Hertfordshire and beyond - Liz Goodyear's Recording notes for 2006

Liz's diary is dedicated to the memory of her mother, Joan Taylor who died on the 4th July 2006 eight days after her 92nd birthday

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In 2005, Liz Goodyear had to agreed to act as recording co-ordinator for TL41. A 10km square in the east of Hertfordshire, which has the distinction of being one of the most poorly recorded areas in Hertfordshire and one with little bio-diversity.  There are 23 whole or part 2km squares in the Hertfordshire section of TL41 with the remaining 2 in Essex.

These two views taken from the roadside near Allens Green are typical of some of the landscape in TL41. In TL4616 finding any butterfly is difficult!

Initial attempts were made in 2005 to record White-letter Hairstreak in TL41 in the recording window available between surveying for Grizzled Skipper and the beginning of the Purple Emperor flight period but time ran out and only one 2km was found!

Andrew Middleton and I have found from experience the key period to search for male activity is the two weeks at the end of June and beginning of July. 

21st June (2006)
Andrew and I visited Maple Cross at the invitation of Ann Piper. Purple Emperor had been seen in 2005, near to where Ann lived and she was keen that we visited.  As we walked up to an area close to the M25 called Ladywalk Wood, Ann mentioned that someone had told her the wood was good for White-letter!  Although the path went through the wood, we could see several dead elms as we walked up the hill and instead of walking through the wood, I suggested walking along the edge and within seconds Andrew had his first sighting of the year.  A highly active male and within the next 100 yards at least 20 males were seen either perched or spiralling around the treetops.  These sightings started our quest in 2006.

22nd June
The next day we decided to visit TL41; it was a lovely sunny day but windy.  We were very optimistic that at the end of the day we would have a lot of sightings.  How wrong we were!  Our first site was Marshland Wood east of Widford (see photos below) but in a 2km square with no road access and a wood already known to have White-letter from the 1995-1999 survey period - elm was highly visible in spring and particularly along the eastern edge of the wood where we started to watch.  An hour later, one possible sighting was all that had been seen!  We moved onto our next 2km square near Hunsdon Church and started to walk the field edges and eventually, in a sheltered area of elm a couple of males were seen. Including lunch this took 1 1/2 hours!  It was quite obvious that although we had had multiple sightings on the west side of the county the previous day this was not going to be the case in this more exposed and probably cooler, east side of Hertfordshire. 

Our final destination was an area of elm north of Eastwick along Cock Robin Lane.  In the spring we had found a young plantation of elm that looked in excellent condition but by summer achieving a good view of the elm was extremely difficult with crops, brambles and thistles making access very difficult.  To our delight a pristine male was seen nectaring on white bryony.  The perfect photo opportunity if we had brought our cameras!  We decided that this was not going to be a White-letter day so we went home

25th June
Temperatures had started to rise and I went out early on my own.  First stop was the River Ash near Widford.  Elm was along the road leading down to the river but achieving a good view-point was impossible.  After walking through 1 metre high grass I reached some elm along the old railway track and close to the sewage works.  Also in the cluster of elm was ash and field maple and almost immediately 3 White-letters were seen clashing around the ash.   I then moved on to Hadham Mill, where elm had been watched in 2005, but nothing seen.  More elm was found by the road and after a walk along a footpath and back to get the best view, 5 White-letters were seen clashing using the ash but also around a horse-chestnut tree with more males dispersing across the road.   Next stop was the hill just out of Much Hadham on the road to Bishops Stortford.  Again after walking along the road to get the best view, 2 White-letters were seen clashing using field maple on this occasion.  It was at this point a lady stopped to ask me what I was doing!  After a failed attempt to find elm along New Barn Lane, my final stop that morning was a footpath near Kettle Green where a single road runs through the 2km and parking is almost impossible.  However, down a track to Blackcroft Farm an area of elm was found and over 9 White-letters were seen using elm only.  A great morning!

27th June
With sunshine forecast (we should know not to believe the forecast!) We, (Liz and Andrew) started the day early with a drive across TL41 to Thorley Church, arriving at 9.30.  Cloudy on arrival, at 9.40 the sun came out briefly and a White-letter was seen, but this wasn't a satisfactory record and we had to wait for 30 minutes for the sun to come out and we had sight of two more using elm and ash.

A small area of elm found near Thorley Church (TL4618) on the 27th June 2006 4 White-letter were seen between 10:18 and 10:40 in poor conditions using the elm and ash

Next stop was in Thorley Street on the road to Bishops Stortford where a small amount of elm was found by the road-side.  For once the sun was shining and immediately 5 White-letters were seen in only a few minutes using mostly elm but also ash (see below). 

Road side elm in Thorley Street (TL4818). 5 White-letters were seen using mostly elm but once ash within minutes of our arrival at 10:45 and whilst the sun was shining

A short drive south to Spelbrook produced a long stand of elm by the main road.  As we arrived the sun immediately went in and it was 30 minutes later before the sun came out and numerous White-letter were seen flying up from the elms, field maples and oaks with flights across the road as well. 

Road-side elm in Spellbrook (TL4618) on the 27th June 2006. At least 30 White-letters were seen within a period of 10 minutes as we walked up and down the road after the sun came out. The White-letter were using the elm predominently but also used oak and ash. What was was noticeable was that the activity had started to decrease on the return walk!

This was really exciting and over 30 males were observed whilst the traffic hurtled past.  No other species of butterfly were seen in the 2km square that day!  From here a quick drive to the next 2km, one of the most poorly recorded 2km squares in Hertfordshire and a cluster of elm was found by at a T junction next to a pond.

 

Road junction elm west of Spellbrook (TL4616) on the 27th June 2006. After 20 minutes of cloud 4 White-letters were seen in 5 minutes when the sun came out at 12:20. The White-letter were using the elm predominently but as we returned to the car one was seen around the sycamore.

In the hamlet of Green Tye (TL4418) a lot of field edge elm was found off Ducketts Lane.

Field edge elm off Ducketts Lane in Green Tye (TL4418) on the 27th June 2006. At least 9 White-letters were seen within a period of 40 minutes from 12:42, whilst we had our lunch. The White-letter were using elm, ash and maple. We began to notice as the day progressed sightings were decreasing and the butterfly was becoming less active.

Road side elm at Allen's Green (TL4416) produced 2 sightings in 10 minutes before cloud cover increased and we stopped searching

Our final stop was in the village of Allen's Green (TL4416) beside the Green and 2 more White-letter were found using elm near the Queen's Head.  We had found White-letter in 5 x 2km squares that morning, but with our energy flagging we went off to look for Purple Emperor.

28th June
A bright clear morning, but an early start meant that the air temperature was still cool and our first stop, a large elm near Actons Farm (see photo below), produced just one probable sighting seen by Andrew in an adjacent field maple. We then walked across the fields to Marshland Wood from the east side, and this again proved just as hard work as the previous visit (see 22nd June).  

 

Elm can be found all along the edges of Marshland Wood (TL4214). It was highly visible in spring and has historic reports but was we found it one of the hardest areas of elm to survey. The density of elm meant that it was hard to know which section to watch. In addition elm was not just restricted to edges but also in the more sheltered private wood and to find a suitable canopy gap in the same manner that we would look for Purple Emperor was impossible. We did find White-letter using elm and field maple but estimate we must have missed hundreds!

This in our mind is an area of elm that was second to none in quality but proved to be the hardest to crack with the necessity of two visits. In 1 1/2 hours we had 4 field-edge sightings! We returned across the fields back to the large elm in the adjacent 2km square and as we walked we could see a bank of cloud settle over TL41!

Just one probable sighting was made on an adjacent field maple even though this superb large elm at Actons Farm looked perfect. However, on the first occasion the air temperature was still cool and on the second cloud cover and the elm being in quite an exposed position left us with no positive sightings

We drove along this narrow lane and found some elm (as well as somewhere to park) and starting watching in what we considered was sub optimal conditions. Within 2 minutes 2 White-letter were seen flying in the shelter at the back of the ash (seen in second upright picture) As we walked back to the car a third White-letter was seen to fly out.

Again the wind and exposed position of some trees was going to be detrimental, but we drove down a narrow country lane to the next 1km square where we were lucky to find a smallest amount of elm, and to our amazement we found White-letter flying around the back of an ash in the most sheltered area. This has to be considered the most significent site we found in TL41. In High Wych some elm was found on the edge of housing, but the cloud was still well and truly stuck over TL41 and it was 30 minutes later that White-letter made an appearance as the sun came out.

Although the elm was in quite poor condition with die back, we recorded 3 White-letters after a wait of over 30 minutes for some brightness. Several clashes were then observed including one that went high into the sky. Again the White-letter were using the most sheltered area of the elms as well as field maple. One was also seen perched. A walk across adjacent fields in the autumn found more hedgerow elm despite intense arable farming in this 2km square

Similar views but about 1 1/2kms apart in different 2km squares. Redricks Lane west of Sawbridgeworth is lined with good hedgerow elm. The left photo near Pole Hole Farm produced 4 individuals in 10 minutes using elm, ash and field maple. The right photo showing elm on the edge of Sawbridgeworth and close to the River Stort in hazy sun produced 2 perching White-letters in about 7 minutes. With both these sites, getting good views without being knocked down by a car was difficult!

From High Wych we drove to Gilston, a 2km square where Terry Goody had records in 2005.  A lot of elm was found by Redricks Lane at Pole Corner and it wasn't long before we found White-letter.  This was quickly the case further along the lane towards Sawbridgeworth where we again found White-letter.  These last records ticked off all the complete 2km squares (Widford TL4016 was found in 2005). So we went off again to look for Purple Emperor but I returned later in the afternoon to find White-letter on elm by the Dusty Miller pub at Burnt Mill on the edge of Harlow.  I simply parked my car in the pub car-park and watched the elm for a few minutes!  My next stop was TL4210, a 2km square only partly in Hertfordshire which proved very tricky, as finding and getting close to elm was very difficult.

29th June
I made a quick visit to TL4010 in the morning before work, and after walking across a field holding my GPS (a GPS is essential) to confirm I was in the right square, 11 White-letters were seen flying from an unkempt hedge of elm between crops just north of Roydon. That same day the first Purple Emperor was seen in Hertfordshire by Andrew.

30th June
It was necessary for me to drive to Norfolk that day and I first stopped just outside Royston where there are many high quality mature elms.  A quick stop in a layby and an upward glance produced 6 males in one gap alone.  My estimation is that these elms must have thousands flying amongst them.  Along the A505 a layby with elm on the opposite side produced immediate sightings and a second layby just east of Duxford produced a further sighting.  Although at the second stop, not much elm was immediately visible, the landscape was elm-rich.  As the journey progressed the 'newer' Newmarket bypass proved to be an elm free zone but returning to the 'old road' but with no opportunity to stop elm could be seen at regular intervals.  Elm was also noted just south of the Elveden memorial.  Just outside the University Hospital in Norwich a row of mature elms stood on their own and at 6 in the evening 6 White-letters could be seen flying around the tree tops! 

1st July
The 1st July was very hot and I went around my old 'Norfolk' patch in search of elm.  In comparison to TL41, elm was considerably harder to find but just outside Three Hammer Commer some was located and White-letter were seen, despite the heat ensuring that activity was reduced and my energy equally tamed.  After some driving a second area of elm was found near the 'old dried flower centre' at Cangate and immediately White-letters were visible.  Later in the afternoon on my return to Hertfordshire, I turned off the A11 towards Old Buckenham and after some driving found elm down a lane towards Hargham Heath but this proved to be my first 'duck' in optimal conditions. However, the elms south of the Elveden Memorial proved to be active, with at least 5 White-letters seen flying from the back of the elm which was in the shade on this very hot day.

4th July
By now Purple Emperors had started to take priority but a visit to Symondshyde Wood in mid Herts found White-letters very active around the elms with some low down by the track.  That afternoon, I returned to Norfolk and stopped to make a phone call from a layby in Elveden on the A11.  The layby was selected because elms were present.  Just after 6 o'clock on the 4th July, I heard my mother had died an hour earlier but as I spoke to my family on the phone, 2 White-letters were seen to fly up from the elms at the far end of the layby!

Whilst staying in Norfolk until the Friday, I spent little time looking for elm and White-letter but on my return to Hertfordshire on the 7th, I stopped off at the site off the A11 near Hargham Heath and on this occasion had views of 3 White-letters including a perched individual!

9th July
We (Andrew and Liz) had been invited by the National Trust to help lead a walk at Hatfield Forest in Essex.  We passed several elms and White-letters were seen flying around a field maple.  After the walk, we stopped off at Sawbridgeworth and found White-letters on elm just off the road and then stopped at Pishiobury Park, the site where where one had been seen in the 2000-2004 period.  A walk across the fields, GPS in hand found a small amount of elm right on the edge of this minute Hertfordshire section of a 2km square.  Nothing was seen!

10th July
Obsession taking over, I returned to Pishiobury next morning and after some waiting when a Small Skipper pretended to be a White-letter, one was seen perched.  This left just one part 2km square left.

11th July
I had made several visits to TL4210 and 2 visits to the final site.  It was necessary to walk from the adjacent 2km square in Eastwick, across a corn field and along the tractor tracks to reach the elm using a GPS to confirm the elm was in TL4210! Arriving early in the morning to ensure peak activity was observed and watching and waiting 35 minutes for the sun to shine, eventually at 9.43 in the morning a White-letter was seen perched and the 23rd and final 2km square of TL41 was completed (that was in Hertfordshire!)

Mid July
It was necessary for me to return to Norfolk again the next week and more sites were visited. Along the A1151 Norwich to Wroxham road, there is a lot of elm and some was found on the edge of Sprowston and 5 White-letter were seen really quickly. Further along the road, just south of Rackheath more elm was found, and there were several tantalising sightings of almost certain White-letters but it took two further visits to confirm because the light and road traffic made observation very difficult.  Another site was found close to Wroxham a few days later. Making a least three sites along this very busy road.

Found in July 2006, elm at Ludham Bridge by public toilets! © photo: Liz Goodyear

A row of good elm close to Ludham Bridge just by the public toilets proved very frustrating.   It was rather obscene to have binoculars fixed on elms when the view also included the toilets (which had to be the most visited toilets in Norfolk!!)  Eventually several flights were seen through binoculars but it had taken several visits to get these final sightings!  A medium sized single elm standing by the site of the old doctor's surgery in Hoveton proved successful with a perched White-letter seen through binoculars, even if stopping created a traffic jam and several sites towards Aylsham had potential but were either negative or unconfirmed.  Driving back to Hertfordshire with a detour around the centre of Norfolk picked up little elm but subsequent visits to the area north of Horning towards the coast have identified several potential sites for 2007.

In 1999, I had had a White-letter on my buddliea but despite watching the nearby elm in previous years with binoculars nothing was seen. However, sitting in my back garden, with binoculars trained on the tops of the elms on the 29th June, I was able to see at least 4 males flying around the tops of the elm and ash. A White-letter flew into the garden whilst I was putting out my washing on the 4th July and then on my return from work at lunchtime on the 14th July a battered individual was found nectaring on marjoram only to be disturbed by a pigeon flying over!

Just outside Stanstead Abbotts on the road to Ware, there is a lot of good elm which I had wanted to visit for several years but never stopped. On my first visit, nothing was seen and on the second visit on the 13th July, late in the afternoon, no White-letters were seen flying but as I returned to my car, I spotted an individual nectaring on bramble!

From this point of the season, Purple Hairstreak and Vapourer moths were too prevalent to allow for active male White-letters to be the sole butterflies on the wing and it became more important to see one perched or nectaring for confirmation. And even then just because the hairstreak was using elm, it didn't mean they were White-letters! On one occasion leaving Wormley Wood on a very hot afternoon, we (Andrew and Liz) saw numerous hairstreaks sitting on elm leaves in the shade of an oak tree. They were all Purple!!!

Throughout the autumn months, whether whilst continuing to survey for end of season butterflies or search for leaf mines I continued to look for elm, and I have a long list of potential sites for 2007, in Hertfordshire and beyond.........

Postscipt - April 2007
On the 12th April 2007, LG and AM visited the two remaining 2km squares that were entirely in Essex (TL4610 and TL4810). In addition we were also able to confirm that elm was present on the Essex side of the River Stort in all the 2kms that we drove through including TL5014.

In TL4610 a 1km length of elm was found just north of Church Langley on the old London Road. The elm just carried on..... and Andrew was able to find a hatched white-letter egg in addition to Brick eggs.

We continued to Churchgate Street and found some very scrappy elm by a roundabout. A slightly longer search by Andrew produced another hatched egg and we completed the search for white-letter in 25 x 2km squares in TL41!

12.04.07 - east of Harlow along the old London Road TL4710 the total length of elm was just under 1km! © photo: Liz Goodyear	12.04.07 - east of Harlow along the old London Road TL4710 the total length of elm was just under 1km! © photo: Liz Goodyear	12.04.07 - just north of Churchgate Street TL4811 - this scrappy piece of elm, under a telegraph pole produced one hatched egg © photo: Liz Goodyear

Liz Goodyear
January 2007