BUTTERFLIES
 DRAGONFLIES
 HOVERFLIES
 BUMBLEBEES

Bumblebees
Hoverflies
Butterflies
Solitary Bees
Adur Bees, Wasps & Sawflies
Flies
Ladybirds
Beetles
Moths
Grasshoppers & Crickets
Damselflies & Dragonflies
Spiders

WILDLIFE REPORTS
 

30 July 2008
The Chalkhill Blues were slow to appear this year, as the count of a mere 81 (including two females) plus two male Adonis Blues on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, indicated. Another 15+ Chalkhill Blues were present over the south-west corner of the Mill Hill Cutting. A pristine new Small Blue settled on still flowering Kidney Vetch on Buckingham Cutting south. The small pyralid moth Synaphe punctalis was frequently seen in a small patch on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. Sixteen species of butterfly were recorded without trying. 
Full Butterfly Report

28 July 2008
Even more spectacularly, the number of butterfly species seen on 27 July 2008 has to be increased by one to 22 species, as a second brood male Adonis Blue was identified on the lower slopes of Mill Hill and one was seen there yesterday as well. My visit was to look for the main emergence of Chalkhill Blues and make a count on the 1.2 acre transect of the lower slopes, which came to a very low 68 males. 
Full Butterfly Report

27 July 2008
On warm (21.5 °C) sunny day, an unprecedented 21 species of butterfly were seen (three more than the previous largest day tally in the last eight years of 18). Nineteen were seen in two hours in the morning on Mill Hill and its approaches. There were very frequent Large Whites (50+), Gatekeepers (75+), Meadow Browns (50+) and Chalkhill Blues (70), frequent Common Blues (18), occasional Small Skippers (6) and Speckled Woods (8), with just a few of most of the others like Brown Argus (2), Wall Brown (3), Holly Blue (4), Red Admiral (3), Small Heath (3), Brimstone (3), Small White (3), Comma (2), Peacock (2), and just the one confirmed each of Green-veined White, Small Blue and a Ringlet. 
In the afternoon I visited Anchor Bottom and added one Marbled White and a faded Small Tortoiseshell.
The first spectacular Volucella zonaria hoverfly of 2008 was seen amongst the scrub on Mill Hill. 
Full Butterfly Report

23 July 2008
Over 200 butterflies of 15 species were seen in about two hours on Mill Hill and the approaches with 37 Chalkhill Blues (including two females) seen mostly on the lower slopes. Another notable was the first two of the second brood Brown Argus Butterflies in amongst the long grass and herb meadow north of the upper car park. The Small White on Mill Hill was confirmed with a close-up look. 
 

Gatekeepers led the count and Large Whites were close behind, both with over fifty seen, and Meadow Browns were not far behind. The only other species in double figures was the Peacock Butterfly. In the early evening I added a Comma Butterfly and a Green-veined White to make seventeen species for the day and the best day tally of the year. 
The first hoverfly Volucella inanis of the year was spotted in the Butterfly Copse next to the Waterworks Road. where the first berries of Hawthorn were noted. 
About 5:15 pm a large falcon flew low over the Coastal Link Cyclepath towards the River Adur and it looked very much like the falcon seen the day before. 
Tabular List
Adur Butterfly List 2008
Full Report

21 July 2008
I was surprised and pleased to see a  Falcon* perched on a a fence past on the bridlepath from Slonk Hill Farm north to New Erringham. Originally, the bird was nearer Slonk Hill Farm, but after I disturbed it, it made a distinctive circular flight (which I have seen before) and in a succession of glides it ended up nearer New Erringham where Swallows and Goldfinches were frequently seen. 

*This is yet another one of those dreaded escaped large falcons, having what appears to be Peregrine and Lanner Falcon in its parentage (although I cannot completely rule out a North African Lanner). The patterning of its feathers suggest a juvenile.

Other birders recognise this bird as an immature Peregrine Falcon.
Comparison Image on flickr

A trip across the downs north of Shoreham yielded over 200 butterflies of 14 species, with special note of six Wall Browns at six different locations and the first two male Chalkhill Blues on the upper meadow of Mill Hill which was dominated by Peacock Butterflies. My journey took me from Slonk Hill Farm to Mossy Bottom where I saw my first Painted Lady of the year. 
Tabular List
Adur Butterfly List 2008
Adur Butterflies: First Dates

20 July 2008
On the downs pastures above Shoreham, the yellow of the Ragwort contrasted with the cloudy and azure sky, (although Erringham Hill had already been shorn). 
The first Common Darter (dragonfly) of the year was seen in the Butterfly Copse next to the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham, resting on Common Bindweed.

15 July 2008
As so often happens when one butterfly species ceases (the Small Blues were not recorded) than fresh butterflies appear with a new brood. The new ones were the occasional Holly Blues in Shoreham town and the outskirts, one Wall Brown over the A27 dual carriageway north of the Dovecote Estate, and a Brimstone Butterfly on the the lower slopes of Mill Hill. The occasional Peacock Butterflies were fresh as well. 

14 July 2008
About half a dozen Skylarks left the long grass at Anchor Bottom and took flight, a few of these birds singing as they rose. 

13 July 2008
The first female Chalkhill Blue Butterfly of the year was seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill on a drab morning with ten other species of butterfly seen on a rather poor day. 
Full Butterfly Report

6-11 July 2008
Four days of continual gales and heavy rainfall prevented any visits to Mill Hill. On the fifth day the planned trip was interrupted by a heavy rain shower. On the sixth day I was blown about by a Force 6 and saw just two Chalkhill Blue Butterflies on the wind-swept lower slopes of Mill Hill. Stemless Thistle was observed in flower for the first time this year.
Adur Butterfly List 2008

                  Gatekeeper (male)

4 July 2008
My first definite Gatekeeper Butterfly of the year spent a long time fluttering around the Privet on the Coastal Link Cyclepath and it never did settle for a close look. Six other adult butterfly species were seen in the afternoon. 
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Full Butterfly Report

3 July 2008
Ten species of butterfly and skipper  were spotted in a short space of time including my first Small Skipper of the year on the Slonk Hill Cutting, and my first Silver Y Moth of 2008 whirred around the undergrowth on the Buckingham Cutting. 
Adur Butterfly List 2008

2 July 2008

A Sparrowhawk flew into out Conservatory in Steyning and landed on the table. The hawk flew through an open normal sized exterior door, to try to take a Blackbird who fed regularly in the conservatory

1 July 2008
Red Foxes are so commonly seen around urban areas from Shoreham Beach to Southwick, they are not worth a mention any more. However, the commotion and calls from St Julian's Churchyard, Kingston Buci, was so dramatic as it seemed like one Fox was chasing prey in the bushes to the east of the church in the Shoreham College grounds whilst another Fox was barking and seen clearly from the Community Centre entrance opposite the church, and it looked like there was some sexual or/and aggressive action imminent, just before midnight.