SEVEN BARROWS

Seven barrows is a Nature Reserve owned by the BBOWT near Lambourn (famous for its race horses). As well as being  of archaelological interest, it provides an area of chalk grassland, rich in flowers  which attract a wide range of butterflies. 

I had recently discovered the existence of this small reserve so when looking for somewhere local to visit on a warm sunny day, but with limited time at my disposal I decided explore it  for the first time as it is situated less than 30 minutes away. 

I arrived just after 11 am, parking in the small car parking area  just outside the reserve. It was almost a cloudless sky with temperatures gradually rising.  One other car was already parked there, and I could see  someone in the distance at the other side of the meadow, However he went shortly afterwards so  I had the reserve to myself.  I  followed the flattened grass path which led from the gateway  and  started to meander through the reserve. However  it soon fizzled out and I was left  to find my own path amongst the many wild flowers growing there. 

I soon spotted meadow browns and gatekeepers but  it was a little while before the number of butterflies flying began to steadily increase. However I eventually l  made a good count of  16 species of butterfly, 

Although butterflies were present throughout  the whole of the reserve area,  some large patches of wild marjoram were  attracting  the most   species.

These included small blue, common blue, chalkhill blue, small copper, small heath,  peacock, small tortoiseshell,  meadow brown, gatekeeper, brimstone, small white,  green veined white, brown argus, marbled white, ringlet and small skipper.

brown argus

chalkhill blue

entrance to reserve

path through reserve

green veined white

marbled white

meadow brown

peacock

ringlet

small blue

small copper

small copper

small skipper

small white

chalkhill  blue

BBOWT RESERVES IN BERKSHIRE

I started out today in hope of adding some new  dragonflies to my  list of sightings which I've started this year. I planned to visit a couple of nature reserves near Padworth, starting with a walk at Padworth common where golden ringed dragonflies are among the species mentioned, follwed by Decoy heath which according to BBOWT boasts 23 species of dragonfies and damselflies.

On arrival at Padworth Common, I found I was the only car in the carpark. I knew that there was a pond somewhere so went to the information board to take a look.  Whilst reading it, a lady and her grandson (complete with butterfly net!) came back   down one of the paths. I asked them about a pond, but was told that they had all dried up! So much for the reccommendation by the Wildlife trust to spend half an hour sitting near the main pond watching darting dragonflies and damselflies! Nevertheless I took a quick walk in the direction of the pond, but found it was completely bereft of water, although there were a couple of ruddy/common darters there, and several butterflies. 

My next stop therefore   was therefore  Decoy Heath, only a couple of roads away. I found the car park designated in the guide book but the gate was locked and there was no signage indicating a wildlife reserve!  I wasn't having much success so far!! 

Being quite near to the village of Mortimer, I decided to have a search for grayling butterflies which I have seen regularly at an area  which forms part of a conifer plantation. I parked outside the gate - which looked pretty unused and hoped it would not be needed! A ten minute walk took me to a gravel  area beside a small water filled quarry area where  I expected to see several graylings. However, I saw none, although I did notice that the gravel area was somewhat more overgrown than last time I visited. Thinking maybe it was a bit early in the season, (although they have been recorded already this year) , I turned and  wandered back to the car again. There were quite a few small skippers and gatekeepers about but then I noticed a couple of  duller brown butterflies fluttering at the edge of the track. On closer inspection they turned out to be what I had been looking for -  graylings, typically settling on gravel or bits of bark, and shutting their wings quickly to camouflage themselves. They were certainly hard to find once they had settled, unless you had followed them very carefully to see where they landed. I took a few photos, glad that I had at least achieved one of my aims for the day!!

Having spent less time than originally planned at some of the reserves, I realised I would have time to revisit Greenham Common. Once parked,  I ate my picnic in the car before  heading over to one of the pond areas.  I followed a path round the side, next to some bushes and  noticed several emperor dragonflies patrolling the water. One eventually did stop and flew to a gorse bush from which it hung motionless. for a while. I also spotted a couple of black tailed skimmers However, with people picnicking nearby and .a popular place for dogs to have a swim, I decided to leave and try another area. 

At a second pond, which was in a quieter, more secluded area, I started to walk round the shore line, and every so often heard a 'plop' as something entered the water right in front of me... frogs! There were at least half a dozen that  I saw, one of which presented with  me some lovely views of its swimming ability!  At the other end of the pool, I noticed what they describe in story books-  a frog on a lily pad!  The pink  waterlily flowers looked amazing in the sun. Here again were several emperor dragonflies, including three egg-laying females. There were also a couple of brown hawkers, but they were not stopping for any photos, as usual. 

I stood watching the tranquil scene; hearing an occasional 'plop' from a frog entering the water, or a rustle as a dragonfly touched its wings against some reeds, until it was time to leave for home. 

emperor dragonfly

black tailed skimmer

female emperor dragonfly egg laying

frog!

wtaer lilies on the pond

second pond

CHALK HILL BLUES AND A BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT

Last week, my daughter informed me that she had seen a butterfly on her courgette plants that she could not identify. Her description, brown with a bit of purple on it, and an underwing with a wavy line, fitted that of a purple hairstreak. I suppose it   was unsurprising really, seeing as she has a large oak tree at the bottom of her garden; I had often looked at it  and wondered about but nevertheless an exciting find.

I was therefore keen to visit her and see for myself, particularly as at this time of year her garden is  full of butterflies.  Today's forecast was  a cloudy morning, though warm  so I thought I  could also stop off at  the NT site of Lardon Chase, near Pangbourne as I wanted to look for some Chalkhill blue butterflies, which are now emerging. 

The car park at Lardon chase was almost full at my arrival time of 11.30 am but  I just managed to find a space. A short distance  from  the gate there was a small herd of young cattle  but they were more interested in sheltering under the tree than blocking the entrance and I walked close to the hedge to keep out of their way.  I could see groups of people walking in this popular area, some picnicking but I was interested in looking for blue butterflies amongst the wild marjoram/thyme. It wasn't long before I found a small blue  specimen, but this  turned out to be a common blue.  It wasn't particularly sunny and at first  I could not spot any 'chalkies' but as I walked, they were disturbed and I realised that there were actually quite large numbers. When the sun did appear occasionally, they were much more evident. 

I reached my daughter's house at Burghfield Common in time for a picnic lunch then we sat outside in the garden for the remainder of the day. On the two buddleias, there were peacocks and red admirals continually nectaring, occasionally joined by some small or large whites. A brimstone was attracted to the runner bean flowers whilst meadow brown, comma, gatekeeper and holly blue butterflies were also made an appearance from time to time. also an emperor dragonfly.. However, the butterflies that caught our attention the most were the purple hairstreaks. I saw at least 3  amongst the oak leaves, and one or two regularly flew past us as they explored other areas of the garden, settling from time time for a few seconds on the ground or on a  plant. One did open its wings, but  to my surprise they looked completely brown, with no purple visible. It maybe that it is quite a worn specimen and the purple scales have worn off.  I did see an individual higher up in the oak which did give me a glimpse of purple, though. I decided it would be an ideal opportunity to do  a Big Butterfly Count with the following results:

Peacock 8, Red admiral 2, comma 1, large white 1, small white 2, purple hairstreak 3, meadow brown 1, holly blue 1, gatekeeper 1. 

purple hairstreak

peacocks on buddleia

brimstone

red admiral

comma

peacock

red admiral

purple hairstreak (zoomed in!)

ANOTHER DRAGONFLY

With cloud and rain forecast for the end of the day, I spent the early part of the afternoon at Ravensroost wood, hoping I might get a sighting of a white letter hairstreak, as I've seen them here for the past few years.

There were still a few brief sunny interludes during the time I spent at the woods, but there weren't many butterflies around compared to the many seen on sunny days. I saw the usual species; gatekeeper, meadow brown, ringlet, peacock, red admiral, small and large white, silver washed fritillary  and speckled wood but although I waited and watched, no hairstreaks today. 

I did get chatting to a couple who had travelled down from Cheshire who were looking to complete their UK butterfly list, with only three more species to find. They had not found any more than I had in the wood today,  but gave me some useful locations as to where to find some of the remaining nine species on my own UK life list.  

As I was talking to them, I became distracted by a dragonfly which zoomed across the path ahead of us  and then clung to a bramble stem in the vegetation at the side of the track. Being new to dragonfly identification, I took some photos and asked them if they could help tell me what species it was. A southern hawker, I was told, so I was able to add that to my list for the year.  So my visit wasn't entirely in vain! 

southern hawker dreagonfly

DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY

Today I visited two areas of woodland near Silverstone with my sister, hoping to see a number of butterfly species that live there. We arranged to meet,  firstly, at Bucknell woods, a site I've previously visited for wood whites butterflies, although we would be unlikely to see any of those today. It was sunny when we both arrived at around 8.30.a.m. within five minutes of each other, each having travelled just over an hour from opposite directions.

After exchanging greetings, we started up the main track. Butterflies were already on the wing, warming up in the sunshine, notably ringlets and meadow browns, together with a few small and  green veined whites. 

We reached a  point where the main track veered off to the left but chose instead to explore a couple  of other narrower paths which also met at this junction. At this point we saw our first silver washed fritillaries which gradually became more numerous as the day wore on, only seeming to disappear for a moment or to when a cloud came over the sun. 

Passing underneath a row of tall oak trees, I spotted some small silvery  grey butterflies flitting around in the upper part of the trees. As expected, a look through binoculars confirmed them  to be purple hairstreaks.  Would they come down low enough to photograph, I wondered?  As we waited, one or two did fly down lower and I endeavoured to zoom in on them for a photo. I then looked round and saw Karen had her lens focused on something much closer.  An individual puprle hairstreak was settled on some bracken right next to the path and was giving some great  views when it turned into the sun. I managed a few shots myself and then  used my mobile phone to get  even closer ones as it seemed to be so settled on the bracken leaf. Eventually of course it had enough and fluttered  off and back up into the oaks.

After this delightful close encounter we returned to the main track and followed it until we came to another cross roads of paths, this time choosing a  path where a number of old oaks were present , and where we hoped we might get a sighting of that most elusive of British butterflies, the purple emperor. Sadly, we didn't  see one, but instead had  to be content with finding  a rare female form of Silver washed fritillary  known as the valezina form where the orange colouring is replaced with a bronze green.These are obviously regularly seen here,  as a couple of visitors enquired if we'd seen this particular form of the species.

From Bucknell  woods, we drove the short distance to Hazelborough woods  where we saw similar species but were also able to  add white admiral to our day's tally plus  we found another female valezina form of Silver washed fritillary. Returning to the car park, we caught up with family news over a picnic, then decided to make our journeys home after an enjoyable few hours down in the woods.  

Species for the day: red admiral, white admiral, silver washed fritillary, peacock, comma , small skipper, large skipper, meadow brown, ringlet, large white, small white ,green veined whit,e purple hairstreak..

large skipper

large white

purple hairstreak

red admiral

ringlet

silver washed fritillary f valezina

silver washed fritillary

RAVENSROOST

This afternoon was the first occasion for a while that the weather has been dry and calm enough to warrant a re- visit to Ravensroost Wood. Although cloudy, I had a sense that it was getting a bit brighter and therefore might encourage a few butterflies to fly. 

Along the main ride, the main butterflies were, as expected, meadow browns and ringlets. I made my way down to the pond at which point the clouds almost, but not quite allowed the sun to break through, but this was sufficient to cause several silver washed fritillaries to make an appearance, and I also had a fleeting glance of a white admiral which disappeared behind some vegetation. 

My current target butterflies for this wood are two of the hairstreaks; purple  and white letter. I studied the usual area for white letter  hairstreaks but could see none, neither were any purple hairstreaks evident. However, I did see a good variety of other butterflies, including, small white, green veined white, marbled white, peacock, comma, red admiral, small skipper ( I peered closely at some of these to see if I could spot an Essex skipper), gatekeeper, holly blue, large white, as well as the aforementioned ringlet and meadow brown, silver washed fritillary and white admiral.  

comma

ringlet

silver washed fritillary

possible essex skipper

                                                                      green veined white