I was with Dai and a guy called Adam who spotted a small Skipper by the side of the path where the Grasshopper Warbler was (and still is) reeling. Only it turned out that it wasn't a Small Skipper, it was an Essex Skipper, for reasons explained in the video. RSPBNewport tweeted that somebody else has seen one and in a 437 hectare site the chances of that being the same individual are vanishingly small so I think the only conclusion is that there is a colony. Anyway I didn't have time to take a shot because just as I lined up the camera it flew off but here's the video!
As usual a great presentation John. You must exude good pheromones because as soon as I try to get close enough to focus and click on the subject it disappears.
Indisputable proof in another quality Video
The last distribution data, (2004), I've seen shows an expansion of it's range to both west and north of it's Southeastern heartland. I've read reports of the species just over the water (bristol Channel) and in Gloucestershire. Looks like they may have continued the expansion - Major food plants are red & white clover so Newport Wetlands is certainly well stocked for them.
Worth a look here
Best regardsNigel
| My Images | Newport Wetlands on Flickr @barman58
Thanks for the kind comments guys - just lucky to have been in the right place at the right time!
Great info Nigel, it's definitely here in numbers - I have seen others since, but as David says they generally resist being snapped. I've also seen a photo of a pair mating on Twitter, by Tara Okon @rivers_disguise, who said she also saw one last year.
Thanks for the quality, informative video John. When there aren't many birds about there's always lots more to try to identify. I did look on a website to see what the sex band actually is so I knew which line I was looking at.
Colin it should have been sex brand - I deleted my first effort - changed the text and then published this one without checking that my change had applied so it's still wrong although right on the next screen. I got my info from here
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=lineola
about half way down the page there's a very good comparison.
I have also used the same website when identifying the butterflies I've seen recently. Its very handy being able to photograph the subject then use a website to identify it. I've never been one for sketch books and notebooks.
Was down yesterday and a good proportion of the "Small Skipper" were actually Essex Skipper, so seems that we have had a major hatch recently.
Talked to Kevin, (NRW), who stated that there were Essex Skipper sightings as long ago as 2000 and as close as Caerwent.
Another reason to keep our eyes open and check every image we take of even the most common species.
I found this with Common Blue Damselflies a couple of years ago -
I automatically assumed that the vast majority of "Blue" damsels were Common Blues, A later check of my images proved that at times the majority of Blues photographed by me, at Newport Wetlands, were actually Azure Damselflies.
The differences between the two are slight, (Eg. the Azure has an extra spur mark on the abdomen), but it was good to correct my errors
I am going to have a look through my photos of Tortoiseshell butterfly because they say the yellow legged variety is about.
Two examples of Blue Damselflies - I'll let you decide which is which :-)
Just came across a good ID resource for the skippers ...
www.hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/identification_skippers-new.php
Should help :-)