Local year firsts of large skippers (18) and meadow brown (3). Best were a rather faded Painted Lady on Gird Lane and a Common Blue which is a real scarcity up here (prob about my 4th in more than 25 years).
Mark Walsh said
Wed Jun 8 2:48 PM, 2016
Butterflies
21 Green Veined White 1 Wall Brown near Lakeside again 2 Small Copper in the same location 3 Orange Tip
Moths
6-7 Chimney Sweeper a little back towards Gird lane in the grassy fields.
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Sun May 29 10:47 PM, 2016
I think I saw the same Wall Brown as Mark, along the footpath opposite Smithy Lane Farm. Also a Small Copper here. Elsewhere Speckled Wood, Green-veined White and Orange Tip.
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Sun May 29 6:28 PM, 2016
Similar butterfly species seen as Andy, only had one Wall Brown down Smithy Lane and Small Heath seen in the adjacent field. No Lizard for me though, must keep my eyes open.
Andy Bissitt said
Sun May 29 4:25 PM, 2016
A very decent morning with 10 species of butterfly, a couple of macro moths, and first ever common lizard up here. Butterfly highlights were first small copper (2) and small heath of the year, and the best Spring showing of Wall Brown for longer than I can remember. Definitely 4, (2 x 2 seen at different spots), and perhaps up to 7. Moths included single Mother Shipton.
Over 20 large red damsels seen.
All praise to the sun.
Mark Walsh said
Sat May 7 2:47 PM, 2016
Green-Veined White's Orange Tips and the odd Small Tortoiseshell
1 Stoat running up the road from Cloughend.
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Tue Nov 3 12:55 PM, 2015
Late news for 2nd November:
Small Tortoiseshell still on the wing.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Mon Oct 12 2:29 PM, 2015
Red Admiral 2
Small Copper 1
Speckled Wood 1
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Tue Oct 6 1:09 PM, 2015
1 Small Copper 1 Red Admiral 1 Small Tortoiseshell
No Walls today but the minimum number in the colony was 6
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 6th of October 2015 01:10:55 PM
John Rayner said
Thu Sep 24 2:56 PM, 2015
Wall colony: A total of 2 males and 2 females now photographed plus the 5th near Hillside Farm.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Wed Sep 23 2:32 PM, 2015
Went back today to assess Wall Brown numbers but unfortunately the weather was unpromisingly cloudy and windy.
Quarry area: I managed to photograph at least 3 Wall Browns with varying degrees of wing wear. Surely more to be found in better weather.
Therefore a minimum of 4 individuals if include yesterday's outlying sighting near Hillside Farm.
Also: Small Copper and Speckled Wood.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Tue Sep 22 2:16 PM, 2015
1 Wall Brown was a surprise find on the bank opposite Hillside Farm. Andy's record from the quarry on 19th is about 300 metres away so this is probably a second individual, which might suggest a small colony of an insect now thinly scattered in the north west.
The unexplained decline of Wall Brown is illustrated by a quote from the Butterfly Conservation newsletter "Wall Brown was the 6th most widely recorded butterfly in 1985 [in Cheshire] but by 2014 had fallen to 25th position. Amazingly in 1985 it was recorded in more tetrads than Meadow Brown".
Other butterflies were singles of Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood.
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Sat Sep 19 8:56 PM, 2015
Surprised to add to my 2015 butterfly list today with a Wall seen in the quarry area. Also red admiral , green-veined white, small white, speckled wood, 4 small totoiseshells and (almost an apparition) 3 peacocks together (Gird Lane). For the moths, one silver 'Y' and a large yellow-underwing. Two southern hawker males at pond. One rested on dry land, and I got so close (lying on my stomach) that my binoculars wouldn't focus down (and they do to 0.6 meters). Hopefully some good photos came of it. Singles of common blue and emerald damsels might be the last this year (sadly).
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Saturday 19th of September 2015 09:04:04 PM
John Rayner said
Sat Sep 5 12:43 PM, 2015
5th Sep:
7 Gatekeepers. Fairly tatty now. 2 Small Tortoiseshells. Fresh and pristine. 2 Green-veined Whites
A pair of Common Hawkers, with male clasping female, repeatedly flew up to about 20 metres. Each time the female attempted to complete the coupling they tumbled spectacularly like a rapidly spinning pinwheel almost to the ground before gaining height again.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Fri Sep 4 12:12 PM, 2015
2nd Sep: 1 Fox
4th Sep: 1 Toad, 1 Common Frog
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Mon Aug 24 4:52 PM, 2015
Green-veined White 36 Large White 1 Gatekeeper 11 Meadow Brown 14 Small Copper 1 Small Tortoiseshell 7 Small Heath 3 Small Skipper 3 Painted Lady 1 Speckled Wood 1
Common Hawker 11 Emerald Damselfly - many Black Darter c20 Common Blue Damselfly c15
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Aug 16 2:05 PM, 2015
Good for odonata today (a.m.)
Emperor dragonfly Common Hawker (pond above quarry) Black darter (one teneral) Common Darter Brown Hawker Emerald damselfly (15+) all at pond above quarry. Common blue damselfly
Small copper only butterfly not previously seen (since first brood)
Mark Walsh said
Sun Aug 2 8:24 PM, 2015
5 Small Tortoiseshell 6 Meadow Brown 2 Red Admiral 5 Gatekeeper 1 Stoat
No doubt only a fraction of what was there but my butterfly and moth ID'ing is only in its infancy.
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Sun Aug 2 9:06 AM, 2015
Other recent sightings within the SBI area:
Ringlet (29 Jul) and Small Skipper (1 Aug)
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Fri Jul 24 4:23 PM, 2015
Meadow Brown 21 Gatekeeper 2 White sp. 1
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Wed Jul 1 10:22 PM, 2015
Painted Lady 1 Large Skipper 2 Small Tortoiseshell 4 Small Heath 5 Meadow Brown 1
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Thu Jun 25 1:29 PM, 2015
1 Weasel 2 Small Heaths
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sat Sep 13 11:46 AM, 2014
SBI/Quarry area
1 Weasel 1 Field Vole
Cheers John
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 13th of September 2014 01:13:44 PM
John Rayner said
Tue Sep 9 5:47 PM, 2014
33 Speckled Woods 1 Large White 1 Short-tailed Field Vole
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Mon Aug 18 8:07 PM, 2014
One Short-tailed Field Vole 2-3 Gatekeepers
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Thu Jul 31 8:18 AM, 2014
An emergence of Gatekeepers since my last visit plus 2 Small Skippers.
Also Green-veined Whites, Meadow Browns, Small Tortoiseshells and a single Small Heath. Emerald Damselflies seem to be doing well with some paired in tandem.
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Thursday 31st of July 2014 08:19:40 AM
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Jun 1 9:01 PM, 2014
Ten species of butterfly today including brimstone (a first for the Ludworth sites) and a Wall Brown, still hanging on at about one sighting per year in the last 4 years.
Andy Bissitt said
Thu May 22 8:59 PM, 2014
Excellent yesterday, especially around Brown Low, with the years first small heaths, and my first small copper and holly blue up here. Also still the same green hairstreak (on the same bramble patch). A Mother Shipton moth was a first for here, and a cinnabar plus three common heaths also seen. Perhaps pipping them all were at least 4 broad-bodied chasers, all spanking new copies!! Also found small heaths in the quarry area with another Mother Shipton in the SBI area. Some places up here continue to hang onto their semi-wilderness despite the best efforts of landowners. Orange tips and green-veined whites everywhere.
Andy Bissitt said
Fri May 16 8:44 PM, 2014
2 Green hairstreaks the pick of things. 1 near Brown Low (not really accessible), but one up the path east of Larkhill as well (just over half way up where the bilberry is very evident). Also lead belle moth near quarry was a first for me (at least locally, I think). Disturbed a sleeping fox also in the Brown Low area.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Friday 16th of May 2014 08:44:59 PM
John Rayner said
Fri May 16 12:00 AM, 2014
Weasel and Badger - both near Far Bradshaw
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Tue May 6 6:37 PM, 2014
The first damselfly of the year - a Large Red Damselfly near Cloughend Farm.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Fri Apr 18 1:15 PM, 2014
Only 1 butterfly (Peacock) in a 3 hour walk.
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Mar 9 8:39 PM, 2014
1 peacock, and 1 or 2 small tortoiseshell around the place. Great to be back amongst insects. Lots of frog spawn in pond overspill.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Sunday 9th of March 2014 08:41:48 PM
John Rayner said
Thu Feb 13 5:48 PM, 2014
Stoat near Smithy Lane Farm
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Mon Sep 9 9:36 PM, 2013
Small Copper 3 Peacock 3 Small Heath 1 Speckled Wood 8 Large White 1 Green-veined White 4
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sat Sep 7 10:01 PM, 2013
Fewer butterflies in colder and windier conditions
Red Admiral 1 Speckled Wood 2 Small Heath 1 Green-veined White 3
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Thu Sep 5 12:46 AM, 2013
Gatekeeper 2 Small Copper 4 Peacock 2 Green-veined White 9 Speckled Wood 5 Small Heath 1
4 Spot Chaser 1 Black Darters c12 Common Darter 1 Southern Hawker 1 Common Hawker 2
1 Frog and 1Toadlet
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Aug 4 4:31 AM, 2013
Late sightings for last Saturday, 27th July included a 4-spotted chaser on the pond (only 2nd or 3rd ever here), as well as 3 teneral black darters, and a brown hawker on the lane nearby. Butterflies included 3 small heaths and a red admiral ('rare' this year).
John Rayner said
Thu Aug 1 9:07 PM, 2013
c30 Small Tortoiseshells c20 GV Whites
Large Red, Common Blue, Emerald Damselflies in tandem At least 3 Common Hawkers including a pair in tandem
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Thu Jun 20 12:00 AM, 2013
Many Damselflies flying.
c50 Azure Damselflies c30 Large Red Damselflies c5 Emerald Damselflies (newly emerged) 2 Blue-tailed Damselflies
Also minimum 11 Green-veined Whites
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Mon Jun 17 5:07 AM, 2013
Female Palmate Newt in pond near quarry
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Wed Oct 3 6:46 PM, 2012
1 Field Vole in quarry area
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Tue Aug 28 9:13 PM, 2012
Young Badger (dead near Larkhill) 1 Field Vole 1 Toad
Many Black Darters and Common Emeralds 4 Common Hawkers
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sat Aug 11 10:14 PM, 2012
Toad 2
Green-veined White 32 Meadow Brown 8 Gatekeeper 6 Small Skipper 4 Small Tortoishell 4
Silver 'Y' 1
Brown Hawker 2 Emerald Damselfly c8 Azure Damselfly 2
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Thu Jun 21 5:14 AM, 2012
Around the Quarry area
6 Small Heaths Many Azure and Large Red Damselflies
Cheers, John
Andy Bissitt said
Sun May 13 4:11 AM, 2012
Back on the butterfly trail today with six species, as follows-
Small tortoiseshell Peacock Orange Tip Speckled Wood Green-veined white Small Copper
Local year firsts of large skippers (18) and meadow brown (3). Best were a rather faded Painted Lady on Gird Lane and a Common Blue which is a real scarcity up here (prob about my 4th in more than 25 years).
21 Green Veined White
1 Wall Brown near Lakeside again
2 Small Copper in the same location
3 Orange Tip
Moths
6-7 Chimney Sweeper a little back towards Gird lane in the grassy fields.
Cheers
Mark
Cheers John
A very decent morning with 10 species of butterfly, a couple of macro moths, and first ever common lizard up here. Butterfly highlights were first small copper (2) and small heath of the year, and the best Spring showing of Wall Brown for longer than I can remember. Definitely 4, (2 x 2 seen at different spots), and perhaps up to 7. Moths included single Mother Shipton.
Over 20 large red damsels seen.
All praise to the sun.
Orange Tips
and the odd Small Tortoiseshell
1 Stoat running up the road from Cloughend.
Cheers
Mark
Small Tortoiseshell still on the wing.
Cheers John
Red Admiral 2
Small Copper 1
Speckled Wood 1
Cheers, John
1 Red Admiral
1 Small Tortoiseshell
No Walls today but the minimum number in the colony was 6
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 6th of October 2015 01:10:55 PM
Cheers, John
Quarry area: I managed to photograph at least 3 Wall Browns with varying degrees of wing wear. Surely more to be found in better weather.
Therefore a minimum of 4 individuals if include yesterday's outlying sighting near Hillside Farm.
Also: Small Copper and Speckled Wood.
Cheers John
The unexplained decline of Wall Brown is illustrated by a quote from the Butterfly Conservation newsletter "Wall Brown was the 6th most widely recorded butterfly in 1985 [in Cheshire] but by 2014 had fallen to 25th position. Amazingly in 1985 it was recorded in more tetrads than Meadow Brown".
Other butterflies were singles of Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood.
Cheers John
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Saturday 19th of September 2015 09:04:04 PM
7 Gatekeepers. Fairly tatty now.
2 Small Tortoiseshells. Fresh and pristine.
2 Green-veined Whites
A pair of Common Hawkers, with male clasping female, repeatedly flew up to about 20 metres. Each time the female attempted to complete the coupling they tumbled spectacularly like a rapidly spinning pinwheel almost to the ground before gaining height again.
Cheers John
4th Sep: 1 Toad, 1 Common Frog
Cheers, John
Large White 1
Gatekeeper 11
Meadow Brown 14
Small Copper 1
Small Tortoiseshell 7
Small Heath 3
Small Skipper 3
Painted Lady 1
Speckled Wood 1
Common Hawker 11
Emerald Damselfly - many
Black Darter c20
Common Blue Damselfly c15
Cheers John
Emperor dragonfly
Common Hawker (pond above quarry)
Black darter (one teneral)
Common Darter
Brown Hawker
Emerald damselfly (15+) all at pond above quarry.
Common blue damselfly
Small copper only butterfly not previously seen (since first brood)
6 Meadow Brown
2 Red Admiral
5 Gatekeeper
1 Stoat
No doubt only a fraction of what was there but my butterfly and moth ID'ing is only in its infancy.
Cheers
Mark
Ringlet (29 Jul) and Small Skipper (1 Aug)
Cheers John
Gatekeeper 2
White sp. 1
Cheers John
Large Skipper 2
Small Tortoiseshell 4
Small Heath 5
Meadow Brown 1
Cheers John
2 Small Heaths
Cheers John
1 Weasel
1 Field Vole
Cheers John
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 13th of September 2014 01:13:44 PM
1 Large White
1 Short-tailed Field Vole
Cheers John
2-3 Gatekeepers
Cheers John
Also Green-veined Whites, Meadow Browns, Small Tortoiseshells and a single Small Heath.
Emerald Damselflies seem to be doing well with some paired in tandem.
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Thursday 31st of July 2014 08:19:40 AM
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Friday 16th of May 2014 08:44:59 PM
Cheers John
Cheers John
Cheers John
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Sunday 9th of March 2014 08:41:48 PM
Cheers, John
Peacock 3
Small Heath 1
Speckled Wood 8
Large White 1
Green-veined White 4
Cheers, John
Red Admiral 1
Speckled Wood 2
Small Heath 1
Green-veined White 3
Cheers John
Small Copper 4
Peacock 2
Green-veined White 9
Speckled Wood 5
Small Heath 1
4 Spot Chaser 1
Black Darters c12
Common Darter 1
Southern Hawker 1
Common Hawker 2
1 Frog and 1Toadlet
Cheers John
c20 GV Whites
Large Red, Common Blue, Emerald Damselflies in tandem
At least 3 Common Hawkers including a pair in tandem
Cheers John
c50 Azure Damselflies
c30 Large Red Damselflies
c5 Emerald Damselflies (newly emerged)
2 Blue-tailed Damselflies
Also minimum 11 Green-veined Whites
Cheers John
Cheers John
Cheers, John
1 Field Vole
1 Toad
Many Black Darters and Common Emeralds
4 Common Hawkers
Cheers, John
Green-veined White 32
Meadow Brown 8
Gatekeeper 6
Small Skipper 4
Small Tortoishell 4
Silver 'Y' 1
Brown Hawker 2
Emerald Damselfly c8
Azure Damselfly 2
Cheers, John
6 Small Heaths
Many Azure and Large Red Damselflies
Cheers, John
Small tortoiseshell
Peacock
Orange Tip
Speckled Wood
Green-veined white
Small Copper
You have to take what you can get at the moment.
Small Tortoishell 5
Comma 1
Red Admiral 2
Cheers, John