Marbled White and Burnet MothToday we headed East to the Yorkshire Wolds to visit two YWT Reserves, Kiplingcoats Chalk Pit and North Newbould Becksies. Kiplingcoates is a botanical SSSI and our visit was timed with the hope of seeing marbled white butterflies for which the site is famous. We were not disappointed in either the variety and quantity of both plants and butterflies. We recorded 1734 pyramidal orchids and numerous other flower species, including hawkweed ox-tongue which was one of those rare sightings that BEES make from time to time - a first for the day's leader, Joan Dobson. It's not often that we can add to Joan's extensive lifetime list! Other major highlights at Kiplingcotes were basil thyme and red hemp-nettle.
Despite generally overcast and quite windy conditions for most of the day we were delighted to see scores of marbled white butterflies together with 10 other species of butterfly and six-spot burnet moths which together with other unidentified moths made the total of butterflies and moths greater than the bird count on the day which was surprisingly low at 13 species - the highlight being yellowhammer which sang for us for most of our stay.
Pyramidal OrchidNorth Newbould Becksies is a small wetland site and although Joan had made everyone aware that wellingtons were essential for exploring the site, some had not heeded the warning and got their feet wet! Here there were common spotted orchids aplenty together with blue water speedwell, water figwort and marsh hawksbeard amongst many other wetland varieties.
A short stop at North Cave Wetlands also afforded a comfort break on the return journey and rounded off another very interesting and enjoyable day for the ten select members who joined today's outing.
Stuart