www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

27/06/13
Up in the North-East for my sister’s wedding for a few days provided the opportunity of a first time chance for Northern Brown Argus, ssp. salmacis or Castle Eden Argus. Armed with grid references and a map of said locality I subsequently got a tip-off from Michael Harris of Durham Wildlife trust suggesting the butterfly was probably extinct in Castle Eden and a better option would be the Quarry at Bishop Middleham or specifically Thrislington nature reserve. So after google mapping it I scribbled out a few directions: A1; A177 2nd exit to Coxhoe etc etc on some paper and packed it with my suit.

Setting off from Woking at 05:30 I arrived at Ryhope (Sunderland) at 10:05, checked the weather forecast for Thurs and Fri and quickly realized that Thurs was the better of two iffy days. So a brief rest and me and the girls were back out on the road.

With the A19 in close proximity I decided on a short-cut route despite not having a sat-nav (new-fangled gizmo ) or even a Road Atlas. I have always counted on my ability to find out where I’m going by asking passers-by and my unerring sense of direction. After this trip I think it’s time I broke the habit . Traversing through numerous villages and housing estates at enforced crawl-along speeds on roads devoid of directional signage I had to resort to asking a local. Mindful of the hazy sunshine gradually fading to a gloomy grey, my foot hovering impatiently over the accelerator as the local offered his advice: “Bishop Middleham quarry? … now let me see …”. After what seemed an eternity of going around in circles I arrived and at that very moment of stopping the car it started raining . I must apologise to my daughters for all the expletives that rained out of me at that point . Then the spitting stopped so we raced out along a wooded pathway that opened up into a wonderful Magnesian limestone meadow of grasses and wild flowers .
Within a minute Francesca had found our quarry and Isabella took this photo. Have top say I couldn't see any difference between this and an agestis .. but this is a site for NBA.
Other butterflies like Small Heath and Common Blue were present too, but it was the Northern Brown Argus I had come to see and now at last I had added a new species to my butterfly lifer tally. Just as I was relishing the prospect of an afternoon of happy hunting the rain returned with more persistence . Heading back to the car and into Bishop Middleham itself I found somewhere to shelter from the rain to check my pictures. The pictures were not as good as I hoped for and although I was desperate to go back the weather was not easing up. Back in the car with soggy hands I munched on a corned-beef pastie (a North-East speciality ) and stared morosely through the misted up windscreen at the June murk. Sensing my despondency Isabella piped up with a little song:- “you can’t let the weather get you down” … which is right. It is all part and parcel of butterflying in Britain . Fingers crossed for good weather on Sunday when I’m heading back home …… via Bishop Middleham (providing I haven’t overdone it on Saturday night )

Any shots of a lifer are great! Glad you got your tick (and it wasn't a bloodsucker ) - looking good for next Saturday?
Hope you managed to make another stop on the way back.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:Hope you managed to make another stop on the way back.

Certainly did (Sunday) and the weather was much kinder . Got lots of pictures to sort through and with two more new for the season additions may have taken the lead again

Well done Philzoid, your persistence paid off!
I finally managed to snaffle a lifer Adonis at Figsbury Rings, near Bentley Wood, which takes me up to 42 now!
I am particularly jealous of the UKb'ers getting their Black Hairstreaks at the moment! I can't see how I am going to fit that in?!
Perhaps you could give a heads up on the Bookham Brown Haristreaks as they too have eluded me!
Flutter on!
CJB

CJB wrote:I finally managed to snaffle a lifer Adonis at Figsbury Rings, near Bentley Wood, which takes me up to 42 now!

You're not far off my total of 50 (51 if you count long-tailed Blue seen here in 2010), and if you've been travelling to Scotland and picked up a couple of species there it shouldn't be long before you over-take me. Excluding the rare immigrants I'm still in need of Swallowtail; High Brown Fritillary; Lulworth Skipper; Large Tortoiseshell; Scotch Argus; Large Heath; Mountain Ringlet; Chequered Skipper and Cryptic Wood White

CJB wrote:Perhaps you could give a heads up on the Bookham Brown Haristreaks as they too have eluded me!

Brown Hairstreaks are lovely little butterflies with a big wow factor well worth putting the effort in for . Although not in large numbers at Bookhams (better than Noar Hill though) it is my 'local' area so I've resisted temptation to go to places further afield like Alners Gorse. I will PM you with information nearer the time if you're interested in going to look for them there. Middle to end of August is the best time

Will try and get around to adding a few more NBA pictures taken at Thrislington NR on Sunday

Phil

Alright CJB - if you check out Alan Thornburys site it has details of another site for Brown Hairstreaks which I've visited over the last three years and I've seen really close Brown Haistraks there on all occasions.

Sorry for the hijack Philzoid I tired to PM CJB but it ounced it back. Looking forward to the next installemtn from the return journey

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Guys,

Thank you for your replies; sorry about the bounceback Wurzel, not sure why that would happen!

I went to Stenning last year and bumped into Sussex Kipper who showed me to the area where the BHS congregate and I did see a few but not close enough to get a shot with the mobile ! It would be great to find them closer to SW London. I will look at the site you have referred to Wurzel; it sounds amazing! Philzoid, I would be really grateful if you could ping me when they are about and I will see if I can steal myself away!

I am confident that some of my missing species will be found in the Trossachs when I go up there at the end of this month, including NBA, SA, LH and DGF, so with a bit of luck I will find them weather permitting ! I think the Mountain Ringlet will be finished by then, so I will have to wait until I venture North another time.

What is a Cryptic Wood White? I have yet to find a normal Wood White yet, which would be a goo d one to get. My prized possession is a Monarch which was one of the first pictures I ever took and sadly is not my finest! It was at London Zoo and the butterfly curator assured me it was nothing to do with the zoo and was particularly excited!

Looking forward to your next reports gents!

Flutter on!

CJB

CJB wrote:Looking forward to your next reports gents!

I wasn't planning to write much about Sunday merely post a few pictures. However, by popular demand

NBA continued ...
After a murky Thursday it turned into an even soggier Friday . A good part of that day was spent planting my sister's wedding present of a half dozen or so Herbaceous perennials in a banked raised garden. Below the first 8 inches or so the soil could best be described as solid clay. It broke two of the spades I was given (rusty wrecks granted) and in the end I had to resort to digging with a hand trowel while the rain worked its way into every crevice of my clothing. The weather was starting to get me down again .

Saturday came and the weather improved drastically . Unfortunately Saturday was also the day of the wedding , and so a whole day was spent trying to socialize and make myself useful.
As it happened the wedding went well apart from the best man's laddish speech which went beyond risqué (squirming in our seats we were ). At the end my sister was compelled to make her own unplanned speech to redress the occasion .

Anyway the good weather held for Sunday the day of our drive back. I'd made sure not to drink too much so that I could be up bright and early, chivy the girls along to get ready and make sure we'd got all our stuff together without leaving half of it behind. On setting off I made sure to take the A1 route to Thrislington. On arrival despite the sunshine there were threatening grey clouds and the wind was cold and troublesome. Because of this it took longer to find our quarry although it didn't seem to bother the Common Blues were more numerous than before. Eventually I did manage to find some Northern Brown Argus and get off one or two good shots. A Ringlet led me a merry dance as did a a male Meadow Brown both firsts for me this year. Moths abounded too. Seen and identified were Silver-ground Carpet; White Ermine; Grass Rivulet and Chimney Sweeper the last one a lifer. The weather then got sunny and we found a nice little sheltered spot. Soon the butterflies started showing up with lots of CB's NBA salmacis and a couple of Large Skippers . However, my daughter Francesca made the best find with a mating pair of arguses . While we photoed the pair in action another male NBA arrived and tried to muscle in on the act . The interloper put in some considerable effort to oust the male and link up with the female but the pair were not going to be split so in the end the intruder had to give up. Although this behavior is quite common in butterflies I can only recall having seen it in Wood Whites (Chiddingfold) and Heath Fritillaries at East Blean some years previous. I assume that the tactic is sometimes successful otherwise it wouldn't be employed Another great thing about the site was the relative solitude and lack of dog walkers (in comparison to the way some of the 'used to be good' places are going in Surrey). We would've happily stayed longer but we had to make our way back to Woking. Travelling down the M1 I hit hold ups near Northampton caused by Silverstone Grand Prix traffic and then nearer to Luton the "variable speed limit" gantries which in my opinion go some way to causing the congestion . The M25 by comparison was relatively easy . We eventually got back at 09:10. a tiring end to a long but succesful day Phil

Good moaning Philzoid!

A report worth waiting for and some great shots of the NBA's

Philzoid wrote:(squirming in our seats we were ).

I didn't know you spoke fluent Yoda!

Fingers crossed i get a chance to go snooping on Sunday and then I can post my findings, although my last report got no response

I was rather chuffed with the Adonis picture, which had shades of a Padfield about it.

Flutter on!

CJB

Philzoid wrote:
While we photoed the pair in action another male NBA arrived and tried to muscle in on the act . The interloper put in some considerable effort to oust the male and link up with the female but the pair were not going to be split so in the end the intruder had to give up. Although this behavior is quite common in butterflies I can only recall having seen it in Wood Whites (Chiddingfold) and Heath Fritillaries at East Blean some years previous. I assume that the tactic is sometimes successful otherwise it wouldn't be employed
Phil

I've seen this sort of behaviour with Small Blues in particular, but in others as well . The oddest example was at Bentley Wood this year when a male Pearl-bordered Fritillary kept molesting a mating pair of Small Coppers. It must be the pheromones that get them going.

I am very envious of your NBA shots, Phil - I'm never in the right part of the country at the right time to see them.

Dave

CJB wrote:A report worth waiting for and some great shots of the NBA's

millerd wrote:I am very envious of your NBA shots, Phil - I'm never in the right part of the country at the right time to see them.

Thanks CJ and Dave . I was lucky as they were on the whole very obliging butterflies to having their pictures taken. If there hadn't been my sister's wedding to go to I don't suppose i'd have taken the opportunity .. well not this year anyway.

millerd wrote:The oddest example was at Bentley Wood this year when a male Pearl-bordered Fritillary kept molesting a mating pair of Small Coppers. It must be the pheromones that get them going.

Yes, pheremones and their internal hormones driving them on to breed. However this PBF was not just attempting to cross the species or even genus barrier but also the family Was it an actual mating attempt or was he venting his frustration at them having their jollies in his territory

PS you're getting about a bit these days CJB ... definitely keen . Perhaps its time to upgrade from a phone to a camera

Great shots of the NBA especially the second open wing shot . And as for the menage...it should come with an age restiction!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:Great shots of the NBA especially the second open wing shot . And as for the menage...it should come with an age restiction!

Thanks Wurzel . The best ones were taken on full manual (again), but a bit more DOF might've improved it. WRT the menage, its only a matter of time when my daughters start asking awkward questions