Juvenile Woodcock

A short blog but for me a great record.

A juvenile Woodcock found on a rutted track, in Rewell Wood, whilst we were searching for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary. It couldn't fly and was unable climb out of the ruts and back into the undergrowth. A helping hand from Dave and it disappeared immediately. We couldn't see the mother around but it seemed to be in good shape and capable of looking after itself.

The camouflage is amazing. We were within three or four feet of the bird and had not spotted it. If it hadn't panicked and moved we would probably have walked past without seeing it.

Juvenile Woodcock

It's the best picture I have ever managed of a Woodcock. I usually only see the backend as it disappears into the distance.

Dukes and Frits

The Butterfly season really gets off to a start with the emergence of the Orange Tips but it's a couple of weeks later that the action really starts. The first spell of warm weather results in the emergence of a lot of the early season butterflies. A visit to Kithurst Hill and Rewell Wood at the end of last week proved a bit disappointing with nothing found. A quick visit to Mill Hill on Monday gave me Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, and Green Hairstreak, plus a few Small Heath and a lot of day flying micro moths. Good sightings but not many picture opportunities.

A few days of sunshine over the weekend and today we returned to Kithurst and Rewell Wood confident of finding our target species, the Duke of Burgundy and the Pearl Bordered Fritillary. First stop was Kithurst and as we walked into the meadow, it was clear from the number of people already there, that the butterflies were on the wing.

Duke of Burgundy

If you can find them Duke of Burgundys are an easy butterfly to photograph. They get up late, don't move around much, go to bed early and seem quite content to sit for long periods to have their pictures taken. The only problem was that we were at risk of having more photographers then butterflies.

Pearl-bordered Fritillaries are a lot harder to photograph. They tend to be very active, fast moving, and have a remarkable ability to just disappear from sight when you are watching them from only a few feet away. Also, Rewell Wood is not the easiest place to get to. There is very limited parking unless you use the layby at Fairmile Bottom and walk in over the hill. Hard work on a hot day.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary on Bugle

To find the butterflies you are looking for a broad sunny ride alongside an area of felled or pollarded trees with one or two years growth on the cleared ground. It is not worth chasing the butterflies into the undergrowth. It is best to wait until they come out to nectar on the Bugle growing along the ride.

The pictures are always better when you find freshly emerged specimens. Also seen at Kithurst Meadow where a few Dingy Skippers, plenty of Brimstones and a couple of Common Blues.

Dingy Skipper

Dingy Skipper

A good start to the butterfly season. The next challenge is to add the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary to the Sussex list.

Duke of Burgundy

Good conditions for butterflying this morning. About 13°C with broken clouds and sunny spells. A good chance of finding butterflies before they became too active and an opportunity to improve on my year list.

First Stop was Rewell Wood for the Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. I always find the Pearl-bordered here but it sometimes takes some searching. Fortunately I was on a working party in the wood about 18 months ago cutting scallops for the butterflies to move into and it seemed like a good place to start.

There was nothing moving when I got there but then the sun came out and they began to appear. I think about twenty five sightings with a max of five butterflies in the air at any one time. It looks like another good year for the Pearl-bordered.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

The pearls are on the underside of the wing but with these butterflies just warming up none would oblige with a closed wing shot. The problem is that once they warm up they become very active. They move quickly, they do not put down much, and they have a habit of just disappearing in front of your eyes. So I decided to cut my losses and move on.



Next stop was Kithurst Hill to look for the Duke of Burgundy. No rush here, the Dukes are late risers and it's not worth looking much before eleven o'clock. Fortunately I found a Green Hairstreak to keep me busy, my first of the year,

Green Hairstreak

and there were a few Dingy Skippers flying in the meadow.

Dingy Skipper

The Dukes are easy butterflies to photograph. They do not fly very fast or very far and they usually return to the same small territory where they are happy to sit whilst you take your pictures. But don't be fooled, anything flies into their territory, particularly another Duke and they are off in hot pursuit.

Duke of Burgandy

The Dukes are the only members of the Metalmark family to be found in Europe. They were in serious decline but the last couple of years has seen them expanding their territory in southern England. Butterfly Conservation and its teams of volunteers are restoring habitat along the downs and the butterflies seem to be taking advantage of the opportunity.


Only one Blue seen today, a Holy Blue passing through the meadow. Traditionally I see the Dukes and Pearl-bordered on the same day in early May and I usually manage to find a Small Blue at the same time. No such luck this year.

Holly Blue

Duke of Burgundy

My first butterfly blog of the year and I wasn't sure if I should call it Duke of Burgundy or Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Sunday and I dropped in to Rewell Wood to have a quick look for the Pearl-bordered. I walked for miles and hardly saw a butterfly, and to top it all, I had forgotten too carry any water. Returning to the car, hot, bothered and thirsty, I ended up following a Brimstone along a small ride. I lost the Brimstone but in front of me I found a Pearl-bordered and then another and in the end I had close to thirty sightings in under an hour.

Brimstone

You would think I would be happy but it is the most annoying of butterflies. Apart from being hyperactive in the bright sunshine it seems to have the ability to just disappear in front of your eyes. You have it in sight, its only feet away, then it does a half turn, and it's gone. I got a few photographs but none that I was really happy with.


Monday and I picked Dave up and we went back to Rewell Woods for another go. Not so many sightings, perhaps twenty in the two hours we were there, but they were still just as difficult to photograph.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Showing the underwings and the pearls around the edge of the rear wing.

Look out for the patches of Bugle which it seems to favour and keep your fingers crossed for a female which will stay still for a bit longer than the roaming males.

We also had some good views of male Orange-tips in Rewell and were lucky enough to get one settled when it clouded over for a few minutes.

Orange-tip

and a Red Admiral resting on its way along the ride.

Flushed with success we decided to head up to Kithurst Meadow to look for the Duke of Burgundy. This is an altogether more accommodating butterfly. It is a late riser, probably best after 11am, it does not fly too fast or roam too far, and it is a bit lazy, being quite happy to sit for long periods giving good photographic opportunities. 

Duke of Burgundy

The blog is named after the Duke of Burgundy as it is an altogether more agreeable butterfly.

Duke of Burgundy

We also found Dingy Skippers in the meadow including this mating pair.

Dingy Skippers

There were also a number of Green Hairstreaks flying through and I was lucky enough to get this one sitting out on the bank by the side of the road.

Green Hairstreak

A great day and it now feels as though the butterfly season is really under way. It reminded me of why I like the butterflies. If you do your research and get your timing right the butterflies are going to be there. That does not always apply when you are looking for birds. However, there is also the frustration of a hot sunny day when you cannot find one that will settle.