** September to December
2006 Archive **
(Photos
have been removed to save space.)
Saturday
30th December 2006
Ali Latham sent the following report from Reading today, Saturday 30th December, which may well be the last butterfly sighting for 2006: “Thought you might like to know that I saw a Red Admiral this morning, 30th, flying down the road during the mild, sunny break. Was great to see it!”
Tuesday
19th December 2006
On Sunday 17th December Paul Bowyer saw 2 Red Admirals in his front
garden in Flackwell Heath at about
11.30am: “They flew around for a while and perched on the Sky dish. I wonder
what they are doing for Christmas?”
17th December – Dave Wilton reports that a couple more Brown Hairstreak egg searches over the past few days have confirmed another twelve kilometre squares around Ambrosden and to the south and west of Bernwood Forest, taking this year's total well past 100 squares (see links above for the latest Brown Hairstreak Distribution Map).
Monday
11th December 2006
Pete Eeles visited Bowdown Woods, just north of Greenham Common, on
Sunday 10th December: “I managed to locate 15 Purple Hairstreak eggs on 2
trees – the same 2 trees that seem to attract Purple Hairstreak every year!
They’re in a typical Purple Hairstreak oviposition position (!) – trees in a
sheltered area at the edge of the wood, with a south-facing aspect. This is a
good time of year to look for the eggs since they stick out like a sore thumb.
I wonder why they’re bright white – perhaps to inform other ovipositing females
that an egg is already on the bud? An excellent video, by Peter Kirby, gives
guidance on how to locate Purple Hairstreak eggs. It can be found on the UK
Butterflies website at http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?vernacular_name=Purple%20Hairstreak.”
Friday
8th December 2006
On 6th December Dave Maunder was surprised to see a Red Admiral flying in the midday sun in his mother's garden in Aylesbury.
Dave Wilton located some more Brown Hairstreak eggs on Wednesday 6th December: “This afternoon (6th) another 49 Brown Hairstreak eggs were found in six kilometre squares to the north of Bernwood Forest before bad light stopped play.”
[See the links to the latest Brown Hairstreak Distribution Map
above.]
Sunday
3rd December 2006
Martin Raper sent the following sighting in on Saturday 2nd December: “Our Red Admiral came out for a fly around the car port today 2nd December. Also a Blackcap singing at the bottom of our garden (in Purley-on-Thames, Reading)!”
Tim
Watts reports a Red
Admiral in central Aylesbury on Thursday
30th November. He also read reports on the Portland Bill Bird Observatory website of
several Red Admirals and a Painted Lady on 2nd December!
[The Portland Bill website is an excellent place to keep an
eye on migration activities of birds, butterflies and moths. A moth-trap is run
there every night. Click the “Latest News” link to see their latest sightings.]
Sunday
26th November 2006
Tim Watts recorded a Peacock in central Aylesbury on 24th
November and a Red Admiral at Hillesden
today, Sunday 26th.
Tuesday
21st November 2006
Richard Soulsby recorded yet another late Red Admiral, seen at work
(Howbery Park near Wallingford) at lunchtime on 21st November: “It was basking for quite a while on
a metal wall. Sunny, but temp only 9C.”
“On Sunday 19th November I saw a Red Admiral at Shardeloes near Amersham.” Steve Pash.
Paul Bowyer sent this news on 20th November: “I saw a Red Admiral in my
garden in Flackwell Heath on Saturday 18th November. How many more will I see
this year?”
Dave Wilton reported on another successful hunt for Brown Hairstreak eggs on 19th November: “A quick search this afternoon, Sunday 19th November, lasting just an hour and a half, added another six egg squares in the Brill and Ludgershall area to this year's Brown Hairstreak distribution map, one of which is a completely new square. The combined egg total came to 19 (plus one empty egg shell from last year) and the majority of them were on roadside hedgerows. There are plenty more squares which need to be confirmed for this year, many of them in Brown Hairstreak "hot-spots", so it would be very nice if a few more people would go out and look!”
From just over the border in Tring, Nick Bowles sent the following news on 19th November: “To my joy, 2 Red Admirals sunbathing by the football pitch at back of my house while I watched some Sunday league and one of them laid an egg (19th Nov). So now I have two larvae under observation and yet another egg to watch. Both larvae inside tents so I don't know if they are continuing to grow or simply quiescent - conundrum is that if I open the tent to find out I will probably kill them. Shall have to continue checking and maybe eventually the larvae will move to a new leaf.”
A couple more late season butterflies received from Dave Maunder: “Seen on 18th November - a Red Admiral sunning itself on a house near mine in Aylesbury and a Peacock seen in woods near Gt. Hampden - these late ones can't go on much longer!”
Friday
17th November 2006
On 16th November, Dennis Dell reported a few more
butterfly sightings: “While walking the Brill Tramway Trail,
Bucks, with a friend on 9th
November, I saw a Red Admiral at Quainton railway station and
a Small Tortoiseshell on the hillside at Waddesdon Manor just below the
tree line.”
Dave Maunder sent this email on 14th November: “Seems like it's mainly late Red Admirals being reported now and over the last few days I've seen another 4 around Aylesbury, the latest being yesterday morning (13th).
Martin Raper sent the following news on Tuesday 14 November: “In Purley on Thames, for the last few weeks, we have had a Red Admiral that roosts for the night, or when it's raining, under our car port. Once, in October, it roosted for 6 days without flying. It roosts in a besom broom that I wedged under the plastic. Still flying about today 14th November.”
Monday
13th November 2006
Tim Watts saw a Red Admiral in Whitchurch, Bucks,
on Sunday 12th November.
Nick Bowles sent the following update on 12th November: “I took another look a the Red Admiral eggs I saw laid last week as I couldn't find any butterflies (though I did see a Common Darter dragonfly at College Lake, Bucks/Herts border, while we were planting Horseshoe vetch in another attempt to persuade Chalkhill Blue to do more than make annual visits). I was slightly surprised to see two of the eggs unhatched and one now larva. Also one other larva very close by which was being visited by a wasp (presumed parasitic) that seemed unable to penetrate the larval tent.”
Paul Bowyer sent the following report for Saturday 11th November: “Saturday morning I saw a Red Admiral in a garden in Little Chalfont. In the afternoon (at 5 to 3.00) at Adams Park. High Wycombe, another Red Admiral on the corner flag at the F.A. cup tie between Wycombe and Oxford. It flew south before the match started. A discerning butterfly!”
After work on Friday afternoon, 10th November, Dave
Wilton managed to find Brown Hairstreak eggs in SP6915 and SP7014: “The latter is another brand new
square, with a single Brown Hairstreak egg find at SP 704140 beside the
village seat at the road junction in Ashendon.
At the same place I found seven Blue-bordered Carpet eggs and 31 Seven
-spot Ladybirds congregating on the blackthorn.”
Thursday
9th November 2006
Jan Haseler took the photos
below and top of page of a rather worn Red Admiral on a
tombstone in Swallowfield Churchyard today,
9th November.
On Thursday 9th November Tim Watts sent the following: “1 Red Admiral and 1 Peacock in central Aylesbury today, 9th November.”
Dave Wilton sent the following report on Wednesday 8th November: “Having added four Brown Hairstreak egg squares to the Brown Hairstreak distribution map yesterday (all in the vicinity of Piddington and Ludgershall, I had another foray out this afternoon and managed to add four more around Dorton and Wotton Underwood, one of which is a brand new square. The south-eastern edge of Howe Wood (Dorton) produced 43 Brown Hairstreak eggs, many more than I've recorded there in the past, which gives me hope that we may be able to extend the distribution map eastwards this season. The other squares in which eggs were found were all in a line due north from there and included SP 6816 which up until today had been an annoying hole in the map. This square is entirely on the Wotton House estate and the one public footpath which runs through it gives access to very little blackthorn. Today it seemed that every little bit had an egg on it and, all told, eight were found there. Other sightings on the blackthorn included a Drinker Moth caterpillar (about 3cms in length) and in excess of a hundred 16-Spot Ladybirds.”
Tuesday
7th November 2006
Martin Harvey sent this report on 6th November of some late butterflies: “Some flowering Chrysanthemums by my front door (Great Kimble, Bucks) are still attracting clouds of hoverflies and today, 6th November, also a Red Admiral, a Painted Lady, a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell. These are my latest ever records for the Admiral and Lady.”
5th November - Paul Bowyer has also reported seeing Red
Admirals: “1 Red
Admiral in a garden at Little Chalfont on
the 5th November. 1 at Burnham Nature Trail lunch time on the 6th November.”
Tim Watts sent the following sightings report on 6th November: “November 4th; 5 Red Admirals seen at 5 different mid-Bucks sites and a Painted Lady at Claydon House. On November 5th 4 Red Admirals at four sites visited.”
From just over the border in Tring, Herts, Nick Bowles watched a Red Admiral laying eggs on 5th November!
See Nick’s full report on the Herts & Middx Branch website.
Richard Soulsby sent this message on 5th November: “Like Dave Wilton, I can't find any
November records for my garden, looking back as far as 1997. But on Saturday 4/11/06 I had both a Red Admiral and
a Small Tortoiseshell in my garden in Benson.
And today, 5/11, I saw one or two presumed Red Admirals flying near Swyncombe.”
5th November – Dave Maunder says he’s also been seeing butterflies in low temperatures recently: “ A few Red Admirals (5+) during this last week active in very low temperatures, usually early morning with temps around freezing - surprised me! Today, 5th, I saw Red Admirals (4), and a male Brimstone near Fairford Leys. Yesterday, 4th November, I saw my latest ever Painted Lady sighting - is all this late activity related to `global warming`?”
Friday
3rd November 2006
Dave Wilton sent this news today, Friday 3rd November: “I don't recall ever having seen a butterfly in my garden at Westcott in November until this year. Over the last three sunny days we've had activity from a Red Admiral, presumably the same one as it doesn't seem to stray very far from a couple of favoured spots, sunning itself on our south-facing house walls. The outside air temperature has not achieved much more than 7 or 8 degrees Celsius.”
On Thursday 2nd November Jan Haseler sent this report: “Attached is a picture (see below) of a fresh-looking and active Clouded Yellow which was nectaring on a variety of flowers at Green Park, Reading today, 2nd November, in bright sunshine, but a temperature of 9C.”
Tuesday
31st October 2006
Dave Wilton added another Brown Hairstreak egg square to the Distribution Map on 30th October: “It was at SP 6719: There are still too many leaves on the blackthorn at present but the frosts expected later this week should improve things.”
Dennis Dell was walking the Aylesbury Round Walk on Sunday 29th: “At the north-western corner along
the River Thame I saw two Red Admirals and a worn Speckled Wood.”
Dave Maunder sent the following sightings on Sunday 29th October: “What a glorious day! And some nice late season butterflies seen on our allotments in Aylesbury today: Red Admiral (5); Peacock (1); Small Tortoiseshell (1); Small White (1), and my latest ever Common Blue - a very worn male (see photo below)! Also, during last week, I saw Red Admiral (5), and on 26th October I found a pristine male Holly Blue in St. Mary's churchyard in Aylesbury (not quite the latest I've ever seen – in 2004 I saw one on 30th October).”
Wendy & Mick Campbell counted 7 Red Admirals on their walk on the Ridgeway Trail at Ivinghoe Beacon on Sunday 29th. Also, in their garden near Thame on Friday 27th October they had a visit from a pristine Painted Lady which was nectaring on the buddleia in rather cool and overcast conditions (see photos below).
Thursday
26th October 2006
Wendy & Mick Campbell walked a section of the Ridgeway National Trail near Wantage, Oxfordshire, on Tuesday 24th October. The weather started off rather overcast but by midday had cleared to warm sunshine, about 15 degrees. Along the first part of the track, sheltered on both sides by hedges, they counted 7 Red Admirals nectaring on the flowering ivy. The trail then opened out to beautiful rolling downland countryside and they saw a steady stream of migrating Red Admirals heading across the trail in a south-easterly direction. By the end of their 4-hour walk they had counted a total of 51 Red Admirals. Also seen were Painted Lady (1 – also flying southeast) and Peacock (1). In their garden near Thame today, 26th, several Red Admirals and a Comma nectaring on the few remaining buddleia flowers and the Bowles Mauve wallflowers.
Dave Maunder reported some more sightings of butterflies in Aylesbury,
seen since Monday 16th: “Red Admirals (8); Comma (1); Small
Tortoiseshell (1); Peacock (1- seen at Eythrope on 21st).”
Wednesday
18th October 2006
Dennis Dell sent this report on 15th October: “As people are seeing a lot of Red Admirals this year, I thought the following news from Don Otter, who looks after Ivinghoe Beacon/Steps Hill for the National Trust, might be interesting for the website because it denotes migration activity: ‘On Tuesday 10th I watched Red Admirals flying southwards past Steps Hill. Saw over 40 in 20 minutes, all flying singly in the same direction. Also 1 Painted Lady and 1 Clouded Yellow.’ In my own garden in Aylesbury, the 'large numbers' of Red Admirals finished during the third week in September, and I've seen only dribs and drabs since then. They are still around though, and maybe those we are still seeing are going to hibernate here.”
Dennis, who is the UTB Purple Emperor Species Champion, also sent the following photo, taken recently, of a 3rd instar Purple Emperor larva which he found on a Sallow in Waterperry Wood: “The larva won’t go into hibernation until the Sallow leaves start to die and, as you can see, it’s still quite green. Its silken pad is quite obvious.”
A few more sightings were reported by Dave Maunder on 15th
October: “Painted Lady (1), Red Admiral (2), Peacock (1),
and Small White (1) - all butterflies were seen at my allotment in Aylesbury.”
Saturday
14th October 2006
Dave Maunder sent the following on 14th October: “After reading Dave
Wilton's report of 12th, I can also say I noted a couple of Red
Admirals flying south past my house on the same day (12th) - both early
morning at 8.20am! Also, numbers now have dramatically dropped on my normal
cycle-routes around Aylesbury town, with only 4 spotted today, whereas a week
ago the Ivy bushes everywhere were covered in them! Other sightings recently
include: Clouded Yellow (1, very worn on 8th); Peacock (1); Comma
(1); and Small Tortoiseshell (1) - the last three on 14th.”
On 14th October Richard Soulsby added to the Red Admiral
migration news:
“Having read Dave Wilton's report from the 12th, I was driving
yesterday (13th October)
along the B4009 from Chinnor to Benson and
saw about 4 or 5 (presumed) Red Admirals flying high and purposefully
from right to left (roughly southeastwards). Also a male Brimstone in Chinnor, and a Peacock sunning itself on
my house wall in Benson. Then later 10
Red Admirals nectaring on an ivy-covered tree near the river in Benson. The
previous day (12th) at work (Howbery
Park near Wallingford) I saw 14 Red Admirals nectaring on ivy, plus
a Speckled Wood and a Peacock. At Swyncombe
Downs this afternoon (14th October) in warm sunshine I
saw 5 Red Admirals and one very tatty Meadow Brown (see photo below)”.
13th October - Following on from yesterday’s report by Dave Wilton of migrating Red Admirals, Tim Watts looked back at his records: “On 23/09/06 I recorded 23 Red Admirals all flying low and fast up and over Quainton Hill, Bucks, in a southerly direction.1 Clouded Yellow was also seen. This was over a 2 hour period. Ade Parker arrived as I left and recorded a steady stream of Red Admirals following the same behaviour for the duration of his stay. On 24/09/06 again in the same spot M.Hunt and I recorded another steady stream of Red Admirals all heading south. Another Clouded Yellow and 2 Painted Lady were also seen. On 13/10/06 I spent 2 hours on Quainton Hill again and counted 31 Red Admirals, again all heading up and over the hill in a southerly direction. If they have been flowing like this since the 23rd September (or before) there must have been thousands following this route!”
Thursday
12th October 2006
12/10/06 - After reading a report of the mass migration of Red Admirals in Hertfordshire, Dave Wilton sent the following news: “It was a noticeable event where I was today (12th October) as well. Driving westbound on the A41 between Aylesbury and Waddesdon, Bucks, at about 2.30pm today, a journey through open countryside which takes all of five minutes, I counted eight presumed Red Admirals crossing the road, all of them well above car height and travelling purposefully from right to left (ie southbound).”
This afternoon, Thursday 12th, in warm sunshine David Redhead searched the rough grassland by his house in Oxon and fairly quickly came across a Common Blue sitting on an Ox-eye Daisy flower. “After flying around a bit it settled on another Ox-eye Daisy flower where it was clearly nectaring. I saw a Common Blue, with a bit of its right hindwing missing, in this area on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd October but visits on subsequent days had drawn a blank and I thought the low temperature on the night of the 3rd may have finished it off. However, the one seen today was a different individual, as you can see from the photo below, with just a very small bit of its left (as you look at it) hindwing missing. I combed the area thoroughly but could not find any more specimens. On returning to the garden a Comma was nectaring on ivy flowers. The Comma makes my October species count 8 (plus a couple of unidentified Whites).”
David
also recorded the following near his house at about midday on Saturday 7th
October: “13 Red
Admiral and 2 Peacock all bar a couple nectaring on
ivy flowers. A visit to Whitecross Green Wood
in the afternoon in an unsuccessful attempt to see a Brown Hairstreak resulted
in a Small Tortoiseshell flying in the horse paddock by the
reserve entrance and 2 Speckled Wood and a Small
Copper, nectaring on a knapweed flower, in the reserve itself. The
Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshell put my species count for October up to 7.”
Monday
9th October 2006
On Sunday 8th October Nick Bowles visited Coombe Hill: “I saw probably my last Meadow Brown along with an either/or Brimstone/Large White (too distant to be sure) plus Red Admiral, Peacock and Small Copper at Coombe Hill today.”
Tony Croft sent this news on Sunday 8th: “Becky Woodell and I saw a Brown
Hairstreak whilst working at Whitecross Green
Wood today. It was in the section between the pond entrance and the
green lane. We saw it flying over the ride about 3 metres above the ground. It
then settled about the same height above ground in a willow tree long enough to
get a positive identification. It then flew off into the wood. It looked in
surprisingly good condition for the time of season.”
During a walk in the Dorton area of Bucks on Sunday 8thOctober, Mick & Wendy Campbell walked through a green lane which was alive with Red Admirals. There must have been a dozen sunning themselves on the track and another ten were packed onto a small piece of flowering ivy. A total of 36 Red Admirals were recorded during the afternoon, along with one each of Comma, Peacock and Small White.
Saturday
7th October 2006
Keith Mitchell reports seeing 10 fresh Red Admirals feeding on Ivy flowers by the Newport Pagnell Health Centre, Bucks, at lunch-time today (7th October).
7/10 - A few sightings by Dave Maunder around Aylesbury for this last week include:- “Red Admirals (47, on Ivy mainly, on the 2nd); Painted Ladies (3 - 2 on ivy on 2nd; 1 on ivy on 7th); Peacocks (3 - 2 on 3rd, 1 on 7th); Speckled Wood (1 - on 3rd); Large White (1, on 3rd); and Small Whites (2, on 7th).Good to see so many Red admirals around on Ivy this autumn in the town!”
Wednesday
4th October 2006
Dave Wilton sent this report today, 4th October: “On the southern boundary of our garden at Westcott we have a dead elm trunk, the only one still standing from what was once a row elms which unfortunately succumbed to dutch elm disease. It has been left because it is covered in a mass of ivy up to a height of about 25ft. I'd noticed some butterfly activity around it over the past day or two but hadn't had time to investigate properly until this morning. At 9.30am, in bright sunshine but with the temperature still only a fairly chilly 10 degrees, I found on the ivy blossom ten Red Admirals fighting for space with lots of bees and flies, while on an adjacent bramble patch were a Small Copper, a Comma and another two Red Admirals. This prompted me to have a short walk around our village, during which I found another Small Copper, six Red Admirals and a Speckled Wood, although most of the ivy flowers that I saw elsewhere had not yet opened so these butterflies were all on brambles. When I came back to look again at my dead elm there were no less than 18 Red Admirals on the ivy!!”
On Tuesday afternoon, 3rd October, Wendy & Mick
Campbell walked from Oakley Village into Bernwood. The weather wasn’t very
good, mostly overcast and windy, temperature about 16C, so there were very few
butterflies about, with only 6 Red Admiral braving the poor conditions.
In a warm corner of the first field in Oakley they found a single Brown
Hairstreak egg on Blackthorn sucker growth. Bernwood didn’t produce any
other butterfly species but they did find another 18 BrH eggs in and around the
meadow. Then
early on Wednesday morning, 4th, they recorded 25+ Red Admirals,
1 Painted Lady and 2 Peacocks on the flowering ivy and buddleia
in their garden near Thame.
David Redhead sent the following two reports for Sunday 1st and Monday 2nd October: “On Monday, in better weather than Sunday, I returned to the rough grassland near my house about 1pm and discovered the same male Common Blue in more or less the same spot as the previous two days but alternating between nectaring on a thistle and ragwort. Nearby ragwort flowers provided two Small Copper - one small (male), intact but faded, the other large (female), brightly coloured and intact. So, with yesterday's sighting, it seems there are at least three Small Copper in this area. A patch of nettles provided a Red Admiral and some wild Michaelmas Daisies another and a nectaring Painted Lady. The edge of a nearby copse provided a Speckled Wood and a bank of ivy just up our lane provided another pair of nectaring Red Admirals and there were two more in our garden again nectaring on ivy flowers. The Painted Lady and Red Admirals were all in good condition. Unfortunately I just missed out on a Comma in the garden seen by my better half.
On Sunday 1st October we had a couple of decent spells here (on the edge of
Oxford) amongst the downpours. During the second, about 3.30pm, I
managed to survey the rough grassland near my house. I was delighted to find a Common Blue in much the same
spot where I had found one roosting the previous day. This time he was sunning
himself showing himself to be somewhat faded but with some blue still about the
hindwings, one of which was showing very minor damage. He then took flight
giving off a vivid blue and in flight I would have assessed him as being quite
fresh. I need to look back through my records but I think an October Common
Blue on this site is unprecedented. My delight doubled when I noticed a Small Copper nectaring on a
nearby ragwort flower. This time he (from his size) was only slightly faded but
had considerable damage along the trailing edges of his hindwings.”
Friday
29th September 2006
Brown Hairstreak Update – as at 27th September: Adult sightings this season now
total 160. It’s still definitely not too late to see female Brown
Hairstreaks - on Tuesday 26th
September four were seen at Whitecross
Green by Tony Croft and one at Bernwood
Meadows by Wendy & David Redhead. From these and other recent
sightings it appears the females are surviving in higher numbers for longer
than last year and we expect sightings to again continue into October. Is the
latest sighting record of 9th October under threat? [For
any sightings, or to find out how to join in with this winter’s Brown
Hairstreak egg-hunt, please email David Redhead, Brown Hairstreak Champion at red.admiral@ntlworld.com.]
David Redhead reports the Shabbington Wood transect on Tuesday 26th September did not produce an impressive haul with just 4 Red Admiral, 3 Speckled Wood & 2 Comma. “Although some patches of Devils-bit Scabious had survived the recent ride-side mowing they were totally unoccupied by butterflies. The real excitement came when crossing Bernwood Meadows when a female Brown Hairstreak and a Clouded Yellow were seen. In the afternoon at Shotover Meadows the fleabane patches in the central meadow were found to be largely over but a minimum of six Small Copper were found to be nectaring on the remaining flowers. Another Clouded Yellow rounded the day off nicely. A visit to the rough grassland by my house the previous day showed a Common Blue to be still hanging on there - 25th September seems pretty late to me for finding a Common Blue especially at this location where there is only a small colony.”
Dave Maunder sent this report on 27th September: “The number of species
is definitely dwindling but yesterday, 26th, I found 38 Red Admirals on my
cycle-ride to work in Aylesbury at 9.30am! Most were sunning themselves on
foliage near Oxford Road or at Ivy bloom. Only one Small White seen.”
Tony Croft visited Whitecross Green Wood in the glorious autumn sunshine on Tuesday 26th: “I saw 4 Brown Hairstreaks and small numbers of Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Comma. Also, I did my final survey of Buttler's Hangings on Saturday 23rd and saw 10 Meadow Brown, 4 Red Admiral, 2 Comma 1 Clouded Yellow and what looked like a very late Chalkhill Blue. I’m consulting Nick Bowles (Chalkhill Blue Species Champion) about this but I am pretty convinced.”
On Saturday afternoon, 23rd, David Redhead decided to carry out the final transect of the season at the M40 Compensation Area: “Before leaving I had a wander around the rough grassland near my house and was surprised to come across a couple of Common Blue, a couple of Small Copper and a Brown Argus. There is a small Common Blue and even smaller Brown Argus colony in this area but I had not seen either there for over a month. The Small Coppers were even more pleasing as I have not seen any there for the last few years. Two Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood added to the enjoyment. The transect route at the Compensation Area starts by the entrance gate where there are some sheltered brambles. These produced six Red Admiral and three Comma feeding on the ripe blackberries. Further patches of brambles pushed the Red Admiral count up to sixteen and the Comma count up to eight. 3 Speckled Wood, 2 Small Copper, a Small White and a Green-veined White brought the total count to 31 - nearly twice the count when it was my previous turn to do the transect four weeks ago. I was a bit disappointed not to see a Common Blue or Brown Argus in view of my morning sightings and considering the colonies of both species are much stronger here. I always find visiting this site rather upsetting owing to the ravaging of the blackthorn by the deer which have broken through the protective deer fence in several places. Finding Brown Hairstreak eggs there is now almost impossible but I am glad to report an hour of optimistic searching did produce two eggs. On-going negotiations with the Highways Agency, whose apparent inaction is largely negating the reason for this conservation area being set up when they extended the M40, are being stepped up to try and get the problem resolved and return the site to a productive Brown Hairstreak breeding ground."
Sunday
24th September 2006
On Sunday 24th
Dave Ferguson went to Black Park in Bucks: “There was a White
Admiral by the track on the southern edge of Black
Park heathland this morning. It flew onto the heathland where it
nectared on heather. I have never seen them in this area before - they have all
been in Strawberry Wood, to the north of the heathland. I thought
2nd-generation White Admirals might do a Map Butterfly and be completely
different, but no. I attach a picture (see below).”
Dave Maunder has recorded the following butterflies around Aylesbury recently: “A few butterflies seen recently include Saturday 23rd, at Coombe Hill - Painted Lady (1, flying around the monument); Red Admirals (5); Commas (8 - most on Blackberries); Small Tortoiseshell (1); Meadow Browns (6); Speckled Woods (2); Small Heath (1); Small Coppers (3).
Sunday
24th, at Eythrope: Clouded
Yellow (1); Red Admirals (19
- a lot at Ivy); Large Whites (2); Small White (1); Speckled
Wood (1), and Small Copper (1). I also found Angleshades (1)
and a Vapourer moth.”
Phil Coles’ evening walk around 1Km Square SP7310 (Cuddington -
Bucks) on September 23rd produced: Large White 1, Small/Green-veined White 2,
Small Copper 1, Red Admiral 3 (plus a possible further 3).
Nick Bowles carried out his transect at Coombe Hill, Wendover on Saturday 23rd: “I saw Brimstone 2, Small Copper 4, Red Admiral 1, Comma 2, Speckled Wood 2, Meadow Brown 10 and Small Heath 4 With so many Meadow Browns I did expect to see the odd Common Blue - but failed. Not bad for the last transect of the year! The transect at Aston Clinton Ragpits provided the exact contrast to last week’s at Finemere. The only butterfly was Speckled Wood until I spotted a minimum of 10 Red Admiral and 3 Comma up in the top (and I mean a good 6m up) of an ivy-covered tree. In my garden (in Tring) were Small White 2, Red Admiral 4, Painted Lady 1 and Comma 1 (possibly 2). 9 species for an officially autumn day seemed a fair return!”
Michael Robinson visited Ibstone, Bucks, on Saturday 23rd and recorded the following: “3 Clouded Yellows (at the same place I saw them previous years), 5 Red Admirals, 1 Meadow Brown and 4 Small Coppers.”
David Redhead sent this report on 23/9: “Thursday afternoon, 21st September, I went to Span Green in search of adult Brown Hairstreaks - very warm (26C), sunny but extremely breezy. No success with adults but I did find 7 Brown Hairstreak eggs distributed along the whole length of the green lane. However, the more sheltered spots produced 7 adult species - Comma 6, Small Copper 5, Red Admiral 5, Small White 2, Large White 1, Painted Lady 1 & Speckled Wood 1. Over the last couple of weeks I have noticed a sudden increase in the number of Hornets about – I even had one in my last moth trap (16th September) for the first time ever. At Span Green two very small and sheltered ash trees contained several hornets feeding on sap. Closer examination showed that wherever there was a hornet there was an area where the bark had been removed - usually right round the circumference of the branch. Various flies were also to be found feeding at these bare patches and at one time a Comma. Do the hornets remove the bark or are they, with others, just taking advantage of the activity of some other organism?”
Friday
22nd September 2006
Dave Wilton went to Finemere again on Thursday afternoon (21st) after work: “It was 28 Celsius in full sun, but blowing a gale from the SE. I saw 24 butterflies along the track leading to the wood - Small White x 10, Red Admiral x 14 - all on or adjacent to the sheltered, sunny side of the hedge alongside the pathway, but only 17 butterflies within the wood itself - Small White x 6, Red Admiral x 3, Comma x 4, Speckled Wood x 4). This was my third visit there to look for second-brood White Admiral and again there was no sign of one, but at least I did see a few Speckled Woods after Nick's zero return of the other day!”
Phil Coles’ walk around Starveall Farm near Stone (Bucks) on
September 20th produced Large White 13, Small Copper 6, Red Admiral 36, Painted
Lady 1, Comma 1.
Also, at Shirburn Hill (‘Open Access Land’) on September 19th
Phil recorded: Small
Copper 3, Red Admiral 1, Speckled Wood 1, Meadow Brown 32,
Small Heath 6.
Wendy & Mick Campbell did some walking in the Bishopstone,
Bucks, area on Tuesday 19th. The weather was sunny but breezy. They recorded
36 butterflies of 8 species. In one sheltered, sunny corner of a field they
counted 19 Red Admirals and 6 Commas all flying around a large
patch of bramble or feeding on the ripe blackberries. The final count for the
day was: Red Admiral (22), Small White (1), Speckled Wood (1), Small
Tortoiseshell (1), Comma (7), Common Blue (1 – very tatty female), Small
Copper (1) and Painted Lady (2 – nectaring on some late-flowering
Thistles).
Last Sunday 17th, Danny Howard saw his first UK Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year feeding on his neighbour’s buddleia, along with several Red Admirals, a Comma and Large & Small Whites.
Monday
18th September 2006
Martin Harvey reports seeing a very fresh-looking Meadow Brown at Great Kimble on Sunday 17th.
Nick Bowles was walking his transects in Finemere and the Grendon area on Sunday 17th September: “I brought my bike and cycled the Calvert drain as well in search of Clouded Yellow, but didn’t find any. My entire Finemere transect didn't return one Speckled Wood surprisingly! 5 Small Coppers though and even a late Small Heath. There were three Speckled Wood on transect in the Grendon area plus a solitary Brown Argus (freshly emerged) along with several Small Coppers and a Large White. Both sites had Red Admirals, Commas, Brimstones and Small White. There were 3 Common Blue in the drain but none seen elsewhere. Also good views of 2 Buzzards, 3 Sparrowhawk and at least 2 Red Kites.”
David Redhead sent the following report of his recent sightings: “11/09/06
the Shabbington Wood transect produced 11 species and 33 individuals
- 8 Comma, 6 Red Admiral, 5 Green-veined White, 4 Brimstone,
3 Large White, 2 Peacock, 1 Clouded Yellow, 1 Small
White, 1 Small Copper, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Speckled Wood.
Most nectaring on the ubiquitous ride-edge Devils-bit Scabious.
On Friday 15/09/06, on the wild buddleias near our house, 5 Red Admiral, 2 Comma and 2 Hummingbird Hawk-moths. Also a couple of Speckled Wood nearby and a Comma in the garden nectaring on ivy flowers.”
Wednesday
13th September 2006
Chris Brown carried out his survey of Crowsley Park Wood on Monday 11th September: “A hot humid day. The Buddleia is still blooming and there are still many fresh Commas, as last week. Also, 1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth as I left work on the evening of 5/9/06, so totalling 16 of them this year for my area.”
Dennis Dell sent the following report from his garden in Aylesbury on 11th September: “I've mentioned the late flowering Beijing Buddleia before, but I must talk about it again: it is amazing! It has been in full bloom this last week and it is difficult to count the numbers of Red Admirals on it [at least 12 at any one time]; they arrive from about 9.30 and stay till late afternoon, feeding. Every so often, they take a rest and choose some interesting perches - a towel and the plastic cover of an umbrella stand - where they remained for 15 minutes at least. In smaller numbers, Commas, Small Tortoiseshells, Painted Ladies, Hummingbird Hawk-moths, and Small and Large Whites come to feed also. Peacocks are notable by their absence, however [only one seen last week]. The 'normal' Buddleias are finished flowering, so the Beijing is a superb late source of nectar. I also have an ice-plant [sedum], pink variety, which, in my youth, was a certainty for attracting the Vanessids in late summer. However, nowadays, they hardly ever use this in my garden.”
Mick & Wendy Campbell went to Greenham Common, near Newbury, on Monday 11th September hoping to find Clouded Yellows. The weather was hot and sunny, 25C. 12 species of butterfly were recorded altogether: Small Heath (26), Clouded Yellow (7), Comma (11), Common Blue (7), Meadow Brown (4), Small Copper (5), Peacock (1), Brimstone (2 – both female), Speckled Wood (2), Painted Lady (1), Red Admiral (1) and Small White (1). The only moths seen were the Lesser Treble-bar. Finally, a nice sighting of a female or juvenile Wheatear which was probably passing through on its way back to Africa. (Thanks to Tim Watts for helping to id the Wheatear.)
David Redhead reports that there was a good
turnout for the Brown Hairstreak Field Meeting at Whitecross Green Wood on
Sunday 10th: “The
final total Brown Hairstreak count was 17 - one was in oak, a second in
ash (although it appeared to fly into a neighbouring oak) and two were in
flight over the blackthorn. All the other 13 were low down and settled on a
variety of vegetation - blackthorn,
bramble leaves, grass, sallow, birch, hawthorn and 1 feeding on a blackberry (see
Jim Asher’s photo below). Our sightings were spread throughout the reserve
and all bar a couple of the females observed closely were, while not being
pristine, in good condition and Jim's second photo (see below) is
typical of those we saw. We also found 8 eggs during the walk. Other
species seen were 16 Comma, 6 Speckled Wood, 4 Red Admiral,
several Whites but only 2 definitely identified as Small White, 2 Small
Copper, 1 Peacock and 1 female Brimstone.
[Thanks
to David for leading another successful Brown Hairstreak field meeting.]
After the Field Meeting on 10th, David Redhead went to Shotover Meadows in search of a Brown Hairstreak on the southern edge of its range but without success. “However, the patches of fleabane produced 17 Small Copper, 3 Common Blue, 3 Clouded Yellow, 2 Painted Lady, 1 Brown Argus, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 female Brimstone and several Small White. Two of the Clouded Yellow had white upper surfaces to their forewings - they were almost certainly the Helice form of the female Clouded Yellow. The Small Tortoiseshell was nice to see but I doubt if it took my UTB 2006 total count into double figures. However, last week I discovered that the Small Tortoiseshell is still alive and well in Pembrokeshire with a six mile walk along the coast path from Aber-bach to Strumble Head producing a count of 190 (mainly nectaring on heather but also water mint & Devils-bit Scabious).”
David Fuller had an interesting sighting on Sunday 10th September 2006: “This year I was asked if I would assist in a survey of three woods in Oxfordshire, South East of Woodcote and I have been walking these woods monthly. On the walk in New Copse whilst looking at a Bullfinch I noticed a transparent winged butterfly flying towards me and thought of Small White when it alighted only five feet from me and to my amazement was a male Purple Hairstreak in very faded plumage but still the Purple sheen, or should I say pale purple, and there was a hint of orange left in the eye by the tail.”
Sunday
10th September 2006
Welcome to the website new
contributor Paul Furtek who sent the following report today, 10th:
“Just thought I'd drop you an e-mail following a trip to Coombe Hill in the Chilterns on Sunday September 10th. It was a hot and sunny
afternoon. The only species seen on the top of the hill and North facing ridge
were Small Heath and Meadow Brown, but even these were few and
far between. However, on the sheltered western slope of the hill it was a
different story. Here there were plenty of Brimstones and newly-hatched Commas
(20+ of each) as well as large numbers of Small Heath and Meadow Brown.
Also seen were 3 Small Coppers, 2 Painted Ladies and around a
dozen Brown Argus, although all but a few of the latter species were in
poor condition.”
Mick & Wendy Campbell went for a walk in the Cadmore End / Piddington area of the Chilterns today, 10th September, looking in particular for Small Tortoiseshell as they had found good numbers of larvae there in previous years. The habitat hadn’t changed and there were still good patches of stinging nettles along the sunny field and track margins, but no Small Tortoiseshells were recorded despite searching all suitable nectar flowers. Species seen were: Peacock (2), Comma (5), Speckled Wood (13), Brimstone (6 – 4 male and 2 female), Common Blue (1), Small Copper (2) and a single pristine Painted Lady nectaring on thistle flowers.
Nick Bowles also went to Coombe Hill on Sunday morning 10th: “Hopefully some others might get to share the enjoyment I had at Coombe Hill, Wendover today (10th September) in the good weather predicted for the next few days. I was delighted with the large numbers of Comma and smaller numbers of Brimstone, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown and Small Heath on the Devils Bit Scabious there just below the monument. I would strongly advise approaching from the path along the bottom (parallel to the golf club boundary) as the descent from the monument is very slippery in damp weather (as it was this morning after the dew overnight). Also present on site were Large and Small White, Common Blue and very good numbers of Speckled Wood. Strangely no Painted Lady - for first time since mid-June. Also no Chalkhill for first time since mid-July. Despite the feeling that the season is closing down; there's evidence that emergence continues as I saw both Small Copper and Meadow Brown mated.
In my garden today in Tring, just outside the UTB area, I had similar species to yesterday – Large White, Small White 4, Red Admiral 3, Comma 2, Hummingbird Hawk-moth 1 - but no sign of Painted Lady for a week.”
Dave Maunder visited Waterperry Gardens, Oxon, on Saturday 9th: “It was a very warm and
sunny day and I saw Red Admirals (35+) - at least 20 were seen feeding
on rotting apples in their orchard! (no sign of any Camberwell Beauties
though!); Painted Lady (1); Commas (2); Small Tortoiseshells
(4); Large Whites (6); Small Whites (20+); Small Coppers (6).
I also saw a Hummingbird Hawk-moth and got a nice bit of film of a Grass
snake swimming in the nearby river!”
Dave Wilton sent the
following report on 9th September: “Friday (8th) afternoon's visit to the Calvert drains in mid-Bucks produced no sign of
second-brood Wall Brown despite a thorough search in the sunshine. As expected,
Clouded Yellows were busy patrolling the area (six were seen) while
other active species included Brimstone, Small White, Green-veined White, Small
Copper, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small
Tortoiseshell, Comma, Speckled Wood, Small Heath and Silver-Y moth.
I wonder if there is a connection between land-fill sites and the Clouded
Yellow as I've heard of another near Manchester which seems to attract the
species as well. After Calvert I went to the disused
railway line west of Westcott Airfield where I bumped into most of
the aforementioned species again (no Clouded Yellows, though), along with Large
White and Peacock. The Small Copper population there is especially
healthy with 24 recorded. Three Brown Hairstreak eggs were found, adding
two squares to the distribution map,
but there was no sign of any adults.
On Saturday 9th I had a transect to complete at Finemere Wood, Bucks. Nothing noteworthy was seen, with only eight species recorded, but it was nice to find Small Copper active within the wood for the first time this year. There was no evidence of second-brood White Admiral here, or at Kingswood or Rushbeds which I visited afterwards. In the meadows along the southern edge of Rushbeds Wood the number of Clouded Yellows (see last Thursday's report) had increased to eight and I finally had success with Brown Hairstreak in that area, finding a single female sunning herself on a bramble leaf.”
Friday
8th September 2006
After hearing news of a second brood White Admiral sighting in Berkshire on 6th September (click here to read the report), Mick & Wendy Campbell went to Chinkwell Wood in Bucks today, 8th September. They found a single fresh White Admiral a short distance down the main footpath, flying in a bramble-filled sunny clearing. It settled on bramble intertwined with honeysuckle growing up a tree trunk and stayed in the clearing, flying and perching, for 10 minutes before flying off. Other species recorded in and around the wood were: Red Admiral (4), Speckled Wood (16), Comma (23 – all seen feeding on ripe blackberries), Green-veined White (1), Small Copper (2 – on fleabane and ragwort), Common Blue (1 male), Small White (1), Meadow Brown (1), Peacock (2), Large White (1). A single faded Yellow Shell was the only moth seen. The temperature was 24C.
News of another Camberwell Beauty sighting has just been received via Frank Banyard. It was seen near the front of a house in the centre of Checkendon, Oxfordshire, on 4th September, and is the fifth Camberwell Beauty recorded in the Upper Thames Branch area this year. The reporter said it landed a few feet from where he was standing and settled for about ten seconds. Knowing nothing about butterflies, and being surprised to see such a large one, he checked it against a framed set of 1930's Cigarette Cards!
[Click here to go to the fourth Camberwell Beauty
sighting.]
Thursday
7th September 2006
Dave Wilton managed a visit
to Rushbeds Wood, Bucks this afternoon, 7th September, to look for
Brown Hairstreak: “I found Brown Hairstreak eggs but no
adults. However, I was pleased to see six pristine Clouded Yellows
(see photo at top of this page) in the meadow along the southern edge of
the wood (the "tramway") and another two in the vicinity of Lapland Farm meadows to the north. These are
presumably locally-bred specimens which have just emerged, the off-spring of
migrants from earlier in the year. Other species active in the area comprised Small
White, Green-veined White, Small Copper (in good numbers), Common Blue,
Brown Argus, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Comma, Speckled Wood and Meadow
Brown.”
On
7th September Tony Hall took the following photographs of Small Tortoiseshells nectaring on buddleia in a garden near Thame.
A report has been received from Jim Asher of a
definite fresh White Admiral seen on a garden buddleia in Crowthorne, Berks, on
6th September. This could be a partial second brood individual, so
please keep an eye out for further sightings of White Admiral.
On 5th September Chris Brown did his survey of the Crowsley Park Wood site: “A warm humid day with light breezes, some sunny periods but mostly cloudy. The Buddleia is still blooming well and attracting other butterflies. There were many freshly emerged Commas to distract me, along with Speckled Woods, Meadow Browns, Red Admirals and Peacocks, but none of the target species (Silver-washed Fritillary) again.”
Phil Coles sent the following report for Shirburn Hill (‘Open
Access Land’) September 5th 2006: “Weather moderate – Small White
1, Brown Argus 8, Common Blue 7, Meadow Brown 21, Small
Heath 16.”
Dave Wilton went to BBOWT's River Ray Reserves alongside the A41 south of Marsh Gibbon, Bucks on Monday 4th: “One section of the Grange/Long Herdon Meadows has been left uncut, allowing the copious amounts of Devil's-bit Scabious there to flower. Considering the time of year there were plenty of butterflies making use of this unexpected nectar source as well as Fleabane and Water Mint in adjacent ditches: Large White (1), Small White (3), Small Copper (16), Common Blue (20), Brown Argus (2), Small Tortoiseshell (7), Speckled Wood (1) & Small Heath (10). I can't remember the last time I managed a double-figures count of Small Copper anywhere! Moths seen in the area included Red Underwing (1) and Silver Y (6). Earlier in the day I'd spent some time in the vicinity of Merton and Wendlebury, Oxon where additional butterfly species comprised Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Comma, the latter three species all on a buddleia bush in Merton churchyard along with some Small Tortoiseshells and Whites. SP5517 has now become a Brown Hairstreak "egg square" for this year, but the two eggs found there were the only sign of this species anywhere today, unfortunately.”
Mick & Wendy Campbell recorded good numbers of Small Copper on
a walk in the Ickford area, Bucks, on Monday afternoon: 12 Small Coppers in all, 5
of which were along a small patch of roadside verge nectaring on Yarrow. Most
of the others were in an arable field margin on thistles along with a couple of
Small Tortoiseshells (a total of 5 Small Tortoiseshells were seen during
the afternoon). Despite reasonable amounts of sun and warm weather, no adult
Brown Hairstreaks were found, but they did locate 8 Brown Hairstreak eggs.
Other butterfly species included Common Blue (1), Small White (2),
Comma (3), Red Admiral (2), Brown Argus (2) & Speckled
Wood (2).
On a visit to Grangelands/rifle range Sunday afternoon, 3rd
September, Dave Maunder saw the following late season butterflies: “Red Admiral (1);
Green-Veined White (1); Meadow Brown (6); Small Heath (2);
Speckled Wood (1); Small Copper (1); Chalkhill Blue (2); Common
Blue (5). Also 11 Treble-bar moths flew up as we walked through. On Saturday 2nd, I saw my 11th
Hummingbird hawk moth in my garden, battling in high winds to attempt to
feed on my Verbena flowers at 6.30pm! “
Sunday
3rd September 2006
On Sunday 3rd September Wendy & Mick Campbell recorded 6 Small Tortoiseshells on the buddleia in their garden near Thame, along with 2 Red Admirals (1 fresh and 1 worn), 2 Small Whites and a pristine Comma.
On 2nd September Dave Maunder sent this photograph of a Small Copper, seen in Aylesbury recently:
David Redhead reports on the status of the 2006 Brown Hairstreak
season so far:
“At the end of August we have 117 reported sightings of Brown Hairstreak
adults - all bar seven from the six core areas - Whitecross Green/Asham Meads 59, Bernwood Forest complex 19,
Piddington/Arncott area 17, Otmoor 8, Ludgershall/Rushbeds area 5, Span Green
area 2. The seven non-core area sightings range from meadows
near Bicester in the north to a copse near Waterperry in the south. The
females, many of them still very fresh looking, have been laying eggs on the
blackthorn for just over three weeks (67 eggs found to date) but at times they
can still be seen in ash, oak and elm trees along with the occasional male.
However numbers do seem to be down this year as by the same time last year 161
adults had been sighted. Please send any reports of sightings to UTB Brown
Hairstreak Champion, David Redhead on red.admiral@ntlworld.com.”
Dave Wilton managed 90 minutes in the Dorton area on Thursday 31st August: “I found quite a few Brown Hairstreak eggs, 7 fresh this year's and two last year's empty shells, but no sign of any adults despite much staring at ash trees. The sun did come out for a bit and there was some butterfly activity, but Small White, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Comma and Speckled Wood were the only ones seen.” Dave also sent these photos of a Red Admiral caterpillar and pupa, found at a site near Bicester on 1st September 06
Dennis Dell visited Laplands Farm Meadows on Wednesday afternoon,
30th August: “Speckled Woods, Meadow Browns, Small Heaths, Common Blues, Brown
Argus [one only], Clouded Yellows [three, including a deformed
specimen which had difficulty flying, hence the photo below]; one Hairstreak at
the top of an Ash; impossible to tell whether it was a Purple or a Brown.”
~~
ooOoo ~~
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