Butterflies & moths included: Silver-washed Fritillary (very ragged), Essex Skipper (just 1), Common Blues, Brown Argus, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Comma (very worn), Peacock, Small Tortoishell, Small White, Yellow Shell, Treble-bar, Common Carpet.

Other notable insects: Volucella inflata (a rather jolly black and orange hoverfly of ancient woodlands), Volucella inanis (a large wasp-mimic hoverfly), Chrysotoxum bicinctum, Pipizia lugubris, Episyrphus balteatus (the marmalade hoverfly), Tachina fera (a large parasite fly), Phasia obesa (a small bug parasitoid), Machimus atricapillus (a medium-sized grey robber fly), Dark bush-cricket, Speckled bush-cricket, Roesel’s bush-cricket (heard only), Common Groundhopper, Field Grasshopper, a False Ladybird (Endomychus coccineus), Tiphia femorata (a black, hairy solitary wasp with orange legs).

Despite (or perhaps due to) the cooler than average conditions there were plenty of Slow-worms and Common Lizards basking on wood piles or under tin sheets.

Some photos from today:

This article will be updated when Rod gives me his list of interesting things

Spurge Hawkmoth (male)

When opening a moth trap that has run the previous night you can never be sure what lies within. There are mornings when you know immediately that the catch will be poor. Otherwise there is always a sense of anticipation, maybe this will be the day you find something totally unexpected. Maybe there will be a spectacular moth in mint condition. Maybe there will be an extreme rarity lurking below. Is it just possible there will be a moth that is all these things?

Imagine the Cholsey scene, it is early morning on 17th August. I stare in disbelief at what sits on the egg boxes. It is very early, maybe I imagine the whole thing. No it is true - there really are two pristine Spurge Hawkmoths staring up at me! I need an expert authoritive witness, so closing the trap quickly I await the arrival of Richard Lewington.

Many photographs later we wade through the rest of the trap but find nothing else of special note. Berkshire County Moth Recorder, Martin Harvey confirms that we have a first ever record for the county.

The three of us are searching for an explanation, no other records seem to be coming in nationwide. Then we recall that somewhere in the village lives an entomologist who specialises in hawkmoths. Richard contacts him and back comes the explanation that he accidentally released three Spurge Hawkmoths on August 16th. What a shame that the county’s non record for this species remains intact.
The following night I very unusually put out TWO traps and urge Alan Strange, a villager new to moth-ing to put out his trap. Maybe we will catch something special. To my disappointment my traps contain nothing of note. Then just after mid-day there is a very excited Alan on the phone. He has belatedly opened up his trap and found - yes a Spurge Hawkmoth. Photographs are examined later and Richard pronounces the latest specimen to be a different individual and not one of those caught previously. Not a great surprise given that Alan lives over a third of a mile away from Red Cow Cottage where my traps are. We mark Alan’s specimen before release with nail varnish so we can recognise it again.

Remarkable that we appear to have caught all the releases despite being some distance from the entomologist’s patch.
The stop press news is that on opening my trap on the morning of August 21st there was another Spurge Hawkmoth! Close examination suggests this was one of those seen on the 17th. This time the moth was marked, and now we have three moth-ers dotted around the village watching their traps very carefully for further developments.

Who says moths are dull!

Tony Rayner

Introduction to Dorchester Abbey

Thirty-two members and friends (probably a record number for a Wednesday walk) met at Bridge End in Dorchester for a gentle walk beside the River Thame and the River Thames and through the nearby water meadows, now being actively conserved and improved by the local community.  The walk started after an engrossing visit to Dorchester Abbey.  Ken Thomas, the ever interesting but not always optimistic leader stated that “there is not much natural history in August” so many of the party set about proving him wrong, with little difficulty.

The hamlet of Overy sounds as if it ought to be very fertile and it proved to be so.  The water plants beside the Thame were in excellent condition and a nearby ditch had Trifid Bur-marigold, Water Plantain as well as the ever-delightful Water Forget-me-not.  A damp cornfield had a rich supply of arable weeds: members were struck by the unexpectedly pleasant aroma from Creeping Thistles, which were a good source of insect observations including a number of Small Copper butterflies.  The Thames-side path was less productive but colour was provided by Purple Loosestrife and the first Michaelmas Daisies.

A few of us explored Bridge End Meadow and found the rare Greater Dodder and Flowering Rush, surely one of our most beautiful wild flowers.  Lunch in the Fleur-de Lys completed a very pleasant morning.

Text by Chris Bucke

Hoverfly on Corn Sow Thistle

Creeping Thistle Gall

Hoverfly on Trifid Bur-Marigold

_

 The commonest moth in the valley was, surprisingly, the Straw Underwing and the distinctive little Lime-speck Pug was also present in good numbers. Highlights of Jan’s trap included an August Thorn, a Magpie Moth and a number of Chalk Carpets. Oncocera semirubella, a distinctive pyralid moth and a relative newcomer to VC23, was seen at the Skinner trap, and ultimately 4 examples were recorded in all in the valley. Other visitors included a Dor Beetle and Pipistrelle bats. Hornets were less welcome, and Martin Sell was unfortunate to be stung on his bad ankle. He noted afterwards that he had not tucked his socks into his trousers - members will be advised to do this another time, especially as it also reduces the chances of picking up ticks or harvest mites. Ricki’s trap proved to be very sheltered and a good place for carpets, including Royal Mantle, Pretty Chalk Carpet and Chalk Carpet. Sitochroa palealis, another distinctive pyralid moth, was also recorded here. Norman’s lights in mid-valley produced fewer interesting species, but they were left running overnight and so picked up many more noctuids, including several characteristic autumnal species not seen elsewhere.

 The lights at the LWS (also run overnight) were unexpectedly productive. Norman was astonished to find a total of 36 Chalk Carpets in the 2 Robinson traps in the morning. This is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species that is said to be uncommon!  There were also 45 Mecyna flavalis, a yellow pyralid moth that was seemingly very rare in Berkshire/Oxfordshire a few years ago, but is experiencing resurgence. Also, many more ‘prominents’ were seen here than in the valley, including Maple Prominent. However, despite the differences in the composition of the catches, the total number of species of macrolepidoptera recorded in the valley and at the LWS were virtually the same.

 The evening was attended by 10 RDNHS members plus 5 from the Whitchurch-on-Thames Habitat Study Group. Another 4 came at 09:00 next morning to see selected specimens which had been kept to show them. It was a very enjoyable and interesting event.

List compiled by Norman Hall

The secret valley certainly lived up to its name. Walking on the short grass of the path near the seat, I saw two stoats appearing from the longer grass on the right some 30 metres away. The larger one, presumably the mother, paid little attention to me and approached to ten metres before disappearing into the grass on the left. The three quarter grown one, presumably a female offspring, was more circumspect and initially retreated to whence it had come. But faced with the prospect of losing touch, it re-appeared and followed up the track and into the long grass in exactly the same place as mother who, by then, was out of sight. Stoats are easily identifiable by the black tip to their tail which still persists when the rest of the fur changes partially or wholly to white for the winter.

Colin Dibb

The afternoon walk started out in a downpour which surprisingly did not deter the swallows, who were still using the fences in the parkland as they had earlier in the day. Since there were no Basildon visitors who wished to brave the rain (which continued for over an hour), I also had a solo walk to look at the flowers of the hidden valley.

Although the wild parsnip continued to give an overall scene of yellow to the meadow, the recent rains had elicited a surprisingly quick response from other plants. Flowers of eyebright bordered the path, a galium sp had new buds, while the black medick carried both ripe seeds and newly opened flowers. The first signs of autumn were here - the first yew and holly berries turning orange, and the fruit of black bryony looked almost as large as bunches of grapes where it hung from vines along the paths.

The rain became a light drizzle and a few grass moths and hoverflies ventured out while one lone meadow brown butterfly looked for nectar - even he stayed closer to the ground than is normal and I assumed he was ensuring shelter was nearby as rain threatened once again.

Ricki Bull

The Badger sett in the old midden near where the woodland path joins the tarmac road towards the house is currently disused possibly due to the collapse of their quarters in the dry conditions. The Walnut tree closest to the gate into the park is carrying a good crop. The grass in the park, due to its ability to produce new shoots (tillers) from its base at ground level, is greening up with the cooler temperatures and some rain.

Along the woodland paths, the mostly white umbellifer now in flower is Hedge Parsley flowering later than most of its family from July to September. All the Wild Parsnips in the valley are showing their yellow flowers. Unfortunately, the Bedstraws and Centaury went over very quickly in the dry conditions. The Common Gromwell still has a few seed bearing heads from 2009.

The most numerous butterflies were Common Blue found in the valley with group of twos and threes dancing together. Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet were frequent and Large White, Small White, Brimstone and Peacock were seen.

Colin Dibb August 2010

 As darkness fell, the group set off for the Basingstoke Canal. The first bat sighting was a Serotine over the village street. This is a relatively large bat which roosts in buildings. Greywell Tunnel is an important bat hibernating site. The bat detector indicated that a number of bats were flying close to the tunnel entrance, including a possible Whiskered or Brandt’s Bat. Along the tow-path, Daubenton’s and Pipistrelle bats were detected, with a Noctule over an adjoining field. A young Tawny Owl was being fed by a parent in a tall canal-side oak. The bat detector picked up the chirps of crickets as well as the clicks of bats. At the limit of navigation in the canal is a big turning circle. Torches were directed across the open water here and the bats were watched as they hunted above the canal.

Pictures by Rob Stallard and Jan Haseler

Plant species observed in Mapledurwell Fen:

Insects:
Common Blue
Ringlet
Mother of Pearl
Common Carpet
Long-winged Conehead

Plant species observed in Greywell Moors and along the River Whitewater

Bird species:

Green Woodpecker
Herons (on treetops)

Common Toad

 List compiled bt Renee Grayer

From all this it appears that one individual has adopted our site as its base. This makes some sense considering that its larval food plant is Ladies Bedstraw and Hedge Bedstraw. Sufficient to say that our three acre meadow is full of Ladies Bedstraw and there is plenty of Hedge Bedstraw too.

Tony & Ro Rayner 7/8/2010

Download the list of activities here.

 An area of the farm which had been designated as set-aside 15 years ago had developed a rich chalk flora. There were plans to harvest seeds from this area to use in some of the grass margins. Another field had a section which had been sown with a wild bird seed mix. More Prickly Poppies were found growing below a rape crop. Very rare, and classified as ‘Vulnerable’, these are smaller than the Common Poppy, with more orange-coloured petals and long, narrow, bristly seed capsules. Some of the rarest plants of the visit were found in a cultivated field margin at a nearby site, including Ground-pine, Venus’s-looking-glass and Narrow-fruited Cornsalad.

Pictures by Tony Mundell, Laurie Haseler and Jan Haseler

Acer campestre	Field Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus	Sycamore
Achillea millefolium	Yarrow
Aegopodium podagraria	Ground-elder
Agrimonia eupatoria	Agrimony
Ajuga chamaepitys	Ground-pine
Anagallis arvensis	Scarlet Pimpernel
Anisantha sterilis	Barren Brome
Anthemis cotula	Stinking Chamomile
Aphanes arvensis	Parsley-piert
Arctium minus	Lesser Burdock
Arenaria serpyllifolia	Thyme-leaved Sandwort
Arrhenatherum elatius	False Oat-Grass
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort
Atriplex patula	Common Orache
Barbarea vulgaris	Winter-cress
Betula pendula	Silver Birch
Brachypodium sylvaticum	False-brome
Bromus hordeaceus	Soft-brome
Camelina sativa	Gold-of-pleasure
Capsella bursa-pastoris	Shepherd’s-purse
Carduus nutans	Musk Thistle
Carex divulsa subsp. divulsa	Grey Sedge
Catapodium rigidum	Fern-grass
Centaurea nigra	Common Knapweed
Centaurea scabiosa	Greater Knapweed
Cerastium fontanum	Common Mouse-ear
Chaenorhinum minus	Small Toadflax
Chaerophyllum temulum	Rough Chervil
Chenopodium album	Fat-hen
Chenopodium quinoa	Quinoa
Cirsium arvense	Creeping Thistle
Clematis vitalba	Traveller’s-joy
Clinopodium vulgare	Wild Basil
Convolvulus arvensis	Field Bindweed
Cornus sanguinea	Dogwood
Corylus avellana	Hazel
Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn
Crepis capillaris	Smooth Hawk’s-beard
Dactylis glomerata	Cock’s-foot
Daucus carota	Wild Carrot
Echium vulgare	Viper’s Bugloss
Epilobium montanum	Broad-leaved Willowherb
Epilobium obscurum	Short-fruited Willowherb
Epilobium parviflorum	Hoary Willowherb
Erodium cicutarium agg.	Common Stork’s-bill
Euonymus europaeus	Spindle
Eupatorium cannabinum	Hemp-agrimony
Euphorbia amygdaloides	Wood Spurge
Euphorbia helioscopia	Sun Spurge
Euphorbia exigua	Dwarf Spurge
Fagus sylvatica	Beech
Fallopia convolvulus	Black-bindweed
Festuca rubra agg.	Red Fescue
Fragaria vesca	Wild Strawberry
Fraxinus excelsior	Ash
Fumaria densiflora	Dense-flowered Fumitory
Fumaria officinalis	Common Fumitory
Galium aparine	Cleavers
Galium mollugo	Hedge Bedstraw
Galium verum	Lady’s Bedstraw
Geranium columbinum	Long-stalked Crane’s-bill
Geranium molle	Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill
Geranium pusillum	Small-flowered Crane’s-bill
Geum urbanum	Wood Avens
Glechoma hederacea	Ground-ivy
Helianthemum nummularium	Common Rock-rose
Holcus lanatus	Yorkshire-fog
Hypericum hirsutum	Hairy St John’s-wort
Hypericum perforatum	Perforate St John’s-wort
Kickxia elatine	Sharp-leaved Fluellen
Kickxia spuria	Round-leaved Fluellen
Knautia arvensis	Field Scabious
Lamium album	White Dead-nettle
Lamium amplexicaule	Henbit Dead-nettle
Lapsana communis	Nipplewort
Legousia hybrida	Venus’s-looking-glass
Leontodon hispidus	Rough Hawkbit
Ligustrum vulgare	Wild Privet
Linaria vulgaris	Common Toadflax
Linum usitatissimum	Flax
Lotus corniculatus	Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil
Lotus corniculatus var. sativus
Malva moschata	Musk-mallow
Matricaria recutita	Scented Mayweed
Medicago lupulina	Black Medick
Mercurialis perennis	Dog’s Mercury
Moehringia trinervia	Three-nerved Sandwort
Myosotis arvensis	Field Forget-me-not
Odontites vernus	Red Bartsia
Onobrychis viciifolia	Sainfoin
Ononis repens	Common Restharrow
Origanum vulgare	Wild Marjoram
Papaver argemone	Prickly Poppy
Papaver rhoeas	Common Poppy
Pastinaca sativa	Wild Parsnip
Phleum bertolonii	Smaller Cat’s-tail
Pimpinella saxifraga	Burnet-saxifrage
Plantago lanceolata	Ribwort Plantain
Plantago major	Greater Plantain
Poa annua	Annual Meadow-grass
Poa pratensis	Smooth Meadow-grass
Polygonum aviculare	Knotgrass
Potentilla anserina	Silverweed
Prunella vulgaris	Selfheal
Prunus avium	Wild Cherry
Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn
Pulicaria dysenterica	Common Fleabane
Quercus robur	Pedunculate Oak
Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup
Raphanus raphanistrum	Radish
Reseda lutea	Wild Mignonette
Reseda luteola	Weld
Rhamnus cathartica	Buckthorn
Rosa arvensis	Field-rose
Rosa canina	Dog-rose
Rosa micrantha	Small-flowered Sweet-briar
Rubus caesius	Dewberry
Rumex sanguineus	Wood Dock
Salix cinerea subsp. oleifolia	Rusty Willow
Sanguisorba minor	Salad Burnet
Senecio erucifolius	Hoary Ragwort
Senecio jacobaea	Common Ragwort
Senecio viscosus	Sticky Groundsel
Senecio vulgaris	Groundsel
Silene latifolia	White Campion
Silene vulgaris	Bladder Campion
Sisymbrium officinale	Hedge Mustard
Solanum dulcamara	Bittersweet
Sonchus asper	Prickly Sow-thistle
Sonchus oleraceus	Smooth Sow-thistle
Sorbus aria	Common Whitebeam
Stachys sylvatica	Hedge Woundwort
Symphoricarpos x chenaultii	Pink Snowberry
Tanacetum parthenium	Feverfew
Taraxacum agg.	Dandelion
Torilis japonica	Upright Hedge-parsley
Trifolium repens	White Clover
Tripleurospermum inodorum	Scentless Mayweed
Urtica dioica	Common Nettle
Valerianella dentata	Narrow-fruited Cornsalad
Verbascum thapsus	Great Mullein
Veronica arvensis	Wall Speedwell
Veronica chamaedrys	Germander Speedwell
Veronica persica	Common Field-speedwell
Viburnum lantana	Wayfaring-tree
Viola arvensis	Field Pansy
Viola hirta	Hairy Violet

Insects

Dusky Sallow

Orange Footman

Silver Y

Silver-washed Fritillary

Peacock

Common Blue

Holly Blue

Marbled White

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper

Ringlet

List compiled by Renee Grayer and Tony Mundell