 if any of the whites were Green Veined) were seen.
Conspicuous by their absence were Chalkhill Blue and Speckled Wood. In the end spotted one of each. A single male Chalkhill near the bottom of the Eastern slope, and one each of Speckled Wood and Painted Lady (very pale) near the end of my walk.
I did not check the meadow across the road from the car park. Perhaps there might be some Chalkhills there?
In no particular order:
Dark Green Fritillary (scores if not hundreds)
Marbled White (hundreds or even more)
Comma (just 1 or 2)
Red Admiral (5-6)
Small Skipper (scores)
Essex Skipper (probably plenty too - one ID confirmed by photograph)
Large Skipper (a good few here and there)
Large White (30-40 maybe)
Small (or Green Veined) White (also 30-40)
Chalkhill Blue (1 Male)
Speckled Wood (1)
Meadow Brown (hundreds)
Gatekeeper (scores if not hundreds)
Ringlet (plenty too)
Painted Lady (1 very worn / pale individual)
Small Heath (10-20)
Also saw several Silver Y's and 6-spot Burnets, and a few other miscellaneous Macro moths.
That plus almost 100 miles many of which were gorgeous country roads means I'm out for the count for today! Bliss!
-Mike
The best area was the Eastern slope in the lee of the wind (it was blowing a hoolie on the western slope so not much in the triangular meadow), where scores of Dark Green Fritillaries (some very worn, some still brightly coloured, size quite variable) and hundreds of Marbled Whites (again size quite variable) and Meadow Browns in particular were present. In all atleast 16 species (17 if any of the whites were Green Veined) were seen.
Conspicuous by their absence were Chalkhill Blue and Speckled Wood. In the end spotted one of each. A single male Chalkhill near the bottom of the Eastern slope, and one each of Speckled Wood and Painted Lady (very pale) near the end of my walk.
I did not check the meadow across the road from the car park. Perhaps there might be some Chalkhills there?
In no particular order:
Dark Green Fritillary (scores if not hundreds)
Marbled White (hundreds or even more)
Comma (just 1 or 2)
Red Admiral (5-6)
Small Skipper (scores)
Essex Skipper (probably plenty too - one ID confirmed by photograph)
Large Skipper (a good few here and there)
Large White (30-40 maybe)
Small (or Green Veined) White (also 30-40)
Chalkhill Blue (1 Male)
Speckled Wood (1)
Meadow Brown (hundreds)
Gatekeeper (scores if not hundreds)
Ringlet (plenty too)
Painted Lady (1 very worn / pale individual)
Small Heath (10-20)
Also saw several Silver Y's and 6-spot Burnets, and a few other miscellaneous Macro moths.
That plus almost 100 miles many of which were gorgeous country roads means I'm out for the count for today! Bliss!
-Mike