Just to let you know how Tom,
Ali & myself fared on Sunday pm in M40 Compensation Area - total of 20 eggs, 17 on
established hedge just inside gate but only 3 on planted blackthorn in middle of reserve.
This search was an exact repeat of the one made in winter 1999/2000 except that then there
were four of us. Then we found 25 on the established hedge but 14 in the central area
(plus another two on old cross hedge not searched this time). I think these figures
illustrate the effect of browsing caused by deer which have breached the deer fence - the
hole is visible just beyond the end of the first hedge. The central area blackthorn has
been badly browsed, the established hedge less so.
On the previous visit we went via the Meadows only finding 1
egg in the ride by the entrance as opposed to the 9 this time. According to my report in
Newsletter 48 the BBOWT work on the hedge bordering the meadow had been carried out the
previous summer and there was no sucker growth to examine and the lengths of established
hedge had been trimmed - so we did not even bother to look. But it does enable us to age
the sucker growth we were examining on sunday to 3 years old.
The pm highpoint was the discovery of what I believe to be a black hairstreak egg. Tom was very dubious because his pocket butterfly book showed them as
orangey-brown but is now more convinced having consulted a Richard Lewington illustration.
For those wishing to view - it is at the near end of the central area blackthorn only
about 9 inches from ground and marked with one of my plastic tags.
The final brown hairstreak egg count for the day was 83 an all-time
UTB record! Also a prime number which Tom & I decided was a very good number
to stop on. Thanks to every one who helped to achieve this notable figure. I have now
revised my early opinion that egg numbers are down this winter on last - my early searches
obviously lacked concentration and focus and the Fenton-Dunbar factor!
David. |
