BUTTERFLIES
 DRAGONFLIES
 HOVERFLIES
 BUMBLEBEES

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

It was the warmest October in my memory.

WILDLIFE REPORTS
 
 

29 October 2013 Cloudy and relatively calm after the storm, two butterflies were disturbed out of hibernation, firstly a Red Admiral in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham, and later a torporous Comma Butterfly on the Pixie Path. A few Dune Wax Caps were seen on the path. Adur Fungi 2013 A Redshank probed the mud undeneath the Railway Viaduct on the River Adur on a low neap tide.

29 October 2013
 

Comma	Dune Wax Cap

28 October 2013 Gale Force winds blew in hours of darkness until dawn. Shoreham Met Office page recorded a gust of 67 mph (Violent Storm Force 11) at 6:00 am from a steady 45 mph (Force 8). A few trees came down in Shoreham, including a Monkey Puzzle Tree in Mill Lane.  Shoreham Beach Weather Station recorded 78 mph (Hurricane Force 12).  Storm Gallery

The photograph shows the rolling waves on Southwick Beach around 2:30 pm when a gust was recorded at 48 mph and it felt like it continuously on the exposed beach when it was a great struggle (more than seriously impeded) to walk against the south-westerly gale. Unlike the previous day, occasional (one every four minutes) waves could be seen in the distance above the western harbour wall.  Shoreham Weather 2013

Storm at Dawn
Western Harbour Arm, Shoreham
Photograph by Mark Bond

23 October 2013
After the over night rain deluge, the weather cleared and there was even a enough warmth for the surviving butterflies to be discovered in the breeze. Just three definite butterflies were actually seen: a flighty Red Admiral over the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham; a resting Comma on the Pixie Path; and lastly a restless Clouded Yellow over the lower slopes of Mill Hill. One Common Darter (dragonfly) was seen briefly over the Waterworks Road. 
Adur Butterfly List 2013

22 October 2013 

15 October 2013 

Turnstone
Dark Bush Cricket	Dog Violet

It was muddy underfoot but the sun shone intermittently through gaps in the clouds. This produced a very mixed and varied day. Turnstones foraging under the Railway Viaduct and Lapwings on the mud at low tide were regular occurrences and expected. But more surprising on a cloudy day were two active flying butterflies, a Red Admiral and immigrant Clouded Yellow over the River Adur. A Dark Bush Cricket, Pholidoptera griseoaptera, was spotted on the verges of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. These crickets are occasionally seen late in the year. It was not warm enough to expect to see many butterflies but 21 were seen of six species, with a third of them Meadow Browns on Mill Hill. Notably there was a cleistogamic flowering Dog Violet on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
Full Butterfly Report
Adur Grasshoppers & Crickets
Adur Violets

12 October 2013

A splendid study of an immigrant male Long-tailed Blue Butterfly is captured on the north bank of Southwick Canal (Shoreham Harbour) opposite the power station. Photograph by Leigh Prevost Photography on flickr Just a Speckled Wood Butterfly and a Small White were seen simultaneously on the Downs Link Cyclepath Adur Butterfly List 2013

9 October 2013
Four Long-tailed Blue Butterfly (three males & a female) were seen on the north bank of Southwick (Aldrington) Canal opposite the power station up until 12.30 pm when it clouded over. The best area for them seems to be by the small brick shelter next to the A259. 

7 October 2013
Alarm and escape confusion attracted my attention as about twenty Starlings suddenly took flight from the highest ledges of the Shoreham Cement Works building on the east side of the road. A moment later a Peregrine Falcon glided just over the concrete ruins. The falcon was identified by its narrower more streamlined wings contrasted with the broader Sparrowhawk. 
 

Hawthorn	Holly	Dog Rose	Wayfaring

Wild Flowers 2013 & Berries
Adur Butterfly List 2013

6 October 2013
A fresh male Long-tailed Blue Butterfly visited the large clump of Ivy outside Shoreham Cement Works, Upper Beeding  (TQ 199 086) between 11.35 am and 11.45 am. It then flew east, back over the fence into the Everlasting Peas within the Cement Works. This was the first record of this immigrant butterfly on these Nature Notes pages. 

Clouded Yellow Butterfly	Small Copper	Ivy Bee

Under a mixed cloudy sky, a Clouded Yellow Butterfly finally settled for a a few seconds on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. It was one of eight species of butterfly seen on the downs. Meadow Browns were the most frequently seen.
Pride of place was given to a good condition Small Copper. A Large White, and two brown females, one each of Common Blue and Adonis Blue were still around. 
Full Butterfly Report

3 October 2013
On an overcast afternoon, I was pleased to see a Grey Wagtail by the Ladywells Stream on the Coombes Road.

2 October 2013
We have moved into the third quarter of the year: most flowers had gone to seed and with the lack of nectar plants there was the corresponding paucity of butterflies. The total count was just short of thirty of eight species. Most of these were on Mill Hill where Meadow Browns composed about half of them, with three Adonis Blues and one or two Clouded Yellows. Small colonial bees, the Ivy Bee, Colletes hederae, were buzzing around on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, where there was a cleistogamic flowering Sweet Violet at the southern end. 
 

Meadow Brown on Bramble	Adonis Blue

The spiky leaves of Carline Thistle had turned from green silver and mostly they were the final rusty-bronze colour. Notably there was a cleistogamic flowering Sweet Violet at the southern end of the lower slopes of Mill Hill. I spotted a Dark Bush Cricket on Mill Hill Road at the top.
Mill Hill Report
Butterfly Report
 

Adur Wild Flowers 2013

October 2012 Reports

Shoreham Weather 2013

Adur Nature Notes 2012