Neil Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Philip,
No, my chin was on the ground and that disgusting smell was taking Route One to my olfactory lobes. This was one occasion when I missed not having the tilt screen! Still using the trusty FZ38.
Congrats to you and Rosalyn on the Scarce Tortoiseshell. 100% genuine, self-powered visitor.
BWs, Neil

Edit: Oops. Wrong Philip. You probably don't know a Rosalyn, and I doubt you've seen a Scarce Tortoiseshell either!

[Neil Hulme]

Magical Knepp

Last week I spent a gruelling three days (16th, 17th, 18th July) surveying butterflies over the Knepp Castle Estate Wildland Project area. Surveying butterflies is usually considered a peaceful and relaxing pursuit, but this was like a military training course. Mile after mile in searing heat, carrying a hefty backpack with enough water to last all day, up and over deer fence stiles and constantly bending down to differentiate between Small and Essex Skippers, of which there were vast numbers.

The results of a Timed Count, Fixed Route survey of the Southern Block (16th July) were remarkably consistent with 2013 data, with an identical species count of 23 (highest to date) and a total of 1145 individuals comparing very closely with last year’s 1137.

Single Species surveys (including those of Matthew Oates) for Purple Emperor indicate an approximate halving of last year’s incredible numbers. However, a maximum daily count of 45 individuals confirms Knepp as the second largest population in the UK; more than 300 individual records have been logged. This drop in abundance of the Emperor is mirrored on most sites across the country, reflecting the natural ebb and flow of the species’ fortunes from year to year.

The traditional Transect technique survey performed across the Northern and Middle Blocks (17th and 18th July) produced very different results to the status quo seen over the southern part of the estate. Again, a total of 23 species were observed, equalling the best (2013) figure since butterfly recording began in 2005. Amongst the 23 species was White-letter Hairstreak, observed for the first time on any of the formal surveys. This brings the total number of species recorded at Knepp (Howarth and Hulme, 2005 – 2014) to 32, amounting to 71% of the Sussex total (45 spp.).

The total abundance of butterflies was significantly up on 2013, itself a good year, with 2499 individuals counted, amounting to an increase of 175.5%. The big winners were the ‘golden skippers’, with huge increases in both Small Skipper (790; increase of 1174%) and Essex Skipper (159; increase of 960%). Essex Skipper will be under-represented within these figures, as it is impossible to differentiate every individual amongst such large populations. When lumped together these species increased by a combined 1132%.

There seems little doubt that the rewilding process at Knepp continues to bring benefits to wildlife, with butterflies providing an easily monitored and sensitive measure of wider environmental change. While conducting these surveys it has becoming increasingly obvious that other aspects of the fauna and flora are beginning to show their appreciation. My spring survey is now accompanied by the songs of Nightingale, Cuckoo and Turtle Dove. While watching Purple Emperors in the heat of July the Turtle Dove can be heard purring away from almost every point across the Southern Block. The soundtrack of my youth is gradually being restored here.

On the Thursday night I stayed at the Knepp Safaris campsite, courtesy of Amy and Paul Nightingale. I spent the night in one of the Shepherd’s Huts built by Paul, and enjoyed a few glasses (OK bottles) of wine beside the camp kitchen as the sun slowly sunk below the horizon. A few hours later I was out of the hut again, watching the spectacular electric storms as they passed along the South Coast. Every time I visit Knepp it gets harder to leave. This is a truly magical place.

Common Blue

Essex Skipper

Emperor

Knepp Safaris campsite kitchen

Knepp Shepherd's Hut

Too good for a shepherd

[Wurzel]

Some fantastic and cheering figures there Neil - it's nice to hear of some positive trends in butterfly populations Those Shepherd huts look fantastic - straight off of 'George Clarke's Amazing Spaces"

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Jack Harrison]

Neil:

stayed at the Knepp Safaris campsite, courtesy of Amy and Paul Nightingale

There is a term that escapes me at the moment when the name is so appropriate for what someone does.

You really should have joined the army Neil. Think of all that under-explored Salisbury Plain habitat. I believe (stand to be corrected) that the army appoints a wildlife/conservation officer for the training area of the Plain. (Presumably, he/she stops live firing in the Great Bustard habitat). I had also heard that Porton Down (not strictly army of course) has more butterfly species than any other place in the British Isles

Jack

[selbypaul]

Hi Neil
It sounds like an amazing place. You've sold it to me. I'm going to have to visit next July - Turtle Doves and Purple Emperor - sounds perfect!!!
Paul

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Wurzel: You should come and see them (and various posh tents) yourself. It's a great place for a family holiday - it won't look like a butterfly holiday at all!

Hi Jack: I've been invited to join survey teams at Porton Down before, but can never abandon my own Duke of Burgundy monitoring in Sussex. One day! Apparently it is absolutely stuffed with butterflies, including Dukes.

Hi Paul: You'll love the place. Knepp must be the most exciting thing happening in the British countryside at the moment. Get in there early! Let me know if you come and I'll give you a tour.

BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Botany Bay Wood Whites

On Tuesday (22nd July) I met up with Dan Danahar to look for second brood Wood White at Botany Bay, Chiddingfold Forest. There wasn't much "looking for" involved, as I encountered the first within 50 metres of the car park and found half a dozen before reaching the concrete bridge. Numbers are still building and there are very few females out yet; a strong second brood seems inevitable. It took well over an hour before I finally met up with Dan, as my progress through the woods was constantly stalled by mud-puddling Wood Whites, and other delights including a magnificent female Purple Emperor on the track.

[Neil Hulme]

Southern Swallowtails

I would like to thank James Weightman for providing details of the location near Grasse (South of France) where he saw the rare Southern Swallowtail earlier this summer. viewtopic.php?f=20&t=7703&p=87056&hilit ... ail#p87056

My brother Mark and his family live in Antwerp, but regularly holiday in the South of France, so James' directions were gratefully received. Below are a few images recently sent to me by Mark, following a successful trip south. I just love the colours - straight from an Impressionist's palette.

Southern Swallowtail by Mark Hulme

Scarce Swallowtail by Mark Hulme

Silver-washed Fritillary by Mark Hulme

Southern Swallowtail by Mark Hulme

Southern Comma by Mark Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Grayling Rallies

The Grayling is an endangered species in Sussex and, other than the occasional incursion in the far west from the heaths of Hampshire, it is now restricted to the chalk grassland colony around Windover Hill at Wilmington. In some recent years the population has been worryingly low.

On Wednesday (23rd July) I started the long ascent up the chalk track and it soon became clear that most downland species are having a good year here. Some areas of the track seemed particularly attractive to mineral-hunting Chalkhill Blue males, and clouds of 50 - 100 were regularly flushed from the surface. Throughout the day I made a conservative estimate of 5000 for this species. Other high summer species included numerous Wall, freshly emerged Silver-spotted Skipper and plenty of Dark Green Fritillary, many taking on their late-season faded colours.

However, it was the enigmatic Grayling I was keen to see. The Grayling is having a good season here and males could be found at regular intervals on the track from the reservoir to the summit and beyond. As I dropped into their valley stronghold I was struck by the large proportion of very fresh females, with several already busy laying eggs. They performed all of their usual tricks, sitting on my boots, trousers, shirt and rucksack. In all I counted 145, but there will be many more present than this. It would be nice to think that they might wander and reclaim a little of their loss ground this summer.

As always at this time of year, the slopes were covered in the very local and scarce Yellow Pearl (Mecyna flavalis) moth, although numbers seemed lower than in some seasons. In these times when so much is in decline, it is heartening to spend a day surrounded by clouds of butterflies, reminiscent of the long-gone days of wider plenty. Well worth a visit this weekend!

Female Grayling

Male Grayling on Size 11

Silver-spotted Skipper

Mecyna flavalis

Female Chalkhill Blue

View from Windover Hill towards Firle Beacon

[Pete Eeles]

Southern SwallowtailsBelow are a few images recently sent to me by Mark

That first shot is just incredible!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Hulme]

We can't possibly admit a high level of expertise here Pete .... let's just say he must have got lucky!
I'm sure Mark will appreciate your comment as he's a regular visitor to UKB.

BWs, Neil

[Neil Freeman]

Some great reports and excellent photos as usual Neil.

but...

Southern SwallowtailsBelow are a few images recently sent to me by Mark

That first shot is just incredible!

Cheers,

- Pete

I just have to agree

Cheers,

Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks Neil, from both of us. He certainly nailed the in-flight shot. I'll never be able to pull that one off with a bridge camera!
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Joyce Gay (1932 - 2014)

On Thursday (24th July) a service was held for Joyce Gay (1932 - 2014), who was BC Sussex Branch Recorder for many years, from way back in the 1980s until 2004. Despite extensive enquiries I am still trying to find out the year in which Joyce first started to collate Branch records, a task which she performed with energetic rigour. All of those involved with butterfly recording today have the utmost respect for her considerable achievements. Joyce and husband Peter, who campaigned hard for National Park status for the South Downs, published the 'The Atlas of Sussex Butterflies' in 1996.

Just as the service was starting in Guildford, I stopped recording butterflies for a few minutes, whilst stood just below the ramparts of Cissbury Ring. Almost immediately a beautiful, male Silver-spotted Skipper landed in front of me and posed with half open wings. This species was facing extinction in Sussex when Joyce started recording, being restricted to a small area around Windover Hill, where its existence was shrouded in secrecy. How things have changed! The species has moved over 30 miles of downland to get to Cissbury Ring; just the sort of detail that Joyce would have relished recording.

The good news is that throughout the morning and early afternoon freshly emerged specimens kept appearing, initially clinging motionless to grasses and flowers as they dried off. Within an hour or so they became completely unapproachable, whizzing across the turf at characteristic break-neck speed. I counted 16 in total, including 14 male and 2 female. This is an encouraging count so early in the season, particularly as I only discovered this colony in 2013, although the first pioneering female(s) must have arrived during the previous year.

[Jack Harrison]

A fine memorial picture.

Jack

[Maximus]

Stunning Silver-spotted Skipper photos Neil and a lovely memorial.
At this rate they will soon arrive at Steyning, which is only about 3km from Cissbury, (as the SSS flies), just as you said they would, last year

Mike

[dave brown]

A beautiful memorial picture and words to match.

[selbypaul]

Hi Paul: You'll love the place. Knepp must be the most exciting thing happening in the British countryside at the moment. Get in there early! Let me know if you come and I'll give you a tour.

I may well take you up on that offer next year Neil, thanks for the offer

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks all. Some more good news concerning Silver-spotted Skipper is on the way!
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Last Of The Many

This afternoon (31st July) I did a circuit of the Knepp Castle Estate Wildland Southern Block, with the specific aim of saying goodbye to the Purple Emperor for another year. I think it's highly unlikely that I'll see another adult this season. A thorough search came up with just 4 males and a female, which of course would be a good mid season tally on most sites! However, those who have experienced the magic of Knepp will appreciate that these numbers signal the very end of the flight season here. As always this species will go down fighting and I did see a spirited chase between two very worn males. In retrospect the season in Sussex will go down as "a little better than average". It failed to produce the fireworks of 2013, but I have seen far worse. As always it was a little sad to see the last one head off over the crown of an oak, but hopefully plenty of seed has already been sown for next year. To celebrate the closing of another season, during which many happy memories were made, here's a close-up of a male's wing.