essex buzzard

[Wurzel]

Lovely looking Marbled Whites Essex especially the top one which is a female (?)going by the blonde streaks along the wing edges. I especially like the image of the owl created by the back of the hind wings...

Owl.JPG (8.64 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

So it does, Wurzel. Can’t say I’d noticed that!

The Ringlets had a spectacular crash last year, due to the previous years hot dry summer. However, equally spectacular has been its recovery this year, following the wet summer in 2023. They emerged from late June and, for a few short weeks, this lovely species could be seen in the damp grassland, all are gone now. The muggy grey skies and damp drizzle in July should have benefitted the Ringlet.

[bugboy]

Lovely looking Marbled Whites Essex especially the top one which is a female (?)going by the blonde streaks along the wing edges. I especially like the image of the owl created by the back of the hind wings...
Owl.JPG
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Looks like the face of a Husky to me!

[Wurzel]

"Looks like the face of a Husky to me!" yikes I can see that as well now, the Owl was more obvious on the original
Ringlets are a cracking looking butterfly - the fresh ones always remind me of crushed velvet

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice Ringlets, Mark. They have a velvety lustre when fresh.

Hardly seen any this year, although that's mainly because they emerged late and I've had precious little time in the UK during July.

[essexbuzzard]

In early July, I headed off to Silchester Common, to find my only Silver Studded Blues of the year. Numbers were modest, with about a dozen seen. But I’ve never been to this site before, so I left happy.

[essexbuzzard]

By mid July, a few Small Tortoiseshell had emerged. Not high numbers, by any means, but better than nothing. A very welcome sight.

Meanwhile, the Hutchinsoni Commas continued to be present. I didn’t get many chances to see them, with very few warm sunny evenings, up until mid July. Here is one basking in the sunshine at 8pm.

[essexbuzzard]

By late July, the Chalkhill Blues were emerging. It is not found in Essex, as there is no suitable habitat, so my nearest colony is at the Fleam Dyke, just over the border in Cambridgeshire. This excellent chalk Dyke runs across the low flat arable farmland here, a great place to spot hares!

Chalkhill numbers were much lower than last year, but they were still lovely. A warm afternoon, they didn’t start to settle until evening.

A few Brimstones and Peacocks were present though, unlike 2023, there was no mass emergence this year.

[essexbuzzard]

To finish off July, headed down to the excellent Lydden reserve in Kent, to see if the first Silver Spotted Skippers had appeared. To my delight, I found three, fresh out of the chrysalis. I reckoned the peak would be in about two weeks. But for now, it was a delight to enjoy my first ones of the season.

Chalkhill Blues were present, which was my other main target of the afternoon. However, like most sites if heard about, there were fewer than usual.

Lastly, here is a view of the site, looking towards the coast.

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of Chalkhills and Silver-spotted Skippers Essex They're both great looking species, especially when fresh out of the box like yours

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Looks like a nice site does that, Mark.

You picked the right day to see mint fresh specimens.

[essexbuzzard]

Two of my favourite species right there, Wurzel!

It’s an excellent site, David, and surprisingly little visited. Often I have the place to myself!

Its been known for some years now that Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries in west Cornwall routinely produce a second generation in late summer. Why they do so is a mystery. I suspect the mild winter and early springs, plus the fact that the Cornish coast has a higher sunshine success rate than the rest of the country, may play a part. So with that in mind, we headed down in early August.

The weather was unsettled, though, and was actually better, at least during that period, in the east of England. So, although there were a couple of passable days, it wasn’t until Tuesday 6th that we had the chance to spend the day amongst the spectacular backdrop of Kynance Cove.

The first, and probably best SPBF male was actually spotted by Esther near the top of the cliff.

We then checked an undercliff area, where I normally see them. Sure enough, plenty were present.It was properly sunny now, so it was difficult to estimate numbers as they sped around, but there could easily have been a dozen. Females were easier to approach, including one with a deformed wing, but this one was good.

My other target was the Grayling, and fortunately they ware common. I particularly liked this one, as it sat among the Cornish Heath for a rest.

Come the evening, pretty much my last butterflies of the day were this mating pair. Picture to follow...

[essexbuzzard]

Graylings in the evening sunshine.

Other butterflies of the day included a multitude of Gatekeepers, plus Whites, Meadow Browns, Common Blues,a Small Copper and a couple of Wall.

When, in the early 2000’s the Cornish choughs first started to recolonise the area, the authorities asked people to give them space. In reality, they are quite used to people, having settled in a very busy area of the coast path, and they are doing very nicely here, having had a very successful breeding season in Cornwall. What I often do is sit near an area where they are feeding, and let them come to me!

The tiny autumn squill is one of the flowers I always hope to find here in late summer and early autumn, as it is only found in south-west England.

Of course, the Cornish Heath is the real star on the Lizard, as it’s found nowhere else. Here with western gorse.

The view of the cove from the cliffs near the car park is excellent. However, I perhaps prefer the view one gets by going past the cove, and then looking back at it from the other side.

[Allan.W.]

Good to see the the Cornwall stuff Essex ....hoping to get back down there again next season ........can't wait ! The Choughs (now re-introduced in Kent )reminded me of a similar situation to yours some years back on Anglesey .......must have sat watching a breeding pairs comings and goings (at some distance ,i might add ) for some time .On returning to my digs and jumping in the bath .......I noticed half a dozen little black "dots".........half a dozen ticks........just saying !.
Lydden is a terrific spot as you've said and been there many,many times myself ........but i have never wandered that far along the downs before .....Something for next season !
Allan.W.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Mark. Great report from Cornwall.
It looks like you were down there the same time as me as reported a few weeks back in my PD. In fact I was at Kynance later on the afternoon of August 6th so we must have just missed each other.

Cheers,

Neil.

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Allan, I hope you manage to get to Cornwall next year. If you want cliff top flowers, late April and May are best. For butterflies, June to August. But you’ll find something good whenever you go. All against a backdrop that’s hard to beat! The Lydden Temple Ewell KWT reserve is a super site, what a great place to have on your doorstep! It’s about an hour and a half from me in south Essex, and I manage several visits each year.

Hi Neil, yes it looks like you were there the same day as me, what a shame we missed each other! We did Kynance the other way around from you, looking for Fritillaries in the morning and heading to Lizard village and Ann’s Pasties in afternoon. So we probably passed each other!

[essexbuzzard]

Mid August arrived, so it was time to head to Aston Rowant. Meadow Browns were by far the most abundant species, but there was a good sprinkling of other species, including Common Blues and Brown Argus. Here is a BA.

However, like everywhere it seems, there were very few Chalkhill Blues, and I failed to find any good ones. Against the trend of most species, Small Heath were common this year, and I’ve neglected them to some degree. So here’s a picture.

Silver Spotted Skippers continue to decline at this site, and, having checked both sides of the M40, I only saw about a dozen, at what should be close to their peak. A couple of wet summers, and the resulting lush vegetation, may not have done them any favours.

On a more positive note, there were plenty of Chiltern gentians, the most for several years.

[Wurzel]

Great to see the Cornish Chough Essex I visited Ashton Rowant for the first time this year and was pleased to see, what I thought at the time, was a good smattering of Silver-spots, but I couldn't make a judgement as I had nothing to compare it too Hopefully they'll do a bounce back or perhaps they peaked later?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...Silver Spotted Skippers continue to decline at this site, and, having checked both sides of the M40, I only saw about a dozen, at what should be close to their peak. A couple of wet summers, and the resulting lush vegetation, may not have done them any favours,,

That's concerning, Mark. I always thought that site was one of their strongholds.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Wurzel. I think numbers of SSS were just low again this year, but I’m sure you saw plenty of other goodies there!

Thanks David. AR is still worth visiting, especially if travelling down from the Midlands. But in recent years, it has been overtaken by the Lydden reserve in Kent.

Speaking of which, mid August found us back there. It was a cloudy but warm afternoon, and the SSS love to bask on chalk chippings. But a cow-pat will do just as nicely!

There were plenty around, especially at the Lydden end, including this mating pair. Here is my attempt at a Guy type shot. Nobody does these like the master, but this one is Ok .

The emergence of the second generation Adonis Blues signals the end of Summer.