June 2006 Friday 30th
June
I went to the Cornmill Meadow arrived at 9am
left at 11.45am. I saw my first Gatekeeper of the year. I also saw 3
Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady,Large and Small Skippers, 100 plus
Meadow Browns,Ringlets and a Small White - Sandra Standbridge.
Broxbourne Woods
NR - arrived 10.30 and 10.38 saw a grounded male
Purple Emperor which moved up into a sallow at 11.25 and stayed
there until at least 11.45. Also feeding alongside were white
admirals, a red admiral and a comma. Then from 1pm, no
sightings yet of territorial males over Claypits Wood (nr
Brickendon) or Broxbourne Common - Andrew Middleton Thursday 29th June
Park Wood,
Ruislip - 14 White Admiral, 1 Marbled White, 1
Ringlet, 4 Red Admiral, 2 Painted Lady, 2 Comma, a few Large
Skipper, Large & Small White and numerous, Meadow Brown,
Speckled Wood and Small Skipper but no Gatekeeper - Steve Pash
1 White letter
Hairstreak at the Commons N R. W.G.C - Ian Hardy
and Dave Beer
Barton Clay Pits just in Bedfordshire and just
west of Ravensburgh Castle included: Dark Green Fritillery, Marbled
White* Red Admiral, Meadow Brown*, Ringlet*, Small Heath*. * = also
at Hexton Chalk Pits and along the Hexton to Lilley road at Gravel
Hill - Nigel Agar
First Purple Emperors seen
in Hertfordshire at Northaw this lunchtime, 1 male
initially and 1 clash seen - Andrew Middleton. Also, if anyone wants
to join Andrew tomorrow (30th) to search for Pes along the ride at
Broxbourne and later to monitor territories, welcome to join him –
"I’ll be at the west car-park from about 10.30am"
Going back to look for
the golden skipper (LS) at Mudchute LNR that I
missed last time, I visited the site today June 29th. I didn't find
the skipper I expected to find but I did find an Essex Skipper
instead. I also saw for the first time at the site Comma (2),
Painted Lady (1), Red Admiral (3) & Meadow Brown (2) raising the
species sightings for the site to 14 this season. Also seen today,
Speckled Wood (5), Green Veined White (2), Small White (4) &
Small Tortoiseshells (2) - David Chandler
Wednesday 28th June
2 White letter Hairstreak, opposite Oakwood Tube Station this evening
also 2 Ringlet in Trent Park and a male Purple
Hairstreak at Vicarage Farm - Robert Callf
I spent 3 hours in Broxbourne Woods from 9am until
12pm. I saw 1 Painted Lady, 1 Comma, Meadow Browns and Ringlets. The
weather was overcast with only a glimpse of the sun. I did have a
couple of sightings of a large black & white Butterfly high in
the Sallows.(Near the seat where Nick's photo was taken.) But regret
I am unable to give a positive I.D. - Sandra Standbridge
Tuesday 27th June
Moira and I drove to Bricket Wood and parked in School
Lane. Cloudy-bright, warm day. We followed the path sign-posted as
leading to Bucknalls Lane. We saw Small and Large Skippers, Marbled
White x 2, White Admiral x 2, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Burnet
Moths & Grasshoppers. They were all in prime condition. Didn't
have the camera with me but will on the next visit! - Glen Barnes
Some news from Horsenden Hill over the weekend,
including the joint LNHS/BC walk on Sunday. Saturday 24th June: Continuing on from last
year, decent numbers of White-letter Hairstreaks on the Horsenden
West transect. A total of at least 19 individuals were recorded on
the day, 18 of which were on the transect (4/8 sectors). [No
Gatekeeper this week, but I had an early individual on the previous
weeks transect (17th June).]
Sunday
25th June: The joint LNHS/BC event attracted about 15
participants. Conditions were mainly overcast and a little on the
cool side. We started off with Dave showing highlights of the
previous evenings trap which included 'show stoppers' like Poplar
and Elephant Hawk Moths and other stunners like Buff Tip, Buff
Arches and Burnished Brass. Dave had a starting theme around moths
that have either declined or increased in recent years and I thought
this part of the event was well received. Butterfly numbers were a
little low on the walk but we managed about half a dozen
White-letters buzzing over some low elms before the discovery of a
nectaring individual allowed good views for all. The timing was
fortunate as we had a little sunshine early on that disappeared
after we had seen the Hairstreaks. We then continued walking around
the site picking up various items of interest of which the longhorn
beetle Agapanthea villoviridescens
probably took top billing. Otherwise, butterfly numbers were down
and we were limited to Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, Comma, Small
Skippers and a few day-flying moths like Narrow-bordered 5-spot
Burnet and Burnet Companion - Andrew Culshaw
Had a trip to The
Commons, local nature reserve in Welwyn Garden City today
with Ian Hardy looking for White-letter Hairstreak, but had no luck,
weather was overcast and warm, did not see any sun. We did see 5
Small Skippers, 1 Gatekeeper, 4 Large Skipper, 1
Speckled Wood, 1 Small White, 20+ Ringlet and 30+ Meadow Brown and a
Yellow Belle Moth - Steve Lane
First Ringlet of the year seen in Tewin
Garden today - Jim Farr
Out of county news - Bedford's Park,
Romford, Essex. 2 White letter hairstreaks on elms at
south end of park this morning - Ian Phillips
Monday
26th June
I was walking back from the
shops on the afternoon of Saturday June 24th and was in Reeds
Cresent in Central Park Watford when I saw a female Common
Blue nectaring on a ragwort plant. It was very pleasing to confirm
to myself that the small colony of Common Blues are surviving in
central Watford - David Chandler
News from Saturday 24th - Another mad dash
around Southern England, 2 sites in Somerset, 1 in Wiltshire and 1
in Hampshire. Somerset, 3 Silver-washed Fritillary, Meadow Brown and
Large Skipper. Then to another site for Large Blue, Common Blue,
Small Heath, Marbled White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown. Next Bentley
Wood, 25+ Silver-washed Fritillary, 20+ White Admiral, 2 Small
Pearl-bordered Fritillary, the high-lights. And finally to
Hampshire, 100+ Silver-studded Blue - Steve Lane (with John Tomkins,
Dave Beer and Ian Hardy)
We had thirty nine Heath Fritillaries on 23rd
June in Essex - Ian Hardy and Dave Beer
Sunday
25th June
A walk I did today on Stanmore Common saw a White Admiral. It was seen here two years
ago. Lots of Honeysuckle around - John Hollingdale
We started our walk at
Balls Wood at 9.00am and saw 7 White
Admiral, 1 Small Skipper, 16 Large Skipper, 4
Meadow Brown, 10 Ringlet, 7 Specled Wood, 1 Large White, 2 Comma, 1
Red Admiral, we then walked along Ermine Street at 10.20
and saw 8 Large Skipper, 2 Speckled Wood, 3 Ringlet, 4 Meadow Brown,
50 Peacock Caterpillars. Went into Broxbourne Woods at
11.00 and saw 8 White Admiral, 3
Speckled Wood, 3 Small White, 14 Ringlet, 16 Large Skipper, 6
Small Skipper, 5 Red Admiral, 1 Comma, 2 Large White, 18
Peacock Caterpillars, 5 Meadow Brown, 15 Cinnabar caterpillars,
finished at 1.30pm - Kevin & Sandra Standbridge
Spent the morning
looking for White letter in my decad (TL41),
targetted 4 tetrads and found individuals in all 4. Maximum time
spent was 30 minutes finding suitable elm, or more to the point elm
with ash and maple that had good visibility and didn't involve being
knocked down by a car! The best colony where I saw about 9 was in
the infamous Kettle Green tetrad! Finding Large
Skipper was a different matter with only 1 individual and that was
in a tetrad where they had already been recorded - Liz Goodyear
On Friday 23rd saw my
first Ringlet of the year in my Stevenage garden, also
Painted Lady - Steve Lane
Saturday 24th June
M1/M25 Junction area, Large White 2,
Red Admiral 2, Peacock 1, Marbled White
22 - most of sightings were on the motorway embankments around
junction 6A M1, Meadow Brown 20, 23rd June:
Watford, Painted
Lady 1 - Flying around ringroad - Bob Cripps
I had good (if brief)
views of a HB Hawkmoth in our back garden at Puckeridge today - Murray Orchard
Spent 3 hours over
Fishers Green, saw 2
Small Skippers the first of the year for us. We also saw
2 Red admiral, 30 plus Meadow Brown, 2 Speckled Woods, 12 5- spot
Burnet Moths - Sandra and Kevin Standbridge
Broxbourne Wood NR, 2 White Admiral, numerous Ringlet and
Meadow Brown, also Speckled Wood and Comma - Several observers
attending a HMWT Butterfly Workshop. Later at Brickendon Green, several active White-letter Hairstreak on the remaining
elm - Liz Goodyear & Andrew Middleton
Friday
23rd June
First sightings of Marbled
Whites (5) on my Bunkers Park transect - Michael
Pearson
Ken
Willmott the nation's true Purple Emperor expert saw 2 Purple
Emperor at Bookham Common today - we are now on total alert! - Liz
Goodyear
I was
pleased to eventually see 2 white-letter
hairstreaks in each of 3 tetrads through Edmonton where I'd spied a few elms
earlier in the year. I also found 1-2 large skippers in each,
several fresh commas, a hummingbird hawkmoth and a purple
hairstreak high around a lime in Tatum
Park near the A10/North Circ roundaabout - Andrew
Middleton
A White Admiral briefly on bramble blossom
at 3pm in a Garston
garden: the first-ever record for the site, which is just 1
km west of Bricket Wood - Colin Everett
Thursday 22nd June
I went to Balls Wood at 1.30pm
today and left at 3.30pm and saw 2 White Admirals, 3
Comma, 5 Meadow Brown, 14 Large Skippers, 6 Speckled Wood - Sandra
Standbridge.
Did
some tetrad bashing in TL41 assisted by Andrew Middleton
today, hoping to find White-letter Hairstreak and Large Skipper!!!
Should have known better with wind strength and cloud but managed
three tetrads in 5 hours with the grand total of finding Large
Skipper/WLHS in 2 out of 3 tetrads! Spent 1 1/2 hours in one tetrad
without a Large Skipper but one pristine
White-letter nectaring on White Bryony - Liz Goodyear
Wednesday 21st June
Maple Cross, Ladywalk Wood, close to
M25 minimum of 20 very active White-letter
Hairstreak making use of field maple and ash, also Large
Skipper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Comma
- Ann Piper with Andrew Middleton and Liz Goodyear
I saw our first White
Admiral at Ruislip on Sunday June 18th - Ched George
Just back from Slovenia, where
I spent a few days looking for butterflies in and around the meadows
near Lake Bohinj. Butterflies were not as abundant in comparison to
the profusion of wildflowers but nevertheless found a few
interesting ones. I also saw a few moths and beetles including a
Green Tiger beetle catching an ant! - Bob Hasra
Tuesday 20th June
I
spent 4 1/2 hours looking for White Admirals, but no luck YET.
However, did see my first Ringlet's of
the year 2 in Balls Wood and 1 in Broxbourne Woods. I started my
walk at Balls Wood,went along Ermine Street,
then crossed the road at Goose Green and entered Broxbourne
Woods. I then turned right by the pond and walked to the
top of the hill. All along the route were Large Skippers. I also saw
Meadow Browns, 1 Painted lady, 3 Red Admirals - Sandra Standbridge.
Today 20th at
Aldbury Nowers: 1 Marbled White, 15 Ringlet, 3 Large Skipper, 20+ Meadow
Brown plus Brown Argus, Common Blue, Painted Lady, Red Admiral,
Brimstone, Small Heath, Speckled Wood. Also amongst various moth
caterpillars seen: The Mullein - very obvious at the moment on the
food-plant - Andrew Palmer
Ickleford, weather today not ideal
with fairly stiff breezes blowing across the site. Marbled Whites up
to 9 (probably more. Also good numbers of Meadow Brown and Small
Heath and my first Ringlet of the year - Simon
Crockford
11.30 am
20 June 2006 Wood Lane, Pirton Transect First
sighting here of a Marbled White - see photo attached. 4 Meadow
Browns, 4 Small Heath, 6 Speckled Wood, 1 Orange Tip and 3 Large
White (huge specimens)- Val Fullforth
Thought I'd send in some
recent reports from my lunchtime (from work) walks at Ickleford. All sightings are between
12:10 & 12:45 (approx)- Friday 16th
June: Several Large Skipper (10+) all appeared to be females. 1
Marbled White, Several Common Blue, Small Heath, Speckled
Wood and white Sp. + unidentified Burnet sp. Monday 19th June: 4
Marbled White, 4 Large Skipper (again all female), Red
Admiral, 6+ Meadow Brown, 3 or 4 Small Heath, Speckled Wood - Simon
Crockford
Monday
19th June
Sightings for today. Weather
not perfect, a bit overcast and windy, but still warm. Great
Ashby District Park; 40+ Meadow Browns, 25+ Painted Lady, 3 Large Skippers,
Speckled Wood, Common Blue and Brown Argus. On Saturday 17th June, with Trevor Brownsell,
had another rush around ticking of species in an attempt to see all
the mainland species in a season. 80+ Black Hairstreak, Strumpshaw
Fen, Norfolk - 8 Swallowtail, and Essex - 100+ Heath Fritillary. Now
on 35 species - Steve Lane
Sunday
18th June
Improvement continues... male
Orange-Tip in the garden (Hemel Hempstead) today. Haven't
seen one since 25th May! Humming-Bird Hawk Moth back for third day
running on Red Valerian. Painted Lady on and around same plant for
two hours. Speckled Wood and Holly Blue also seen. Very worn Peacock
yesterday. Three almost fully grown Brimstone caterpillars on
Purging Buckthorn at allotment wildlife garden - Malcolm Newland
On our Kenwood transect on the 13th, we had
a really good view of a very deep yellow butterfly with what
appeared to be black marginal bands on its wings. It was flying at
about 2 - 3 metres, very powerfully and rapidly, heading from south
to north along the woodland edge of our West Meadow. It was
certainly the right size and shape for a Clouded Yellow and it was absolutely
nothing like any of our other species so far recorded at Kenwood
which include a respectably large population of Brimstone (2 seen
today engaging in their usual activities 200m away and, it must be
said, in our Kitchen Garden approx 1km away, our 1st Painted Lady on
Verbena) - Mike Taylor (Kenwood Transect)
Ware
garden, even I had my first Painted Lady of the year in
my garden - Liz Goodyear
Saturday 17th June
Saw my first HBHM
of the year last Thursday (15th) at
seven in the morning in the garden (Tring), and probably the same one again at
five o'clock. Seen so little else of note this season that it was a
very pleasant surprise - Colin Sturges
June 16/17 saw lots
of Silver Y moths feeding at red campion in my garden around 9.30pm.
And more silver Ys during the daytime fluttering around nettle and
bramble. Today at Ladywalk Wood in Maple Cross saw my
first Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on
honey suckle and my first Meadow Brown browsing through bramble. A
couple of Speckled Woods, 1 peacock and 1 small tortoiseshell made
up the total. Not too much around at the moment - Ann Piper
I spent 4 hours over
Fishers Green today and saw 1 Red
Admiral, 2 Common Blue, 1 White and 5 Painted Ladies, 3 of which
were nectar feeding on the same bramble bush.I watched them for
about 3/4 of an hour and during this time 2 had a tussle, flying
really high then coming back to the same bush to feed again. No
Large Skippers or Meadow Browns seen. Although I did see 1 last week
in Dorset. Then went over to Balls Wood at 3.45 and
saw a Hummingbird Hawkmoth, 16 Large
Skippers, 4 Meadow Browns, 3 Commas, 8 Speckled Woods,2 Red
Admirals, Oak rollers and Hundreds of Peacock Caterpillars. We were
looking for White Admirals but no sign at present. We also saw 1
Large skipper and 2 Painted Ladies on the outskirts of Balls Wood -
Sandra and Kevin Standbridge
Hemel Hempstead, after a very quiet spell
things started to improve today with three Holly Blues seen after a
gap of thirty two days. Also saw three Large Whites one of which
nectared on Erysimum "Bowles Mauve" as
did a Red Admiral. A Speckled Wood arrived while my first Humming-Bird Hawk Moth of the year visited
Red Valerian - Malcolm Newland
Friday
16th June
During 2 hours of dragonfly
survey work at King's Mead today on a hot sunny
day, I only managed to see 1 butterfly - a cracking Clouded Yellow. I've had
worse days !! Alan Reynolds
I spent 3 hours at the Cornmill Meadows and saw 1 Large
Skipper, 12 plus Meadow Browns, 2 Red Admirals, 1 Painted Lady, 3
Large White and 3 Common Blues - Sandra Standbridge
Thursday 15th June
I had a Stevenage garden first
today - 2 Painted Lady's - Steve Lane
Wednesday 14th June
We took a walk tonight over to Balls
Wood and saw some nice moths, a Beautiful Golden Y, Light
Emerald, Drinker & Blood-Vein, Oak Rollers & several Swift
moths, not sure of which ones too fast . Some photos attached -
Sandra & Kevin Standbridge
Tuesday 13th June
Went to the Isle of Wight on Sunday; 200+
Glanville Fritillary, 25+ Painted Lady, 25+ Dingy Skipper, plus
Common Blues and Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Then we went to Bonchurch
Down; 15+ Adonis Blue, 40+ Common Blue, lots of Dingy Skippers,
Whites, 2 Wall. In my Stevenage garden over the last few
days; Speckled Woods, 1 Comma and lots of Whites - Steve Lane
(Trevor Brownsell and John Tomkins on the Isle of Wight)
Monday
12th June
We had 1 Hummingbird Hawkmoth briefly in our
garden in Berkhamsted about 7.30pm today -
Michael Anderson
At
8 40 am this morning at Russel Ave, St Albans I was
surprised to see a Yellow Sulpher Butterfly. I followed it for about
30 seconds as it flew along the road until it disappeared over a
fence into gardens. It was smaller than a Brimstone - about Small
White size & and paler in colour The temperature was mid20
degrees & the sun bright, so do not think its a Brimstone Moth
It was most similar to the North American sulphers I saw in New
England in April 2001 Anyone seen anything similar or has any
suggestions what it might be? - Malcolm Hull
Painted ladies seem to
have appeared in abundance in the last couple of days. I saw two at
Rothamsted today and other possibles
zapping through. My prediction is a record generation later in the
year - Ian Woiwod
Saturday 10th June
A stroll after 6.00pm when the weather had
cooled somewhat yielded my first 2 Painted Ladies of the year. One
was patrolling a south west facing hedge along the border of Maple
Cross school to be joined briefly by a second one
twirling into the air. I also saw 2 large skippers in roughly the
same place as last time. There were also some larval webs and a
batch of tiny caterpillars almost certainly peacocks. The previous
day I saw my first small tortoiseshell caterpillar of the year. In
addition 1 silver Y moth fluttered through the undergrowth and a
single peacock was basking on the path - Ann Piper
I saw my first Large
Skipper of the year in meadows along the River
Pinn at Ruislip Golf Course. Painted Lady, Speckled Wood,
Comma, Holly and Common Blue also present on 9th
June. - Steve Pash
Rather disappointing walk in
Broxbourne Woods today (Saturday June 10th). Only saw two
Speckled Woods and two Speckled Yellow moths. However, I did see two
grass snakes swimming in the pond and then later back at home in Cheshunt my watching of the England
game was interrupted by a Meadow Brown
which flew throught the open patio doors and then out again - Roger
Newbold
Therfield area: a very early morning
walk produced Painted Lady, Peacock and five Speckled Wood on the
Icknfield Way, plus a Brown Argus and five Small Heath on Therfield
Heath - Martin Shepherd
Friday
9th June
Ched George and I saw an early
Meadow Brown yesterday afternoon (8/6/06) in meadows adjacent to Copse
wood, Ruislip (between Copse Wood and Ducks Hill road),
Ruislip. Also, 2 - 3 Common Blue and lots (probably 100+) of Burnet
Companion moth in the same area - Steve Pash
Thursday 8th June
Waterford Heath, 2 Grizzled Skipper
in north pit. South Pit 3 Grizzleds and Brown argus 17 Small heath
5, Common blue 7, Burnet companion 6, Orange tip 1, Brimstone 1 -
Andrew Middleton
Roger Gibbons is in the South of France at the
moment and sent this message "We've seen 80 species so far and
visiting various sites at weekly intervals always reveals some new
species just emerged. Most sites around here yield 30+ species in an
afternoon visit and I'm coming to the conclusion that so-called
rarities such as osiris blue, yellow-banded skipper (a strange
pyrgus underside), spanish festoon, and several others are quite
widespread but at lowish density and confined to small colonies
centred around the larval foodplant. We also have a regular
breakfast visitor - either a southern white admiral or a cardinal or
heath frit or, most usually, a two-tailed pasha (even though this
chap only has one of his long tails left) - he can't resist the
rotting banana and rum mixture and can be approached quite closely
when he's competely pie-eyed".
Tuesday 6th June
Mudchute LNR, it being a lovely day
today plus hearing reports that Large Skippers are emerging, I
decided to pay the site a second visit this week. Unfortunately, I
didn't find any skippers but I did find a pair of Small Coppers,
raising my species sightings for the site to nine this season. Also
seen Common Blue (1), Speckled Wood (6), Green Veined White (8),
Small White (3), Large White (1) & Brimstone (1) - David
Chandler
News from
3rd June: Wheathampstead LNR - 4
male Common Blue, 3 Orange-tip and 1 Peacock. 2nd June Friday - Pegsdon Hills: 5 Green Hairstreak,
11 Dingy Skippers, 1 Peacock, 6 Brown Argus, 10 Small Heath and a
few
Cinnabar, Burnet Companion, Mother Shipton and Pyrausta
moths. Hoo Bit: 2 Common Blue. Hexton
Pit: 2 Dingy Skipper, 1 Small Heath. Sharpenhoe: 1 Dingy Skipper, 1
Common Blue, 1 Green Hairstreak, 3 Small Heath, 2 Brimstone, 1 Large
White, 1 Brown Argus. Ivinghoe: 1 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral,
20 Small Heath, 5 Brown Argus, 3 Brimstone, 1 Large White, 7 Dingy
Skipper, 1 Common Blue, 1 Green Hairstreak. - so a good day out. 1
Duke of Burgundy was also seen - Trevor Chapman
Monday
5th June
I went for my lunchtime walk
around Mudchute Park in Tower Hamlets [in
the Middx tetrad bit] today (5/06/06) to look for June species. I
was very pleased to add a new species to my list of those seen for
2006 - a freshly emerged male Common Blue. Other species seen today
were: 12 Green Veined White, 6 Small White & 3 Speckled Wood.
I'll go back again to the site on a sunny day in July to see what
"Browns" have emerged in the long grassland areas - Dave Chandler
Was rowing down the River Bure
on Sunday, when I saw a Swallowtail in a neighbour's garden. I had
to moor up, get out out of the dinghy...and get into the neighbour's
garden. Then rush back get the camera, change the lens as the
swallowtail was high up in a lilac and rush back. It was still
there! This was my first sighting of a Swallowtail near my mother's
in 35 years!! What a sighting - Liz Goodyear
A mix of pictures that may be
of interest (not all posted due to space and
time). The Duke must be a female looking at the brightness and
width of her abdomen! Also saw Dingy on Bramble but it was clearly
nectaring and a The Drinker caterpillar was on grass in amongst
nettles. The Small Blues in Bedfordshire were fascinating with
around 40 on one area of well weathered chalk debris in one small
area, clearly taking nutrients from the surface - mostly (all?)
males. Around 8 were seen on dog pooh. Over a 100 seen during an
evening stroll. A couple were several 100m away from the colonies
but I have yet to work out the distance - Andrew Palmer
We went to Bedfordshire to
look for Small Blues, we saw 10 male & 2 female Brimstones, 5
Male Orange Tips, Small Heath, 3 Large White, Common Blue, Holly
Blue and 50 plus Small Blue. Weather very hot & sunny but also
very windy, visited between 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Also saw strange black
fat bug, do you know what it is or anyone else who may be able to
help, never seen it before. Pics of Small Blue mating & fat
black bug attached - Sandra & Kevin Standbridge
|
|
To be identified
© photo: Sandra
Standbridge |
On Friday 2nd June, Steve
Lane, with Tony Hukin, Trevor Brownsell and Ian Hardy went 'south'
to look for butterflies. This is there report "First stop Bentley
Wood; 20+ Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 8+ Pearl-bordered
Fritillary, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Peacock, Large White and Speckled
Wood. Onto Martin Down, first stop, 100+ Small Blues, Grizzled and
Dingy Skippers, Painted Lady, Common Blues, to name a few. Second
carpark stop; 20+ Adonis Blues, 30+ Small Blues, 12+ Marsh
Fritillary, Small Copper, Green Hairstreak, Grizzled and Dingy
Skippers, Painted Lady. Final stop Portland; 8+ Wall, 8+ Adonis
Blue, 1 Clouded Yellow. A Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth was also seen
during the day. A trip list of 23 species in total."
Sunday 4th June
Had a stroll round Maple Cross and West Hyde this afternoon and saw my first Large Skipper of the year sitting on a grass stem. I got close enough for a good look and then it flitted away. Also saw 2 pristine peacocks, 3 male orange tips, 2 large whites and several small/green veined whites. A red admiral darted off at my approach. As a bonus I also met an Emperor dragonfly, many small blue damselflies, a cinnabar moth and a silver Y.
Oh yes and a rabbit scuttled past as well! - Ann Piper
Stevenage transect 3 June 1030-1145, ideal weather (100% sunshine, very light winds & temperature about 18 degrees) but only 3 butterflies seen - Small Copper, Speckled Wood and Green-Veined White! - Peter Clarke
Saturday 3rd June
Guy Manners and a fellow walker went for a long walk around the Pegsdon Hills in and out of Hertfordshire/Beds on Saturday..."We started in Hertfordshire on the Hitchin Road with a male Orange Tip.
From there to the entrance to Deacon Hill (Icknield Way, Herts/Beds), we logged 2 male Brimstone, 1 white sp., 1 Large White, 1 Holly Blue.
Around Deacon Hill (Beds), we clocked 1 Dingy Skipper, 1 white sp., 1
"large" white sp., 1 Green Hairstreak, 3 male Common Blue. Back on the Icknield Way to the road
Herts?), we logged 1 Speckled Wood, 4 white sp/p., 1 Peacock, 1 Painted Lady. Continuing on through Mortgrove Farm to, we had numerous
whites, 1 Large White, 1 male Orange Tip. Following the road and northbound path, we had 1 ?Cocksfoot Moth, 1 Comma, 1 carpet sp., male and female
Brimstone. Hexton (Herts) itself, including path around W side of Church Wood, yielded
1 Peacock, numerous whites, 1 male Orange Tip. Barton Hills NNR (Beds) gave us 2 male Common Blue, 1 Green Hairstreak.
Heading south from Bedfordshire, we had 1 Peacock, numerous ?Cocksfoot
Moths, 1 Common Carpet, 1 Holly Blue. Continuing south, we had 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1
Peacock, numerous Brimstone. Back on the Icknield Way, we saw 1 Comma, 1
male Orange Tip, numerous Brimstone, 1 carpet sp., and a naked cyclist!!!
Telegraph Hill NR (Herts) gave us 1 Small Heath. Pegsdon Hill NR, Beds?) gave 4 Small Heath, 1 male
Common Blue, plus whites. There was another Small Tortoiseshell in there somewhere, maybe on the
Icknield Way between Telegraph Hill and Pegsdon Hill."
Sightings for Great Ashby Park/Priors Wood; 1 Painted Lady, 1 Small Copper,
10+ Common Blue, 20+ Brown Argus, Large Whites, Orange-tips, Small
Tortoiseshell, Peacock, also; Mother Shipton, Burnet Companion, Silver Y and
Cinnabar moths - Steve Lane
Brief visit to Tatem Park, Enfield. Noted Holly blue 2, Small white 2, Painted lady 1 and Speckled wood 1. (Also a broad-bodied chaser and many azure damselflies) - Robert Callf, Phil and Carrin Rhodes.
Chorleywood Common: Saturday, I saw Small Heath 2, Common Blue 6, Small Copper 2, Small White 2, Green
Veined White 2, Large White 1, Peacock 1 and a very worn Painted Lady
heading north at a very fast rate of knots - Dave Chandler
I saw 2 Brown Argus and 2 Common Blue over Fishers Green on Friday. The first I have seen over the Lea Valley Park for this year - Sandra Standbridge
Thursday 1st June
St Albans area: a Purple Hairstreak larva beneath an oak along the edge of Park Wood near Chiswell Green and a Painted Lady in the same monad - Colin Everett
May 2006
Wednesday 31st May
Broomfield Park, Enfield, 50 minutes, no butterflies seen; Tatum Rec. 2hrs, speckled wood and 2 small whites, and Diane pointed out many Harlequin ladybird larvae on leaves of almost everything – Diane Andrews and Andrew Middleton
Monday 29th May
Bricket Wood, in between the showers I saw 10 Green veined Whites, all nectaring on Bugle, 2 Large Whites (one nectaring on Bluebell), 2 Painted Ladies, 2 male Brimstones & a Mother Shipton. The canopy in the overgrown Hornbeam coppice is full of holes - some trees have lost 90% of their leaves - apparently caused by caterpillar damage - Malcolm Hull
I had a very washed out and tatty PAINTED LADY at Kimpton Hoo today 29th May - Robin Smith
Sunday 28th May
Waterford Heath south, 7 Grizzled Skipper - Tony Clancy
Pitstone Hill: (just in Bucks) 18 Dingy Skipper plus 3 eggs on Birds Foot Trefoil, Aldbury Nowers: c.5 Grizzled Skipper, c.3 Dingy Skipper, 2 Green Hairstreak, 5 Brown
Argus - Andrew Middleton, Andrew Palmer, Nick Bowles and Tom Dunbar
First 2006 sightings of Common Blue (2 males) on my Bunkers Park transect - Mike Pearson
A final-instar Purple Hairstreak larva beneath an oak along Grove Mill Lane in rural Watford. Small Copper, 2 male Common Blues and a Small Yellow Underwing moth
near Sarratt Bottom; Small Copper in fields off Plough Lane north of Sarratt; Large White nectaring on hawthorn blossom at the edge of Whippendell Wood. Many other insects including cardinal Beetles
(both species) and longhorn beetles (four species); abundance of Garden Chafers near Chorleywood - Colin Everett
Saw two Orange Tips, one unidentified white and 27 Speckled Yellow moths
whilst waliking from the west car park of Broxbourne Wood on Sunday afternoon. Weather generally overcast - Roger Newbold
13 weather beaten Dingy skippers at Hexton Chalk pit along with 2 common
blues and a small heath - Stuart Pittman
Ayot St Lawrence I saw a fresh male Orange Tip out side the Brocket Arms public house - David Chandler
Friday 26th May
Thursday 25th May
Arrived at Pegsdon at 10.45 and saw up to 24 Dingy’s without trying. 3-4 Dingy's on Telegraph Hill which seems very low, plus 3 Green Hairstreak. Saw Dingy’s laying on Bird’s-foot trefoil - it’s over in a flash not like GH. Found a Dingy on the field margin well away from Telegraph and it was going places, followed it for a couple of 100m’s when it flew out over the crop near the wood.
At one stage it took ‘salt’ on a bird dropping along with 3 flies! Then went to Hexton (5pm). Dingy’s all over the site – a quick walk around produced 16 assumed different individuals, a conservative figure but they were very, very active, going for extensive flights at times). Lots of basking and nectaring but didn’t manage to see any laying activity. Left around 7pm - Andrew Palmer
Saw 3 male and a female Common Blues today on the steep bank (left
side) off the minor road to Therfield off the A505 (first turning on left coming from Royston), also Large White, Small White and a Mother Shipton
I've found a dozen or more groups of damaged elm leaves possibly from
White-letter Hairstreak caterpillars on the elm tree next to my house in Stevenage.
(same as photo on Hampshire and Isle of Wight BC website - see links)- Steve Lane
Waterford Heath, day started very quiet. We walked along the bank near the railway line for nearly an hour and saw no Grizzleds. Richard Bigg was walking his transect and he too later reported seeing nothing. He did however see during his visit Small Heath, Common Blue and Brown Argus.
We then walked across the track to the bank near the pond and over a period of about an hour saw
three Grizzleds messing about. Around 2 o'clock we left to go to the south pit and our luck just changed. A female was seen egg laying, two were seen mating and another two seen clashing in addition to several singletons. From the Sacombe Road side we walked into the middle and found them there, by the entrance gate and in front of the view point. Later near the kissing gate as well.
A rough estimate at 5 o'clock was about 15 but later Andrew confirmed by text that there was probably 18 just on the bank alone!!! Quite something after such bad weather - Liz Goodyear & Andrew Middleton
A Painted Lady flew across the main quad at UCL (Gower St, WC1E 6BT) this
lunchtime - Fraser Simpson
Tuesday 23rd May
Grizzled Skipper observations between rain showers as part of the vulnerable species initiative. "Not sure how successful the trial habitat condition survey was today. Egglaying on bramble was interesting – should spend more time watching egglaying – and what appeared to be a rather fat female stayed on a St John's Wort hidden in the corner of the ‘roost’ area, even when the sun shone.
2 males occupying high perches on teasel and nettle at the bottom of this slope." - Andrew Middleton (If anyone can help Andrew Middleton do some habitat condition surveys please email him . The surveys are not hard but do take up a bit of time!)
Went for a walk in Mill End lunch time in between rain and caught a really warm spell. [TQ037946] The footpath leads to the M25 where I saw my first Small Copper of the year
- just a brief sighting and then it was off. Also saw some orange tips and small and green veined white. The area should be worth other visits - Ann Piper
First lunchtime out for days. East side of Amwell - Small Copper, 2 Orange Tips, 1 Red
Admiral and 2 Small Yellow Underwing moths. Large emergence of damselflies around 12 o'clock after rain, when the sun
finally came out - Trevor Chapman
Just returned from a trip to Scotland, we found a single Chequered Skipper,
8 Pearl Bordered Fritillary, plus 100s of Orange-tips, Speckled Wood, Small White and Peacock - Ian Hardy, Steve Lane with Richard Pople, John Tomkins, Tony Hukin, Dave Beer, Keith Cherry and Trevor Brownsell
Saturday 20th May
We went to Pegsdon Hills today, weather slightly better, very windy with outbreaks of sun and rain every so often.
We saw 1 male Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral, 5 Common Heaths, 2 Burnet Companion,
our first 2 Green Carpets(pic attached), 2 Dingy Skippers and our first Green
Hairstreaks of the year, 6 different individuals, some gettting worn, pics attached. Good
day out considering weather - Kevin & Sandra Standbridge
Thursday 18th May
Had a day out with Dave Beer to our county borders and visited 3 sites.
First was Bison Hill in Beds, we had Green Hairstreak, Brown Argus, Red Admiral, Small Heath, Holly Blue,
Brimstome, Orange-tip, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Small
Tortoiseshell and an almost black Peacock which was stunning, but would
not settle long enough for a photo. Next to College Lake in Bucks and we
saw Common Blue, Dingy Skipper and 3 nice moths Lesser Teble-bar, Burnet Companion and Silver Y. Then finally back into Herts to Aldbury Nowers
and had 8 Dingy Skippers, 1 Grizzled Skipper, 6 Green Hairstreaks, Brimstone,
Orange-tip, Large White, Small White, Holly Blue 4 Small Heaths, Small
Tortoiseshell and a nice Silver Y moth. A total of 16 species - Steve Lane
Tring Park, Monday 15th May no butterflies seen at all, however I was only
there for a very short time. Tring Park, Tuesday 16th May: 9 people attended my CMS guided walk and we saw 1
peacock and 1 Grizzled Skipper roosting right at the bottom of the escapement viewed from the open grassland area and over the barbed wire fence - Jez Perkins
Monday 15th May
THE STATE OF BUTTERFLIES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND is launched on the 15th May
Sunday 14th May
Aldbury Nowers Field Trip Report, 20 people came along despite the weather including 8 at the pub. Saw Martin and his sheep. Not many butterflies but we did see about 10 including Grizzled Skippers (at least 2) Small Heath (3) and right at the end after most people had gone home, a Painted Lady.
- Malcolm Hull
We went to Pegsdon today hoping to find Green hairstreaks but the weather was cloudy & drizzley. However, we did see two species of moth, which we think are Common Heath approx 10 and 4 Wood Carpets.
We then went to Sharpenhoe Clappers and saw our first Dingy Skippers of the year, approx 8. This was only for approx 15mins when the sun shone for a short while - Sandra and Kevin Standbridge
Tring Park in dull weather, 1 Dingy Skipper and 4 roosting Grizzled Skipper - Jez Perkins
Went for a walk in the Broxbourne Woods area. It was quite overcast and
there was not much around but as well as two unidentified whites seen in the distance I saw a Speckled Yellow moth - Roger Newbold
Saturday 13th May
Jez Perkins (Grizzled Skipper Species Co-ordinator) rang to say he had seen a Grizzled Skipper at Aldbury Nowers
just at the entrance, also 1 Dingy Skipper. This Grizzled Skipper sighting is very significant as this is the first
report away from the top paddock for several years. Please could everyone visiting AN please look very carefully and report
exactly where the sightings of all the key species (Grizzled, Dingy and Green HS) are made - Thanks
Friday 12th May
I spent an hour at Waterford Heath South fromm 2.50pm today with my wife we saw 10 Grizzled Skippers 8 being different individuals, two were mating the others just flying and basking in the sun.
They were all in the area down the slope from the old bench and on the Wild Strawberries. We also had three small whites and six orange tips.
I also had an orange tip in my garden in Stevenage today - Ian and Sue Hardy
Andrew Middleton and
Andrew Palmer visited Tring Park and
Aldbury Nowers. Accompanied by Brian Jessop at
Tring they saw 1
Dingy Skipper, 5 Grizzled Skipper and 9 Green Hairstreak.
At Aldbury Nowers, they
saw 1 Green Hairstreak and 5 of each Grizzled and Dingy
Skipper, also 1 Painted Lady, 1 Small Heath and 1 Small
Copper.
Thursday 11th May
St Albans area: A Painted Lady by the rose gardens at Chiswell Green, Red Admiral on nettles along Hogg End Lane and scattered Silver Y moths - Colin Everett
Hemel Hempstead, had my first Red Admiral of the year in the garden today, a nice fresh-looking specimen which sunned itself on a
Meadowsweet leaf but didn't visit any flowers.Also had my first
Green veined White one female and several male Orange Tips, also a single Holly Blue - Malcolm Newland
Pegsdon area today - Hexton Chalk Pit
(8.30-9.40) 1 Green Hairstreak
and 7 Dingy
Skipper. Pegsdon Hills (Beds):10.10-13.26,
14.10-14.50, 54 Green Hairstreak, 12
Dingy Skipper, 1 Small Copper & 3 Red Admiral. Telegraph Hill: 2
Dingy Skipper & 14 Green Hairstreak. Knocking Hoe (Beds), about 8
Green Hairstreak. Many other butterflies and moths
observed but no time to type - Andrew Palmer, Liz Goodyear, Andrew
Middleton with Nigel Agar
During a visit to Aldbury Nowers this
afternoon, I saw a single Dingy Skipper, which I
positively identified sunning itself on grasses; I was able to watch
it through binoculars for about a minute, before it flew off. I also
saw, what I'm almost certain was a single Grizzled Skipper. It flew
close to me, but disappeared without settling, before I could be
100% sure of its identity - it was not a moth. Both sightings were
at the top end of the northern compartment, in the expected area.
There were no Green Hairstreaks - Michael Pearson
Waterford Heath area early morning,
one Small Heath waking up and later in afternoon 3 Brown Argus roosting - Andrew
Middleton
I took a lunchtime walk today
around the Mudchute Wildlife park in the Isle
of Dogs (Middx) and found lots of butterflies. I saw 45 Green Veined
Whites, 6 Small Whites 2 Large Whites, 1 Brimstone, 7 Speckled
Woods, 4 Small Tortoiseshells and 1 Holly Blue. I thought 66
butterflies was a good total for an inner city park very close to
Canary Wharf - David Chandler
Wednesday 10th May
I started of today at Fishers Green and saw 2 Holly Blue,
4 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Speckled Wood, Orange Tips, Green Veined
White and Small White. I also noticed 3 Hairy Dragonfly, Banded
Demoiselle and Large Red Damselfly plus a few other Damselfly, which
I have yet to I.D. I then arrived at Waterford Heath South
at 1pm left at 2pm.(As my Dog refused to walk any further
as it got very hot.) However, I did have 6 sightings of Grizzled Skipper 4 feeding and then
basking.The 2 other sightings of G.S were flying very low to the
ground and travelling some distance, before I lost sight of them.
They were missing all their favorite foods and flying erratic around
all the plants. I also saw a female Orange Tip, laying eggs plus a
few males, Red Admiral, 2 Peacocks, 3 Latticed Heath and a few
Whites - Sandra Standbridge
Grovelands Park – 2 holly blue,
orange tip, green-veined white, small white. Vicarage Farm – small tortoiseshell,
painted lady – Robert Callf
Hemel Hempstead, lucky
enough to find mating Orange Tips in the garden, also had a male
Brimstone. Saw a Peacock nectaring on Strawberry flowers at the
allotment and a Green-Veined White on Horse Chestnut blossom at Verulam Park St Albans - Malcolm
Newland
Waterford Heath, I was at the south
side today between 3.30 and 5.00pm I saw two Orange Tips, 5 Peacock,
3 Grizzled Skipper ( 2 nectaring on wild
strawberry about 20 yards left of the old bench on the flat ground
not the slope. And 1 basking in the sun on a nettle about twenty
yards above the wild strawberry. I also had 2 small white, 1 Holly
Blue and 1 Small Tortoiseshell in the same vicinity - Ian Hardy
At last! 2 Orange Tips
on Harpenden Common. Weather perfect,
sunny and warm - Michael Healy
Tuesday 9th May
Went to Waterford Heath with
Ian Hardy this afternoon, arrived about 4.30pm and the sun shone
most of the time. We first went to the north pit, not much moving,
Small Tortoiseshell, Large White and a Grizzled Skipper, which was on the bank
facing the railway line just below the sculptures, it was on a patch
of mud and then flew up and disappeared in a few seconds. We then
crossed to the south pit, a couple of Orange-tips, Peacock, Small
White and another Grizzled Skipper
(photo attached) roosting on nettles about 20 yards before the first
bench and about a third of the way down the bank. Also seen Latticed
Heath moth - Steve Lane and Ian Hardy
Arrived at Waterford Heath South
at 1pm. The sun was just coming out. I started down the bottom of
the slope and saw 2 Grizzled Skippers,feeding on wild Strawberry
flowers and Forget-me-nots. After their feed, they would then just
lay open on the ground basking in the sun for a short time and then
go back to feeding again. Further along again down the bottom of the
slope 2 Grizzleds were clashing. I had
two other sightings of GS both in different places( but near the top
of the slope) feeding on Buttercups. I had a look over the North
Pit, but the sun had gone in and no GS were seen - Sandra
Standbridge
Aldbury Nowers, when it was cloudy
two roosting Grizzled Skipper in the top
paddock. Later Orange Tip, Brimstone and Red Admiral in the lower
section. Drove over to Tring Park, by now the sun was
trying to shine and walked across park to bottom of escarpment. One
Grizzled Skipper was seen nectaring on
speedwell growing on an anthill. Orange Tip and Green-veined White
being the only other two species seen. Folly Bridge - Orange
Tip, Green-veined White and Brimstone flying between Buckinghamshire
and Herts! - Liz Goodyear and Andrew Middleton
Monday
8th May
Late news from Ian Small (it had sat in his outbox since the 4th!)
Saw my first Orange Tip and 2 Speckled Woods in Welwyn
Garden City at lunchtime today (4th May). Separately, saw 1st Holly Blue
in Welwyn Garden City at lunchtime on
the 5th
There have been reports of Painted Lady and
several migrant moths over the last few days. If you should see
Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Clouded Yellow or any other apparently
migrating butterflies, for information on recording details
requested please follow this link: Migrant
Recording Instructions - John Murray
Sunday
7th May
Nothing (meaning Grizzled Skipper) at Aldbury Nowers yet - weather poor -
always miss the hour or two of sun and heat. Weather forecasts also
wrong! - Martin Hicks
A walk round Darlands Lake in
Totteridge yesterday found 9 of the 10 usual suspects at
this time of year - Small Tortoiseshell let the side down - but we
made the round number anyway with excellent views of a smallish Painted Lady in very good condition doing a
little patrolling and a little basking along a field boundary hedge
- Keir Mottram
In
addition to common butterflies, Robert Callf saw two painted ladies in the Trent
Park~Vicarage Farm area of Enfield. Tony Clancy and
Andrew Middleton saw a red admiral flying north low over the water
of the KGV Res, Enfield, along with two
little terns - Andrew Middleton
Waterford Heath Field Trip report.
Whilst Sandra was in the south pit, 50
people with Alan Downie as leader were searching the north pit
for sight of a Grizzled Skipper, many for the first time! Although
multiple sightings were reported, many would have been the same
individual but we estimate that probably 5 Grizzled Skipper were
seen. A smaller group then visited the south pit and although more
species of butterfly were seen, only two Grizzled Skipper were found
and not by the main group. We were able to show everyone the
Latticed Heath moth which can be confused with a Grizzled. On the
north pit Grizzled Skipper, 1 Comma, 1 Green-veined White and 1
Large White. A Brimstone and Holly Blue flew through the Carpark and
on the South Pit, 2 Grizzled Skipper, Green-veined White, a Painted Lady (very briefly), several Orange
Tip including a female, Comma, Peacock, Brimstone, Silver y moths
and many Latticed Heath moths. Before the Field Trip 1 Red Admiral
on the South pit - Liz Goodyear
Aldbury Nowers, a brief and late
visit to Turlhanger Wood (above Duchies Piece) did not reveal any
Grizzled though a chappie who was sat there enjoying the sun claimed
to have seen a small, very dark brown and white, stripey butterfly
that he tried to follow but it zipped away to fast for his eyes to
keep up. No Dingy or green hairstreak either but I saw Pyrastra aurata and silver y while there,
Brimstones and Orange Tip, too, but I was there for far to short a
time to be able to say No Grizzled yet - certainly not many there -
Nick Bowles
Arrived at Waterford north pit at
1.30pm until 2.00pm, very cloudy, no sight of any Grizzled Skippers
but saw a Painted Lady( picture
attached). We then went to the South Pit and the sun came out, we
saw at least 3 Grizzled Skippers who
were very active feeding on Strawberry flowers and Forget-me-nots
and also basking in the sun.(various pictures of their antics
attached).They were all seen at the base of the hill. We also saw 8
Latticed Heaths, Burnet Companion, Mating Orange Tips, various
Whites, Peacocks, Red Admiral and a Male Brimstone - Sandra
Standbridge
Took
advantage of the sunshine to walk through the local bluebell wood in
Maple Cross and on down the farm
footpath. Saw my first red admiral of the year along with a small
tortoiseshell, 5 peacocks, a couple of green veined whites and a
number of active twirling orange tips hovering around garlic mustard
- Ann Piper
Friday
5th May
Waterford Heath,
between 17 & 1800hrs today we had at least 6 grizzled skippers flying in the north
pit, the most we've seen there. Peacock, Brimstone and Orange tip
also seen - Simon Rasch
6.00pm
Rant Meadow (Small Urban Dacorum Borough Council owned Woodland) Hemel
Hempstead. Red Admiral exhibiting territorial behaviour
in a small clearing. Chasing away a would be usurper (also a Red
Admiral) several times, then returning to the same perch on a
budding Hornbeam sapling. Both rather tatty, "usurper" slightly
smaller. Sparring a la Speckled Wood, spiralling upwards, also
closely circling one another with much fluttering of wings - Ashley
Cox
Waterford Pit South, 1 Red Admiral,
8 (5 male, 3 female) Orange Tip, 8 Peacock, 4 Brimstone, 1 Silver-Y, 10 Latticed Heath. Waterford Pit North, 1 Grizzled
Skipper, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Peacock, 3 Comma, 6 Brimstone - Andrew
Palmer
Ickleford, TEN different species,
best being holly blue, all 4 overwintered Nymphs plus double figure
counts of Orange tip and speckled wood - Stuart Pittman
I have just seen my
first speckled woods of the year. It was an afternoon walk on Thursday and very hot. Saw two speckled
woods just off the main road in Maple Cross up a
footpath. Also flitting about were a couple of whites and a
tortoiseshell. Later saw a brimstone and a holly blue - Ann Piper
Aldbury Nowers, during a 75min
visit, on a glorious afternoon, with the birds singing at full
throttle, I counted these butterflies over the three compartments:
Brimstone - 21; Lge White - 1; Small/GV White - 5; Orange Tip - 14;
Holly Blue -1; Peacock - 8 - Mike Pearson
1 Grizzled Skipper 2 Orange Tip 2 Peacock 2
Holly Blues and 1 Comma seen Waterford North at
lunchtime today - Ian Hardy, Dave Beer & John Tomkins
Spent a couple of
hours over Waterford Heath today looking for Grizzled Skippers and only saw one - Sandra
Standbridge Picture Attached. Sandra Standbridge.Had 2 Grizzled Skippers this am at Waterford Heath - Dave Beer
Had a nice orange Tip
on Friday 28th April in Preston village. At that point I had
not seen any whites, ridiculous or what - Stuart Pittman
Thursday 4th May
Today in my Stevenage garden,
Peacock, Comma, Large White, Orange-tip and Small Tortoiseshell -
Steve Lane
2
Orange Tips today at Watery Grove Stevenage also 1 Green
Veined White - Darrel Bryant
Telegraph Hill, 2
Green Hairstreak together in flight and one Burnet
Companion moth - phone call from Andrew Palmer. Later
Andrew confirmed: "I saw 2 Green Hairstreak clashing at Telegraph
Hill - in the shallower of the two ditches at 11.45. None seen here
in 2005 and only one in each of previous years so this is
encouraging. Also 3 Burnet Companion Moths"
Camley
Street Natural Park at King's Cross had at least 8 Holly
Blues, 3 Speckled Woods and a female Orange Tip at lunchtime today -
Fraser Simpson
Sightings today at Fir
and Pond Woods NR: Speckled woods (3), peacocks, orange
tips, small copper (1), brimstone (1),
holly blue (1), also 2 "unidentified whites" - David Gompertz
Wednesday 3rd May
An early evening visit to Waterford Heath produced 4 or 5
active Grizzled Skippers - Andrew Palmer
A male Brimstone heading along Euston
Road (at the junction with Tottenham Court Road) in
central London today around 1330h. - Fraser Simpson
Tuesday 2nd May
Waterford Heath north pit at just
after 10 o'clock a Grizzled Skipper was seen basking on
a seed head before flying off. Later a probable second individual
was seen in same area but with a slightly cripped wing. This didn't
seem obvious in the first sighting. A visit to Pirton and the
Pegsdon Hills later with Andrew Middleton, in at times very dull,
windy and cold conditions produced only the usual spring
butterflies, no Dingy or Green Hairstreak (nothing roosting either)-
Liz Goodyear
Monday
1st May
Urgent
help needed - can anyone help Bob Clift by walking his transect
on St Michaels Mead Southern Country Park in Bishop's Stortford (OS
TL473194) for four weeks as of now. If you can help, please contact
Liz Goodyear
St.
Albans, only one butterfly today - a Speckled Wood
nectaring on Cherry Blossom - not seen that before! - Malcolm
Hull
Ware on Friday - Old Lea Widbury Hill Male Orange
Tip also 2 or 3 Peacock - Ian Edwards
April 2006
Saturday 29th
April
Orange Tip in the garden today (Hitchin)- Nigel Agar
With the British
Natural History group today and we saw a Green Veined White on
cleavers/white nettlebed at Perrywood Farm, SW of
Watton at Stone. Only other sighting was a Small Tortoiseshell in
the wheat field near the Watton Road at Datchworth Green - Val Fullforth
M25/M1
Junction area, rather a cold north wind but in the
sheltered areas the following were recorded: Brimstone, 1 - male; Small Tortoiseshell, 12; Peacock, 7; Comma,
1; Orange Tip, 4 - three males one
female - Bob Cripps
Friday 28th
April
St
Nick's Church Yard, Stevenage 2.00-2.45pm. 4 Holly Blue,
1 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood - Lee Browne
Ally
Pally, 2 small tortoiseshells, 4 speckled wood, 1
peacock, 2 small white - Robert Callf
Thursday 27th
April
Wood Lane, Pirton
- 14.30 18 deg. sunshine First sighting of 2 Orange Tips
near the cow parsley. Totals for the transect were 8 Brimstones (6
males 2 females) 3 Small Tortoiseshell and 13 Peacocks, mostly
resting on the pathway near the blackthorn - Val Fullforth
Spent an hour in Maple
Cross and West Hyde this afternoon (a rather cool 16*C)
and saw my first Green Veined Whites -
one male, one female. ( I can't really count another one which
hatched a few days ago in my house! ) I also saw at least 4 peacocks
and 8 small tortoiseshells. Lots of spiralling in twos in the air! -
Ann Piper
Wednesday 26th April
A thorough search of the Waterford Heath area, produced no
Grizzled Skippers today - unfortunately the sun went in just after
we started looking but no roosters either. Many Peacocks throughout
the day as well as a Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and male
Orange Tip were seen. More interesting and funny was a Green-veined White doing its best to
put off an over amorous Small White. It was the one day when Andrew
didn't have his video! - Liz Goodyear and Andrew Middleton
Tuesday 25th April
|
Nick Sampford
Yesterday, I was told of the very sad
news that Nick Sampford died that morning. Nick was
a larger than life character and he will be greatly missed by
everyone that knew him. Our sympathies go to Angela and his
family. Nick had rung me on Friday with the news that he had
seen an Orange Tip but I was out and he left a message with my
daughter. "Tell Liz" was his message! He later emailed me to
confirm that he had seen two that day, little did I realise
that this would be his last posting.
I took over the
website in 2001 just as Nick got the butterfly and photo bug
and he set himself the challenge of seeing and photoing every
British butterfly species in one year. As the year
progressed the website was filled with the wonders of his
superb photos and news. He loved the Purple Emperor and spent
hours waiting patiently at Broxbourne Woods for one to come
down on the ground - his patience was rewarded on 9th July
2003 with his classic shot. All his photos and news will be
greatly missed although his spelling and punctuation gave me a
few head aches at times! If anyone would like me to pass a
message to Angela please email me. The
funeral will be held at Thundridge Church, nr Ware on Thursday
4th May at 11 o'clock - Liz Goodyear |
|
I had my first sighting of the year of an
Orange Tip butterfly over Fishers Green, Lea
Valley Park today. We also saw a Holly Blue, Brimstones,
and a couple of Peacocks at the weekend again at Fishers Green. -
Sandra Standbridge
Monday
24th April
One Herald moth seen this
afternoon roosting on steps in front garden of my house in Pinner - Graham Elcombe
Sunday
23rd April
Field
Trip reports for today: Two events were run, first John
Hollingdale and the Harrow Nature Conservation Group, were at
Stanmore Common in the morning. John Hollingdale reports
"Did a moth evening last Friday at SCP and we had about 150 macros
(about 14 species mainly C & S Quakers). Three or four times the
number that appeared in my trap the previous evening. It rained for
all the time today, but as most of the twelve were Natural History
Society members people were there to point out Redpoll and Siskin
and identify many species of bird-call. The Wood Anenomes were
blooming and the bluebells were just opening. Sulphur Tuft fungus
was also seen as were two micros spirally upwards out of reach of
the net."
At Broxbourne Woods with Countryside
Management Service, Andrew Middleton and Liz Goodyear with Heidi
Hutton lead a walk titled 'Introducing
Woodland Butterflies.' Although the rain had stopped, the sun
never shown, but we were able to identifiy the best places to see
butterflies in the woods, and the many flowers including larval
foodplants that are present. About 14 people turned up and had an
enjoyable afternoon.
Sightings for my Stevenage garden Saturday 22nd April, Orange-tip, Brimstome, Peacock and Small
White. I have just returned from a trip to Tobago, mainly
birdwatching, but did manage to find some butterflies, some very
similar to British ones. They are very difficult to watch as they
never land and have very erratic flight patterns, probably due to
the number of Flycatchers on Tobago. I did manage a few photos which
I have attached, any help with ID would be good. Butterflies seen;
Red Anartia (photos, Large Orange Sulphur (common), Grizzled
Skipper? (photos), Postman, White Peacock (photo, damaged),
Flamebleu (photo), Owl, Morpho, Skipper species x 2 (photos) and 2
other species photos attached unknown as yet (will be posted asap) - Steve Lane
Saturday 22nd April
Maple Cross, on Friday 21st. I had a lovely sunny walk
round Maple Cross and West Hyde. It was 17*C but felt much warmer
and obviously tempted out the butterflies. I saw my first male orange tip, my first holly blue
and my first large white of the season! I also saw a male brimstone,
7 peacocks and 11 small tortoiseshells. Incidentally the orange tip
chrysalis which I have been nurturing since last summer finally
hatched on April 15th. a female! - Ann Piper
News from the Watford
area: M25/M1 junction area on the 14th April, Brimstone 4, Small
Tortoiseshell, 2, Peacock, 6. Woodside area on the
20th April, Holly Blue 1. Bricket Wood Common on the 22nd April, Brimstone, 21, Comma, 2 and Peacock 13 -
Bob Cripps
Friday
21st April
Two
Holly Blues in Hanover Sq W1 at 11.30 on 21 April.
The first time I have seen any butterflies in this location, which I
have been walking through most days of the week for the last 10
years! Malcolm Hull
Hanbury Manor, nr Ware - Nick
Sampford rang to say he had seen an Orange Tip this
morning. Later Nick confirmed he had 2 orange tips one by
Hanbury Manor the other near Westmill, Ware also 5
brimstone 4 m 1 female 5 peacock an 2 small tortoiseshell
Today at King's
Mead 3 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Holly Blue, 5
Peacock and 1 Small White - Alan Reynolds
Thursday 20th April
Sightings from Brimsdown EN3 5NY - Friday 14th April - Brimstone (1), sm
Tortoiseshell (3), Peacock (2), Comma (2) and one red admiral. Saturday: Sm Tort, Peacock and Comma were
still around Sunday: it was dull but 1 small White and Sm Tortoiseshell. Monday: nice day, Sm Tortoiseshell, Comma,
Peacock and what looked like a holly
blue, as I can't think what else it could have been. Also, Hilly
Fields, Enfield Friday 14th
April: Sm Tort, Peacock and Comma - Phil MacMurdie
Wednesday 19th April
I saw a comma in Rothamsted Manor wood
lunchtime today - Andrew Riche
Probable orange underwing moth
overhead at Martin's Green carpark (Danemead)
today - Liz Goodyear
Tuesday 18th April
West side of Bishop's Stortford in
my garden - 2 male and one female Brimstone, single Peacock, Comma
and Large White - Andrew Palmer
Been out this morning
and there were butterflies everywhere, I was photographing blackcaps
and whitethroats at Stanstead Abbots GPs. I had 40 + peacock, 10+ comma, 2 small
tortoiseshell, 2 small white, brimstone,
red admiral. I know that some of the sightings of peacocks were
probably the same one, but I did have 6 and a comma clash it was
just amazing to see that amount of butterflies - Nick Sampford
To add to the Easter
sightings: nothing terribly special, but the dearth of sightings so
far, plus the location, makes me think that single Small White,
Small Tortoiseshell, and Comma might be worth noting from Mudchute on the Isle of Dogs on Easter Monday (17th) - Keir Mottram
Sightings from the
weekend in and around Tring, mainly my garden. Brimstone x
7, Peacock, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma x 2 - Jez
Perkins
Monday
17th April
A slightly tattered
Tortoiseshell today April 17 on Rothamsted farm,
Harpenden. Sunny, quite warm - Michael Healy
Vicarage Farm, North Enfield, 2
peacocks, red admiral, comma and 3 small tortoiseshells - Robert
Callf
A drive up
the A10 on Sunday morning, from Ware
through to Royston towards the A505, produced three Brimstone
sightings in this poorly recorded area. By taking careful notes of
the exact location, I was able to confirm that they were in tetrads
that had no visits in 2005 (TL3428, 3430 and 3640). Roadside male
brimstones (and orange tips & holly blues) can fill many under
recorded tetrads but an almost exact grid reference is important -
Liz Goodyear
Sunday
16th April
Enfield, single Holly
Blue around ivy in our back garden today. First I've seen
this year - Phil Rhodes
One peacock on Vicarage Farm, and a speckled wood at Dalrymple Close,
Southgate - Robert Callf
News from 14th
April
1 Brimstone in my garden in
Stevenage - Ian Hardy
Two Brimstones at Hatching Green,
Harpenden - Michael Healy
Two Small Tortoiseshells & a Peacock have
been hibernating in my outhouse in St Albans since last
August. The first Small Tortoiseshell (female) emerged today &
spent half an hour sunning herself on the garden path before
nectaring for 2 minutes on Aubretia. Perhaps it was not to her taste
as she then left in a hurry. The other Small Tortoiseshell &
Peacock are still hibernating in exactly the same positions they
adopted 8 months ago. Peacocks were the star of the show locally. In
15 minutes at the Folly Lane allotments I saw 13 Peacocks, 3 ST's, Small
White, Brimstone & 2 Large Whites -
Malcolm Hull
Hemel
Hempstead, male Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell
nectaring on blue Hyacinths while a patriotic Peacock visited red,
white and blue Hyacinths. It was my first Peacock of the year more
than two months later than my earliest record - Malcolm Newland
Trent
Park - Peacock & Small Tortoiseshell - Robert Callf
Saturday 15th April
Thank you to Andrew for maintaining the website
in my absence. I have been to Egypt where butterflies were
distinctly lacking but that wasn't a surprise. No obvious signs of a
Painted Lady migration - Liz Goodyear
Friday
14th April
Flood plain on Old Knebworth
Lane, 14.30-14.45 3 male Brimestone, 4 Peacock, 3 Comma -
Lee Browne
I saw
both several brimstones and a peacock on my Bucks transects this
afternoon and then precisely the same species at home in the garden
here in Tring. Still not seen a Small Tort
in Bucks. Still some way to go to catch the major players; as ever -
Nick Bowles
Saturday 8th April
A visitor to the branch stand at Capel Manor
reported a blue butterfly around shrubs
in Enfield garden on Sat 8th April
From just over the border in Essex 5th April, Sewardstone Marsh, lunchtime: 3 Peacocks, 2 Commas, 2 Brimstones, Small
Tortoiseshell, and 8th April, Galleyhill Wood: Red Admiral (11.50), 7 Commas, Peacock - all butterflies within
the same warm, sheltered area - Martin Shepherd
A nice Brimstone in Station Road
Harpenden TL136144 on April
5th, nice sunny day, rather cold - Michael Healy
Thursday 6th April
I saw my first butterfly this year - on the
Waterford Transect - a Red Admiral and it was in perfect
condition. - Richard Bigg
Saw my first male
Brimstone in the garden today.It and a Comma flew over but neither settled. Still
waiting for a Peacock! - Malcolm Newland
A lucky sighting today
outside my normal Herts area. I was in the Wyevale Garden Centre in
Hitchin at midday and was delighted
to see a bright yellow brimstone
enjoying the sunshine. That makes 4 different species in 2 days -
good going for such a cold spring so far! - Ann Piper
Wednesday 5th April
Small Tortoiseshell
in good condition nectaring in the garden today on Erysimum Bowles
Mauve and Aubretia - Malcolm Newland
I had a brimstone
at High Cross and a peacock in my garden [Thundridge]
today ~ On Saturday last, Angela had a
brimestone in the garden [Thundridge] and Tom had one too in
his Nan's garden in Wadesmill - Nick Sampford
Brimstone at Melbourn -
Male flew through early afternoon, at least thrice - Guy Manners
Comma on edge of Williams
Wood, Trent Park, after 5pm today - Robert Callf
I had a walk along my
usual farm footpath in Maple Cross this afternoon. It was
only 10*C on the thermometer but the sun was shining really strongly
on the south facing hedgerows. I saw 5 small
tortoiseshells and my first peacock
and comma of the year! Also sunning
itself on some nettle was a ruby tiger
caterpillar - so a good day's viewing! - Ann Piper
I had a Brimstone and Small
Tortoiseshell at Gustard Wood Common today - Jez
Perkins
Ware Trinity Road I came home at
1.15 pm and had a Brimstone in the front
garden - Ian Edwards
Monday
3rd April - 5.10pm Comma feeding on
Sallow at the Flood plain on Old Knebworth Lane
- Lee Browne
Transects - Spring has come so suddenly
this year that I have forgotten to remind transect walkers that the
transect season started two days ago. Each week starts on a Saturday
this year, so if like me you didn't get a chance to walk your
transect over the weekend between the hurricane winds and sudden
downpours, you have until Friday to do so. This year we are missing
transect walkers for Therfield Heath, Telegraph Hill, Waterford
Heath, Danesbury Park, Nicky Line and Standalone Farm. If you know
of anyone who can help with these, please Email me. Have an
enjoyable butterfly season, (
) John Murray
Brimstone at Hexton CP 30
March - Nigel Agar
I also saw a few Brimstones over the weekend at Marshalls
Heath and Gustard Wood - John Murray
Sunday April 2nd
Saw two Commas spiralling together over the
Hemel Hempstead garden
yesterday (1st) with one nectaring afterwards on Viburnum Fragrans.
Another Comma today,this time on Lonicera Fragrantissima but no
other species so far - Malcolm Newland
Saturday April 1st
My first sighting of the year was a
Comma yesterday morning (April
1 - no fooling) at AllyPally on the usual
sheltered path in the conservation Area - Keir Mottram
First sighting in my
Hitchin garden, 58 deg.
Sunny/Breezy Time: 13.10 to 13.40, 1 Yellow Brimstone also 1 Ladybird - Val
Fullforth
Saw
my first butterfly of the year in between showers today, a Comma - Malcolm Hull
3 comma Moat
Wood, Trent Park and a small tortoiseshell nearby at Vicarage Farm - Robert Callf
Friday 31st March
My first of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell at Almond Hill Jr School at 1pm.
Lee Browne.
Up to 3 Brimstones in my
garden west side of Bishop’s Stortford today -
Andrew Palmer
Brimstone
at Hertford & Peacock at Ware - Nick Sampford
Thursday 30th March
- comma on edge of Moat
Wood, Trent Park - Robert Callf
Sunday 26th March
Brimstone (1) in Wheathampstead - Trevor D
Chapman
Wednesday 29th March - Two male
Brimstones and a Comma along the River Ver at Drop
Lane near Bricket Wood at lunchtime. Some notable
migrant birds in the same district included Willow Warblers, a
Swallow and multiple Wheatears - Colin Everett
Tuesday 28th March
Delighted to see a comma today just off Walkers
Road, Harpenden, on the edge of the Prickledells Woodland Nice
sunny day, site sheltered from brisk wind - Michael Healy
Sunday 26th March
Monks Walk,
Buntingford. At least 2
brimstones and a peacock in the garden - Russell
Wood
Saturday 25th
March - A Peacock at Bayford railway station in the
late morning sunshine. A butterfly very briefly glimpsed on derelict
ground with much flowering Coltsfoot near Bricket Wood on Thursday 23rd
March may have been a Small
Tortoiseshell. More significantly, members should know that
the latest issue of the Entomologist's
Record includes a 16-page paper by Richard Fox of BC and Leslie
Williams of LNHS discussing recent changes in butterfly
distributions in the London Area. - Colin Everett
Saturday 25th March
Four male brimstones during a five mile run
from Harpenden to Redbourn and back. Nice
to have opened the scoring at last, and a good job I went for the
run in the morning as it seems to be back to square one this
afternoon - Richard Harrington
Brimstone in my Brookmans Park garden
- Rupert Pyrah
A
male Brimstone was seen in our
Crouch Hill garden, though we
have no foodplant ( shame...).Looking at the sightings page, it was
a good day for Brimstones! Helen Bantock
Fir and Pond
Woods, am, one red
admiral; one comma - David Gompertz
Just to let you know I
had my first butterfly of the year, a nice male brimstone in the garden at Royston. - Simon Rasch
2 Brimstones seen my garden here in
Berkhamsted in the sun this
morning. The first butterflies I have seen here this year - Michael
Anderson
My first
butterfly of the season came into my Stevenage garden this morning,
a Brimstone - Steve Lane
Thursday 23rd March
Thursday 23rd in the afternoon at
Trent Park, two Red Admirals together - Robin White
(news via Robert Callf)
Today I saw my first butterfly of 2006!! A small
tortoiseshell on my usual walk around Maple
Cross farm. It was only 10* C but the sun was shining! -
Ann Piper
Spotted
a Red Admiral cruising down the Strand
in Central London today at
1.45 p.m. Weather sunny and quite mild. It seemed particularly
attracted to the wheels and undersides of vehicles; I pursued it
amongst the traffic, to the bemusement of taxi and van drivers, in
an effort to usher it to somewhere safer, but discretion eventually
proved the better part of valour, so I hope it survives! - Michael
Hammerson
At last,
one comma at lunchtime today (23rd) in The Hyde, Ware - Andrew Wood
Monday
20th March
Small Tortoiseshell
here (Tring Herts) yesterday (19th) in sunny weather but back
to 4C and gloomy today - Nick Bowles
Sunday
19th March
Saw a Peacock on Wednesday in
London but sadly it was just south of the Thames so doesn't count.
However I had a Comma in the garden today (Hemel Hempstead)
which was flying northwards against the prevailing wind and didn't
settle - Malcolm Newland
Patmore Heath, Red Admiral in the
garden today - first one I have seen
this year - Gavin Vicary
Wednesday 15th March
I was running a volunteer task today on Chipperfield Common and saw 2 Red
Admirals sunning themselves on logs - Jez Perkins
Chingford Plain (Essex), about 3
o'clock a butterfly flew across the carpark. It looked more Peacock
like than Red Admiral but then some sea gulls flew up from the
carpark and it looked like they got it! Andrew Middleton
February 2006
Tuesday
28th February
Have just returned from a
three week visit to my daughter in Kuala Lumpur where I managed to
photograph some Malaysian butterflies.
Sunday
19th February
Red Admiral butterfly flying near Astonbury
Field Centre, Stevenage on sunny afternoon of 18th
February. We also had a small tortoiseshell
fluttering just outside our home the week before (Saturday 11th in Stevenage). But the red admiral was
flying as it would on a sunny summer's day!! - Christopher Hughes
I dont know
whether this counts but there was a Small Tortoishell fluttering
round St Mary's church in Hitchin this morning -
Nigel Agar
Sunday
12th February
STOP
PRESS: Butterfly Conservation Branch Stands will be at some Notcutts
Garden Centres this week. Our area - Monday at Staines and Tuesday
at St. Albans. For more details follow links to 'what's on'
Wednesday 8th February
My first Red Admiral of the year unfortunately
not in Hertfordshire, rather in Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden,
Miami, Florida! A short butterfly-ing spree that included other
"British list" species Julia (Helocanian), Fiery Skipper and Monarch
- Guy Manners
January 2006
Sunday
22nd January
Whilst watching Hitchin Town play at around 3.30 pm
on Sat 21st January a Peacock flew across the pitch and
over my head as I sat in the stand. More interesting than the footie
I can tell you - Stuart Pittman
Saturday 21st January
I saw a Red Admiral, too,
today on Kew Green so a matter of metres into
Surrey - Andrew Wood
When I saw today's weather I knew it would be a
butterfly day, but didn't expect to see one myself! Ware garden, whilst pruning the
apple tree, a Red Admiral flew through the garden
at 2.30, it was then seen by Rachel about 15 minutes later
(Rachel having an advantage because she was in the apple tree
and higher up). This is my earliest ever butterfly record - Liz
Goodyear ( I expect to hear of other reports
later?)
Wednesday 18th January
Chris Tracey of the Gloucestershire Branch has asked if we
could post the following message:
Picos de
Europa. Teresa Farino, leading local naturalist, invites you to join
her for a relaxing, guided tour of the Picos de Europa in a small
friendly group for one week from 25th June 2006. Scenic strolls in
the best butterfly areas will be followed by optional moth trapping
at Teresa's house. Accommodation in a comfortable family-run hotel
in Pesaguero, travel in Spain, food and wine are all included in the
price of £670. Flights or ferry from UK to Santander are extra but
bookings can be arranged. For further details please contact Chris
Tracey on 01453 752051 or e-mail chris@tracey94.fsnet.co.uk
Wednesday 11th January 2006
A Brimstone was seen at
Patmore Heath on the 11th by Rob Hopkins - news via Andrew Wood
During this
morning's scrub bashing ops on the northern compartment of Aldbury Nowers, in glorious sunny
weather, a single Brimstone was seen by all - Michael
Pearson
Saturday 7th January 2006
There is to be a major scrub-bashing
session on the northern compartment (adjoining Pitstone Hill) of Aldbury Nowers
(Duchies Piece) Reserve on Wednesday, 11th
January 2006. The work will be carried out under the direction
of HMWT & National Trust staff, together with volunteer groups;
and has the aim of substantially clearing bramble thicket throughout
the area - Michael Pearson Anyone who would like to help, and is
free to do so, will be very welcome. Meet: 10.00am Wed 11 Nov 06 at
the NT Visitors' Centre, Ashridge Estate. Transport to the site will
be provided by the NT to reduce the risk of vehicle damage to the
chalk turf of Pitstone Hill. Please let me know beforehand if you
wish to attend - Michael Pearson
Thursday 5th January
Friends of Marshalls
Heath - There will be a work day next Wednesday, January 11th, when we will be
doing some scrub clearance on both sides of the road. I shall be
there from about 9.00 a.m. onwards. Please bring a packed lunch,
waterproofs, good strong gardening gloves and boots, and a garden
fork if you have one. Hope to see you there - John Murray
