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News Archive for Oct 2014


31 Oct 2014

butterfly sightings. 1 Red Admiral at Warsash and 2 Painted Lady at Hook Spit. [Posted by Tim Walker]


Holly Blue(5) in Gosport.. Clouded Yellow(7,including helice female),Small White,Holly Blue(3 males & 2 females in Ann's Hill Cemetery),Red Admiral(15) & Speckled Wood(6) were along and near the Gosport coast from Haslar to Gilkicker,the Old Railway Line at Alverstoke & Ann's Hill Cemetery,Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


Alton to Preston Candover. A day's cycling from Alton to Preston Candover brought the following:

Brimstone total of 3 male 1 female (all at Burkham)

Red Admiral total of 7 - various sites

Peacock 2 - Preston Candover

Clouded Yellow - one tatty individual over fields near Preston Candover SU616427

Also Hornet 1 - Shalden church

Two-spot ladybird of the black ground-colour variant, and Common Darter 1 - St Mary The Virgin churchyard, Preston Candover. [Posted by Steve Mansfield]


30 Oct 2014

Clouded Yellow(10,including mating pair) on the Gosport coast.. Clouded Yellow(8 males & 2 helice females,including a mating pair with interfering males)Red Admiral(4),Common Darter were along the Gosport coast from Haslar to Gilkicker and Stokes Bay,Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


29 Oct 2014

Have a holiday and help conservation. Holidays La Brenne and Hungary

Nigel Spring ( who some of you will remember from Kingcombe) has two holidays planned which will make a small profit to be devoted to a subsidised conservation project in France next year.

One is to La Brenne in June and the other to Aggtelek in north-eastern Hungary in May. Aggtelek has to be one of Nigel's most favourite places.

All the information is now on the EuCAN website - see http://www.eucan.org.uk/europe/2015-wildlife-holiday-to-aggtelek-national-park-northern-hungary/ and http://www.eucan.org.uk/europe/2015-wildlife-holiday-to-la-brenne/

If interested contact Nigel quickly as he needs to confirm the accommodation by the New Year. [Posted by Lynn Fomison]


28 Oct 2014

Late October sightings. Clouded Yellow and Red Admiral at Rakes Brakes Bottom, New Forest: and Brimstone and Red Admiral at Badger Farm Winchester. [Posted by Rupert Broadway]


Clouded Yellows at Adanac Park!. Just been for a lunchtime walk around the old demolished nursery next to the Ordnance Survey and saw two Clouded Yellows. Followed one up and down the path for over half an hour before it landed very briefly. Looked like it was laying eggs but can't swear to that. Also saw a Peacock. [Posted by Tracy Piper]


Small White Sighting. Roy Symonds reports seeing a single Small White flying in his sister's garden in Elizabeth Road, Waterlooville (SU686087)this morning where the temperature was 18 degrees. [Posted by Richard Symonds]


27 Oct 2014

Clouded Yellow(3) & Holly Blue at Gosport.. Clouded Yellow(2 males & a female),Small White,Holly Blue,Red Admiral(21),Small Tortoiseshell,Peacock(2) & Speckled Wood(2) along near the Gosport coast from Haslar & the Golf Course along the Old Railway Line and around Ann's Hill Cemetery.Also Anne McCue saw a male Brimstone flying in Alverstoke,Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


Autumn Selection.. Today I travelled from Eastleigh to Basingstoke by train where two Red Admirals and a fresh Holly Blue (fluttering around Ivy) were seen close to Eastleigh station, and low and behold upon arrival at Basingstoke one more Red Admiral, another fresh Holly Blue and a Comma were all in the station vicinity around the same time. It was unusually very warm and sunny, amazing! [Posted by Mark Pike]


Butterflies at Magdalen Hill Down. Saw 8 fresh Red Admirals on a very breezy but mild day on Magdalen Hill Down near the entrance by the cemetery, together with fresh Brimstones (1 male, 2 females) and a Peacock. A possible sighting of a Painted Lady could not be confirmed. [Posted by Clive Wood]

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Red Admiral.Magdalen Hill Down
Photo © Clive Wood
Brimstone.Magdalen Hill Down
Photo © Clive Wood

25 Oct 2014

Clouded Yellow at Aytesbury Copse, Knowle. I just managed to catch the dying sunshine at gone 4pm in the afternoon. To my delight a fresh female Clouded Yellow caught my eye together with a Comma. Both in the same location at the edge of Aytesbury Copse, Knowle. Red Admiral also seen earlier in the day close by. [Posted by Paul Harfield]

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Female Clouded Yellow
Photo © Paul Harfield

21 Oct 2014

Peacock & Comma on the Gosport coast.. Red Admiral(14),Peacock,Comma & Common Darter(9) along and near the Gosport coast. [Posted by Dr David Tinling]


Late Sightings. Been getting several late runners in the past few days in the Andover area, mostly Red Admiral. But yesterday I was surprised to see a Hummingbird Hawkmoth in the garden on flower-again Honeysuckle. (Records entered on Living Record). [Posted by Mike Wildish]


19 Oct 2014

Neatham Down and East Worldham. A circular walk to the east and south of Alton delivered the following.

Neatham Down: Brimstone 1. Clouded Yellow 1 - this on a flowery meadow on the steep chalk slope of the down. The first time I've visited this year in butterfly season so clearly potential here. SU737394

East Worldham: Red Admiral 3. Peacock 2. Hornet 1. Darter sp. 20+

Binswood: Common Darter 3

Hartley Mauditt: Red Admiral 2. Comma 1. [Posted by Steve Mansfield]


Clouded Yellow(2,including helice) & Red Admiral(23) in Gosport. Clouded Yellow(2)(male & helice female),Red Admiral(23),Peacock & Speckled Wood(4) along & near the Gosport coast between Haslar & Ann's Hill Cemetery. [Posted by David Tinling]


Shipton Bellinger. I went out hoping for a late Holly Blue today. No Holly Blue but a dozen Red Admiral, 2 Comma, 6 Brimstone (4 male and 2 female), a male Clouded Yellow and what looked like a ragged Brown Hairstreak fluttering along the top of one of the hedgerows. It did not stop and was not close enough for id unfortunately. [Posted by Paul Harfield]

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Red Admiral
Photo © Paul Harfield
Male Brimstone
Photo © Paul Harfield
Male Clouded Yellow
Photo © Paul Harfield

16 Oct 2014

Red Admiral(6) on the Gosport coast.. Small White(3),(2 males & female),Red Admiral(6),Silver Y Moth,Migrant Hawker & Common Darter(2) at Haslar & Gilkicker on the Gosport coast. [Posted by David Tinling]


15 Oct 2014

Red Admiral(2) in Gosport Gardens.. Large White,Red Admiral(2) & Speckled Wood in Gosport gardens. [Posted by Anne McCue]


11 Oct 2014

Clouded Yellow(3) & Painted Lady on the Gosport coast.. Clouded Yellow(3),Small White,Red Admiral(12),Painted Lady,Speckled Wood,Garden Carpet & Hornet Hoverfly(Volucella zonaria) along the Gosport coast from Haslar to Gilkicker and Stokes Bay. [Posted by David Tinling]


10 Oct 2014

Clouded Yellow @ Kings Garn Gutter. Last day of a weeks holiday on the Forest in which we managed to dodge every shower when walking/cycling! Yesterday as we were remounting our bikes having just come through a gate, my wife spotted a yellow butterfly in flight which I was very pleased to find was a Clouded Yellow ... it was excellent conclusion to our stay! Also had several Speckled Woods and a Red Admiral in the area. Location: SU 254138. I'm a Sussex branch member. [Posted by Phil Everitt]

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Photo © Phil Everitt

Red Admiral & Speckled Wood at Gosport.. Red Admiral(9)at Haslar(south-west) & Gilkicker;Red Admiral(4) at Ewer Common;Small White,Red Admiral(11),Speckled Wood(7) & Migrant Hawker at Ann's Hill Cemetery;Speckled Wood at the Hermitage Garden,Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


09 Oct 2014

AGM and Members' Day. For those members that do not receive the newsletter (and the October newsletter is now in the Members' Area), here is the agenda for the AGM and Members' Day, to be held on Saturday 25th October at Millennium Hall, Littleton, Winchester.

1.00-1.45pm Branch AGM and EIG AGM running in parallel

1.45-2.00pm Mingling

2.00-3.00pm Butterfly Conservation Europe: 10 years of progress (Martin Warren)

3.00-3.45pm Refreshments, mingling and photographic competition

3.45-4.15pm Butterflies of Bulgaria (Nick Greatorex Davies)

4.15-4.30pm Dukes on the Edge (Dan Hoare)

4.30-5.00pm Results of photographic competition [Posted by Peter Eeles]


08 Oct 2014

Red Admiral at Alverstoke,Gosport.. Red Admiral(11) & Speckled Wood along the Old Railway Line at Alverstoke,Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


07 Oct 2014

Ann's Hill Cemetery,Gosport.. At Ann's Hill Cemetery(east),Gosport were Red Admiral(5) & Speckled Wood(6). [Posted by Dr David Tinling]


05 Oct 2014

Wall Brown at Fort Gilkicker. At Fort Gilkicker,Gosport,were Clouded Yellow,Small White,Common Blue & Wall Brown(3rd brood male).

At Fort Gilkicker were Clouded Yellow,Small White,Common Blue & Wall Brown(3rd brood). [Posted by Dr David Tinling]


Woolmer Pond 5 October. To add to Nick's records - I found one Clouded Yellow on the heath by the Pond Cottage and a second along the perimeter track (presumably the same as Nick).

Also 4 Small Copper, and a small southward passage (3) of Red Admirals.

Large numbers of darters still on the wind - Black and Common at least - and a few common blue damselflies.

Water levels remain high here. [Posted by Steve Mansfield]


clouded yellow at woolmer. one male clouded yellow at woolmer today along with red admiral(3)speckled wood(1) and large white(1)all seen on the main track between the car park and the pond cottage. [Posted by nick lawrence]

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Photo © nick lawrence

03 Oct 2014

butterfly sighting. 1 Clouded Yellow at Hook Spit. [Posted by Tim Walker]


Small Coppers & Common Blues at Gosport.. Extremely old Small Copper & 5 male Common Blues at Gilkicker and a very fresh Small Copper at Ann's Hill Cemetery,Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


02 Oct 2014

Clouded Yellows on the Gosport coast.. 5 Clouded Yellows(4 males & helice female) at Haslar & Gilkicker on the Gosport coast. [Posted by David Tinling]


Chalton Down. Roy Symonds reports he visited Chalton Down (SU736156)where the temperature was 20 degrees. A low count of only 3 male Common Blues were recorded. [Posted by Richard Symonds]


St Catherines Hill. Perfect weather this afternoon - 100% - hot, sunny with light SW breeze, so I hoped for at least a few worn blues on the down immediately east of the M3. It was extremely disappointing: just 2 butterflies in 45 minutes, one a very elderly Meadow Brown and a pristine Peacock (that must have emerged today). Otherwise a flock of ~20 Yellowhammers and an occasional Meadow Pipit, so well into winter mode........ [Posted by David Murdoch]


Clouded Yellows at Woolmer. Still at least two fresh males today on the Heath North of Pond Cottage. An excellent year here with several double figure counts. [Posted by Andy Stocker]


Last of the Summer Wine. A last look around a chalk Downland , and today I looked around one of favourite sites, Oxenbourne Down, and here in glorious mid-day weather, I saw Red Admiral (1) Small heath (2) Small Copper (2) Meadow Brown (1) Common Blue (1) Brown Argus (1) Speckled Wood (3). I ventured up there specifically to see the Small Copper and I saw one male which was quite tatty, and a lovely fresh female, which was looking for Sorrel's, she was easily Identified as she was flying very slowly over the scrubby vegetation, and not taking a lot of notice of me hovering over her. She was 'tasting' the vegetation with her feet, and was testing the areas of small areas of sparse vegetation, I never noted her laying any eggs, maybe she hadn't mated yet, if she hasn't, she better soon as the weather doesn't look good after tomorrow. [Posted by Ashley Whitlock]

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Small Heath
Photo © Ashley Whitlock
Common Blue
Photo © Ashley Whitlock
Small Copper (female)
Photo © Ashley Whitlock