Butterfly Conservation

Programme of Guided Butterfly walks in Somerset in 2012

Abbreviations of Species

AB	Adonis Blue	GH	Green Hairstreak	PH	Purple Hairstreak
BA	Brown Argus	GS	Grizzled Skipper	SB	Small Blue
BH	Brown Hairstreak	HBF	High Brown Fritillary	SC	Small Copper
CB	Common Blue	HB	Holly Blue	SH	Small Heath
CHB	Chalk-hill Blue	HF	Heath Fritillary	SPBF	Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
CY	Clouded Yellow	LS	Large Skipper	SS	Small Skipper
DB	Duke of Burgundy	MF	Marsh Fritillary	SSS	Silver-spotted Skipper
DGF	Dark Green Fritillary	MW	Marbled White	SWF	Silver-washed Fritillary
DS	Dingy Skipper	OT	Orange-tip	W	Wall
ES	Essex Skipper	PBF	Pearl-bordered Fritillary	WA	White Admiral
GF	Glanville Fritillary	PE	Purple Emperor	WLH	White-letter Hairstreak
GG	Grayling			WW	Wood White

All meetings commence at 11 am except where indicated. Please arrive promptly to ensure linking with the Group.

In the event of queries please contact the leader of the day or Mike Ridge (Tel. 01278 450 793)

Sunday 6^th May - Buckland Wood

A Forestry Commission reserve, managed by BC and the Neroche Project under a HLS Grant.

Parking inside reserve gate at:

Map Ref. ST 188 180

Target Species: BA, DB, DS, GH, and GS.

Sunday 13^th May – Worley Hill

Leader: Shane Potts (Manager of Reserve)

Springtime butterflies should be out and about on this private reserve managed and funded by the J & F Clark Trust and Millfield School. The Managers of the site will lead the walk.

Target species: BA, CB, DB, DS, GH, GS, HB, OT

Meet at end of track off the Somerton to Street road on the Somerton side of Littleton (eastern side of road)

Map Ref: ST 495 308

Temporary signs should be placed at side of road directing vehicles along track to reserve gate and car parking area.

Sunday 20th May – Sand Point

A hilltop NT reserve overlooking the Bristol Channel across to Wales which contains the northernmost colony of Glanville fritillary butterflies in the U.K.

Meet at NT car park at Map Ref: ST 330 659

Target species: BA, CB, GF, OT, SC, W + migrants.

Saturday 26^th May – Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve

A springtime walk requested by Natural England staff local office. Mainly springtime overwintering butterflies and also dragonflies, hobbies and early summer migrants. Hopefully the day-flying BAP species moth Argent & Sable will be seen near Canada Farm.

Meet at: Avalon Peat Moors Centre, Westhay near the bridge on Shapwick to Westhay road on Westhay (East) side of bridge.

Map Ref: ST 425 414

Target species: Argent & Sable Moths, Dragonflies, Otters and birds also possible.

Sunday 10^th June – Staple Common, Wessex Water Land, Mount Fancy

Three adjoining areas which are probably now the extent of the Somerset Wood White population.

Meet at Staple Common – car parking in reserve gate situated south of Staple Fitzpaine and Bulford (west side of the road just before junction with road off A303 to Staple Hill and Holman Clavel P.H. (see East Deane Way and Staple Common on OS map 128, Taunton and Blackdown Hills). Prompt at 11 a.m. please as the gate is locked at the start of the walk.

Map Ref: ST 268 159

Target species: BA, CB, SC, SPBF, WW.

Wednesday 13^th June –Codsend Moor , Exmoor

Leader: Dave Ayling.

A visit to one of the few Marsh Fritillary sites in Somerset with Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary as well.

Possibility of visiting one of the Heath Fritillary sites near Dunkery Beacon if weather is suitable

Meeting point: Porlock Post for Codsend Moor at SS 860 411.

Target species: MF, SPBF and day-flying moths

Sunday 17^th June – Heddon Valley, Devon

A chance to see the High Brown Fritillary in Devon, a species no longer found in Somerset. SPBF also there with DGF and possibly SWF. Meet in car park near Hunters Inn PH north of Parracombe (off A39).

It may be possible to hire a minibus from Bridgwater and Taunton travelling along the A358 and A39 if there is popular support beforehand (phone Mike Ridge if interested)..

Map Ref: SS 655 480

Sunday 24^th June – Lords Wood

A wood situated east of Pensford mainly in 1km squares ST 6363 and ST 6362, noted for its White Admiral colony.

Parking place in Birchwood Lane.

Map Ref: ST 633 632

Target species: SWF, WA & possibly PH.

Sunday 8^th July – Lime Ridge and Wych Lodge Fields (Blackdowns)

A F.C. woodland partly managed by BC which generally has a good population of Silver-washed Fritillary flying.

Meet at entrance gate situated at Pridley Plantation, west side of road between Staple Fitzpaine and Badger Street

Map Ref. ST 261 191

Prompt at 11 a.m. please because of a locked gate to be closed.

Target Species: LS, MW, SWF, WA, WLH.

Sunday 15^st July – Bossington & Hurlstone Point

Leader: Dave Ayling

A walk around the hill below Hurlstone Point, looking at the butterflies and day-flying moths that frequent the area.

Meet at the NT car park in Bossington village.

Map Ref: SS 898 480

Target species: DGF, GG, SC, SWF, W.

Sunday 22^nd July –Ubley Warren

Previous meetings have been frustrated by bad weather in the last 2 years so an attempt is being made to run a successful meeting one week later! Generally a good site for DGF and MW.

Meet at end of track where it meets Samaritans Way West, east of Charterhouse in small car parking area. (Not in AONB car park which is nearby)

Map Ref. ST 505 556

Target Species: DGF, LS, MW, SC, SH

Sunday 29^th July – Crook Peak

A circular walk around the NT peak near Compton Bishop which has views across the Bristol Channel to Wales.

Meet at roadside car park on left travelling from Lower Weare towards Webbington Hotel beyond the turning to Compton Bishop.

Map Ref. ST 392 551

Target species: BA, CB, DGF, GG, HB, SH, SPBF.

Sunday 5^th August – Stoke Camp and Westbury Beacon

Leader: John Burrell

Stoke Camp is a BC owned reserve whereas Westbury Beacon is privately owned and which BC hopes to acquire or lease sometime in the future. Both areas have different species of blue butterflies; Stoke Camp mainly holds Small Blue with a few Chalk-hill Blue and Westbury Beacon has a good colony of the latter species.

Parking is limited on northern side of the lane leading from Draycott village (New Road near Red Lion P.H.) towards the Glider airfield by Draycott Sleights SWT Reserve. Please do not park on the southern side of the lane as this prevents lorries etc. passing. If a meeting is well supported we should be able to provide a “rescue” service from further up the lane to the site.

Map Ref. ST 487 513

Target species: BA, CB, CHB, DGF, MW, SB, SS, W.

Sunday 12th August – North Hill

A meeting mainly to see Grayling.

Take Hill Road from Minehead and meet at Bratton Ball CP which is the fourth car park from Minehead

Directions as per 15^th May meeting but starting at 11am

Map Ref. SS 942 473

Target species: GG, SC, SH, W.

If you require further information please contact:

Mike Ridge 01278 450 793