Irton Fell - Mountain Ringlet flight time

[MikeOxon]

I'm planning to visit Irton Fell next month. From previous posts on this site, I believe the Mountain Ringlet flight time tends to be early there, and I see that there are photos in the gallery from 9th June. Has anyone any advice on when the peak of the flight period may be expected? In my experience, there can be a 'weather window' in the area during the early part of June and I would aim to exploit this if possible (though, given the weather so far this year, nothing seems predictable!)

Mike

[David M]

Mike, when I visited last year I timed it to roughly coincide with a group outing to see Mountain Ringlets which was advertised on the Cumbria Wildlife website:

http://www.cumbria-wildlife.org.uk/mringlet.html

The information was on at relatively short notice but I figured that they would know best what goes on in their locality and so it proved. I actually went up there on the first Saturday in June (the group walk was on the Sunday). Luckily, the weather was pretty good and there were dozens of the things flying around.

[Rosalyn]

We were there on the 11th June, on the way back from Scotland, very wet!! There was sun on the horizon so we stuck it out. I think the weather window was about half an hour.
There were reports of good numbers in the previous days

[Trev Sawyer]

Hi Mike,
Yes, my wife and I went up on 13th June last year and I think your timing should be good. The Cumbrian BC website said that the Mountain Ringlets at this site generally start to hatch in the last week of May and I'm sure they won't be far off this year as I don't think temperatures have been particularly low. The flight season at each separate site is not long and if by some chance you find they have been out for a week or two and miss them on the lower fell, it would be worth carrying on uphill until you reach Greathall Gill where another small colony can be found (which hatches out a week or so later). We went up even though it was supposed to be wet and we were obviously very lucky. Pray for a day that isn't too windy as it can be frustrating to see butterflies which are whipping past you at a rate of knots! The higher site is a more open area and obviously likely to be windier than lower down. A few glimpses of the sun and butterflies should appear from nowhere, but they will fly short distances even if it is quite dull so be lucky.
NB: I'm not sure if the Cumbrian branch of BC are doing a guided walk there this year (nothing on the website yet about Irton, although there is another walk in early July at another Lakeland site), but wherever you go, please do let the Cumbrian branch know what you see and where you see it.



Trev

[MikeOxon]

Many thanks David, Rosalyn, and Trev. I'll keep an eye on the Cumbria Wildlife website. At the moment, I'm thinking in terms of the week beginning 11th June. In years gone by, I have seen this species on the slopes of Harrison Stickle, in Langdale, and at Grey Knotts, above Honister pass. That was before digital photography and I never managed to get good results on film, so I'm keen to have another go!

Mike

[David M]

I think that's a pretty judicious choice of date for Irton Fell, Mike.

Last year was abnormally early, and the butterflies were already flying en masse on the weekend when I visited (4th June, I think). I'm sure had I gone a whole week later there'd still have been plenty about, so unless we carry on suffering 10-13c until June, I reckon you'll be in luck.

[Lawts]

Mike, I am planning to visit around the date you are suggesting. Can anyone please refresh re. the directions - where to park and the route up etc? Just wondering how I'll know if I'm in the right spot. My sense of direction is shocking.

Thanks.

[Rogerdodge]

Hi
(See the attached map.)
If you have a car GPS most will accept decimal Lat Long input, so the parking spot is N54.39912 W03.35417.
I saw a Garmin advertised in Halfords for £60. If you don't have one, and your sense of direction is a bad as you say, this is a "must have".
Somewhere on this site you can download a POI (Points of Interest) file for most of the British Butterfly sites. I know I did it for TomTom, but I can also supply for Garmin as well if it isn't on the site.
The OS for the parking is NY 12121 01025
The footpath starts just a few yards to the west of the car park, and is fairly obvious.
MR can be seen at just about any spot after you leave the woodland. The lowest I have seen them is at the blue arrow on my map.
Continue up to Whin Rigg for more MR and great views.

Good luck (and with CS and Mull)

[David M]

Yes, simply walk up the path from the car park at the quarry and bear right when the path splits into two. You'll emerge onto the lower part of the fell and if you keep relatively close to the dry-stone wall by the tree line you should expect to see Mountain Ringlets after 200-300 yards. In fact, there's a little craggy area near where the dry-stone wall changes direction to the right - I found this area to be quite a hotspot last year, as it probably affords the best shelter.

[Podster]

Hi
(See the attached map.)

Somewhere on this site you can download a POI (Points of Interest) file for most of the British Butterfly sites. I know I did it for TomTom,

Please could anyone direct me to this download.

cheers

Pete

[Rogerdodge]

It is at bottom left of this page
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/sites.php
I haven't updated it in ages.
Perhaps a project for later in the year - after the butterflies have stopped flying.
I certainly have sites to add, and one or two (sadly) to remove. e.g. High Brown is no longer at Room Hill on Exmoor.

[Lawts]

Has anyone heard anything from irton fell yet this year? I'm planning to go this weekend - Mike when are you going?

Steve

[David M]

I doubt whether this weekend would be too productive. The forecast is ordinary at best and abysmal at worst.

[MikeOxon]

Mike when are you going?

I've postponed my plans until the following weekend (16th)

Mike

[Lawts]

Ye see what you mean. i was looking at The Weather Outlook website at work as couldn't get on Met Office. Having now seen the Met Office site, it may be worth postponing - Sunday a possibility.

[Lawts]

May try this Sunday after all. The BBC website is now showing full sun for that area.

[Podster]

Popped up Irton Fell this Thursday afternoon when the sun appeared from behind the clouds. Bingo! 8+ Mountain Ringlets performing around the first area of obvious rocks just after the gorse. Another one for the growing list.
Met up with Sussex Kipper in the car park later and pointed him in the right direction, hope you scored Mr Kipper

my blog http://www.patchbirder.blogspot.com

[GOLDENORFE]

Took a trip to irton this morning , only 2 very battered mountain ringlets in the first low section, but higher up towards whinn rigg loads newly emerged specimens and the area between the 2 summit cairns on iillgill head saw 6 at once! in total over well over 50 seen! great day watching them .but very dificult to photograph in stong breeze! hundreds of small heath also!

phil

[MikeOxon]

Many thanks to all who replied to my original request for info. and, especially to Rogerdodge for his very useful map. We spotted a possible 'weather window' on Sunday 17th, so decided to make the journey North.

On arrival, it was cloudy but the sky to the West was clear, with excellent views to the IoM from the first craggy area on the open fell, where the top of the conifer plantation meets the wall. The location, by my GPS, was N54.405635, W3.341545.

View West from Irton Fell with IoM - 17th June 2012
Nikon D300s with 18-70zoom - 1/350@f/11 ISO400

The sun soon broke through and Mountain Ringlets magically appeared. The first few I saw were determined only to pause fairly deeply in the grass and were difficult to photograph successfully. I think this one is male, from the long narrow abdomen.

Irton Fell, Cumbria - 17th June 2012
Nikon D300s with 300f4+1.4xTC - 1/1000@f/6.7 ISO640

But, later, as the afternoon grew warmer, a few started to bask on bracken fronds and one allowed a close approach with my macro lens - a great improvement on any of my previous attempts at photography of this species! I think this is female, with her larger abdomen. This colony did seem rather more 'showy' than others I have seen at Honister and Langdale, and their behaviour, including basking in sunshine, seemed more typical of that of other butterfly species.

Irton Fell, Cumbria - 17th June 2012
Nikon D300s with 300f4+1.4xTC - 1/750@f/6.7 ISO720

Irton Fell, Cumbria - 17th June 2012
Nikon D300s with 90mm Tamron macro - 1/250@f/8 ISO400

It is worth visiting Irton Fell for the views into Wasdale, with Great Gable at the head of the valley. It was noticeable that, although the sun reached the coastal strip, the Central Lakes remained under cloud.

Wasdale from Irton Fell - 17th June 2012
Nikon D300s with 18-70zoom - 1/250s@f/11 ISO400

Following this successful day, we continued with a tour of Hadrian's Wall and then down the East Coast to Whitby, where a rather faded Painted Lady was basking in the doorway to the ruined Abbey.

Mike

[Debbie]

lovely pictures Mike.