Park Corner Heath

Mother Shipton, Callistege mi

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On Monday I spent the day at Park Corner Heath, the Butterfly Conservation reserve north-east of Lewes. This lovely woodland area has been the subject of much conservation work by BC volunteers and others over the years, primarily for the benefit of the rare Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. The adjacent Rowland Wood was purchased by BC a couple of years ago and I was privileged to join the work parties there two winters ago to create large open rides to enable the SPBF to expand from its existing territory. During my trip I didn't see any SPBFs at Park  Corner Heath, but Nigel Kemp saw 2 the same day in Rowland Wood, so that is working. They are clearly having a bad year like many other U.K. butterflies. I saw a Mother Shipton moth, a Green Oak Tortrix moth which is a first for me, a Meadow Brown and a Speckled Wood. There were plenty of damselflies around including White-legged Damsels, and a female Minotaur beetle.

Azure Damselfly, Coenagrion puella,male

Azure Damselfly, male and White-legged Damselfly, female 

White-legged Damselfly, Platycnemis pennipes, female 

Common Blue Damselfly, Enallagma cyathigerum

Common Speedwell, Veronica officinalis

Copper Beech, Fagus sylvatica

Copper Beech, Fagus sylvatica

I grew up in a Beech Avenue and watched a Copper Beech grow very big next to our house so have always had an affection for this attractive tree.

Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus

There were several of these in the same area, I believe the parent/s were feeding fledglings.

Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea

Green Oak Tortrix, Tortrix viridana

Green Oak Tortrix, Tortrix viridana

Honeysuckle, Lonicera caprifolium

The White Admiral is dependent on its primary larval foodplant, Honeysuckle.

Hoverfly, Volucella inflata

id needed please

Minotaur beetle, Typhaeus typhoeus, female

Rough Hawkbit, Leontodon hispidus

Slender St John's-wort, Hypericum pulchrum

Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria

Tormentil, Potentilla erecta