Jul 2011
Got The Blues Again
26/07/11 14:32 Filed in: Sightings
At last I’ve spotted some blue butterflies again!
Yesterday I saw 3 male Common Blues on the Rifle Range & 3 females & 1 male on the Steyning Coombe. Also there were plenty of Gatekeepers, a Small Heath, 2 Brimstone, Small & Large Whites & 2 Wall Brown.
Today, in spite of being a bit gloomy, was a wildlife extravaganza! On the boundary of the Rifle Range a Buzzard flew out of a tree, the wild flowers were amazing and there were several Common Blues flying among the Gatekeepers, along with a Brown Argus, a Silver-washed Fritillary, Red Admiral & Peacock. Also saw 2 Adders, a Grass Snake, a Common Lizard & a Slow Worm. Best of all though was a Chalkhill Blue, the first one I’ve seen here for years!
CHALKHILL BLUE
COMMON BLUE
BRIMSTONE
SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY
WALL BROWN
ADDER
Yesterday I saw 3 male Common Blues on the Rifle Range & 3 females & 1 male on the Steyning Coombe. Also there were plenty of Gatekeepers, a Small Heath, 2 Brimstone, Small & Large Whites & 2 Wall Brown.
Today, in spite of being a bit gloomy, was a wildlife extravaganza! On the boundary of the Rifle Range a Buzzard flew out of a tree, the wild flowers were amazing and there were several Common Blues flying among the Gatekeepers, along with a Brown Argus, a Silver-washed Fritillary, Red Admiral & Peacock. Also saw 2 Adders, a Grass Snake, a Common Lizard & a Slow Worm. Best of all though was a Chalkhill Blue, the first one I’ve seen here for years!
CHALKHILL BLUE
COMMON BLUE
BRIMSTONE
SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY
WALL BROWN
ADDER
Wild Flowers
15/07/11 13:09 Filed in: Sightings
The wild flowers on the Rifle Range are amazing at the moment. I’m sure the winter grazing has been really beneficial.
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However, in spite of this, my casual observations are that there are not that many butterflies about. There are some Meadow Brown about, Marbled Whites are not as numerous as they were a couple of weeks ago, some Small Whites are flying and Gatekeepers are beginning to appear in ones & twos. There are a few Ringlets as well.
I’ve also spotted the odd Red Admiral & Peacock. But I haven’t seen a single blue butterfly for weeks now. I know they’re being seen on other sites on the Downs, so where are ours?
.
However, in spite of this, my casual observations are that there are not that many butterflies about. There are some Meadow Brown about, Marbled Whites are not as numerous as they were a couple of weeks ago, some Small Whites are flying and Gatekeepers are beginning to appear in ones & twos. There are a few Ringlets as well.
I’ve also spotted the odd Red Admiral & Peacock. But I haven’t seen a single blue butterfly for weeks now. I know they’re being seen on other sites on the Downs, so where are ours?