** June 2004 Archive **
Wednesday
30th June 2004
Dave Wilton thought he would venture a little
further afield this morning with a short visit to the Warburg BBOWT Reserve at
Bix near Stonor, Oxon. Unfortunately no Fritillaries of any description
were to be seen, nor were they mentioned yet on the blackboard in the Visitors
Centre. However, before the weather deteriorated there was a plentiful
supply of Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and Ringlets as well as smaller numbers
of Large White, Common Blue, Large Skipper, Speckled Wood and Small
Tortoiseshell.
Dave Maunder reports the following butterflies seen in Aylesbury
over the last week: Red admiral, Large skippers (15), Small skippers (6),
Meadow browns (30+), Ringlets (10), Marbled white (1), Speckled woods (3), Sm.
Tortoiseshells (10), Common blues (3), Small copper (1), Commas (2). On 28th June I was very pleased to
find 2, maybe 3 White-letter Hairstreaks flying around a small Wych
elm tree near the Oxford road on the west side of Aylesbury! (Last time I saw
one around here was in 2001).
This report received from
Paul Bowyer today: Tuesday 29th June - after work I returned to
Allerds Road near the Slough Council dump where I had been the previous day. I
saw 4 further species of butterfly. These were Small Tortoiseshell (2), Red
Admiral (1), Marbled White (1) and Small Skipper (3). It was good to see
the Marbled White so close to the Slough border.
During a visit to Strawberry Wood, Black Park Country Park in Bucks yesterday morning (29/6) Dave Ferguson saw 9 White Admirals, a Purple Hairstreak and a Red Admiral.
Tuesday
29th June 2004
** News received today
that Purple Emperors are on the wing – please start looking out for them **
Dave Wilton spent three hours in Finemere over
lunchtime today searching for Purple Emperor without success:
I thought I might be lucky because it was certainly a bumper day for
butterflies, 14 different species being recorded along the farm track before
I'd even got into the wood! The final total was 18 species (257 butterflies),
although unfortunately none of them was new to the list or indeed to previous
Finemere reports. The highlight was a single very battered Black Hairstreak,
while others worthy of note included Purple Hairstreak (1), Red Admiral
(4, including an egg-laying female), White Admiral (11), Comma (6),
Small Tortoiseshell (8) and Small Skipper (3).
Dave also saw several moths in Finemere: A Hummingbird
Hawk Moth kept landing in front of me as I walked up the main ride, while
other moths included a Light Emerald, a couple of Silver-Ys and several Burnets
(both five and six-spot). A Burnet caterpillar was also seen on Lady's Bedstraw
(photo below – click on it for a larger image).
Tom Dunbar visited College Lake today, 29th. Butterflies seen were Large Skipper 6, Small Skipper 3, Essex Skipper 1 (first sighting this season), Small White 1, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Comma 1, Common blue 1, Small Blue 1, Marbled White 46, Meadow Brown 20, Ringlet 30, Small Heath 2. He then paid a late visit to Rushbeds Wood where the butterflies seen included Purple Hairstreak 3, White Admiral 1, Meadow Brown 5, Ringlet 10, Speckled Wood 3.
Tony Croft’s three hour visit to Wytham Woods, Oxford today revealed large numbers of Ringlet,
Meadow Brown, Marbled White and Speckled Wood. Half a dozen Large
Skipper, one Red Admiral, and a Dark Green Fritillary being mobbed by Meadow Browns. I was hoping
to see Silver Washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak but no joy.
[Please note: Wytham Woods is an SSSI site and can only be accessed
by obtaining a walking permit. Follow this link for details: http://www.wildcru.org/links/wytham/wytham.htm
]
News from Paul Bowyer for Monday 28th June: At about 5.30p.m.
I went to an area to the south of Burnham Beeches and to the north of Britwell
in Slough where there are a lot of scrubby elm trees. I hoped to see White
Letter Hairstreaks, which I had seen there a long time ago. I didn't find any
but I did see my first Purple Hairstreaks of the season. Also there were
6 Meadow Browns, 3 Ringlets, 3 Large Skippers and a newly emerged Comma.
Monday
28th June 2004
Mick Campbell’s 3-hour visit to Homefield Wood
today failed to produce a White-letter Hairstreak. However he
did manage to find a White Admiral plus many Ringlets and Meadow Browns.
A dozen Marbled Whites, Large Skippers, a couple of Commas and Speckled
Woods were also recorded.
Sunday
27th June 2004
Mick and Wendy Campbell
decided to try their luck in Bowdown Wood today in search of the Silver-washed
Fritillary. Bowdown Wood is in the most southerly extremes of
Berkshire, just within the UTB area and next door to Greenham Common. The
weather was rather mixed – intermittent sunny spells with a lot of cloud, warm
when the sun shone through. On arrival at the car park, and with the sun
shining, they were staggered to see a female Silver-washed
Fritillary nectaring on the brambles. A White Admiral appeared,
followed by the sighting of a Purple Hairstreak in the Oak trees above.
They then continued their walk around the site to check for more Silver-washed
and to search for the foodplant of violet. On returning to the car park they
met Jim Slater, a regular visitor to the wood, and while they were exchanging
notes a male SWF came down to nectar on the bramble, joined soon after by the
female. Jim managed to photograph the male SWF with his disposable camera, so a
picture might be in the post!
A total of 13 species of butterfly, including Purple Hairstreak (6), Painted
Lady (2), Red Admiral, Large Skipper, 2 of each of Comma, Small Tortoiseshell
and Marbled White, a single Small Skipper and Speckled Wood and good
numbers of Ringlet and Meadow Brown. Moths seen were Silver-Y and the less
common Scarlet Tiger. Also a very distinctive Golden-ringed
Dragonfly.
Tom Dunbar paid a short visit to Finemere today and saw his first Small Skipper of the season. Also 5 White Admirals.
Derek and Cathy Brown went to Finemere for an hour or so this morning, 27th, hoping to see White-letter Hairstreaks: We saw several White Admirals and hundreds of Ringlets but unfortunately not a single Hairstreak of any sort. Never mind we might try again next week as it's a really nice spot.
This Comma was very considerate in posing for me
at Finemere on Friday 25th. I thought you might like it for the website. Dave Wilton. (Click photo for larger image.)
Friday 25th David Redhead went to Whitecross Green Wood: My first White Admirals of the season - at least 14 seen. Almost certain I saw a Small Skipper but unable to get a positive id. Surprisingly no Purple Hairstreaks seen.
Thursday
24th June 2004
Dave Wilton spent a couple of hours tree-spotting
at Finemere this afternoon with Dennis Dell: Dennis
kindly pointed out likely Purple Emperor collection points for me to keep my
eye on over the next few weeks. Despite the gale force winds it was remarkably
calm in the centre of the wood where we stumbled across a Purple Hairstreak and
3 White Admirals.
Wednesday
23rd June 2004
Another update received from Dave Wilton
yesterday, 22nd, before the rain set in: Contrary
to the forecast it was a beautiful morning here and I managed to spend a couple
of hours walking the Hewin's Wood bridleway as far north as Decoypond Wood. I found
4 Black Hairstreak, one of which was at a new site along the railway
line. Eight other species on the wing too, although nothing particularly
noteworthy.
Monday
21st June 2004
After work Paul Bowyer went to the Gore in Burnham: The evening was warm and I saw my first Small Skipper of the year. There were 2 other skippers but I failed to get close enough to identify them. I also saw 2 Ringlets and a recently emerged Small Tortoiseshell.
Dave Wilton’s daily report
as follows: I was
foolhardy enough to want to continue the quest for Black Hairstreak
sites this morning (Monday) with a visit to Bernwood Forest despite the low temperature and the threat of
thunderstorms. Nevertheless I did find three of them (at two separate
locations). Actually, apart from when it rained there were butterflies active
everywhere, notably Ringlets which easily outnumbered the Meadow Browns. Two White
Admirals showed themselves, and I found a Small
Skipper (reasonably sure it wasn't an Essex) flying amongst its
larger cousins in the fields adjacent to the north side of Shabbington Wood.
Dave Ferguson recorded a Purple Hairstreak at Stoke Common this morning, 21st June (see photo below and click on it for a larger image). A female Stag Beetle landed on our patio on its back about three minutes before Zidane scored his first goal against England on 13 June. What with the footie and seeing one of these magnificent insects for the first time it was quite an exciting few minutes!
Mick Campbell made a short visit to Aston Rowant
on Sunday 20th and saw 8 species of butterfly, including
100+ Small Heath, a very tatty Dingy Skipper and 2 Painted Lady. No Dark Green
Fritillary unfortunately.
Dave Wilton was out and about again yesterday, 20th:
It might have been a bit chilly today but the butterflies
were still out there! Despite the threat of showers I went to Chinkwell Wood
near Brill this morning in search of Black Hairstreak. I found the
following on the public footpath through the centre of the wood and in the
meadow to the south of it: Large Skipper (2), Clouded Yellow (1, at
last!), Green-veined White (2), Black Hairstreak (2), Common Blue (2), White
Admiral (3), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Comma (2), Speckled Wood (4), Marbled
White (1), Meadow Brown (10) and Ringlet (2). I also had an unconfirmed
sighting of what may have been a Purple Hairstreak at the top of a young oak in
the wood just prior to a shower of rain. Once it landed it refused to fly
again! Moths in the meadow included 6-Spot Burnet (2) and Cinnabar (1).
Tom and Rosaleen Dunbar accompanied by AJP Wingrove and Dr John
visited 2 sites on 20th June:
At Laplands
Farm, in mixed
weather conditions they saw 2 Black Hairstreaks. Other species included
Large Skipper, Marbled White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Heath. Then at Whitecross
Green Wood they recorded the same species as above as well as 1 Wood
White and 4 White Admirals. I wonder if this weekend's sightings of
Black Hairstreak signifies the end of its flight season?
Sunday
20th June 2004
As the weather is somewhat cooler today and not
so favourable for butterfly pursuits, here’s a report from Alastair Driver which
some of you might find interesting: I recently led a nature walk at Thames Valley Park nature
reserve near Sonning and apart from the largest Grass Snake I have ever
seen - a 4 footer - we saw loads of Four-spotted Chasers (photo below).
I also took along the first male Stag Beetle of the year (photo below),
which my son caught trying to break into a bank in Woodley precinct! I
know they're not Lepidoptera, but they're amazing insects, so I hope
you'll forgive the photos!
Coincidentally, Derek Brown took the photo below of a female Stag Beetle in Pamber Forest on 13th
June and also managed to get a picture of this early Silver-washed
Fritillary, spotted by Paul Bowyer, on the same day in Pamber F.
[Silver-washed Frits will soon be on the wing in
the UTB area – please start keeping a watch for them (or ask for a list of
sites to visit) and report any sightings to Mick Campbell, our SWF
Species Champion.Thanks!]
Nick Bowles reports today: I’m pleased to hear that Dave Wilton was able to positively id a WLH on that stretch (see Dave’s report on 19th June), as I walked my transect there about lunch time and saw a Hairstreak at the road entry which flew from the blackthorn and then pirouetted around a tall elm at the entrance. I lost sight of it and wanted to continue the walk while the sun stayed out. On my return to the car I spent 15 mins staring at the entry with no further sign but I am now happy that it was (as I suspected) a WLH. I also saw a hairstreak fly at about waist height across the turning circle in the middle of the wood. Could have been either species. Black Hairstreak were evident in several of the blackthorn bushes in the 'meadow'. Also 3 White Admirals.
Saturday
19th June 2004
This report received from David Redhead today: In far from ideal conditions the Swyncombe Down transect produced a very good haul - 13 species and 225 butterflies - Small Heath (101), Small Blue (50), Common Blue (31), Meadow Brown (16), Large Skipper (13), Ringlet (4), Speckled Wood (3), Brimstone (2), Marbled White (1), Green Hairstreak (1), Small White (1), Painted Lady (1) and, leaving the best to last, 1 pristine Dark Green Fritillary (which I think may be the first seen in the UTB area this year). A wonderful site with a public footpath running through it - well worth a visit.
Dave Wilton spent a couple of productive hours at
Finemere early this morning, 19th: The
temperature was only 14 degrees but the sunshine meant that there was plenty of
activity with 12 species recorded while I was there: Large Skipper (30+),
Grizzled Skipper (1), Black Hairstreak (7, although I didn't spend
too much time searching for them on this occasion), Brown Argus (1), Common
Blue (3), White Admiral (1), Red Admiral (1), Small Tortoiseshell (2,
both fresh), Speckled Wood (11), Meadow Brown (50+) and Ringlet (10).
On my way back up the farm track I noticed
something shoot out of the hedgerow into the Wych Elm that Mick pointed out to
me last week and, needless to say, at that point the sun went in and whatever
it was never re-appeared. I spent the next fifteen minutes searching the
tree with binoculars and finally found what I hoped I'd see - one very
fresh-looking White-letter Hairstreak
sitting on a leaf. Excellent ! The Emperor Moth caterpillars have all
disappeared. Whether they've wandered off elsewhere or been
"borrowed" by someone I don't know. I just hope they haven't
given the local bird population a hearty meal!
Welcome to Nigel Parsons, new contributor to the
website, who visited Whitecross
Green Wood - Wed 16th June: I took
the afternoon off work on Wednesday 16th and went in search of Black
Hairstreak. I was rewarded with a very enjoyable afternoon in the sun, meeting
two other butterfly people - one had come all the way from Devon for BHS and of
course seeing a good number of butterflies. I recorded the following:
BHS - 14; White Admiral - 5; Wood White - 10; Marbled White - 3;
Large Skipper - 50+; Meadow Brown - 29; Common Blue - 11; Large White - 3;
Speckled Wood - 3; P Lady - 1; Comma - 1 (very large and brightly coloured - on
first sighting thought could have been SWF).
I went on to Bernwood Meadows for a quick look round - by now a bit too
windy. However, saw 1 BHS and 1 Ringlet (first for me this year) in addition to
a few MW, several MB, CB and Large Skippers.
Wednesday
16th June 2004
An update on the status of the Black Hairstreak from Species
Champion Stuart Hodges:
So far we have seen the Black Hairstreak at 18 sites this
season. One of these is a re-discovery, last seen in 1987 at a site now
belonging to the Woodland Trust. Plus at least 5 new locations. And, of
course, we have to emphasize the explosion of numbers, which gives the chance
to re-discover colonies not seen for many years. One other small point I have
been asked several times is about the unusual growth of some of the sloes on
the Blackthorn. Last week I was told they are called Pocket Plums caused by a
fungus and if you cut one open they are hollow almost like an empty pocket. I
have to admit to having spent 20 minutes looking at likely Blackthorn on the
farm at 9.30 this morning!
Dennis Dell saw 4 White Admirals in Romer Wood today, and also his first Ringlet of the season. “I don't think I've ever seen camilla so early. This means that iris will probably appear next week!”
Tony Croft spent another afternoon at Whitecross Green Wood today. This time six White Admiral sightings so they are well and truly on the wing. Black Hairstreak activity was mainly in the green lane, with quite a few coming really close on the bramble. It was difficult to tell how many were there but four at any one time was the maximum. Two Marbled White near the car park. One Ringlet, one Brown Argus, six Meadow Brown, lots of Large Skipper and a very scary looking Hornet!
Dave Wilton made a quick trip to Finemere today to check on the
Black Hairstreaks again and located at least 21.
Best of
all, though, was my first White Admiral, which was patrolling the area
around the first sign board! Other sightings were Grizzled Skipper (2), Ringlet
(1), Speckled Wood (9), Common Blue (4), Meadow Brown (29), Large Skipper
(27). Warning: horseflies everywhere (I've got the bites to prove
it!).
Dave Wilton decided to check some new sites for Black Hairstreaks on Tuesday that seemed to have potential. A possible site at Chilton drew a blank and he then went to the railway at nearby Dorton. Much to his surprise, he found two definite BH and the possibility of a third, all on blackthorn on the southern side of the railway. Another new site?
Tuesday
15th June 2004
Mark Calway, Species Champion for the
White-letter Hairstreak sent the following today: To add to
recent Hairstreak news, I'm advised that White-letter Hairstreaks have
been seen on the wing over the last week or so. I've not seen any yet, but I
did see two Purple Hairstreaks in Shinfield,
Berkshire this lunchtime. Thanks to those who have contacted me to advise of
sightings of the early stages of the White-Letter. Now it is time to really
keep your eyes peeled and record the adults. I'd be particularly interested in
any observations of egg-laying especially if it is not on Wych Elm. Happy
hunting. Mark
Tom Dunbar visited Blacklands Farm, North Bucks after work today in search of the Black Hairstreak. No BHS was seen. The last record there was 1994(?). Butterflies seen included 10 Large Skipper, 1 Brimstone, 3 Common Blue, 1 Marbled White, 10 Meadow Brown, 1 Speckled Wood and 3 Ringlet (new species for me this season).
Monday
14th June 2004
Tim & Colleen Watts visited Aston Clinton Ragpits today and recorded: 1 definite Ringlet, 1 Small Copper, a few tatty Common Blues, a Brimstone and 5 species of Orchid.
Dave Ferguson saw single Black Hairstreaks today on the south edge of Runt’s Wood and
on a hedge nearby. Ten in as many minutes on the south edge of Finemere Wood.
Also 2 Ringlets and a Comma (summer form) in Finemere Wood.
Yesterday he saw 4 Small Blues and a Green Hairstreak at the site near
Saunderton.
Thank you to Adrian Cadman, new to the website, for this report: June 13th Finemere Wood, 12 sightings of Black Hairstreak between 11am and noon at the principal site on the southern edge of the wood, including some dashing encounters (who says BH can't fly?). Then moved into the centre of the wood just beyond the seat; after about 20 mins search found egg-laying female on very low, thin, scrubby blackthorn. At the same time another BH was fluttering over the larger blackthorn against the woodland edge on the other side of the path.
Welcome to Allen Beechey, a member of Butterfly
Conservation who has recently moved to the Oxford area:
I thought that you might be interested in some butterfly sightings that my
partner, Kathryn, and I had at Whitecross Green Wood this afternoon, 13th
June. Having not seen either
Wood Whites or Black Hairstreaks before, we decided to have a look around
Whitecross Green Wood. I thought that it might be hard work to find the
Black Hairstreaks but as we walked out of the car park we spotted our first
two. Nectaring below the Blackthorn bush that the Hairstreaks were flying
around, were two Wood Whites! Mission accomplished! However, we decided to
carry on for a bit and counted 51 Black Hairstreaks, 30+ Wood Whites and
Large Skippers, Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, Common blues, all in numbers too
prolific to count. There were also 9 Painted ladies all flying
purposefully in a North Westerly direction. We missed out on the early White
Admiral but it had been seen today.
A visit today, 13th June, to some rough ground near David Redhead’s home, which borders the Oxford Ring Road, gave them their first Ringlets of the season, plus 7 other species - Common Blue, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Small White and Speckled Wood. David was very surprised not to see any Ringlets on the Shabbington Wood Transect the following day, 14th - only Large Skipper (23), Meadow Brown (15), Common Blue (12), Speckled Wood (6) and (unusually for a transect) Black Hairstreak (2).
Dave Wilton noted four Grizzled Skippers still active at Finemere when he went yesterday, 13th, while looking for Black Hairstreaks (9 seen). Dave says: “The Emperor Moth caterpillars that I found on the track near the road are now about an inch and a half long, look quite chunky and are starting to turn more green-looking. I could only find three of them (there were eleven originally) so perhaps the others have wandered off in search of another Blackthorn sapling.”
Nick Bowles reports the first UTB Ringlet near
Quainton on 12th June, on the rail line of the extant Aylesbury to
Calvert single track. He also saw a single Clouded Yellow (Finemere
Wood), about 7 Painted Lady and 4 Red Admiral. Migrants are definitely here and
the next few days should see their numbers swell rapidly (unless they simply
steam north straight through our area).
Saturday
12th June 2004
A team of UTB members and others had a very
successful day today, seeing in excess of 84 Black Hairstreaks at
12 sites. Click here for the full Black Hairstreak report.
Also seen were Clouded Yellow,
several Painted Ladies, Large Skippers, Speckled Woods, Common Blues,
Small Heaths, and Brown Argus. A newly emerged Marbled White,
still in the process of pumping up its wings, was spotted by Derek Brown – see
the photo below. Moths seen included Burnet Companion, Cinnabar, Blood Vein,
Silver-Y and a probable Forester.
The following report received from David Redhead today: I spent much of Thursday 10th on Otmoor. I saw a total of 25 Black Hairstreaks and think I have discovered a new colony. Also my first Meadow Browns of the year along with Large Skippers, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Common Blues, Small Coppers, a faded Peacock, Burnet Companions & Common Heath plus a Brown Hairstreak caterpillar.
In poorer
weather conditons the following day a short visit to the old Slade Camp area
at Shotover gave two sightings of Black Hairstreak but I think they
were probably the same individual. Also a Large Skipper and two Common Blues.
Another Finemere report from Dave Wilton from 10th
June: Here’s what the reserve had to offer this morning despite
the overcast conditions. Black Hairstreak (4), Meadow Brown (7), Large Skipper
(9), Common Blue (9), Small Heath (2), Red Admiral (1), Speckled Wood (13),
Small Copper (2), Brown Argus (2), Grizzled Skipper (1). The Black
Hairstreak and Red Admiral, plus yesterday's Painted Lady, bring me up to 21
different species recorded there over the last four weeks.
Thursday 10th
June 2004
Tony Croft
and his wife had a brilliant afternoon today at Whitecross Green Wood with the sighting of 14 Black
Hairstreak, 12 Wood White and an astonishingly early White Admiral. Tony remarks “We were quite
close to it and saw all its markings clearly. There is absolutely no doubt at
all that it was a White Admiral.” They also saw several Large Skipper, 2 Brown
Argus and lots of Common Blue. The Black Hairstreak were observed in several
locations which seems to indicate that they are spreading out.
Dave Maunder reports the following sightings: Thought I would mention
that today I saw my first Meadow brown of the year in Aylesbury, also my
1st summer-brood Sm. Tortoiseshell. I must be up to 19 in my species
count by now - I don't know if you're still updating this?
Also,
butterflies I've seen during the last few weeks are:- Common blues (15)-
most in Fairford leys, Small coppers(10), Holly blue (1- a late one on 6th),
Brimstone (female, on 23rd may), Large whites (2), Small whites (18+),
Green-veined whites (7), Orange tips (2, both male, on 8th- late specimens?),
Speckled woods (8- 1st of 2nd brood on 5th), various stages of Small
tortoiseshell larvae; also my 1st Red admiral of the year in town on 7th,
and my 1st Painted lady today, 8th June. The Small coppers
seem to be doing well again this spring after last year's population increase -
they're popping up in various places around town, especially along the Fairford
leys stream. That's all for now - with best wishes from Dave.
Wednesday 9th
June 2004
Four UTB members, including the Black Hairstreak Champion, had
an impromptu field trip to the Greater Finemere area this afternoon, 9th.
They had a stunning 2 hours with 45
Black Hairstreaks sighted at 3 sites; 33 seen at one location which
contrasts with a more normal 7 or 8 there last year. The weather conditions
were overcast but warm, possibly 23 degrees.
Other species seen were Large Skipper 16, Brimstone 1, Common Blue 11,
Small Copper 1, Painted Lady 2, Meadow Brown 1, Small Heath 12.
Wonderful!
8/6/04 - 4 Painted lady on farmland at Berryfields Aylesbury. Certainly 4 as 2 were tumbling together on a track and 2 doing the same about a mile away reached by car. Tim & Colleen Watts
David Redhead reports that things have been a bit quiet in their
garden recently but
a Speckled Wood & worn Comma were seen on the 7th and then yesterday
(8th) a Painted Lady and a worn Red Admiral. Our first
Silver-Y moth of the year as well yesterday.
Derek & Cathy Brown have just returned from a
few days in Argyllshire where they went to see the Chequered Skipper:
”Nearly got drowned and got eaten alive by midges but they finally came out on
our final visit to Glasdrum Wood NNR as we were preparing to head back. Photos
of male, female, and underside below.
David Fuller saw 2 Painted Ladies in Windsor Park today, his
first of the season.
On Monday 7th June Paul Bowyer went to the football
ground at Derehams Lane Loudwater at about 5.30 p.m. in search of the Small
Blue. I saw 3 butterflies - 1 Small Copper, 1 Common Blue and 1 Painted
Lady. This was my first sighting of a Painted Lady within the U.T.B. area.
Not only were there no Small Blues, but I could find very few Kidney Vetch
plants in the whole area. This was an area where Kidney Vetch covered the bank
for the whole length of the football pitch.
Dennis Dell reports: Extraordinary, so far today: I did my transect at Finemere and saw the 'expected' things plus my 1st Meadow Brown and Grizzled Skippers (which I note someone has already seen there a couple of days ago). I then came home for lunch, and saw something tiny land on our French Marigolds....a Grizzled Skipper! A few minutes later a Small Copper came in to the garden too. Amazing as our garden is tiny and in the middle of a housing estate, although it is just 200 metres from a golf course.
A team of UTB members have been busy this week surveying in the
Chilterns for the elusive Adonis Blue. This followed concerns expressed
at the UTB Champions meeting held in March 2004 that this butterfly had suffered
a serious decline in recent years. Its status on a number of public access
sites was of particular concern.
We are very pleased to report that 3 adults were seen at
Hartslock near Goring on 2.06.2004 after an absence of 5 years (based on
reported sightings to UTB). However it does not seem to be present on the
nearby Lardon Chase where it was a regular occurrence until 2002.
The really good news is that the Adonis is present on at least
three further sites in the Goring area. They are privately owned. One of these
sites contains a very strong colony. 40 individuals were seen here on
6.06.2004. Perhaps the area contains a meta-colony with movement between sites.
Indeed there may be further colonies in suitable adjacent habitats.
A further colony was located at Yoesden Bank, Radnage on
04.06.2004 when 2 males were seen flying in poor weather conditions. The
butterfly has appeared sporadically at this site in past years, the last
sighting being in 2000. The status of this colony is unknown, the suspicion
being that it may be an introduction. However there have been other singular
sightings in the Chilterns in recent years, notably at Aston Rowant in
2003.
The Adonis Blue has been expanding its range in Sussex and Dorset
in recent years, which may explain our relative success in finding colonies in
the Chilterns.
It is imperative that any further sightings of Adonis Blue are
reported to the UTB Adonis Blue Champion Maureen Cross at maa.cross@btinternet.com
Sunday
6th June 2004
Tim & Colleen Watts visited the Calvert landfill today and recorded: 30+ small Heath, 50+ common blue, 1 grizzled skipper,1 large skipper, 1 dingy skipper (tatty), 2 small copper, 10 Cinnabar moth, 2 small white, + I medium sized dark brown virtually unmarked butterfly that we didn't get a decent look at, but think it was a Ringlet. If that's too early maybe a dark meadow brown?
Dennis Dell found that Small Heath was the most abundant species on Ivinghoe Beacon today: about 20 seen; several Brown Argus, and one Small Copper too.
Kerry Taylor went to Broughton Grounds near Milton Keynes, North
Bucks, today 6th June: I stopped counting Small Heath at 30, must have been easily
50 plus. Also noted approximately 15 Brown Argus along with 2 Common
Blue, and one each of Large White, Brimstone and Small Copper. Moths noted were Silver Ground Carpet and
Cinnabar.The best area was the edge of the set-aside field on the eastern side
of Broughton Grounds.
Dave Wilton paid another quick visit to Finemere
this morning before going to work. This produced one new species –
and the first UTB sighting for 2004 - a single Meadow
Brown. Other sightings comprised Common Blue (7), Brown Argus (2), Small
Copper (1), Speckled Wood (4), Large White (1), GV White (1), Orange-tip (2),
Small Heath (2) and Grizzled Skipper (2). Also found about half a dozen
all-black "spiky" caterpillars about a half-inch long beside the
track leading to the reserve. They looked like Peacock but were feeding on new
Blackthorn growth.
[Anyone know what the caterpillars might be?]
Kerry Taylor went to Little Linford Wood, North Bucks, on 5th
June: Despite
being a cool overcast day I decided to have a look for Wood Whites. None
were flying but I did eventually find 1 female settled on the grass.
Apart from the Wood White all I saw butterfly wise was one Common Blue and 1
Speckled Wood.
Saturday 5th
June 2004
A group of 5 UTB Members, keen to see an Adonis Blue, decided on a
visit to Yoesden Bank today, after David Ferguson’s success yesterday. Despite the weather being rather
cool and cloudy they were delighted to spot at least 2 Adonis Blue
males. There were quite a few Common Blues present (a total of
approximately 50 was counted) and a good presence of Small Blues (10+).
Other species seen were: 3 Brown Argus, a Dingy Skipper, 3 Small Heath, one Large
Skipper, Red Admiral and a Green-veined White. About 20 Small Tortoiseshell
larvae were in different stages of development on a patch of nettles.
Moths
noted were: Burnet Companion, Pyrausta sp.,
Straw Dot, Heart & Dart, Cinnabar, Yellow Shell.
David Redhead, Mick & Wendy Campbell carried on to Finemere
Wood after Yoesden Bank, in the hope that the sun would come out (no luck
unfortunately!) and recorded Small Heath (2), Common Blue (4), Brown Argus (1),
Speckled Wood (4). Burnet Companion
moths (2) and a Silver-ground Carpet were also recorded.
David Redhead then continued on to look for Wood Whites at
Whitecross Green Wood: I found 4 Wood Whites but
only covered a fraction of their territory. Managed to get a picture of a pair
just beginning their courtship - the female (on the left in the photo below)
was already roosting and the male flew in and joined her while I was watching.
Also saw a pristine Large Skipper (photo below) and a
Large White, which was another species for the day. A very enjoyable day except for the lack of
sun, which came out in Oxford just after my arrival home at 6pm!
Friday 4th
June 2004
This afternoon, 4th June, at Yoesden Bank David Ferguson
had the remarkable sighting of 3+ m Adonis Blues. Other butterflies seen were:
62+ Common Blues; 3 Small Blues; 1 Green Hairstreak; 2 Peacocks; 1 Small White;
3 Dingy Skippers; 6 Mother Shiptons. A picture
of one of the Adonis Blues to follow.
Tom Dunbar and Mick Campbell were targeting, in particular, Small
Blue today and visited a number of sites:
At
Prestwood Picnic Site they saw: 6
Brimstone, 1 GV White, 7 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper, 1 Green Hairstreak.
At Cadsden Woods they checked out a known site for the Duke of Burgundy but to no avail. However they were delighted to locate 1 Grizzled Skipper and 1 ripe strawberry which was very tasty.
Across the road at Grangelands they were both very excited to find 3 Small Blue accompanied by 2 Dingy Skipper, 1 Large Skipper, 2 Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Orange Tip, 108 Common Blue, 3 Brown Argus, 9 Small Heath.
At the nearby Rifle Range, under deteriorating weather conditions, they tracked down 1 Dingy Skipper, 1 Brimstone, 7 Common Blue, 1 Small Blue, 2 Small Heath.
Rather late in the
afternoon, they reached Holtspur Reserve Flower Meadow at 6.15. They did
manage to locate 8 Common Blue. Then to their delight a Small Blue showed
itself at 6.55 pm and sunned itself it the warm evening sunshine. Moths seen
included a number of Burnet Companion and a Mother Shipton.
This brought an amazingly successful day to a close with a total of 165 sightings, including 3 new Small Blue sites. Tomorrow the target will include Adonis Blue in the South Bucks area.
On Hedgerley HIll yesterday, 3rd June, David Ferguson recorded: 1 Painted Lady, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Common Blues.
This site was created from the spoil produced by the widening of the M40. It is now an excellent wildflower site (Ragged Robins and Oxe-eye Daisies and Bird's-foot Trefoil in flower now).
Thursday 3rd
June 2004
At the Blue Lagoon on Sunday 30 May Kerry Taylor reports these
sightings:
Grizzled Skipper – 2 mating; Dingy Skipper – 2; Small Blue – approx 10;
Also Green-veined White, Common Blue, Brimstone and Burnet Companion.
Adonis Blue was the target yesterday, 2nd, for Tom
Dunbar and Mick Campbell on their visit to Hartslock. After a period searching for the
foodplant they located several patches followed by the sighting of 3 pristine
male Adonis
Blues. They continued on to Lardon Chase where they met up with Maureen
Cross, Adonis Blue Species Champion. They didn’t locate any Adonis, but did
find 3 Small Blue, Red Admiral, a number of Dingy Skippers, Common Blues
and Brown Argus.
Tuesday 1st
June 2004
David Fuller saw these butterflies at Watlington today: Common Blue 26, Brown Argus 13, Small Copper
2, Dingy Skipper 3, Small Heath 5, Brimstone.
Also a Red Admiral in his Maidenhead garden yesterday.
Jack Peeters, UTB Species Champion for the Wall Brown recorded one yesterday at Quainton
Hills, typically on bare ground (on the edge of a badger sett).
[Please keep an eye out for this elusive butterfly and send in any
sightings.]