Chilgrove Butterfly walk

The weather was clear and sunny. Highlights were Green Hairstreak, Dingy Skipper and Duke of Burgundy Fritillary.

Today’s walk was primarily to look for butterflies. As we walked we discussed how to identify them as this walk forms part of a butterfly ID course. We left the car park next to the White Horse at Chilgrove and walked up a sunken lane with trees on either side. We stopped for a short while to discuss what we might see and while doing so heard a Firecrest singing briefly. After a little while a male Orange-tip flew past. A female then flew past. She hasn’t got the orange on the tips of the wings, but looks smaller than other whites and looks less bright white. We turned and walked along a track between fields – it went along a belt of trees and so felt quite wooded. Along here Ben spotted a Holly Blue and Howard saw a white that settled on a leaf. Through binoculars we could all see that it was a Green-veined White. When the path went through an open field we saw a Brimstone flying across it. Then the path went through some woodland and one side had been partly cleared to form a very wide ride. This was pretty good for butterflies. Several Whites were seen. They looked like Small White, but didn’t stop to allow definite ID. We also saw more Orange-tips and a few Brimstone. Then a small butterfly caught our attention – a Green Hairstreak. The photographers got some great shots as it sat amongst the low plants. A Peacock butterfly was also flying in this area. Brian said he would like to photo a Dingy Skipper. A few minutes later one appeared, sat on a leaf and Brian duly photographed it.
After this the track went through more woodland and we saw a couple of Speckled Wood butterflies and a Speckled Yellow moth that flew quickly past. At the bottom of the woodland was another Orange-tip. We crossed a field to a downland slope called Hooksway Down. Here we were searching for Duke of Burgundy Fritillary. The first butterfly we saw was a Small Heath. Further up the slope were some Early Purple Orchid. We split up in search of the Dukes. Brian shouted, but it was another Small Heath. Then from the far side of the slope a Duke of Burgundy had been found. We spent the next ten minutes or so watching and photographing it.
We made our way back and saw fewer butterflies as it was getting late in the afternoon. Along the ‘Green Hairstreak’ ride we saw a Burnet Companion moth and on an arable field there were two Brown Hare. We watched these for a while and one came quite close. We also saw 2 Red-legged Partridge running up the slope here.
Simon Curson.