Covid-19 pt 2 .. venturing further abroad .. (daily exercise restrictions relaxed)

Having heard the rumours that Butser Hill was a honey-spot for visitors following the easing of COVID-19 exercise restrictions, I ventured my way east instead, to a quieter site to find my quarry.

Fairmile Bottom has recently seen the Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) start to colonise its grassland slopes. If I recall correctly this will be only their third year recorded on site - but already they are being found in several small discreet locations across the expanse of the chalk grassland.

Today, I only found a single specimen, but that was enough to warrant the additional journey. Especially given the very low number of people I had to socially distance from during my search.

Hamearis lucina

I will always associate this iconic butterfly with that of the fly-orchid (Ophrys insectifera) - having experienced them both for the first time, on a visit to Noar Hill some years ago. Fairmile now also  provides an opportunity to visit both species on the same site.

Ophrys insectifera

Cephalanthera damasonium

Callophrys rubi

Blessed Be

As spring progresses ..

It's that bee fly time of year again!

I caught my first sighting of the year of dark-edged bee fly (Bombylius major) on Monday 18th March - at Whiteways Countryside Site, Bury Hill in West Sussex. I counted three individuals on the wing.

dark-edged bee fly 18th March

It took me until the following Sunday 24th March - before I clinched my first garden record of the year with two individuals being recorded front and back garden respectively.

dark-edged bee fly 24th March garden record

A walk to St Hubert's Church, Idsworth on the same day produced multiple sightings of B. major using the hedgerows or gardens along the route. The following day as I walked the holloway that is Mill Lane to Halnaker Windmill - I counted three B. major en route.

dark-edged bee fly Mill Lane, Halnaker
25th March 

Working from home today, I had an opportunity to keep one eye on the garden, and noted during a screen break - that a dotted bee fly (Bombylius discolor) was exploring the plant pots and weeds on the overgrown patio. Camera in hand I captured some record shots for iRecord - and doubled my days count of this species - when a second hove into view.

B. discolor 27th March garden record

At the end of the working day as the temperature dropped - I noted a B. major roosting on a plant pot in the receding sun line.

B. major 27th March garden record

More reptiles on the chalk

Another survey on chalk grassland in West Sussex managed to record six adder (Vipera berus) and four common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) - the latter resolutely refusing to hang about for a photograph. I am still outstanding my first slow worm (Anguis fragilis) of the year on site?

five of the six adder recorded

First reptile survey of the year

Sunday's successful reptile hunt at Hazleton Common - motivated me to get out mid-week in suitable conditions, to carry out the first reptile survey of the season on a small chalk grassland site, in West Sussex.

In keeping with the last couple of years survey effort - the first Adder (Vipera berus), a male was recorded close to the suspected hibernacula. Itis already starting it's spring shedding. I will try to remember to check again next week to see if I can find the slough? A second male was also noted basking on the edge of a scrub block in the middle of the grassland.

Reptiles on the West Sussex chalk

Returning to a favorite chalk grassland site in West Sussex to survey the local reptile population, I was rewarded with the finding of an adder (Vipera berus) slough - just a few inches away from the spanking bright and shiny male adder from which it had recently sloughed. I was later able to collect the skin, to add to my cabinet of curiosities.

adder

slow worm (Anguis fragilis)

common lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

common lizard

adder

adder - recently sloughed

adder slough

adder slough - collected

Adder (Vipera berus L.), West Sussex

Six (of seven) adder seen this morning on the chalk grassland of West Sussex.

The snakes weren't the only animals enjoying the bright sunshine and relative warmth of this spring morning. Plenty of bumblebees were about and brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), peacock (Aglais io) and comma (Polygonia c-album) butterflies were also seen.

Adder (Vipera berus L.) my first sighting of the year

Enjoyed my first sighting of adder this year whilst surveying on chalk grassland in West Sussex. Three individual snakes were found basking on the day. N.B. that these record shots are taken on full zoom on the iPhone camera.

Oxenbourne Down, Hampshire

Oxenbourne Down

Polyommatus Icarus on Carlina vulgaris

Epargyreus clarus on Scabiosa columbaria

What a difference a day makes!

A visit to a chalk grassland site managed by West Sussex County Council Countryside Service, produced my first encounter of the year with an adder - in this case a small male who was basking in the sunshine - sheltered from the prevailing wind, on the cusp of woodland edge.

Trying to take a hasty record shot with an iPhone, I disturbed the snake and failed to get a meaningful photograph - although he is there! I returned the next day, with my camera and found him in almost exactly the same spot.

16th March - record shot

17th March - that's better