Sunday 17 August 2014

St Wilfrid's Chapel, Church Norton

Dedicated in 1982 to Reginald Charles Chaplin a local naturalist, this beautiful stained glass window situated in the west wall of St Wifrid's Chapel, Church Norton, captures some wildlife highlights of Selsey Bill in stunning glory.


The window is signed by Michael Farrar Bell.

St Wilfrid's is the remnant of a 13th Century church called St Peter's and it was originally the chancel of the earlier building. For more information on the church and its other stained glass windows, have a look at:

www.visitchurches.org.uk/Assets/Visitortourismdocuments/SussexChurchNortonStWilfridWRG.pdf?1302187708

Saturday 9 August 2014

On / Off transect Comp 1 & 2 Portsdown Hill

I have just completed, what may well be my last butterfly transect of this year on Portsdown Hill. My circumstances have changed and I have taken up full time employment in West Sussex - this will considerably compromise my flexibility to head to the hill in good conditions to carry out the transect.

I have learnt a lot undertaking the transect, it has honed my butterfly identification skills, introduced me to new species - and stimulated a greater understanding of butterfly ecology, their food plants and flight times. It has also extended this interest to day-flying moths - and no doubt in the near future I will be turning to the dark side as well.

In conjunction with volunteering with Portsdown Hill Conservation Volunteers, undertaking the transect has made me take a much closer and critical appreciation of chalk grassland; helped develop a wider vocabulary of botanical ID skills; and let's be honest - turned what was an aside to birdwatching into a passion in its own right.

This afternoon I was chuffed to add clouded yellow (Colius croceus) in at # 26 of the total spp. recorded on transect across Compartment 1 & 2, so far this year. A single (perhaps 2?) clouded yellow zooming along the bottom path, giving me no opportunity for photographs.

Post transect I went off piste .. and managed to catch a quick record shot a painted lady (Vanessa cardui) - bringing my compartment total to 27.