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APPENDIX: Details of Purple Emperor Sightings in the UTB area during 2007

 

 

DATE

OBSERVER

 

LOCATIONa

 

grid reference

MICRO-LOCATIONb

grid reference

NUMBER SEEN AND SEXc

TIMEd

WEATHER CONDITIONS

BEHAVIOURe and comments

19.6

Mick Campbell

Little Wood

Bottom of wood

1 possible.

 

M-I

Probable sighting of PE flying over sallow.  Unexpected, so couldn’t be certain, but wing-shape & flight pattern were that of PE. Definitely not WA.

20.6

Richard James

Easthampstead Park Conference Centre

Inside a south-facing window within building SU844673

1

10.15 watched for 20 mins then released to outside

 

Outside house there is a long [1/2 mile] drive lined by Oaks and Beeches leading to a deciduous wood [Big Wood]

21.67

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Bernwood

Oakley Car Park

1 possible.

11.30-1.00pm

Moderate, some sunny spells, very windy.

Possible sighting of PE near car park (on main track). Large butterfly, behaviour like PE, came out of sallow, looped round and went into trees nearby. 

23.6

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Piddington Wood

Territory  SP 629161

1

5 minutes, mid afternoon.

Moderate, some sunny spells, then rain.

Flew up from 2nd Ash tree left of the Oak to chase a pigeon then perched back on the Ash tree. It was still there after we had walked to Little Wood and back and during the 10-minutes of moderately heavy rain.

23.6

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Little Wood

SP624157; at the top of wood near the first ride meets the public footpath.

2

15 minutes, mid afternoon.

Poor, overcast then rain, but warm..

Both seen flying & perching in top of large Ash tree near footpath. One flew off when it started to rain quite heavily but the other stayed put and was still there when we left after about 15 minutes.

28.6

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Waterperry Wood

SP605090

Sallow tree just off main track at the sharp bend.

1

 

Very windy, cool. Warmer during sunny spells..

Brief flight – ‘circuit’ around top of sallow tree, then settled out of sight. No further activity seen in about 20 minutes of watching the sallow. Also walked entire length of main track & other main tracks in the wood, looking in sallows, watching sky-line & on the track, but no other PE seen (lots of WA though!).

5.7

Ashley Stow/Louise Stratford

Farmoor Reservoir.SP446063

Concrete Causeway

1 f

17:25- 17:35

Very hot – cool breeze coming across reservoir

Flying low around wooden huts on the causeway. Settled briefly on concrete kerb, then flew eat along causeway towards sailing club/water treatment works. Settled briefly again on causeway and then flew to end. Settled for about 5 mins in shade on gravel on Farmoor reserve side. Lost sight as it flew towards water treatment works.

5.7

Martin Kincaid

Finemere Wood

Oak Tree along main ride SP719217

1

13.45

moderate

Settled on Oak

7.7

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Moor Common

SU803905

Oak tree where footpath to wood meets power lines; then in Oak tree on main common.

1

5 mins of activity (pm) in 2 hours of searching. Sighting was at 4.20pm.

Sunny spells, but still mostly cool & breezy.

Glided down from Oak tree, circled, then headed uphill along the ride cut through the trees for the power lines. We followed its flight path which took us to the highest point of the Common. After watching the tallest oak for about 10 mins, a Red Kite flew over & a PE chased it!! We saw it circle the tree at intervals before we left, so presume this tree is a ‘territory’ as we also saw a PE in this tree last year.

9.7

Dennis Dell

Greatsea Wood

SP714228. High point near edge above main trak

2

14.42 to 15.15

Ideal, 22 degrees

Territory; crossing ride between Wych Elm and Oaks before disappearing southwards

10.7

Dennis Dell, David Redhead, Dave Wilton

Little and Piddington Woods

SP625158

4

1 hour

Poor, cloudy

1 in Piddington Vista; 3 on and around large Ash at top edge of wood, clashing and perching; watched them for about 30 minutes

11.7

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Rushbeds Wood

SP667155

Ash trees approx 250-300 yards along footpath from the car park.

1

Brief flights, late p.m.

Cool, cloudy, windy, odd sunny intervals.

One (rather small) Purple Emperor seen. We had clear views of it perching in the top of an Ash tree (the same tree we saw one in a previous year) and it then circled the tree top a couple of times before flying across the path where we lost sight of it.

12.7

Ina Wallace

Greatsea Wood

SP714228. High point near edge above main trak

1 male

10.30

 

Seen flying low by gate at entrance

13.7

Dennis Dell

Finemere Wood

SP714222. Highest edge

1

15.55 to 16.05

Cloudy, 21 degrees

On territory on ash just behind big Oak at top corner

14.7

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Sydlings Copse

SP55-09

All observations were made from the meadow.

4

A number of flights seen over Ash & Oak trees during 2 hour visit. First sighting was at 11.35am.

Cloudy, clearing later, but strong breeze.

In about 2 hours we had sightings of 4 Purple Emperors in what we believe are 3 distinct territories (same places as in previous years). All seen from the meadow, first territory is about a third of the way down on the right (in Ash & Oak trees), second is three quarters of the way down, rhs, in Ash tree, third is right down the far end across the top of Ash trees. We had extended views of the first male (saw purple sheen) as it perched low down in a small maple tree. All other sightings were flights over the tops of the trees, no clashes or chasing observed.

14.7

Dennis Dell and 6 field meeting participants

Oakley and Shabbington Woods

SP6111. Oakley wood car park and along main piccadily track

6

10.30 to 15.00

Moderate; some sunshine

Only three in car park; one stationary on Oak for 30 mins. One female flying low at Piccadily x-roads. Two skimming low and landing on Piccadily ride at 3 pm.

14.7.

Becky Woodell  and David Redhead

York’s Wood/Hell Coppice SP6110

Along ride from Piccadily x-roads to Hell Coppice

7

York’s, between 13.45 and 14.45; Hell Coppice from 12.25 to 12.50

Good, mainly sunny

1 just south of Piccadily along ride; 2 in Chestnut tree and 1 on Oak in glade at SP614107; 1 in big Sallow near glade.

2 definites in ‘old territory’ at Hell Coppice car park flying in and around Oaks, briefly

15.7

Dennis Dell

Oakley Wood

Car park SP611117

2

11.40 to 12.10

Poor, 19 degrees, cloudy

One above trees, and one male landing for long periods in the car park; feeding on stones

16.7

Becky Woodell

Whitecross Green Wood

Car park

1 male

 

 

 

16.7

Gerry Kendall

Oakley Wood

Along maim ride between car park and Piccadily at SP613111

1 male

 

 

On dog droppings

18.7

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Little Wood

SP624157; Ash trees at the top of wood where the first ride meets the public footpath

3

20 minutes (5pm-5.20pm)

Warm & sunny.

Chasing, perching, spiralling. Assumed to be all males judging by behaviour.

19.7

Dave Wilton, Stuart Hodges

Whitecross Green Wood

SP6014

Along main ride

3 [one was a female]

 

 

 

21.7

Nicola Chester

Upper Green, Inkpen

SU373637

In garden

1 male

11.15 for 3 minutes

Overcast, mild

Rested on yellow flowers for 2 mins, flew briefly into house and then away

22.7

Wendy & Mick Campbell

Moor End Common

SU803-905

Oak tree ‘territory’ on main common.

3

1 hour in morning.

Cloudy, sunny intervals, 19C.

Brief chases observed, some more extended. One sighting was of a larger, browner PE flying lower down in the Oak tree (possible female).

22.7

David Redhead

York’s Wood

SP614107. Glade; on Sweet Chestnut

1

 

 

See 14.7

24.7

Dennis Dell

Greatsea Wood

High point above main track SP714228

1

 

 

Landing on Wych Elm and flying across ride before disappearing

24.7

Mick & Wendy Campbell

Penley Wood

SU767940

Sallow and Ash trees

1

 

 

Flew above trees; in view for about 10 seconds

10.8

Stuart Hodges

Doddershall Wood

SP699204

1

 

 

Settled on Ash next to tallest tree

10.8

Sue King

Ashridge Park

SP971135

1

 

 

1st record from here