Darvel & Stewarton area

Finally a better day weather-wise.... Lower numbers of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries than usual at the site near Loudoun Hill but I guess the season is more advanced this year and most individuals were quite faded. Corsehouse Reservoir and one small corner of Glenouther Moor produced a reasonable count of 36 Large Heath, so probably good numbers over the entire area moor. Every year I come up to survey them there are usually a lot of Wood Tigers zipping past at speed. This year, I finally managed to observe one on the deck.

Allantonplains Wood
Ringlet (124)
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (25)
Meadow Brown (25)
Green-veined White (5)
Dark Green Fritillary (1)
Small Heath (4)
Common Blue (1)
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Painted Lady (1)
Common Hawker (2)
Large Red Damselfly (10+)
Red-necked Footman (1)

Corsehouse Reservoir & Glenouther Moor
Large Heath (36)
Meadow Brown (6)
Ringlet (2)
Small Heath (2)
Green-veined White (1)
Red Admiral (1)
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Common Hawker (1)
Large Red Damselfly (40+)
Emerald Damselfly (30+)
Common Blue Damselfly (20+)
Wood Tiger (20+)
Red-necked Footman (6)

Garnock East

Breezy with sunny spells at Garnock East (north of Bogside, Irvine) on Saturday. There were 6 Six-spot Burnet Moths, only two of which were flying; 5 Common Blues; 6 Small Heaths; a single Ringlet; 6 Small Tortoiseshells in the livestock field; many Meadow Browns; a single ‘blue’ damselfly; and 4 female Common Darters. Today at Garnock East the sunshine was stronger and longer and there was a bit more about: 18 Common Blue butterflies, 9 Small Heaths, 10 Six-spot Burnet Moths, 3 Graylings, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, and a Small Copper. There were a few more female Common Darters about, particularly along the woodland tracks. More damselflies too, mainly Blue-tailed and Common Blue. 2 Common Hawkers were patrolling along a woodland track, plus there was another male over at Ardeer Fen.

The highlights of a quick stop off at Shewalton Sandpits SWT reserve were 4 Common Blue butterflies and 7 or 8 Six-spot Burnet Moths.

(Photos: Common Blues, Small Copper, Six-spot Burnet Moths)

A few days ago a local wildlife enthusiast told me that he saw a Fritillary at Ardeer Fen and that he was 100% sure it was not just a Painted Lady. Visiting the site on Saturday I flushed a large, very bright orange butterfly. It sped off with purpose west. A couple of hundred meters further on I flushed a second butterfly of the same species and it flew off east never to be seen again. Very frustrating, but I’m pretty sure that these were Dark Green (?) Fritillaries.

Carrick Hills

Didn't have the car today so I took the bus down to Maybole and walked into the Carrick Hills. Cool with low cloud all day and heavy showers from 1450h. There is a lot excellent habitat up there especially around Red Moss Loch, Drumshang Loch, Blacktop Hill Loch, and Sauchrie Burn. The sun eventually broke through around 1730h and many fritillaries appeared along the course of Sauchrie Burn.

Red Moss Loch > Drumshang Loch > Blacktop Hill
Ringlet (19)
Meadow Brown (8)
Common Blue (1)
Northern Eggar (2)
Common Blue Damselfly (2)
Common Darter (1)
Large Yellow Underwing (1)
Straw Dot (20+)

Sauchrie Burn
Ringlet (50+)
Dark Green Fritillary (37)
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (21)

Kirkoswald area

With the poor weather continuing and visibility in the hills south of Loch Doon down to 100m I gave up on my of aim of tracking down Azure Hawker (again). It wasn't until 1400h that the sun came out while I was at Craigens Hill. Good numbers of Large Skippers and Ringlets counted in three rides\firebreaks. Sheltered nettle beds held lots of late instar Peacock larvae with one 2 x 2 metre patch holding c180 larvae - I guess we will be seeing very early new generation individuals this year. Also my first Common Hawker of the year here.

Quarrel Hill forestry
Ringlet (12)
Meadow Brown (2)
Golden-ringed Dragonfly (1)

Craigens Hill forestry
Ringlet (330)
Large Skipper (14)
Meadow Brown (5)
Small Heath (4)
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (1)
Golden-ringed Dragonfly (pr in tandem)
Common Hawker (1)

Gailes Marshes

Gave Gailes a quick look on the way home. Few butterflies but good numbers of damselflies and two teneral Common Darters.

Emerald Damselfly (100+)
Common Blue Damselfly (50+)
Azure Damselfly (20+)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (20+)
Common Darter (2 tenerals)
Meadow Brown (42)
Small Heath (4)
Common Blue (2)
Green-veined White (1)

North Glen App

Followed the Water of App north-east of Carlock House today. The banks of the burn are very rich in flora and can be superb for insects on a hot day. Not bad today considering the weather. Before this I checked Pinbain and Kilantringan on the way down though it was still a bit cool at this time - no Four-spotted Chasers found.

North Glen App
Ringlet (119)
Meadow Brown (29)
Large Skipper (6)
Dark Green Fritillary (4)
Small Heath (3)
Common Blue (1)
Painted Lady (1)
Golden-ringed Dragonfly (1)
Common Blue Damselfly (1)
Red-necked Footman (2)
Yellow Shell (2)

Kilantringan Loch
Ringlet (120)
Meadow Brown (11)
Small Heath (3)
Common Blue Damselfly (40+)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (30+)

Pinbain Burn
Ringlet (7)
Meadow Brown (4)
Grayling (2)
Six-spot Burnet (4)

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Auchalton Meadow/Gailes Marsh

An interesting visit to the SWT reserves at Auchalton and Gailes produced the following:

Auchalton
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Ringlet (41)
Small Heath (1)
Chimney Sweeper (43)
Silver-ground Carpet (5)
Cream Wave (1)
Straw Dot (3)


Gailes
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Ringlet (7)
Meadow Brown (19)
Dark Green Fritillary (1)
Common Blue (11)
Small Heath (1)
Latticed Heath (1)
Cream Wave (4)
July Belle (1)
Cinnabar (2)
Straw Dot (1)
Silver Y (1)

Also at Gailes were a few Blue-tailed, Common Blue and Emerald damselflies and Common Darter dragonflies.

Southannan Sands

Still very little flying in the north of the county.

Common Blue (4)
Grayling (5)
Meadow Brown (2)
Six-spot Burnet (1)

Coastal Walk: Currarie > Ballantrae

Saturday was much better, on the coast at least, and continuing evidence of the Painted Lady invasion suggests that this year may even top the all time biggest year of 1996. At least 49 were counted on the coast south of Ballantrae, without any systematic counting or coverage. More signs of the advanced spring were realised today with multiple sightings of new generation Small Tortoiseshell. I’ve never seen Small Torts emerge in June in Ayrshire – its usually mid to late July before they are expected. Currarie Port and Donald Bowie had at least 23 Grayling and 2 Dark Green Fritillaries and, unusually, a Large Heath which had probably wandered down Shallochwreck Burn from suitable habitat on Penderry Hill. Pinbain Burn didn’t disappoint with at least eight Northern Brown Argus, 23 Graylings, six Large Skippers, six Painted Ladies, as well as the odd Dark Green Frit, Ringlet, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Common Blue.

On Sunday it was back to rain around my intended sites. Only Barony Pit provided some butterflies with 67 Ringlets (they don’t mind light rain), 14 Meadow Browns and a few Grayling, Small Heath, Meadow Brown and Common Blue. Now that I’m bank in London, I’ve heard the weather is better!

North Ayrshire

I seemed to be all over the north of the county today, but again disappointing numbers of leps on the wing.

Rashley, near Ardrossan
Peacock (1)

Southannan Sands
Meadow Brown (2)
Grayling (1)
Painted Lady (2)
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Common Blue (1)

Outerwards Bridge
Painted Lady (1)

Castle Hill/Tourgill
Chimney Sweeper (1)

Blue Stones (near Hunterston PS Pier)
Painted Lady (1)
Chimney Sweeper (1)

Azure Hawker Search

Back up in Ayrshire this weekend, my main aim was to try and locate Azure Hawker in the county. Angus reckoned he saw one about two weeks ago in the extreme south of the county close to Dumfries & Galloway border and, in fact, not too far away from the well known site at Silver Flowe. Friday’s weather put paid to this idea with the vast quantities of rain falling inland, combined with thunder, lightening and even the odd tornado. The sun did appear in the Loch Doon area at either end of the day, providing 22 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and 12 Large Skippers at one site in Bellsbank Plantation and 10 Large Heath amongst 40+ Small Heath on a bog site near Loch Bradan.

Hunterston area

8 Grass Rivulets along the shore path from Hunterston to Portencross.

Hunterston area

While helping to float a platform at Hunterston Lagoon, a few butterflies were noted, although nowhere near as many as expected giving the excellent conditions.

Painted Lady (5)
Red Admiral (1)
Small Heath (1)
Green-veined White (1)

Also at Hunterston Sands later in the day were a single Meadow Brown and 5 Green-veined Whites

Hunterston area

A wander around the patch produced the following:

Marine Construction Yard
Painted Lady (5)
Peacock (1)
Yellow Shell (1)

all on the access road at NS189523

Hunterston Power Station
Painted Lady (7)

Constructors' Car Park
Painted Lady (1)

Tarryholm, Irvine

A walk around the main pond at Tarryholm produced singles of Meadow Brown, Small Copper, Cinnabar, Four-spotted Chaser and Emerald damselfly alongside many Large Red, Common Blue and Azure damselflies.