HIGH EGG COUNTS AT GRAFTON

The last few weeks have seen the second and third of our formal Grafton Wood winter egg counts. Numbers of eggs recorded have generally been well up on last year, and in some cases in record numbers. On Sunday 29th December we had our annual ‘New Year’ egg count. This event was as usual, very well attended, with the added attraction of not only mulled wine and mince pies, but this year with the introduction of homemade Sloe Gin as well! The key search areas on this day were the Orchard...

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Egging Around West Sussex

I spent last Sunday and Tuesday (19th and 21st January) on the Knepp Castle Estate ‘Wildland’ project area, where I’m involved in the long-term monitoring of butterfly populations as they react to the process of re-wilding. Some species, such as Purple Emperor, are undergoing a ‘population explosion’ at Knepp, but, unsurprisingly, there are both winners and losers.It appears that one of those species which doesn’t seem to enjoy re-wilding, at least under the current herbivore stocking densities,...

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Another Sixer!

I had a wonderful time sitting in a ditch last week, all in the name of our favourite Hairstreak! Richard Hadfield had found a rare cluster of 6 eggs at Grafton Wood on the annual egg hunt at the end of December and of course, i had to photograph them! Easier said than done though. They were about 15cm from the ground in a ditch flooded with water. Where better to spend a beautiful sunny afternoon?? I apparently provided some good entertainment for the rest of the group though - whom i might...

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Hatched/Predated Egg Photos Required

Across in south west Wales, we started an occasional BH newsletter a few years ago and next edition is long, long overdue! A promised item is a photo gallery of hatched, predated or other currently non viable eggs. If anyone has any photos which they believe to be of such eggs, particularly where you believe you know the cause, do please let us know, so that we can try to achieve this little project. (I think David Redhead is in touch with Jim Asher, but all other contributions welcome). Richard Smith  ...

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