Blog Archives

Warm but cloudy

26/7/2022

The weather forecast for Monday morning was for reasonable conditions but as GH and BG started the transect it was mainly cloudy with a strong SW wind. Fortunately, at around 24 degrees, it was fairly warm and we saw that there were fewer butterflies in the sections exposed to the wind and more where there was shelter.

The less than ideal weather gave an overall result of a very reduced version of last week's count, i.e. fewer butterflies from fewer species.

Count details:
52 Meadow Brown
38 Gatekeeper
14 Chalkhill Blue
2 Purple Hairstreak
1 Clouded Yellow
1 Peacock
1 Small Copper

Summary:
109 butterflies from 7 species.
Click on butterfly names for more info.

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

Purple Hairstreak, HIll Wood Field

Chalkhill Blue, Stagbury Field

Gatekeeper on Ragwort flowers, Harholt Plantation

Small Copper, Stagbury Field

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Phew!

22/7/2022

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Week 16's transect was walked on Wednesday 20th July, the day after the UK recorded its highest ever temperature. GH, GK and BG started the transect at 10am and it was still quite hot at around the 30 degree mark but with a pleasant breeze.

As soon as we had begun the walk at Section 11, Stagbury Field, we started seeing newly emerged Chalkhill Blues flying over the Horseshoe Vetch patch that our group has nurtured over recent years. Stagbury Field is the only area that has this Vetch in abundance and because this is the natural food for the Chalkhill's caterpillars it is where we see the adult Chalkhill Blues. This got us off to a good start.

It was another day for seeing Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers, with both species recorded in most of the transect's 12 sections. We also saw a good number of the (second brood?) Common Blues. We recorded two Clouded Yellows in Fames Rough. We only see CYs once or twice in a season and it's interesting to note that for the past 3 years we've had our first sightings in Week 16. But the most exciting new arrivals spotted were two Purple Hairstreaks, who are also Week 16 regulars, flying around the oaks facing on to Hill Wood Field (Section 7). One PH posed patiently for us to photograph.

On the down side, the Small/Essex Skipper numbers have crashed since last week, with only one individual counted. Marbled White and Ringlet numbers were also significantly down.

Count Details:
139 Meadow Brown
86 Gatekeeper
20 Marbled White
14 Common Blue
9 Chalkhill Blue
7 Ringlet
4 Small White
3 Small Copper
2 Clouded Yellow
2 Large White
2 Purple Hairstreak
2 Silver-washed Fritillary
1 Small/Essex Skipper
1 Comma
1 Peacock
1 Speckled Wood

Summary:
294 butterflies from 16 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 and Brian G.
Click on pics to enlarge.

Silver-washed Fritillary, Fames Rough -BG

Gatekeeper, Hill Wood Field -GK

Marbled White, Fames Rough -GK

Small Copper, Fames Rough -GK

Purple Hairstreak, Hill Wood Field -GK

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Scorchio!

12/7/2022

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With temperatures set to set rise sharply during the day, GK, GH and BG started Monday's transect earlier than usual, at 10am, but even at that time it was already 28 degrees in the brilliant sushine. During the transect the temperature topped 34 degrees and we should consider whether we want or need to do future transects in such extreme conditions.

Once again we started Monday's walk at Section 11, proceeding to 12, then on to Section 1 and so on, ending at 10. The high temperature and the light breeze brought out a a total of 346 butterflies, replacing last week's total of 305 as the highest this year. We recorded plenty of high-season Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites, Ringlets, Gatekeepers and Small/Essex Skippers, especially on Hill Wood Field (Section 7) which is now where we see the most butterflies. Although Fames Rough (Sections 2 & 3) is, sadly, poorer in butterflies than in previous years, it is still favoured by the spectacular Silver-washed Fritillaries and while there we were treated to a high-speed formation fly-past of three SwFs.

We also had the first sightings of the second-brood Common Blues and Brown Argus and Small Coppers. Here's hoping they have a good season.

There is now a herd of goats on Coneyboro Hill (Section 2) with the task of eating the overgrowth of scrub. Pics below.

Count details:
123 Meadow Brown
72 Marbled White
47 Gatekeeper
40 Small/Essex Skipper
(1 confirmed Essex)
32 Ringlet
7 Silver-washed Fritillary
6 Small White
4 Large White
3 Brimstone
3 Comma
3 Small Copper
1 Large Skipper
1 Brown Argus
1 Common Blue
1 Peacock
1 Red Admiral
1 Speckled Wood

Summary:
346 butterflies from 17 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 and Brian G.
Click on pics to enlarge.

Silver-washed Fritillary, Fames Rough -BG

Silver-washed Fritillary taking off, Fames Rough -GK

Gatekeeper, Hill Wood Field -GK

Large Skipper, Hill Wood Field -BG

Speckled Wood, Coneyboro Hill -GK

Worn Meadow Brown, Hill Wood Field -GK

"Who goats there?" Part of the herd occupying Coneyboro Hill. Our transectual tourists on path. -GK

Sensible goat in shade. Note the GPS tracker. -BG

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Highest numbers so far

6/7/2022

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GH and BG walked this week's transect on Monday in fine weather that gave us the highest butterfly count so far this year. This was due mostly to the annual high summer boom in numbers of Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites, Ringlets and Small/Essex Skippers. We also saw our first Gatekeepers and Silver-washed Fritillaries. Once again, we recorded more butterflies on Hill Wood Field (Section 7) than on any of the other sections, including the previously reliable Fames Rough – this is a new finding for 2022.

We understand that work is planned for clearing the overgrown path through Section 3, the lower path of Fames Rough. Some of the thorn bushes on the upper path (Section 4) have already been removed. See pic below.

Although Coneyboro Hill (Section 2) continues to have fewer butterflies than in previous years we were pleased to see a spectacular Hummingbird Hawk Moth flitting about in its distinctive flight.

Count Details:
104 Marbled White
91 Meadow Brown
69 Ringlet
21 Small/Essex Skipper
(1 confirmed Small)
5 Silver-washed Fritillary
3 Gatekeeper
3 Large White
3 Small White
2 Comma
1 Painted Lady
1 Red Admiral
1 Small Heath
1 Speckled Wood

Summary:
305 butterflies from 13 species.
Click on butterfly names for more info.

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