APPENDIX:
Details of Purple Emperor Sightings in the UTB area during 2009
|
DATE |
OBSERVER |
LOCATIONa grid reference |
MICRO-LOCATIONb grid reference |
NUMBER SEEN AND SEXc |
TIMEd |
WEATHER CONDITIONS |
BEHAVIOURe and
comments |
|
25.6 |
Wendy Wilson |
Langley Park TQ015819 |
About 200m south of the
main car-park in Billet Lane along a mown grass section of the Colne Valley Trail (known here as the Wellingtonia
Avenue) at its junction with a path called Bennett Walk near a wooden sign
saying Bennett Walk. |
1M |
midday |
Hot and sunny |
It flew low over the grass
ride, did a couple of slow circuits and settled on a bare patch of ground for
a minute. (Excellent sighting through binoculars.) Then a noisy
helicopter flew over and it shot up to the oak trees behind the Wellingtonias on the |
|
25.6 |
Chris and Pat Dennis |
Oakley Wood |
|
1M |
12-00 noon |
Hazy sunshine |
Settled on main
track down from car park |
|
27.6 |
Mick and Wendy Campbell |
Moorend Common |
Oak tree territory
SU8014790503 |
1M |
13.55 |
|
Exhibiting typical
territorial behaviour, chasing birds etc |
|
28.6 |
Mick and Wendy Campbell |
Waterperry Wood |
Along main track and
surrounding trees. SP6063309289 and SP6058609137 |
2M
1F |
|
Hot and sunny |
Two males flying around
trees by the track, for about 5 mins. Before disappearing. Onere-appeared,
landed on birch, and then resumed flights at lowish
trajectory. Female seen being pursued by a Meadow Brown or Ringlet before
landing on Sallow, staying there for 15 mins with
its wings open |
|
28.6 |
Jim Asher |
Finemere Wood |
Down on main track |
1M |
|
|
Hind wing with a chunk out
of it: bird attack? |
|
28.6 |
Dennis Dell |
Little Wood |
Large Ash tree at top edge
of wood; SP625157; established master tree |
1 |
16.20 to 16.30,then 16.50 to
16.02 |
Hazy sunshine, hot |
Several very brief flights around and close to the top of this
Ash, which has been seen to be used for the last few years |
|
28.6 |
Chris & Pat Dennis |
Oakley wood |
Start of main track and
footpath entrance to car park. |
1M |
10-45am |
Bright sun |
Came from the tall oaks
bordering the car park flew close to the ground up and down the main track
then Settled for very short time. |
|
29.6 |
Mick and Wendy Campbell and
Tony Croft |
Rushbeds Wood |
1.
Ash edge
territory SP6663115863 2.
Railway
SP6727715453 |
3
[2 on territory, 1 by railway] |
14.50 to 16.45 |
27 deg., sunny then overcast |
1. Two in the 'territory' ashes near the
gate into the meadow. Lots of flights of one PE commencing at 2.50pm in ideal
conditions, 27C, then joined briefly by a 2nd PE
which flew off over the trees. 2.
seen flying over the trees along the railway line edge |
|
29.6 |
Dennis Dell |
Finemere Wood |
1.
Oaks at southern
end: SP721216 and 720215 2.
northern edge
territory SP714222 |
4/5 |
14.30 to 17.05 |
27 deg., sunny then overcast |
1. Saw briefly flying around
two large Oaks [2] 2. from 15.32 to 15.45, two
males clashing, and
very brief flights in the canopy. Back at 16.19 until 16.40; no
canopy activity, but one male low down on small Ash under Oak at top corner |
|
29.6 |
Malcolm Brownsword |
Oakley Wood |
Beneath oaks close to car
park |
2
M |
12.50-13.05 |
27C Hazy sun |
The first dived from the oak
trees and flew along
the verge on the west side of the path at a height of approx. 4 feet. It then alighted on the
path several times. The second one, minutes later also flew along the path at an altitude
of approx. 4 feet and alighted on dog faeces close to the red bin for
depositing such material! It then flew along the path, alighting briefly
twice before flying off. The two males were seen simultaneously for approx. 1
minute. |
|
30.6 |
Mick and Wendy Campbell |
|
Ash territory at south-west
edge |
2 |
15.30 |
Cloudy but hot |
This territory was
discovered previously by the |
|
30.6 |
Dave Ferguson |
|
Strawberry Wood TQ01228449,
TQ01418447, and TQ01298446; Heathland TQ01158420 |
1
M, 2 F |
10.55 to 12.30 |
Hot and sunny |
TQ01228449: at 10.55; male,
settled repeatedly on path, staying up to 1 minute TQ01298446:at 11.10,
female, settled repeatedly on path,
staying only a few seconds TQ01158420: at 11.40,
female, flying around sallows 5m up TQ01418447: at 12.30; as 2
above, almost certainly the same individual |
|
1.7 |
Dave Wilton |
Finemere Wood |
Territory nr turning circle
[1]; big oak at southern end SP72142161 [2] |
3 |
pm |
Hot and sunny |
SP72142161: between 13.50
and 14.10, one circled gap above ride between oaks and sallows
and pines, 50% perching; twice it was joined by a second, in the same area,
but there was no interaction. The third was seen at 14.25, in the territory
along the ride about 50m from the turning circle |
|
1.7 |
Dennis Dell |
Waterperry Wood |
Along main north-south track |
5 |
10.30 to 11.15 |
Hot and sunny |
SP607097: two seen briefly,
5 minutes apart, flying low around the small oaks at the edge of the ride bfore making off above the trees. SP607094: one flew rapidly
low along ride and then away SP606092; one [male]
grounded; a second flew above the Oaks and away |
|
1.7 |
Chris Dennis |
Finemere Wood |
1]Turning circle in middle
of wood SP718219 2] Oak at SP721422 |
1]
2F, 4 M 2]
1 |
14.00 |
Hot and sunny |
1] one female possibly ovipositing; one female flying with four males in pursuit 2] one around Oak [see |
|
1.7 |
Becky Woodell |
Oakley Wood |
SP602112 |
1M |
10.45 |
Hot and sunny |
On dog faeces on ride near
entrance gate, in shade. Flew into sallow then returned to ride |
|
1.7 |
Becky Woodell |
Oakley Wood |
SP604114 |
1M |
11.00 |
Hot and sunny |
On ride, then flew into
trees |
|
1.7 |
Mick and Wendy Campbell |
Holton Wood |
Public footpath through wood SP599079 |
2 |
15.45 |
Hot and sunny |
One seen flying through big
Oak, then up and over; the second was flying at tree top height across the
gap in the canopy where the footpath runs through |
|
2.7 |
Mick and Wendy Campbell,
Dennis Dell |
Sydlings Copse |
1] Ash trees at far end of
meadow SP545095 2] field below |
1M,
1F |
1] 13.10 2]14.40 |
Hot and sunny |
1] gliding backwards and
forwards over tops of Ashes 2] flying near Sallows, then flew up to Oaks and disappeared |
|
2.7 |
David Redhead |
Shabbington Wood |
Turning circle SP627106 |
1M |
|
Hot and sunny |
Grounded, taking minerals
from moss on the surface; |
|
2.7 |
Mick |
Oakley Wood |
Car park |
1 |
11.00 |
Hot and sunny |
Flying rapidly over tops of
trees |
|
3.7 |
Becky Woodell |
Whitecross Green Wood |
SP600145 |
1 |
p.m. |
|
Flew slowly along ride, at
about 3’; dropped into grass for several minutes before flying a few metres
to a low shrub: ca 4m high; stayed for about 1 min before flying off slowly
into the trees nearby |
|
3.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Boarstall Wood |
|
2M,
2F |
16.05 to 16.45 |
Hot & sunny |
Males chasing in Ashes
behind cottage; females in Sallows |
|
4.7 |
Dave Wilton |
Ham home & Hamgreen woods |
1] SP69461885 2] SP69721923 |
1]
1 2]
2 |
10.45 to 12.00 |
Started sunny, became cloudy |
1] circling an oak by small
pond, brief sighting at 11.10 2] above ride, circle of
ashes and oaks; 11.26, landed on oak and stayed until at least 11.50; the second
flew around the territory several times |
|
4.7 |
Nick Bowles |
Private woods in Grendon area. |
|
5 |
10 to 11 |
sunny |
At least 4 seen all along
this long ride; one seen in the ride separating two woods. |
|
4.7 |
Dave Wilton |
Private woods in Grendon area. |
Many locations: see
‘behaviour & comments’ |
16 |
13.55 to 16.00 |
Mainly overcast |
a) 13.56 flew from road up
into poplars b) 14.45: flight round top
of oak where it alighted c) Between 14.55 and 15.15,
saw 8 in tops of oaks; at least two females along sallows d) At 15.16: flying around
small ash e) Flew across ride at 15.20 f) One g) Three [2M one F], all on
one oak leaf at one point, 3.23; all fell off into a sallow. |
|
4.7 |
Field meeting, 18
participants |
Bernwood forest |
Oakley car park, main
[Piccadilly] track to turning circle; track to |
18 |
10.30 to 14.00 |
Fair, cloudy and sun, ca 20
to 23 degrees |
Cannot write details in
full. Seen mainly in car park and along Piccadilly; in particular, between
SP6229010845 and turning circle, 8 seen, gliding between trees, perching and
clashing’ Dave Redhead’s separate
group saw one at SP612103 |
|
5.7 |
Monica Jones |
College Wood |
SP790330 |
1F |
|
|
grounded |
|
5.7 |
Chris Hazell |
|
Strawberry Wood |
1M |
9.30 to 11.00 |
Partly overcast, warm, sunny
periods |
Gliding around large oak,
seen for about 20 seconds |
|
5.7 |
Field meeting, 10
participants |
Bernwood forest |
Oakley car park, then track
[Piccadilly] to turning circle |
10 |
10.30 to 14.00 |
Not so good as yesterday; a
lot of cloud, rain for 15 mins, sunny at end [20
degrees] |
One seen on dog faeces in
car park at 9.30; 11.00: two sheltering low in trees [oak and wild service]
at SP612113; a 3rd flew over. 11.40: flying over oaks at
SP6213910906; 11.50, two clashing at SP6231410823; 12.10: one flying in the rain at top of oak at
SP6264310657; on return: two clashing at SP6204311022 at 12.45; at 13.00. one
flew low across low part of Piccadilly track at SP6139611226; back in car
park, a male put on a fine display, landing on fingers, cars giving plenty of
photo opportunities |
|
5.7 |
Mick Jones |
Dancer’s End reserve |
Anthill SP90020939 |
1F |
|
|
In duke of burgundy habitat;
flying low around scrub for 2 mins, before flying
further away out of sight; appeared again shortly after, flying at about 20’
following the ash, field maple and willow contours at the western edge of the
clearing |
|
5.7 |
Penny and Gerry Kendall |
Oakley Wood |
On track 50m down from car
park |
1 |
p.m. |
Fair: about 20 degrees |
Circling oak |
|
5.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Little Wood |
Territory at |
5 |
13.00 to 13.10 |
Hot & sunny |
SP6232015811: one flying
along tops of oaks SP6245515768: two on big
ash, chasing SP6247915798: two on oak,
chasing |
|
5.7 |
Cathy Harris |
Warburg reserve |
Canopy near car park
SU717878 |
1 |
Late pm |
Hot & sunny |
Flying in mixed deciduous
canopy |
|
5.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Moor End Common |
1]South meadow 2]middle meadow 3]near power lines &
road |
3 |
15.10 to 16.15 |
Late afternoon |
1] SU8030790349: flew from
sallow then over an oak 2]SU SU8013190731: flying over
large oak in new area across the road from middle meadow 3]SU99490514: perching &
flying in oak near power lines & road |
|
5.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Piddington Wood |
1] wood edge SP6304416305 2]’vista’ SP6284816025 3]footpath by meadow SP6295116152 |
1]
4 2]
4 3]
1 |
1] midday and 13.55 2] 13.25 3] 13.45 |
Hot & sunny |
1] flying around sallows, oak and ash 2] all ash trees occupied;
very active, chasing 3] flying and perching on
oak |
|
7.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Piddington Wood |
Wood edge SP6304416305 |
3 |
|
poor |
Activity during short sunny
spells |
|
7.7 |
Colin Williams |
Finemere Wood |
Turning circle |
2/3 |
12.00-13.00 |
Between showers |
|
|
9.7 |
Dave Wilton |
Waterperry Wood |
Along main north-south ride |
4 |
13.10 to 15.00 |
|
Female at northern end,
flying around sallows and settling; one about
halfway along, and another two males a bit further along |
|
9.7 |
Dennis Dell |
Private wood in Grendon area. |
Southern half of wood |
5 |
14.00 to 16.00 |
Mixed cloud and sun, about
19 degrees |
Three near southern end of
long main north-south ride, one female further north, and the fifth along
ride to the east |
|
9.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Penley Wood |
SU764294014 |
1 |
12.20 to 13.00 |
|
Same territory as in
previous years. Tall Ashes encircling 2 large sallows.
3 sightings in this period |
|
9.7 |
Becky Woodell |
Rushbeds Wood |
Above car park SP673154 |
1 |
13.25 |
|
Brief flight at tops of
trees above car park before settling |
|
10.7 |
David Redhead |
Bernwood forest |
1] SP627106 2] SP629102 |
2 |
p.m. |
|
1] female flying along rideside trees 2] female flying in N-W
direction in M$0 compensation area |
|
10.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
|
SSE edge of wood |
6 |
12.00 to 12.45 and back at
16.50 |
Sunny intervals |
Four patrolling above tree
line between SP5898711220 and 5891511144.One flew away from wood. One at 16.50 at SP5848211039 ; flew out of
Sallow |
|
10.7 |
Dennis Dell & Richard Soulsby |
Finemere Wood |
Eastern ride, whole of main north-south ride
and at northern edge Ash territory |
5 |
14.25 to 16.45 |
Mixed cloud and sunshine,
about 19 degrees |
SP721216; flying around
large oaks. One in turning circle,
briefly One, maybe two, typical very
brief flights in ash canopy at northern end 200m further east along
edge, one flew from meadow low towards trees Between turning circle and
ride junction, flying around tops of small oaks |
|
10.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Stanton Gt
wood |
Along eastern edge |
6 |
From 14.00 |
|
This edge is the lowest
point of the wood; flying over ash/oak; one at SP59070, one at 5912709504,
four at 5921609355; two flew across field towards waterperry |
|
10.7 |
Colin Bell |
Moorend Common |
Garden in cottage by south
meadow SU802902 |
1 |
|
|
Resting on winter flowering viburnum about 5m from ground for about 15 mins |
|
12.7 |
Linda & Stuart Hodges |
Finemere Wood |
Main central ride at
SP719216 |
1M |
16.45 |
|
Landed in Oak about 15’ up for
about one minute then flew towards turning circle |
|
12.7 |
David Redhead |
Hell Coppice |
SP610101 |
1M |
2.22 to 2.34 |
|
Old car park; 4 short
flights in tree tops |
|
12.7 |
Chris Dennis |
Whitecross Green Wood |
Central ride crossroads SP602146 |
1F |
12.45 |
sunny |
Flew past up to Ash; landed
near top; flew twice in and out of this Ash |
|
12.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Homefield
Wood |
High point SU8103487310 |
1 |
14.40 |
Cloudy, little sun |
Patrolling high up in canopy |
|
12.7 |
Chris Dennis |
Finemere Wood |
Just south of the turning
circle |
1M,
1F |
14.00 |
sunny |
Flew down from oaks and then
back up over the other side |
|
13.7 |
Rob Hill |
Finemere Wood |
Main ride |
1 |
|
|
|
|
13.7 |
Steve Croxford |
Sheephouse
Wood |
Centre of wood at rides
x-roads |
1 |
noon |
Mixed sunshine and showers |
Flying high in the oaks near
x-roads; seen during a sunny spell |
|
14.7 |
Dennis Dell |
Runt’s Wood |
SP7242623185 |
1F |
14.05 & 15.45 |
Cloudy, 19 degrees |
On large sallow at edge of public
bridleway; seen again [or a dofferent one] nearly
two hours later on different sallow a few metres away |
|
14.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Chinkwell Wood |
Several places within and at
edge of wood: see behaviour |
9 |
12.25 to 14.50 |
Poor; heavy rain at first,
then cool & cloudy with a few sunny spells |
SP6676814398: two flying
above ashes overlooking salix caprea along main ride. SP6678314450: two flying
over & perching on conifers behind stand of salix caprea Same spot: one female flying
low over sallow; all three flying together at one point SP6677714696: one flying
over top of conifers at SP6664114506: two flying
over tall conifers SP66825914535: one
‘wood-edging |
|
14.7 |
Steve Croxford |
Finemere Wood |
Along main ride about 100m
from entrance |
3 |
17.10 |
Bright with gusty wind |
Flying around tops of oaks
on either side of the track; the gusty wind was making them fly hard in short
bursts |
|
14.7 |
Andrew Bolton |
Combe Wood |
SU359596 |
1 |
|
|
Exactly the same spot as
last year |
|
14.7 |
David Redhead |
|
Tree line on shotover plain SP567061 |
1 |
9.00 am |
|
highest oak trees
at 08:58am; male Purple Emperor flew from
out of the left hand oak, along the front of the two oaks and
disappeared around the back of them. Stayed for nearly another 10 minutes
without a further sighting |
|
15.7 |
Dennis Dell |
Chinkwell Wood |
main track |
1 |
15.00 |
Very windy, some sun |
Flying high across ride
through middle of wood |
|
15.7 |
Dave Wilton |
Finemere Wood |
1]SP719216 2]SP719217 3]SP720215 |
1]
1 2]
1 3]
2 |
1]15.04 2]15.40 3]15.45 |
|
1] along section D of
transect, flying along oaks and sallows 2]along main ride, G, flying
at mid-height around oak 3] also along main ride G,
low level clash, lasting about 30 secs; then female
settled on hazel, and other flew off |
|
16.7 |
Dennis Dell |
Private wood in Grendon area. |
In central area where
most observations are made |
2 |
12.35 |
19 degrees, 30% sunshine |
One circling sallows, one at corner of sections G/H. |
|
16.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
|
Outside of wood: see
behaviour |
3 F, 1M |
12.45 to 13.40 |
Mostly cloudy with short
sunny spells |
SP5860110962: one female
flying low near salix caprea SP5851311014: one male
flying over top of oak; one female flying low by small sallow SP5877811055: one female
flying halfway up oaks, 50m from salix caprea |
|
16.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Piddington Wood |
SP6304716306; south-east
corner |
1M,
1F |
15.00 |
Sun only for 5 mins |
Male flying over top of oak
territory, female flying in salix caprea |
|
16.7 |
Dave Ferguson |
Finemere Wood |
Main track, 250 m from
entrance, SP72012164 |
1F |
14.00 |
Warm, cloudy |
Flying around sallow to west
of track, about 4m up |
|
16.7 |
Alan & Juliet Gudge |
Moorend Common |
Bridleway under power lines |
1 |
16.15 |
|
Flew at high and low level
over bridleway |
|
18.7 |
Chris Dennis |
Whitecross Green Wood |
Car park |
1 |
13.50 |
|
On \oak at edge of car park |
|
18.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Sheephouse
Wood |
Northern end, rides x-roads
SP7015423626 |
1F |
noon |
Warm with sunny intervals |
Flew out of salix caprea and
perched in nearby birch |
|
19.7 |
Dennis Dell & Matthew
Oates |
Finemere Wood |
Turning circle |
2F |
14.00 to 16.30 |
Very poor; 17 degrees; raining with just one 20 minute
sunny interval |
The two were busy in and
around the sallows; ovipositing
was definitely taking place, in both a big broad leaved sallow and also in a
small narrow leaved sallow. |
|
20.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Between Romer
&Woods and between Greatsea & Balmore Woods |
1]SP7120722555, bottom of
wide ride 2]SP7143123044, trees on
either side of main track |
2
M, 2 F |
11.30 to 15.30 |
Mainly cloudy with sunny
intervals |
1] one seen flying out of salix caprea, 2nd
flying above oaks above sallow; brief interaction before they flew off;
probable male seen again above oaks before it settled in small oak 20’ up,
probing for sap;’ watched if for 10mins 2] 1st seen
flying along main track, over top of conifers above sallow; 2nd
was female; flew out of sallow and perched low on conifer; at 12.30; male seen
again above conifers at 15.30 |
|
21.7 |
Loren Eldred, Gary Roberts |
Penn Wood |
SU923962 large car park adjacent to penn st village church |
1F |
10.30 |
Damp, overcast |
Resting on surface of car park with closed wings;
after 1 minute it flew off into the trees surrounding the car park; looked
quite worn. |
|
22.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Waterperry Wood |
SP6009 |
5 |
|
Moderate, sunny, quite windy |
Seen at SP6062609241,
SP6037708994, SP6030709026, SP606092, SP6093909951. The locations at SP603 are
the first along this ride |
|
22.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Piddington Wood |
SP6284816038 |
1 |
|
Strong gusty wind |
This is the ‘vista’
territory |
|
23.7 |
Dave Ferguson |
Waterperry Wood |
1F |
|
Sun and showers |
Female flying around a
sallow by the main ride. |
|
|
23.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Wendover Wood |
SP8864207968 &
SP8963407911 |
2 |
|
Moderate, some sun and then
rain |
These two localities are far
apart, indicating how widespread iris is in this wood |
|
25.7 |
David Redhead |
Whitecross Green Wood |
|
1F |
|
|
Flew across car park at half
tree height and disappeared into trees |
|
25.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
Chinkwell Wood |
SP6667814180 |
1M,
1F |
|
Warm, sunny spells, light
breeze |
|
|
28.7 |
Don Otter |
|
SP984143 Ringshall
|
1F |
|
|
Very worn, flying around
Sallow |
|
31.7 |
Wendy & Mick |
|
SP5902311318 |
1F |
|
Warm and sunny, but very
windy |
Very worn |