I knew about this site for many years as it was near where my brother used to live but he told me there was a nasty gamekeeper so never visited. However this was a long time ago! When I got more interested in butterflies I considered going here for Grayling but was told of another site nearby at Conesby Quarry where I saw them in 2015. Not visited since but seems public access has improved although whether this is a positive I don’t know. Consider deep quarries not a good area for safe recreation?!
Fortunately RF had directions to Risby Warren as it was difficult to find the parking area even before the walk to the site. Where I’d seen them before was on largely bare ground but this site is an area of short grass with rabbits holes. Had been a report early in the month but we couldn’t find any Grayling ourselves and in fact is early according to the books although had heard yesterday while at Fen Bog YWT that they were abundant on South Gare near Redcar. However plenty of other butterflies including large numbers of Dark Green Fritillaries and my first Small Copper of the year.
Small Heath
Small Copper
Ringlet
Dark Green Fritillary
Common Blue
Meadow Brown
Large Skipper
The only moths seen were Six-spot and Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets.
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet
Six-spot Burnet
Also a Marmalade Hoverfly and Brown Hawker dragonfly.
Marmalade Hoverfly
We intend weather permitting returning early August.
Since learnt that Dark Green Fritillary was only first seen in late June.
Good numbers of Small Heath in the parking area and a brief Whinchat. Not many other birds but had regular Lesser Redpolls but mainly in flight. The other butterflies seen included a single Marbled White and several mobile fritillaries likely Dark Green and Small Pearl-bordered.
Small Heath
Whinchat
On the bog itself quickly located the species I’d visited the site for in the past, Keeled Skimmer.
Male Keeled Skimmer
Fen Bog
Fylingdales
Moor beyond Fen Bog
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is visible from the bog.
Checked the stream on the other site of the road for Golden-ringed Dragonfly but only had distant views. However found Blackneck moth hidden in the grass. A new species for me.
Blackneck
Apart from grass moths, we didn’t bother with, the only other moth seen was Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet.
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet
Good numbers of Common Lizards by the Fylingdales boundary fence but too skittish to photograph.
Also several of what looked like bumblebee mimic hover-flies but later identified as Tachina grossa, a parasite of large caterpillars.
Tachina grossa
Yatts Farm
In the afternoon went to Yatts Farm on Keldgate Road between Pickering and Newton-on-Rawcliffe [YO18 8JW]. The site is a narrow valley too steep for machinery so not “improved”. Good for butterflies including Marbled White and Dark Green Fritillary [a new species for me].
After not seeing any hairstreaks at Chambers Farm Wood on Thursday it was ironic that RF would find one in an Elm he’d been checking for a long time along Snuff Mill Lane just north of the track. Scarce now because of Dutch Elm disease destroying it’s food-plant this was a new butterfly for him and a new one for me in the village.
It showed intermittently in the top of the tree so was tricky to get a good picture and only managed one showing the characteristics underwing pattern. Later joined by a second one.
Got permission to check a nearby private pond for dragonflies where we had Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer, both I’d only recently seen for the first time in the village earlier this year. The former as usual was too mobile but the latter, as is their habit, kept returning to a favoured area.
Black-tailed Skimmer-Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham
Also had a few Common Blue Damselflies.
Common Blue Damselfly-Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham
Went back in the afternoon but no sign of hairstreaks but had a Comma which has been scarce so far this year.
Comma-Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham
And a Common Darter.
Common Darter-Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham
For those interested in local wildlife also check my Cottingham Moth blog.
Reports of White-letter Hairstreak in the Thwaite Street area at the roundabout and in Thwaite Hall. Was aware of the first but not a place I fancy standing around for long. As far as I’m aware Thwaite Gardens is still closed to the public [and future status not yet decided]. They quite likely are still on any remaining Elms but take time to check for.
I have only previously visited Chambers Farm Wood once, in late July 1995, when I wasn’t yet much into insects and more concerned about how to get for a Ivory Gull in Inverness. However I was impressed by White Admiral and Purple Emperor butterflies that seemed more like something tropical than something you might see in Britain and certainly don’t [regularly] occur north side of the Humber. Now I’m more interest in non-avian nature so an opportunity to visit again on what might be the best day of the week was welcomed. Also was an opportunity to try out my new camera.
Small Tortoiseshell
First picture was something common but was impressed by the ease of use of the Nikon P1000 particularly the TV-like view finder.
Four-spotted Chaser
Went into the butterfly garden where a Four-spotted Chaser was performing well over the pond.
Silver-washed Fritillary
Leaving the garden a Silver-washed Fritillary was flying around the car-park. I haven’t seen any clearwing moths but had heard Currant Clearwing had been seen yesterday and fortunately one was relocated while we were about particularly as we couldn’t find it later. Only other moth identified was Narrow-bordered and Small Blood-vein, which I didn’t get a picture as wasn’t aware how easy manual focus was on with the P1000 compared to my dead P510. Also had an interesting unidentified micro under a leaf but didn’t have a pot to capture it for better look.
Currant ClearwingComma
Walking into the woods get the impression from others that butterflies, at least the rarer ones, were thin on the ground with very few sightings of any hairstreak or Purple Emperor but did get a few brief views of White Admiral. Did have an obliging Comma which was my first this year. Also at one Brown Hawker patrolling the rides.
Spotted Orchid
Had a few orchids which all seemed to be Spotted.
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet.
A Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet was my first burnet of the year.
Had Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn and Four-banded Longhorn Beetle but only the former photographed.
Speckled WoodWhite Admiral
Finally got lucky with White Admiral.
Silver-washed Fritillary
Walking back had a pair of Silver-washed Fritillary. Met several people who told us there had been a recently emerged Purple Emperor in the nearest car-park but had flown after an hour. No sign for us but had a pair of Large Red Damselflies on traffic cone!
Large Red Damselflies Broad-bodied Chaser ovipositing Azure Damselflies ovipositing
Back at the butterfly garden had ovipositing Broad-bodied Chaser and Azure Damselflies. Although not pin sharp the in flight chaser was encouraging for a first attempt.
Less than we had hoped for butterfly wise but might get back, maybe in August. As on my first visit this is not a great site for bird, maybe too dense and woodlands aren’t my favourite birding, but plenty of singing Song Thrush, Blackcap and Chiffchaff and heard a Jay.
More insects around my home village in East Yorkshire including White-letter Hairstreak here. Also my Moth blog.
Erich's birding and biking blog 