Earlier this year I began walking Fairham Brook downstream of Bunny, in order to make notes on the biodiversity associated with the brook in the light of a new biodiversity action plan written by the internal drainage board. I was pleased to see Kingfishers, Reed Buntings and Sedge Warblers as well as Chub and Stone Loach but in doing these walks I came upon the Great Central Railway which runs from the Transport Heritage Centre at Rushcliffe Country Park to East Leake and Loughborough across Bunny and Ruddington Moors. Aware of the potential for these sites to be important for butterflies, I sought permission, acquired an orange vest and spent two sunny afternoons in two locations.

 

The first was on May 10th in the vicinity of East Leake station (unique, I am told, in being the only station on an overbridge) where Grizzled Skippers had been recorded regularly until about two years ago.

Grizzled Skipper

My first impressions was of a secret haven – enclosed and largely unseen and within minutes I had recorded a species of moth that was new to me; Mother Shipton is a local species of day-flying moth, that I had been hoping to find for some time.

Mother Shipton

This was swiftly followed by Grizzled Skippers and quite extensive areas of their foodplant, Wild Strawberry. Both these insects are small and can be difficult to follow and so it is quite hard to estimate numbers but there were certainly several of each at least – perhaps around ten. Six other species of butterfly were recorded and I chanced upon a Treble-bar moth too.

 

A few weeks later (June 14^th) when the sun shone once more, I resolved to walk from the station at the Heritage centre southwards in search of further good locations, with Grizzled and possibly Dingy Skippers in mind. In the event I hardly travelled more than a few hundred metres in the three hours of surveying, as the areas of sparsely vegetated ground with Bird’s-foot Trefoil and Creeping Cinquefoil were alive with interest, and once again, the first excitement came from another elusive day-flying moth that had been on my wish list for some time: Burnet Companions turned out to be numerous; I would guess that there were thirty or so.

Burnet Companion

The only skipper was neither of the targeted species but Large Skipper and other butterflies included Small Heath, lots of Common Blue and Small Copper, whilst other day-flying moths were represented by Yellow Shell, Latticed Heath

Latticed Heath

and one of the Burnets which didn’t stop for a confirmatory id. Also present were myriads of half-inch long early-instar grasshoppers, which were I think Meadow Grasshoppers.

 

In my experience, owners or guardians of private land are usually only too happy for their sites to be surveyed for their natural history. I have recently gained permission to run moth traps in Cotgrave Forest where a Red Data Book species (Fletcher’s or Pauper Pug) was discovered at only its third Nottinghamshire site, so if you know of sites that have potential don’t be put off by their being private – make enquiries and seek permission. In the case of the moths in Cotgrave Forest, I brought in expert assistance to ensure that full advantage was made of the opportunity (otherwise the nondescript looking pug would have remained that bit rarer!) and I’m sure we can find a botanist or an entomologist or some other “ist” to assist.