RFI Sand Point, Somerset

[jasonbirder]

Anyone know if any Glanville Fritillary have been recorded on the wing yet in 2014?

Cheers!

[David M]

Still nothing on Somerset & Bristol's first sightings page:

http://www.somerset-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.htm

[jasonbirder]

I had none yesterday...but work commitments meant it was a very short visit...searched the area south of the high point in blustery conditions.

[Willrow]

Anyone have any further news from this site

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[Rogerdodge]

http://www.somerset-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.htm
According to the BC Somerset web site - nothing yet.
Last years first was 6th June, but 2012 was 20th May with a remarkable 30th April before that.
The two years prior to that were both a more typical mid May.

Roger

[David M]

If they still exist there then I'd expect them to have emerged by now.

Last year was as late as late gets and we're now almost within a week of the date of the first sighting there.

They may have gone for good, unless somebody 'tops up' the population once more.

[William]

Hi all,

A Somerset Butterfly Conservation walk there the other day failed to turn up any Fritillaries unfortunately. The colony does have a history of boom and bust and so it is worth clinging onto some hope, perhaps they will emerge in small numbers this year and eke it out to next year, who knows, butterflies are resilient things.

The site is still worth visiting, by all accounts, with Wall, Brown Argus, Small Copper, large numbers of Common Blue, and for the botanists, Bee Orchids and the rare Cheddar Pink.

BWs

William

[Willrow]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, methinks its time to investigate. My best year was 2011 when I saw around 20 Glanville, I didn't visit in 2012, last year I left it too late visiting on June 19th en-route to check out the Heath Fritillary on Exmoor.

I read somewhere that last year was a poor year for the Glanville Fritillary in general on the mainland sites, surprisingly Sand Point was top of the count with 6 seen I spoke to a young man (in Bentley Woods) that had managed to see two individuals last year at Sand Point, if memory serves the week or so before I visited, so they perhaps are hanging on there.

Thanks for the Cheddar Pink info William, I was unaware of the plant being at this nice location I shall make a point of looking for it!!!

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[Willrow]

Spent from 8am until 12.30pm searching Sand Point yesterday, not a sniff of a Glanville Fritillary the cloud cover prevented any help with flight movement (if the butterfly is still present!) and any roosting or resting insect would have been virtually impossible to find in the rank vegetation in the area that used to qualify for 'hot-spot' status. I spoke to a young gent that has spent considerable time here and he has seen nowt either. Not looking very promising

I was disappointed if not too surprised, but my disappointment was nothing compared to a couple from Macclesfield who are/were hoping to see all the British species this year and had called into Sand Point as a desperate last hope of seeing Glanville Fritillary having failed to see them at Hurst Castle and on the Isle of Wight owing to poor weather during their vist last week I felt for them.

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[David M]

Respect for the endeavour, Bill, but my own feeling is that last year's cold spring has terminally accounted for this species at Sand Point.

I checked earlier today and Somerset & Bristol BC Branch still have no sightings thus far in 2014, and given that now would normally be peak flight period, I believe they are no longer to be found here.

Normally, I would risk a trip but seeing that none whatsoever have been seen then I fear the worst.

[Willrow]

Its like "looking for a needle in a haystack" with the present habitat conditions, anyone searching would need sunshine/warmth to get the Glanville on the wing, I'm not sure anyone has had much of that on Sand Point this year

You may be right though David, things could have come to an end there, but last year they were still hanging on in there with 6 seen, it was frustrating not to have the weather conditions hoped for (or forecast!) during my search...guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles though...but, I'm forever the optimist

Bill

"When in doubt...venture out"

[web4160]

I notice on the Somerset and Bristol branch first sightings page Glanville Fritillary have been seen at Sand Point this year.

Is this another reintroduction or have they just been missed for 2 years?

[David M]

I'm sure it's another re-introduction. It wouldn't be the first time this has happened.

[Matsukaze]

The site has been regularly monitored for the last few years and none have been seen until this year, and I think natural recolonisation can be safely ruled out...

[Roger Musgrove]

Sorry for late reply I've only just joined the site and seen this topic. We saw two Glanville Fritillaries at Sand Point on Saturday May 28th, while we photographing one another flew by but didn't land. Where they came from I have no idea and according to someone who watches the site regularly and was with me when we discovered them there hadn't been a sign of any there all week. I don't rate their chances very highly as the site is heavily overgrown and to the best of my knowledge not grazed, they were fairly elusive after our sighting and led many people a merry dance.
Roger