Birding The Nothe

2003 Wildlife Report

Summary of sightings for species other than birds in 2003

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Summary of the year

The first butterflies of the year, Small Tortoiseshells, appeared on 22 Mar. On 15 Apr the first Peacock butterfly was noted and three Brown Rats were a new, not altogether welcome, max scurrying after the birdfood dropped on the path near CEFAS. A Painted Lady on 4 May was another good early record.

A good range of butterflies on 8 Jul included the earliest ever Gatekeepers. The butterfly theme continued through a warm July, with the second record of Small Skipper on 11 Jul, together with record nos of Marbled Whites and Ringlets on that day. Good to see both of these thriving in their core area on the south slopes. The 'underslope' held several Cinnabar moths, while an early Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria was on the north-east sycamores. On 22 Jul the regrowth of nettles near the fort was covered with Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock caterpillars - the first breeding records for both, while 28 Jul produced a good selection of moths around the lights, and a Large White chrysalis, another first breeding record. On 31 Jul the fishermen were having a field day with many Mackerel and a Garfish on the end of the lines.

August started hot, and got hotter, with the second week seeing the highest temperatures ever recorded in the UK. Rush Veneer moths were present in record numbers on the hottest day, 10th Aug, while on 12th other insects were more in evidence, with what must be thousands of Syrphus balteatus hoverflies on the north side. On 19th Green-veined White was a year-tick, and more new moths were noted.

Butterflies started to reach really impressive numbers in the second half of August, with record numbers of Painted Lady and Small White on a sunny, warm and muggy 24 Aug, together with Clouded Yellow, the first of a good run of Migrant Hawker dragonflies, and an excellent selection of moths including a record max 82 Silver Y moths. Also recorded were Long-winged Conehead bush-cricket. and the spectacular spider Argiope bruennechi. The high tide on 28th had brought several Sea Slaters on to the walkway as well as masses of 'seaweed flies'.

On 4 Sep a Velvet Fiddler Crab on the pier - possibly dropped by a gull, but very much alive and pincing - was a first record, and there was a record max 95 Red Admiral butterflies counted on the trees - rather eclipsing the previous record max of 19 noted the week before! 9 Sep saw the first of several Hummingbird Hawkmoth records - the first on record here - and the second record of Comma. 29 Sep produced the first record of Small Copper butterfly and second of Wall Brown together with a new record max of Small White.

October produced a helice Clouded Yellow on 9th and Grey Seal (in Newton's Cove) on 24th, an excellent second record. The last butterfly was a Red Admiral on 2 Dec, while the final Hummingbird Hawkmoth was seen on the remarkable date of 12 Dec.

Mammals

Eurasian Badger Meles meles: Reported on 15 Apr.

Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus: One reported in Newton's Cove all day on 24 Oct: the second record from the site.

Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis: Present all year. Slightly lower nos than last year, with max 11 on 24 Aug. Monthly maxima as follows:

Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus: Present all year, but not often seen. Noted on 9 dates, max 3 on 15 Apr.

Fish

Garfish Belone belone: Noted being caught off the pier, 31 Jul and 3 Sep, with many on the latter date.

Pollack Pollachius pollachius: Reported caught off Stone Pier, July.

Grey Mullet Chelon labrosus: One leaping in the harbour on 4 May.

Mackerel Scomber scombrus: Noted being caught off the pier, 28 Jul - 3 Sep. At least 6 on 31 Jul, with many on 3 Sep.

Corkwring Wrasse Crenilabrus melops: One caught off the Stone Pier, 18 Sep.

Red Gurnard Aspitrigla cuculus: Reported caught off Stone Pier, July.

Plaice Pleuronectes platessa: Reported caught off Stone Pier, July.

Dover Sole Solea solea: Reported caught off Stone Pier, July.

Butterflies

Large White Pieris brassicae: Chrysalis noted on 28 Jul on the new sea wall and 28 Aug - the first breeding records for the site. Ads noted on 13 & 17 Sep, max 4 on 29 Sep.

Small White Artogeia rapae: Noted 4 May - 9 Oct. Record max 44 on 29 Sep.

Green-veined White Artogeia napae: One on 19 Aug - my second record for The Nothe

Clouded Yellow Colias croceus: A total of 12 noted 24 Aug - 12 Nov, the latest ever recorded. Max 7 on 9 Oct including a helice form.

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas: One on 29 Sep on the landslip - the first record for the site.

Common Blue Polyommatus icarus: Noted 19 -25 Aug, max 6 on 24 Aug.

Peacock Inachis io: One on 15 Apr was the earliest ever. Two on 19 Aug, with larvae on the fort slopes 22 - 31 Jul, the first breeding record for the site.

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta: Noted 28 Jul - 2 Dec. Incredible nos in Sep with record max 95 on 4 Sep, but also 86 on 20 Sep.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui: Noted 4 May and 8 Jul - 29 Sep. a record year, with nos peaking in Aug, record max 31 on 24 Aug.

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae: Two on 22 Mar were the earliest on record. One on 17 Apr was followed by larvae on the fort slopes 22 - 31 Jul, the first breeding record for the site. No great influx ensued, however, with max 5 on 10 Aug, and the last two on 29 Sep.

Comma Polygonum c-album: One reported on 8 Sep, the second record for The Nothe.

Marbled White Melanargea galathea: Noted 8 - 28 Jul. Record max 17 on 11 Jul. One seen eaten by a House Sparrow on 28 Jul.

Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina: Singles noted on three dates, 8 - 22 Jul.

Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus: Good to see the colony still thriving. Noted 8 - 13 Jul, max 9 on 11 Jul.

Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus: Noted 8 - 28 Jul, max 13 on 11 Jul.

Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria: Rather poor again this year. Noted 12 Aug - 9 Oct , max 4 on 25 Aug.

Wall Brown Lasiommata megera: Two on 29 Sep were the second record for The Nothe.

Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris : Two on 11 Jul were the second record for The Nothe.

Large Skipper Ochlodes venatus: Singles on 11 & 28 Jul.

19 spp.

Moths

Orange Swift Hepialus sylvina: Singles noted on 5 dates, 22 Aug - 15 Sep.

Agriphila tristella: Noted 6 Sep.

Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis: Three on 24 Aug. One on the very late date of 21 Nov. Only the second and third records of this continental immigrant.

Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella: An invasion year. Noted 13 dates 10 Aug - 29 Sep, record max 21 on 24 Aug.

Bee Moth Aphomia sociella: Singles on 18 & 22 Jul - the second and third records.

Clay Triple-Lines Cyclophora linearia: One on 22 Jul - the first record.

Blood-vein Timandra griseata : Singles on 28 & 29 Aug - the first records.

Mullein Wave Scopula marginepunctata: A good year. Total of six noted four dates 19 Aug - 6 Sep, max 3 on 24 Aug.

Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata: One on 6 Sep - the second record.

Riband Wave Idaea aversata: A good year. A total of six noted three dates, 28 Jul - 12 Aug, max three on 28 Jul.

Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata : One on 19 Aug - the first record.

Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata: Record max two on 24 & 27 Aug, with singles on 28 & 29 Aug.

Treble-bar Aplocera plagiata: One on 28 Jul - the first record.

Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata: Singles on 9 & 10 Sep.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum : The first records, in a superb year for this species across southern England. One on 9 Sep (JL), and one on the very late date of 12 Dec (JL).

Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina: One on 28 Jul - the second record.

Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata: Two on 28 Jul - the first record.

Common Footman Eilema lurideola : One on 31 Jul - the first record.

Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum : Singles on 28 & 31 Jul - the first records.

The Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae: One on 8 Jul, with record max (ads) four on 11 Jul. Larvae noted 7 - 19 Aug - the second records.

Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta: One on 4 Sep - the second record.

Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum : One on 24 Aug - the first record.

Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura : Singles on four dates, 22 - 28 Aug - the first records.

Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens : Two on 27 Aug and one on 3 Sep - the first records.

Marbled Beauty Cryphia domestica: A good series of records - one on 28 Jul was followed by a record max three on 19 Aug, and singles on 3 & 4 Sep.

Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea: Noted 3 - 20 Sep. Max 6 on 10 Sep.

Silver Y Autographa gamma: An amazing invasion year. Noted on eight dates, 13 Jul - 25 Aug. Record max 82 on 24 Aug.

The Snout Hypena proboscidalis : One on 29 Aug - the first record.

Orthoptera

Long-winged Conehead Conocephalus discolor: Singles in the rough grass near the south-east rocks, 28 & 29 Aug.

Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera: Adults noted calling from 12 Aug to 4 Nov, the latest date recorded. Max six on 25 Aug.

Meadow Grasshopper Chorthippus parallellus: Adults noted 8 Jul - 25 Aug.

Dragonflies

Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea: Noted 28 Jul - 25 Aug. Max 2 on 5 Aug.

Scarce/Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta: An excellent series of records - seemingly an invasion year. Noted 10 dates 24 Aug - 9 Oct, record max five on 24 Aug.

Other insects

Syrphus balteatus : Migrant hoverfly noted in large nos 7 - 12Aug.

Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria: Singles on 11 & 28 Jul.

Other groups

Wasp Spider Argiope bruennechi: This spectacular spider seen in long grass near the south-east rocks, 24 Aug & 9 Sep.

Sea Slater Ligia oceanica: The new walkway seemed to attract these out of the intertidal zone. Noted 28 & 29 Aug and 18 Sep. Record max 14 on 28 Aug.

Spiny Spider Crab Maia squinado: Noted off pier 8 Jul and 7 Aug.

Velvet Fiddler Crab Macropipus puber: One on the pier on 4 Sep - possibly dropped by a gull, but very much alive and pincing - was a first record.