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Butterfly Blog

And finally ...

27/9/2022

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GH, GK  and BG walked transect 26, the final one for 2022, on Sunday afternoon. It was good to have GK back in the team after a few weeks' absence. The forecast sunny weather didn't quite materialise and we had to make do with a hazy sun trying to penetrate varying amounts of high cloud – pretty much the same as we've had for several recent transect walks.
 
The autumn decline continues and our butterfly sightings were similar to those reported over the past few weeks.  We recorded 5
Meadow Brown, and 1 Brown Argus,, 1 Common Blue and 1 Speckled Wood.
 
This was the poorest year for butterfly numbers since we started recording back in 2016. The spring figures were on the poor side of average and then the severe summer drought made the situation worse as the butterflies' food plants died in the extreme heat. There's a possibility that, with the plants being drought-distressed, this year's caterpillars may not have been able to find the food plants they rely on to build themselves up for over-winter pupation, resulting in fewer butterflies in 2023. We'll find out in 6 months' time when we start the next transect season.
Survey by Graham H, Graham K and Brian Gardner
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (
UKBMS).  ​
​Report by Brian Gardner. ​Pics by Graham K and Brian G.
​​Click pics to enlarge.
Contented Herdwick, Stagbury -BG
The last Brown Argus, Fames Rough -GK
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Transect section 1, the recently mown Hither Field -GK
Picture
The transectuals (Graham H & Treacle, Graham K and Brian G) in section 7, Hill Wood Field -GK
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One more to go ...

23/9/2022

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The sky was cloudy and unpromising as GH and BG began the first four sections of Wednesday morning's penultimate transect but, as we entered Fames Rough, the sun appeared, raising the temperature nicely for the remainder of our walk.
 
As anticipated, this week's count was lower than last week's despite the ideal conditions – we recorded a total of 11 butterflies from 4 species (4
Meadow Brown, 3 Brown Argus, 3 Common Blue and brief glimpse of our only Brown Hairstreak of the season). Next week marks the end of the transect season. 
 
In section 8 and 9 (Hill Wood Field and Barn Field) we were treated to a 'Raptor Fest' that began with a good view of pair of red kites circling over HWF and then, in BF, we looked up to see a Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawks and a Buzzard, all in view at the same time. Among these was another hobby-shaped bird, but larger, that BG suggested might even have been a peregrine
– GH said he wasn't able to confirm this with such a brief sighting. GH suspected that all of these birds of prey may have been drawn in to feed on flying insects disturbed by the extensive grass mowing taking place in the Chipstead Valley fields.
Survey by Graham H and Brian Gardner
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (
UKBMS).  ​
​Report and pics by Brian Gardner. ​
​​Click pics to enlarge.
Picture
Brown Argus, Fames Rough
Picture
Can anyone identify this mushroom found by the line of beeches between Fames Rough and Harholt Plantation?
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Bonus Brown Argus

13/9/2022

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With only two weeks to go to the end of the 26-week butterfly counting season, transect 24 was walked on Monday by GH and BG. Although cloudy to start with, the weather soon picked up nicely to give a fine warm early autumn morning.
 
Once again the count consisted of Meadow Browns, Common Blues plus a Small White and a couple of Speckled Woods, to which were added the surprise bonus of seven Brown Arguses – we've only recorded one of these in each of the months of June, July and August. 

Count details:
14 
Meadow Brown
  7 Brown Argus
  5 Common Blue
  2 Speckled Wood
  1 Small White
 
Summary:
29 butterflies from 5 species.

Click on butterfly names for more info.
​Survey by Graham H and Brian Gardner
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (
UKBMS).  ​
​Report and pics by Brian Gardner. ​
​​Click pics to enlarge.
Brown Argus on Oak leaf, Fames Rough
Meadow Brown, Fames Rough
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Fewer flying

8/9/2022

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With two of the transect team elsewhere, BG was on his own for this week's transect , walked on Tuesday morning when the forecast was for a few hours of settled weather. It actually turned out to be a fairly reasonable day, despite a persistent breeze.
 
Starting the transect once again at Section 11 (Stagbury Field), where there were Chalkhill Blues in recent weeks, there was only one male
Common Blue, bright blue and in pristine condition. Four more CBs, all females, were recorded in Fames Rough (Sections 3 & 4).
 

Meadow Browns are also surviving mainly in Fames Rough (five) and Barn Field (four) and with three singletons seen in Hither Field (Section 1), Harholt Plantation (Section 6) and Great Parsons Field (Section 9).
 
Two Small Heaths were in Fames Fough and Hill Wood Field (Section 7) and a trio of Speckled Woods were flying on the wooded downhill path between Hill Wood and Great Parsons.
 
The total count was 22 butterflies from 4 species.
​
Click on butterfly names for more info.
Picture
Male Common Blue, Stagbury Field
Picture
Female Common Blue, Fames Rough
Picture
Meadow Brown, Great Parsons Field
​Survey by Brian Gardner
​submitted to Butterfly Conservation (
UKBMS).  ​
​Report and pics by Brian Gardner. ​
​​Click pics to enlarge.
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    The Transect Team

    Here you'll find details and pictures from the team carrying out our regular  butterfly surveys (known as transects) over 26 weeks during Spring and Summer.

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  • Home
  • About Us
  • The area we cover
  • Featured creatures
  • Our Butterflies
    • Butterfly Blog
  • Bird Count
  • Toolkit
  • Photo Calendar
  • Countryside Videos
  • CONTACT/MORE INFO
  • Grassland Survey
  • SAFE WORKING