Still dry and windy

24/4/2022

This sunny, dry but windy April has provided temperatures that occasionally lifted above those favoured by butterflies and we have been lucky to being able to walk three of the first four transects in reasonably suitable conditions.

GH, GK and BG did this season's fourth transect on Sunday afternoon, once again starting the circuit at Section 10. Despite the warmer temperature, there was a strong NE breeze and, except for one Brimstone seen in each of Sections 8 and 11, the day's focus for counting was entirely in the more sheltered Fames Rough and Harholt Plantation (Sections 2 to 5).

As for the previous two transects, it was the Brimstones and Peacocks that were out in the highest numbers, along with Commas and Orange Tips but we also recorded our first Dingy Skippers on Coneyboro and Fames Rough, plus a single Holly Blue.

We're hoping that the sheep grazing on Coneyboro will be removed soon so that the flowers waiting to come through on the newly cleared field can emerge without been eaten. The Kidney Vetch plants in our cleared square in Barn Field are coming through strongly (as they are also in the information-board area adjacent to Holly Lane car park). We also looked for the KV on Hither Field and although we're fully confident that it's still there in good numbers we couldn't see any – just difficult to spot.

Count Summary:
20 Brimstone
15 Peacock
5 Dingy Skipper
4 Comma
3 Orange Tip
1 Holly Blue
Total: 48 Butterflies from 6 species.
Click on butterfly names for more info.

Survey by Brian Gardner, Graham H and Graham K submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS).
Report by Brian Gardner. Pics by Graham K.
Click on pics to enlarge.