Date: 30th July 2022
Time: from 8:30 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny/cloudy, light wind, 19°C to 23°C
The main focus of my visit was to provide records
for the annual Big Butterfly Count.
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I visited 4 locations for my butterfly counts:
The small area of Buddleia bushes in the central section of the cemetery: Gatekeeper (c.10), Large White (1), Small White (1),
The grass strip known as Hilly Road which runs down from the church to St. Nicholas Lane and the rough grassland area adjacent to St. Nicholas Lane: Gatekeeper (c.50), Common Blue (2), Red Admiral (1), Meadow Brown (2)
The area of rough grassland and bramble bushes in the south west corner of the site: Gatekeeper (c.50), Common Blue (1), Meadow Brown (2), Large White (1)
The access track from Larkins Tyres: Ringlet (1), Gatekeeper (3)
The profusion of Ragwort and Knapweed at the second and third of these locations proved to be particularly attractive to butterflies.
Unlike my previous visit on 5th July 2022 when there was an abundance of Marbled Whites and the 3 skipper species, I did not record any of these species on this visit.
Small White was a first site record for 2022, bringing the total number of butterfly species recorded to 17, already higher than the total of 15 that I recorded in 2021.
I saw c.20 dragonflies hawking at some height and I was unable to identify the species. The only species that I was able to identify was a Common Darter, a female that perched on bushes in the south west corner of the site.
Photo: female Common Darter
Photo: female Common Darter
Amongst many other insect species, I saw this spectacular Mimic Hornet Hoverfly ....
Photo: Mimic Hornet Hoverfly
With regard to birds, it was predictably quiet given that it is the end of July, both in terms of the number of species seen or heard calling/singing.
However, there were a number of highlights including the following: Blackcap (2 heard alarm calling), Chiffchaff (3 heard contact calling), Swift (at least 1 heard “screaming” over the cemetery but unseen), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 heard calling along the access track from Larkins Tyres, 1 heard calling in the western section of the cemetery and 1 heard calling in the south west corner of the site), Green Woodpecker (1 heard calling in the clearing at the end of the access track from Larkins Tyres), Robin (2 speckled juveniles moulting into their adult plumage)
With regard to mammals, I saw 2 Grey Squirrels in the wooded area at the end of the track from Larkins Tyres.
My visit also proved to be notable for the emergence of autumn fruits and nuts with Blackberry, Sloes, Crab Apples and Acorns all very evident. After the very poor autumn last year, in particular the almost complete absence of Acorns, it seems like this year is going to be much better.
Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
Slava Ukraini! …. Glory to Ukraine!
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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