Branch Newsletter

BACK__________________________________________________________________________________________________

NEWSLETTER No. 14 - Winter 1985 / 86

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCH, BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

Members are reminded of the special efforts being made this year to put Shropshire's butterflies on the map. The branch has been closely involved in the launching of a survey into the county's butterflies, in conjunction with the Biological Records Centre and the Shropshire Trust. The survey will provide a much clearer picture of the current distribution of species within the county and help identify those sites where conservation action is needed. Records should be sent to Ludlow BRC, The Museum, Ludlow or, if they are mixed up with records from other counties please send them direct to the Branch Recorder, Pete Salmon, who will extract the Shropshire records and pass them on

May 19th - Wyre Forest

Fourteen members assembled at Hawksbatch car park for a walk led by Ron Hatton. We were not very hopeful of seeing Pearl-bordered Fritillaries as the weather was cold (with no hope of it breaking) and they had not been seen in the previous few days of fine weather.

As it was we did not see one species of butterfly due to the cold weather, but we did
see a good variety of birds and we were shown where to look for the Fritillaries (including High Brown, Pearl-bordered and Small Pearl-bordered). At the BBCS reserve we did manage to see a pair of Pied Flycatchers inspecting a nest hole. Just before we stopped for lunch, we saw a male Mandarin Duck fly over following Dowles Brook. This species of duck has bred along Dowles Brook in the past few years.

Throughout our walk we heard quite a lot of birds singing, these included Wood Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chi£fchaff. At a number of places we heard a Green Woodpecker giving its "yaffle" call and some members saw this species fly over. Another species which does well in the Wyre Forest is the Dipper (a small bird which inhabits streams) and during our walk we were able to see it on a number of occasions. Ron did find some Orange Tip eggs - so it was not a total wash-out as far as butterflies go. We also saw a couple of moths and a glow-worm.

Gary Palmer

May 26th - Baggeridge Country Park

The walk was advertised in advance as part of West Midlands Wildlife Week; notices and an article (with more than a few errors in it - not guilty) also appeared in Wolverhampton's "Express and Star" newspaper.

Gareth and Paul Robinson (with family and friends), Mike Birks, Madge Payne and myself .from the branch led a party of around 25 persons (including Bob Simmonds, a volunteer warden from the park, several RSPB devotees, members of the local Ramblers' Association, plus a fair number of children). We started off at 1200 noon under a weak sun and, after around 15 minutes, Gareth spotted a stationary Green Hairstreak. This proved to be our most numerous species during our three-hour walk and was photographed extensively.

During the afternoon's brief outbursts of sun we walked through the park's meadow, marsh and woodland sites and identified Green-veined White, male Orange Tip (on bluebell), Small Tortoiseshell (on dandelion), Speckled Wood, Peacock and, (unconfirmed) a Small Copper (seven species).

Thanks to the diverse interests of those taking part, various persons identified for us a large range of insects, birds, plants and trees.

If the weather was a little disappointing, the numbers undertaking the walk, particularly children, was encouraging. Madge was able to recruit at least one new member and I was asked by some present if another walk would take place to observe the later butterflies.

Philip Hopson

May 26th - Haugh Wood

The day began bright and pleasantly warm, but as soon as the party left the car park the weather became overcast and decidedly cool. Not a great deal was seen on the walk down to the area where Martyn Davies had done most of his work concerning the White-letter Hairstreak.

One of the group saw a Painted Lady in the area cleared by the Forestry Commission. Several Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were also seen here, and Martyn showed us some White-letter Hairstreak larvae on elms. Lunch was taken on some logs in the pouring rain, but this rain was only short-lived.

During the afternoon several more groups of larvae were found, and Dingy Skippers were seen in several places. Martyn was surprised to discover some colonies in new areas, and one surprise awaiting us at the car park was a fresh Red Admiral. Some of the group then went a short distance in another direction and managed to see Green Hairstreaks, and the party left feeling quite pleased with the day of heavy showers, sunshine, White-letter Hairstreak larvae and ten adult species in all.

Tony Hatton