BUTTERFLIES
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6 September 2018

WILDLIFE REPORTS

 
26 September 2018
Under a hazy blue sky, the new growths of Hemp Agrimony attracted the vanessid butterflies on the middle gentle slopes of MiIl Hill near the Copse. These were Red Admirals, Peacocks and  a Painted Lady Butterfly. Other butterflies seen on the top part of MiIl Hill included occasional widespread Small Heaths, occasional Common Blues localised to the Marjoram meadows, one Meadow Brown on the plateau, one Wall Brown which was the only butterfly seen in the top meadow, and a Large White. Crane-flies were frequently seen as well as few Common Darters (a small dragonfly). A pair of Speckled Woods were seen by Hamm Road allotments in Shoreham town. 
Adur Butterfly List 2018

Dozens of hirundines flew to and fro over MiIl Hill and the adjacent New Erringham pasture in the afternoon. As far as I could make out they were House Martins and Swallows.

17 September 2018
A handful of Swallows were seen flying to and fro over the top part of Mill Hill under a clear blue sky. They seen near the bridge (over the A27) and houses, prior to migration south. 

With most of the flowers finished for the year, there were still enough nectar plants on the top of Mill Hill to sustain over thirty butterflies of eight species.
Mill Hill Report

16 September 2018

Four Grey Herons flying very low over the Downs Link Cyclepath just north of the Flyover (100 metres north of the Wood Heron) were my surprise in the middle of the day.They are very large birds and their sudden appearance all at the same time, and not much above the height of the hedgerows, legs outstretched (landing gear down), came as a bit of a shock. They sent hundreds of Common Gulls into flight, under a cloudy sky, before they landed on the mudflats of the River Adur (out of sight). 

10 September 2018
Tremendous!, I chanced upon a magnificent uninterrupted view of a large female Sparrowhawk whilst cycling at 15 mph as the big brown bird of prey flew across my path about five metres above the road junction, (so the view of the bird was side on rather than from underneath), between The Avenue and Downside at the entrance of the Dovecote Estate, north Shoreham. I had seen one before whilst cycling in autumn in similar circumstances but never managed such a clear view, if only for two seconds. 

There was the usual Kestrel over Mill Hill, but that hardly warrants a mention.  Nine species of butterfly including 25 Adonis Blues were disturbed in the afternoon under a cloudy sky over the downs. Immigrant butterflies included a couple of restless Clouded Yellows and a faded Painted Lady.
Mill Hill Report

8 September 2018
A partially colourful Red Underwing Moth, Catocala nupta, found its way into my upstairs bathroom in Shoreham. It was trapped and released but flew away rapidly before I could get a photograph. 
Adur Moths 2018

6 September 2018
A dozen Clouded Yellows and a surprise Brown Hairstreak were found at Southwick Basin with other butterflies.

3 September 2018
An immigrant Clouded Yellow Butterfly was seen flying near the Tollbridge, Old Shoreham in the middle of the day. And another one was seen in the afternoon over Anchor Bottom. Adonis Blues were common over the large expanse of the conservation pastures of Anchor Bottom: I counted 37 (30 males +7 females) in a timed 45 minutes, almost all of them in the central south-facing bank area in the space of 16 minutes. There were many more in the areas I did not visit and Lindsay Morris recorded over one hundred (182) in four hours. 

With a different flora to Mill Hill, the Adonis Blues were nectaring on the abundant Rough Hawkbit., noted visiting the diminutive Squinancywort hidden amongst the grasses, attracted to the occasional tall Carline Thistles, once seen on the few Round-headed Rampions, often on the common Small Scabious, seen on occasional Hardheads, one spotted on a Dwarf Thistle,  but not seen on the few Devil's Bit Scabious, or the spikes of the orchid Autumn Lady's Tresses. One female Adonis Blue was seen crawling amongst the leaves of Mouse-eared Hawkweed looking for somewhere to drops its eggs (which should on or near Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, leaves). 

There were eight species of butterfly seen on the day with frequent Small Heaths seen all over the Anchor Bottom pastures with occasional Meadow Browns. I spotted a female Common Blue on Everlasting Pea near the Cement Works as well as a Small White, Large Whites and a Red Admiral near Dacre Gardens, Upper Beeding.
Adur Butterfly List 2018

September 2017 Reports

Shoreham Weather 2018

EasyTide (Shoreham)
 
 
 

Adur Nature Notes 2013