Jasonbirder

[jasonbirder]

Butterfly Off Early Tomorrow's Saturday!

May 16th Sunny, Very Warm, Humid 23 degrees

Tottenhoe Knolls and Quarryhttp://www.discoverbutterflies.com/New_ ... KNOLLS.pdf

Finished the afternoon with a visit to this interesting area I drove past earlier in the year. Fascinating site dominated by huge escarpments of bare chalk - sheltering beneath were managed wildflower meadows and lots of arid old quarry areas.
There were dozens of Small Blue in the conservation area by the main path - tiny, tiny blue black butterflies with a fluttering flight amidst the long grass stems - but taking time out to bask in the late afternoon sun with their wings wide open. Smaller than a postage stamp but perfectly formed with a blue black sheen of colour and a perfect fringe of pale cream edging around their wings.
Lots of Dingy Skipper and more Small Blue in the disused workings of the old quarries.
Walked round to the Quarries proper -where there were plenty of Green Hairstreak around the hawthorns but didn't find any Dukes! The whole area was alive with huge turf covered anthills - I wouldn't be surprised if there were more Blues to be seen here later in the year!

[jasonbirder]

Local Wanderings

18th May Warm, Humid, Hazy Cloud Cover

Bingham Linear Park http://www.rushcliffewildlife.co.uk/sit ... hamlp.html

Took advantage of a Sunday afternoon Dog Walk to visit my favorite local spot...in the hope of finally catching up with a Nottinghamshire Grizzled Skipper. Lots of Speckled Wood and Green-veined White showing in the wooded shaded area's at the start of the walk. Also the tattiest looking Peacock I have ever seen...I was surprised it could fly at all!
After passing under the A52 in the first area of the railway cutting found a small colony of Common Blue - at least half a dozen ♂s patrolling actively and tussling with each other in flight as they performed short circuits around the rough grassy slope of the cutting, occasionally pausing to nectar on purple vetch and clover...showing off their intricate underwing pattern. All a lovely sky blue colour which seemed to make them look larger than life in flight...its quite a surprise to see how small they are when they settle! No ♀s...I'll have to revisit to photograph some!
My first Small Copper of the year resting nervously on the path...easily flushed!
It was quite breezing and exposed as I walked out onto the embankment area, but my visit wasn't in vain as I found a single Grizzled Skipper flitting about between vetch and some exposed stone area's just past the River Smite bridge.
Also 2 wandering Brown Argus - difficult to pin down in the wind, but their typical warm chocolate brown and orange upperwing on show as they basked on dead seed heads before towering off high in the wind.

[jasonbirder]

Local Wanderings

19th May Sunny, Breezy, Very Warm

Bardon Hill http://www.lros.org.uk/bardon.htm

One of the very few remaining local sites for Wall - I hadn't got pics of those I'd seen at Prawle Point so was hoping to get some pics...

After a walk through woodlands seeing only a Large White and a few Speckled Wood the route opens out onto a mix of disturbed ground, meadows and gorse scattered moorland. It's Leicesters highest point and there is a spectacular view into the immense scar of the still active quarry.

Walking through the spiky grasses and gorse of the moorland area I found a couple of Small Heath and a single Small Copper - there were also a few Burnet Companion Moths. Croaking overhead were a pair of Raven.

A few Orange Tip were seen along the edges of the Woodland and I disturbed a roosting Tawny Owl - but overall it was a very quiet outing!

[jasonbirder]

Disaster Strikes!

21st May Warm, Overcast Breezy

Compton Bay, Isle of Wight http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/compton-bay-and-downs

Sunny when I arrived - Parked in the visitor car park and walked across to the Clifftop Footpath - grazed area with abundant wildflowers...Excitement on seeing a brightly coloured butterfly in the distance tinged by disappointment when it was chased down and turned out to be a Small Tort!
A set of steep wooden steps led down to a classic undercliff area above the beach, fertile landslip with area's of wildflowers, grass and green pools mixed with bare earth from recent landslips.
Disaster struck on arrival...after a 4 hour drive and a ferry journey across to the Island..I turned my camera on to find the Lens wouldn't move! No Lens opening...no pictures grrrrr...despite my usual response to technical failure (turning it off and back on again) I couldn't coax any life out of it! The rest of the trip saw me using a 5 year old work Blackberry to capture images...so apologies for the poor quality!
Found my first two Painted Lady of the year my favourite Vanessiid though had to risk life and limb climbing off the steps halfway down the cliff to view! Always beautiful...peachy coloured and marked cryptically with Black and White...it was nice to think of these fresh arrivals having flown all the way across the Channel to nectar on the sea thrift in front of me...There were also plenty of fluttering Silver Y Moths about...signs of recent immigration I'd guess. Also ♂ and ♀ Common Blue and a Wall Brown on show basking with open wings on a patch of bare earth.
Disappointed to find no Glanville Fritillary as conditions appeared so good and there was so much other Butterfly activity.

[jasonbirder]

Disaster Strikes!

21st May Warm, Overcast Breezy

Wheeler Bay, Bonchurch, Isle of Wight http://tinyurl.com/pxfnryn

After failure at my prime site I arrived at this rather more unlikely looking spot - a concrete coastal path and chalky wasteland area at the base of cliffs. Fenced off so overgrown with plenty of Thrift and Plantain. The walk down passed a large Glanville Fritillary mural...hopefully it wouldn't be my only sighting of the day!
Conditions had deteriorated by the time I'd arrived the earlier sunshine giving way to a grey overcast. Following the base of the cliffs I turned up some Small Torts, another Painted Lady and finally what today was all about...my first Glanville Fritillary !!!
A beautiful, dainty, intricately marked fritillary, smaller and darker than the Pearl-bordered Fritillary I had seen earlier this month. Warm orange overlaid with a black chequerboard pattern...the black dots on the hindwings diagnostic features (not that there is anything else to mistake it with at this site) The underwings a beautiful cream and buff banded pattern.
Walking along I managed to find 3 or 4 individuals - not at all showy though...perhaps because of the dull and breezy weather; hunkered down in the long grass, sheltering amongst the chalky stones or flying high and away in the breeze when flushed.
Often sat with their hindwings closed above their back and their forewings tucked up completely to create a tiny little triangle - making them look smaller than you'd believe possible!
Finished the day gutted that my Camera failure had meant I couldn't capture any decent images...but elated at seeing my target...another lifer for me!