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Lisa G Saw • Apr 18, 2023

Easter Treats

Wildlife Treats (...and a bit of chocolate!)

It was wonderful to have three glorious sunny and fairly warm days over the Easter bank holiday weekend. Bob and I made the most of it. We went exploring in various different locations across East Sussex on all three days, to see what we could find. We even managed to avoid all the crowds - which was a bonus. Whilst butterflies and snakes were high on the agenda, I was happy just being outside together in nature, enjoying what we love most. I was able to forget about work and the stresses of life and fully embrace what was right in front of me. It's that freedom that is so addictive. Not thinking about the past, nor worrying about the future, but just being present in the moment. Going with the flow! It's one of my new mantras to help me hold on to the calm.

One morning we enjoyed a short stroll along the river, looking for Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. We must have seen about three or more - the first of the year. The first one we spotted was quite flighty, but this second one was enjoying basking in the sunshine. It looks in great condition, having just come out of hiberation. Bob explained that they hibernate quite soon after emerging as an adult butterfly the previous year, and that's why it doesn't look too weathered. It's harder to tell the difference between the sexes of this species, but its behaviour - flying around the nettles - suggested it was more likely to be a female.



It was gorgeous! But, what I REALLY wanted to see on the weekend was the much rarer Large Tortoiseshell. Although it's been extinct in the UK since the 1960s, in the past few years there have been a few sightings in Sussex and I was eager to see my first one.

One morning we enjoyed a short stroll along the river, looking for Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. We must have seen about three or more - the first of the year. The first one we spotted was quite flighty, but this second one was enjoying basking in the sunshine. It looks in great condition, having just come out of hiberation. Bob explained that they hibernate quite soon after emerging as an adult butterfly the previous year, and that's why it doesn't look too weathered. It's harder to tell the difference between the sexes of this species, but its behaviour - flying around the nettles - suggested it was more likely to be a female.


It was gorgeous! But, what I REALLY wanted to see on the weekend was the much rarer Large Tortoiseshell. Although it's been extinct in the UK since the 1960s, in the past few years there have been a few sightings in Sussex and I was eager to see my first one.

From our location by the river where we'd seen the Small Tortoiseshells, there was a lovely view across the fields towards the South Downs. I love that hoze you often see in the distance, engulfing the trees and making everything look more ghostly.



As we began our slow amble back towards the car, Bob spotted a Swallow flying above us - another first of the year. Having just returned from overwintering in Africa, I'm amazed by the long distances these birds fly every year. A Song Thrush, which had welcomed us upon our arrival, was still singing loudly by the time we were about to leave. I could hear it was close, but I couldn't see it! Eager to see my first one of the year, I climbed over a style and ventured to the other side of the trees where it was hiding. Sadly, still no joy! It flew deep into another tree nearby!



We decided to wander a little further along the path we were now on, being coaxed along by the sight of a Comma, Peacock and a Dark-edged Bee-fly. The extra jaunt was fairly uneventful, but if we hadn't done that, we probably would have missed seeing two Sparrowhawks circling high above. They were a little distance away, so it was pointless taking any photos. I can't take any credit for recognising that's what they were! One of these days I'll be able to recognise their flight and behaviour, but for now I'll rely on Bob to be my own personal tour guide. Lucky me!

All weekend I kept seeing Dark-edged Bee-flies. There were lots about. I have to say, these insects are one of my favourite to photograph, other than butterflies and moths. They are quite distinct because of their long pointy proboscis and hovering flight. The ones we saw were mostly nectaring on the Lesser Celandine, but I did spot a few enjoying the Dandelion flowers.



One afternoon, we were enjoying a relaxing break sitting beside a pond on a sandy bank. It was fairly quiet with no other people in sight and only a few creatures making their presence known. A Wren was foraging along the water's edge and then popped up onto a branch and began to sing. A Moorhen was out on the water, also skirting the edge of the pond. Beside us, I noticed more Bee-flies and I realised they were females laying their eggs. They do this by flicking their abdomen towards the burrows or nests of solitary bees, releasing one egg each time. I took a few photos of one in action and only later did I notice her rather odd looking rear! I discovered it's her sand chamber and that they collect sand or gravel to coat the eggs, which is believed to be for protection, camouflage and to assist with depositing of the eggs. I love learning little facts like these. There's always something new to learn.

It was lovely to hear the sound of Chiffchaffs calling throughout the weekend. But, having a nice clear view of one to photograph was not so easy. They always seemed to be either out of sight completely, too far away, or in a position where the sun was behind them. But, one time I got lucky.

It was lovely to hear the sound of Chiffchaffs calling throughout the weekend. But, having a nice clear view of one to photograph was not so easy. They always seemed to be either out of sight completely, too far away, or in a position where the sun was behind them. But, one time I got lucky. We were on the South Downs hoping to see a Large Tortoiseshell, which had been seen a few days before. Whilst waiting around, a Chiffchaff perched itself on a young tree not far from us and sang its little heart out. It was lovely! I was thrilled. It certainly helped lift my spirits since we didn't see the Large Tortoiseshell.



We returned to the same area later that day, but still no joy with seeing the butterfly. However, it was very peaceful sitting down on the bank in the late afternoon light waiting once more, and hoping. A Robin periodically broke the silence, singing nearby, I spotted a Stonechat perching on the top of the scrub just beyond it and also a Green Woodpecker made an apperance. I'm sure it was laughing at us!

We were on the South Downs hoping to see a Large Tortoiseshell, which had been seen a few days before. Whilst waiting around, a Chiffchaff perched itself on a young tree not far from us and sang its little heart out. It was lovely! I was thrilled. It certainly helped lift my spirits since we didn't see the Large Tortoiseshell.


We returned to the same area later that day, but still no joy with seeing the butterfly. However, it was very peaceful sitting down on the bank in the late afternoon light waiting once more, and hoping. A Robin periodically broke the silence, singing nearby, I spotted a Stonechat perching on the top of the scrub just beyond it and also a Green Woodpecker made an apperance. I'm sure it was laughing at us!

The only thing that ruined the peaceful day, was earlier when we heard the whirr of an engine, either a powered paraglider or microlight. It was way too close to the edge of the cliffs at Beachy Head. No doubt they were trying to impress the people walking along the top with a few fancy manoeuvres. But, in the process, they were disturbing the nesting seabirds who were squarking defensively. It's sad that some people just don't think, or simply don't care!



I love this time of year, when the Wood Anemones can be seen in and around the woodlands. Such a pretty little white flower, growing close to the ground - in some places, really carpeting it beautifully. There was also the promise of more to come, seeing the lush green leaves of the Bluebells, which will soon steal the limelight.



We had a lovely jaunt around Rowland Wood and Park Corner Heath - the only Butterfly Conservation nature reserve in Sussex. Right at the start of our walk, I spotted a Goldcrest on the trees - always a welcome sight. Soon after, it was the Bristones that caught our attention (we saw a lot all weekend). Usually, it's the males you see flying about with their beautiful buttery yellow coloured wings. They're constantly in search of females to mate with and we saw plenty on our walk. But, we were also lucky enough to spot a few females flying around too. They have a more subtle pale green colouration in the wings. One female landed just long enough for me to take a few photos, but was off again in a flash. Perhaps in a rush to find somewhere to lay her eggs. The males emerge first, so they can mate as soon as the females emerge. This means, whenever you see a female, it's highly likely she's already mated.

In terms of butterflies, we also saw something white flying around. It flew quickly up one ride, then back down again. We kept following it, but failing to keep up. We must have looked quite comical, walking back and forth. We wanted it to land so we could identify which species it was. Bob thought it was a Green-Veined White - another first sighting of the year, but he wanted to be absolutely sure. Finally, it settled for about 2 seconds and I managed to take a quick snap of the upperwings. Not really one worth keeping, but it allowed us to ID the butterfly. Using my reference book back home, I could see the identifying features. The faint veins could be seen on the top side of the wings and unlike the Small White, in the corner of the forewing were tiny grey triangles at the fringes. With no black spots or other markings, it was clearly a first brood Male Green-Veined White. There's a good chance I might actually remember this for next time.

In terms of butterflies, we also saw something white flying around. It flew quickly up one ride, then back down again. We kept following it, but failing to keep up. We must have looked quite comical, walking back and forth. We wanted it to land so we could identify which species it was. Bob thought it was a Green-Veined White - another first sighting of the year, but he wanted to be absolutely sure. Finally, it settled for about 2 seconds and I managed to take a quick snap of the upperwings. Not really one worth keeping, but it allowed us to ID the butterfly.

Using my reference book back home, I could see the identifying features. The faint veins could be seen on the top side of the wings and unlike the Small White, in the corner of the forewing were tiny grey triangles at the fringes. With no black spots or other markings, it was clearly a first brood Male Green-Veined White. There's a good chance I might actually remember this for next time.

In another section, along an open ride, we saw this gorgeous hairy caterpillar crawling across the path. What amazing red legs it has! Bob thought it might have been a Tiger moth caterpillar and didn't trust the app that identified it as something else. So he was rather chuffed with himself, when he discovered his hunch had been right. It was a Cream-spot Tiger moth caterpillar.



We only happened to spot it, because we were looking down at the Green Tiger Beetles that were jumping off the path, out of our way, as we approached. I'd never seen so many before.

In another section, along an open ride, we saw this gorgeous hairy caterpillar crawling across the path. What amazing red legs it has! Bob thought it might have been a Tiger moth caterpillar and didn't trust the app that identified it as something else. So he was rather chuffed with himself, when he discovered his hunch had been right. It was a Cream-Spot Tiger Moth caterpillar.


We only happened to spot it, because we were looking down at the Green Tiger Beetles that were jumping off the path, out of our way, as we approached. I'd never seen so many before.

The Green Tiger Beetles didn't rest for long. It's not surprising really. It's a matter of survival for all these small creatures. Trying to take photographs of the beetles was tricky...but fun. I was rather glad to discover at least one of them was in focus and showing off their amazing colouration in the sunshine. A little further along, I spotted three together, so I quickly bent down to take a photo. Just as I did, one jumped onto the back of another and then fairly promptly flew off. That's how quick mating can occur in the nature. How lucky I was to capture the moment, when it was so fleeting.

One of the highlights of the weekend was seeing five Adders. Of this, two were Black Adders - the melanistic form. They were basking in the sun, often hiding underneath the Gorse bushes. Since they detect vibrations on the ground, they can usually hear people approaching and disappear from sight, slithering away quickly. So, it required a light tread of feet, as we carefully perused the bushes. Bob found the first two, but eager to spot one for myself, I was happy I found the third one. There's definitely more of a thrill when you find something for yourself.

The wildlife surprises weren't only out in the countryside or in more remote areas. A Hedgehog appeared in Bob's garden late one evening and I was so excited. It was gorgeous! I've hardly ever seen a live Hedgehog. I don't have a garden where I live. The only time I've seen one was at the British Wildlife Centre.



In the past, I've recorded a few on my camera trap, when I've set it up in other people's gardens. But, I never saw the Hedgehog in the flesh. We'd already set the camera trap up in Bob's garden, so the next morning we were keen to see what video footage it had captured. Sure enough, Henrietta - as we've called her - was seen foraging around. However, there were some other visitors in the night as well. The neighbours cat was less pleasing to see as it eats the food left out for the Hedgehog. But, it was lovely to see a Fox, which came right up to the camera and had a good sniff around. Bob was particularly surprised to see it, since it's not clear how it actually managed to get into the garden. I was also really happy to see a Wood Mouse leaping and bounding around, underneath the bird feeder. It was very entertaining to watch.

The wildlife surprises weren't only out in the countryside or in more remote areas. A Hedgehog appeared in Bob's garden late one evening and I was so excited. It was gorgeous! I've hardly ever seen a live Hedgehog. I don't have a garden where I live. The only time I've seen one was at the British Wildlife Centre.

In the past, I've recorded a few on my camera trap, when I've set it up in other people's gardens. But, I never saw the Hedgehog in the flesh. We'd already set the camera trap up in Bob's garden, so the next morning we were keen to see what video footage it had captured. Sure enough, Henrietta - as we've called her - was seen foraging around. However, there were some other visitors in the night as well. The neighbours cat was less pleasing to see as it eats the food left out for the Hedgehog. But, it was lovely to see a Fox, which came right up to the camera and had a good sniff around. Bob was particularly surprised to see it, since it's not clear how it actually managed to get into the garden. I was also really happy to see a Wood Mouse leaping and bounding around, underneath the bird feeder. It was very entertaining to watch.

With all the sunshine we had over the weekend, there was a lot of butterfly activity, everywhere we went. But, the highlight was our walk around Abbotts Wood on the Friday. I'd suggested to Bob that we avoid going to Beachy Head that day, even though a Large Tortoiseshell had been seen there. I was keen to find our own. It would be more of a challenge, but more fun. Equally, I wanted to avoid the busy places. The Brimstones were the first butterflies we saw, followed soon after by plenty of Peacocks and Commas. We even saw a Small White briefly whilst we were eating our lunch.




We walked around for quite some time, enjoying ourselves. We were very chilled out, but by mid-afternoon we hadn't seen any Large Tortoiseshells. So, we decided to try somewhere else and started to retrace our steps and head back towards the car. It was a bit overcast by now, but, we still ambled slowly keeping an eye open for whatever we saw. When we reached the last ride near the edge of the woods, the sun suddenly reappeared and the butterflies were seen flying again. A beautiful Comma landed on a fabulous tree stump covered in moss and lichen and I stopped to take a photo. Almost immediately after the Comma flew off, a Peacock landed on another tree stump virtually next to it, looking gorgeous against the rough bark of the tree.

I turned to Bob and said, "All we need now is for the Large Tortoiseshell to land right here." Of course, one didn't appear! But I was determined to stay positive, hoping we'd still see one.



We continued to amble along the path. I spotted a Brimstone a little further away, close to the wood and suddenly a Buzzard flew off, hearing us approach. I continued looking over that way, when Bob suddenly sounded excited. There was a butterfly basking on the tree trunk much closer to us. I was looking right past it! Sure enough, it was a Large Tortoiseshell. YAY! What luck! I quickly took a few snaps, in case it flew off straight away, whilst Bob was pfaffing around with his camera. He missed the opportunity to photograph it on the tree trunk, but thankfully, it landed nearby on a gnarled bit of wood. It looked stunning, with its wings beautifully displayed wide open. Unmistakable! Fabulous! But not as big as I was expecting.



We both captured a few photos. It then flew up again and landed on the bank. This allowed us to get closer and take some photos of its underwing too. It felt like such a privilege to have more than a fleeting sight of one and to take quite a few photos. Annoyingly, I discovered at the worst possible moment that I'd mistakenly picked up my wide angle lens instead of my macro one. However, I at least took a few wide angle shots to show the context of where we saw it, which I liked.



After five minutes, it was up, off and away and we didn't see it again. We waited around quite a while to see if it would return, but to no avail.

I turned to Bob and said, "All we need now is for the Large Tortoiseshell to land right here." Of course, one didn't appear! But I was determined to stay positive, hoping we'd still see one.

We continued to amble along the path. I spotted a Brimstone a little further away, close to the wood and suddenly a Buzzard flew off, hearing us approach. I continued looking over that way, when Bob suddenly sounded excited. There was a butterfly basking on the tree trunk much closer to us. I was looking right past it! Sure enough, it was a Large Tortoiseshell. YAY! What luck! I quickly took a few snaps, in case it flew off straight away, whilst Bob was pfaffing around with his camera. He missed the opportunity to photograph it on the tree trunk, but thankfully, it landed nearby on a gnarled bit of wood. It looked stunning, with its wings beautifully displayed wide open. Unmistakable! Fabulous! But not as big as I was expecting.


We both captured a few photos. It then flew up again and landed on the bank. This allowed us to get closer and take some photos of its underwing too. It felt like such a privilege to have more than a fleeting sight of one and to take quite a few photos. Annoyingly, I discovered at the worst possible moment that I'd mistakenly picked up my wide angle lens instead of my macro one. However, I at least took a few wide angle shots to show the context of where we saw it, which I liked.

After five minutes, it was up, off and away and we didn't see it again. We waited around quite a while to see if it would return, but to no avail.

Whilst Bob was distracted on his phone, busy contacting a few of his butterfly mates, a Roe Deer suddenly appeared out of the woods and was running down the ride towards us, about 50m away. It abruptly stopped in its tracks when it noticed us, and before I had a chance to focus with my camera, it darted off behind the trees and was gone again. Not long after, a dog ran across the path in hot pursuit and I realised why the deer was on the run in the first place. There was no sign of an owner. Poor deer being tormented like that, though I have no doubt the dog wasn't able to keep up with it!



Before the day was over, I enjoyed a short little stroll along one of the woodland paths, weaving through the trees. In a few weeks time it will be awash with Bluebells and will look gorgeous. There's so much more to look forward to in spring. Whilst enjoying the stillness and quiet, I spotted a Long Tailed Tit in a tree nearby with what looked like some nest material in its mouth. Beyond it, a Treecreeper appeared to be working its way up the tree looking for instects to eat. I also saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker quite low down, but it flew higher when it heard me coming. It was lovely to enjoy a few more little delights before the day was over.



For me, it really was a Good Friday!



We celebrated that evening with some bubbly. You see, it wasn't just that we saw a really rare butterfly. I was also celebrating because I reached a milestone. I'd finally seen all the butterflies that live their complete life cycle in Sussex - including the few unofficial ones, like the Large Tortoiseshell. I thought I was going to complete the task last summer, when I saw my first Grayling butterfly (there's a blog about that day). But, about a week before that achievement, I heard there was a sighting of some recently emerged Large Tortoiseshells. It rather dampened the celebration of seeing the Grayling. I was disappointed I'd have to wait until this year for the opportunity to see the Large Tortoieshell and complete the quest. There was another reason to celebrate on Good Friday. Bob and I first met when I was on this butterfly journey - the day I saw my first Brown Hairstreak. He was with me the day I saw the Grayling and he was keen to be there again when I saw my first Large Tortoiseshell. Now I have, I'm thrilled. But even better, I have someone to share the joy with.



I feel another blog coming on! Soon, I'd like to share my journey about discovering the butterflies of Sussex. But for now, I'm going to munch on some chocolate and look back on this Easter weekend with extra special fondness.

Autumn Tour of Scotland - Part 2

By Lisa G Saw • 14 Jan, 2024
During the first half of our autumn holiday up in Scotland, we'd filled our boots with sightings of deer. Now our focus switched primarily to Mountain Hares and Ptarmigan. Since both species live at high altitudes, it meant a lot of walking uphill! It would be hard work! But, I felt confident I'd be able to manage it, so long as I simply took it slow and steady with frequent stops. At least we were able to intersperse these challenging days with more relaxing ones. On our first day based in Boat of Garten, we decided to venture up the Cairn Gorm Mountain. The mountain railway was closed, as were the ski lifts, so there was no easy access to higher ground. But, since the car park was located at 635m, we were able to start our walk from a reasonably high point. I was thrilled the top of the mountains were covered in snow. It looked so beautiful, though of course, this meant we'd be walking through the white stuff and would undoubtedly get quite wet. We chose to follow the steep Windy Ridge path up to the Ptarmigan restaurant - the highest in the UK. It was given its name due to the high number of this species on the mountain, which was perhaps a good sign. So, I set off with optimism and very happy that it was a glorious sunny start to the day.
Red Deer stag in the mountains

Autumn Tour of Scotland - Part 1

By Lisa G Saw • 29 Dec, 2023
I love visiting Scotland, seeking out new places as well as returning to favoured locations. Even though I've been several times over the last few years, I've never been up there during the autumn, around the time of the deer rut. I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity this year, even though I knew the chances of actually seeing any activity were extremely slim. As much as I wanted to see the Red Deer up in the Highlands, there were actually two other species that were higher on my 'Want To See' list for the trip - Mountain Hares and Ptarmigan. I've been lucky enough to see them before, but was eager for more wonderful experiences. I knew they'd still be just as potentially challenging to locate and photograph, with declining numbers even in favoured locations. It would certainly make the trip more of an adventure. The fact I wasn't going alone this time, but instead sharing the experience with Bob - on our first holiday together - made it even more special. I really hoped we would get lucky with our target species, especially as Bob had only seen one Mountain Hare before and never laid eyes on a Ptarmigan.
Marsh Fritillary

A Day Trip To Wiltshire

By Lisa G Saw • 10 Sep, 2023
April 2023 marked the end of my quest to see all the butterflies that live their complete life cycle in Sussex. The final species I saw, during the Easter weekend, was the Large Tortoiseshell. Following the exciting conclusion to my adventure, I wrote a post about Discovering the Butterflies of Sussex . In it I mentioned how chuffed I was with what I'd achieved and how I didn't really want to start the next obvious quest straight away, to see all the UK butterfly species. But, with the spring and summer months stretching out before me, it seemed silly not to make a start this year. Bob and I were still in the early stages of our budding romance, and the idea of spending a lovely long day out together was just too enticing to pass up. So, in late May, we headed over to Martin Down National Nature Reserve in Wiltshire, in the hope of seeing the Marsh Fritillary. It would be my first, but not for Bob. He's already seen all the UK butterfly species, except for the Cryptic Wood White, which is only found in Ireland. We woke super early and reached the nature reserve by 8am. Unsurprisingly, we were the first ones there. It was still quite cool and a little windy, but nice enough to enjoy our breakfast sitting on a bench by the car park, overlooking the wildflower meadow and the hills just beyond to the south. We heard a Cuckoo calling nearby - an unmistakable sound of spring. Lovely! It was a great start to the day.
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