BIRDING AMERSHAM: HODGEMOOR WOODS - lots of local PURPLE EMPERORS and WHITE ADMIRALS

Saturday 20 July 2013

HODGEMOOR WOODS - lots of local PURPLE EMPERORS and WHITE ADMIRALS

Purple Emperors

FRIDAY 19 JULY

A fourth day running with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius - with wall-to-wall sunshine but an increasing NE breeze

Following up on a visit by Dave Cleal earlier in the week, I spent several hours in HODGEMOOR WOODS this morning, transecting butterflies south of the main car park in Botterells Lane at SU 968 939. I was amazed at the selection on offer, including an incredible 30 WHITE ADMIRALS - the largest number I have ever seen at one site in Bucks, 2 or 3 male PURPLE EMPERORS, 4 PURPLE HAIRSTREAKS, 2 Commas, 25 Speckled Woods, 73 Ringlet and 14 Large Whites.

Not too many birds on offer but Red Kite, 7 Nuthatch (in two noisy family parties), Common Treecreeper, 2 Wren, 1 Song Thrush, 3 singing Goldcrest, 1 juvenile Common Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, Robin, 2 Coal Tits, several family parties of both Blue and Great Tit and a MARSH TIT

The wood is situated east of the Beaconsfield to Amersham Road (A 355) and is massive - very easy to get totally lost in and covered in a myriad of footpaths; lots of biting Horseflies too - most butterfly activity was concentrated in SE hectares

A further two male PURPLE EMPERORS were then seen in the wooded complex surrounding OLD AMERSHAM CREMATORIUM at SU 945 966

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Species recorded in the Amersham Area in 2015

Species recorded in the Amersham Recording Area in 2013 (Lee G R Evans)

97) EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER, Bovingdon Airfield, 8 November
96) HOBBY, Weedonhill Woods, 24 September
95) COMMON STONECHAT, Heronsgate, 16 September
94) WHINCHAT (2), Heronsgate, 10 September
93) NORTHERN WHEATEAR (2 juveniles), Chenies, 20 August
92) GARDEN WARBLER (3 singing males), Frogmore Meadows, 24 June
91) WATER RAIL (breeding), Shardeloes Lake, 24 June
90) Reed Buntings, Shardeloes Lake, 4 June
89) Spotted Flycatcher, Shardeloes Lake, 4 June
88) Common Swift, Chenies, 12 May
87) Common Whitethroat, Mill Farm Meadows, 2 May
86) WESTERN REED WARBLER, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 May
85) MANDARIN DUCK, Shardeloes Lake, 30 April
84) Yellowhammer, Old Amersham, 26 April
83) House Martin, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 15 April
82) Swallow, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 15 April
81) Sand Martin, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 15 April
80) Willow Warbler (7 birds), Chesham Fishing Lakes, 15 April
79) Eurasian Wigeon, Chaffinch House, Little Chalfont, 12 April
78) Lapwing, Winchmore Hill, 6 April
77) Fieldfare, Shardeloes Lake, 11 March
76) Common Chiffchaff, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 9 March
75) Sparrowhawk, Beaconsfield
BALTIC GULL, Hedgerley Landfill, 9 March
74) MEDITERRANEAN GULL (adult), Hedgerley Landfill, 9 March
73) GREYLAG GOOSE, Great Water, 14 February
72) Ring-necked Parakeet, Mount Wood, 14 February
71) Common Teal, Shardeloes Lake
70) CASPIAN GULL (5 individuals), Hedgerley Landfill, 01 February
69) Blackcap, Crabbe Crescent Chesham, 16 January
68) Meadow Pipit, Hedgerley Landfill, 15 January
67) Pied Wagtail (32), Hedgerley Landfill, 15 January
66) Common Gull, Hedgerley Landfill, 15 January
65) Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hedgerley Landfill, 15 January
64) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (103), Hedgerley Landfill, 15 January
63) Common Kingfisher, Chenies Bottom, 9 January
62) FIRECREST (4 birds), Hogback Wood, Beaconsfield, 8 January
61) SISKIN (6), Chesham Fishing Lakes, 8 January
60) Green Woodpecker, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 8 January
59) Great Crested Grebe, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 8 January
58) GREEN SANDPIPER, Frogmore Meadow, 8 January
57) Sparrowhawk, Chess Valley, 8 January
56) LITTLE OWL, Chess Valley, 8 January
55) Common Treecreeper, Hogback Wood, Beaconsfield, 7 January
54) Red-legged Partridge, Gore Hill Amersham, 7 January
53) Redwing, Penn Street Farm, 05 January
52) Linnet, Penn Street Farm, 05 January
51) BRAMBLING (27 birds), Priestland's Wood, Penn Bottom, 05 January
50) Greenfinch, Penn Street Farm, 05 January
49) Mistle Thrush, Penn Street Farm, 05 January
48) Common Blackbird, Penn Street Farm, 05 January
47) Common Pheasant, Penn Street Farm, 05 January
46) COMMON RAVEN, Chess Valley, 04 January
45) BARN OWL, Church Covert NR, Chess Valley, 03 January
44) BOHEMIAN WAXWING (6 birds), Hazlemere, 2 January
43) Herring Gull, Chess Valley, 9 flew S, 2 January
42) Grey Wagtail, Mill Farm, 2 January
41) Lesser Redpoll, Baldwin's Wood, 2 January
40) Coal Tit, Baldwin's Wood, 2 January
39) Common Treecreeper, Baldwin's Wood, 2 January
38) Marsh Tits, Baldwin's Wood, 2 January
37) Song Thrush, Baldwin's Wood, 2 January
36) Grey Heron, Shardeloes Lake, 1 January
35) SHOVELER (2), Shardeloes Lake, 1 January
34) Carrion Crow, Shardeloes Lake, 1 January
33) Great Spotted Woodpecker, Latimer, 1 January
32) GREAT WHITE EGRET, Great Water, Latimer, 1 January
31) Nuthatch, Latimer House, 1 January
30) Gadwall, Chesham Sewage Works, 1 January
29) Rook, Chesham, 1 January
28) Little Grebe, Chesham Pow Wow Lake, 1 January
27) Great Tit, Chesham, 1 January
26) Moorhen, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
25) Northern Pochard, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
24) Tufted Duck, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
23) Atlantic Canada Goose, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
22) Dunnock, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
21) Mallard, Chesham Fishing lakes, 1 January
20) Chaffinch, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
19) Robin, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
18) Wren, Chesham Fishing lakes, 1 January
17) Black-headed Gull, Chesham, 1 January
16) Coot, Bois Mill Pond, 1 January
15) Mute Swan, Bois Mill Pond, 1 January
14) Stock Dove, Chess Valley, 1 January
13) Common Kestrel, Mill Farm Meadow, 1 January
12) Red Kite, Chess Valley, 1 January
11) Common Buzzard, Chess Valley, 1 January
10) Common Magpie, Mill farm, 1 January
9) Woodpigeon, Mill Farm, 1 January
8) Jackdaw, Mill Farm, 1 January
7) Long-tailed Tit, Chenies Place, 1 January
6) Blue Tit, Chenies Place, 1 January
5) Goldcrest, Chenies Place, 1 January
4) Little Egret (9 birds), Chess Valley, 1 January
3) Common Starling, Chaffinch House, 1 January
2) House Sparrow, Chaffinch House, 1 January
1) Goldfinch, Chaffinch House, 1 January

Species recorded in the Amersham Area in 2012 (Lee G R Evans)

99) BOHEMIAN WAXWING (53 birds), Prestwood, 21 December
98) GREAT WHITE EGRET, Chess Valley, 17 December
97) GOOSANDER (redhead), Latimer Great Water, 15 December
96) NORTHERN SHOVELER (pair), Shardeloes Lake, 11 December
95) BARN OWL, Penn, 8 December
94) GREYLAG GOOSE, Great Water, 7 November
93) BLUEBILL, Chess Valley, 7-9 November
92) HAWFINCH, Penn Wood, 01 November
91) HOBBY, Chesham McMinn's, 19 September
90) Lesser Whitethroat, Shardeloes Lake
89) YELLOW WAGTAIL, Chenies
88) LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER, Commonwood, near Sarratt, 30 May
87) Spotted Flycatcher, Little Missenden Churchyard, 30 May
86) Common Swift, Little Chalfont, 13 May
85) COMMON CUCKOO, Crabtree Wood, Leyhill, 08 May
84) Common Whitethroat, Hunts Green, 06 May
83) NORTHERN WHEATEAR, Hunts Green, 06 May
82) COMMON SANDPIPER, Shardeloes Lake, 05 May
81) Western Reed Warbler, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 30 April
80) Willow Warbler, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 21 April
79) House Martin, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 09 April
78) Swallow, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 09 April
77) MARSH TIT, Baldwin's Wood, 29 March
76) Linnet, Bovingdon Brick Pits, 26 March
75) Red-legged Partridge, Chenies, 22 March
74) Common Chiffchaff, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 19 March
73) Reed Bunting, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 6 March
72) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, Shardeloes Lake, 27 February
71) Blackcap, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 27 February
70) WATER RAIL, Millfields Allotments, Chesham Waterside, 17 February
69) Common Kingfisher, Chesham Waterside, 13 February
68) Little Owl (5), Valley Farm, 6 February
67) COMMON RAVEN, Frogmore Meadow, 6 February
66) COMMON SNIPE (3 birds), Crestyl Watercress Beds, 6 February
65) GREEN SANDPIPER (3 birds), Chess Valley, 6 February
64) Mistle Thrush, Latimer Hall, 6 February
63) Nuthatch, Penn Wood, 6 February
62) LESSER REDPOLL, Penn Wood, 6 February
61) COMMON CROSSBILL, Penn Wood, 6 February
60) Lesser Black-backed Gull, Shardeloes Lake, 6 February
59) Tawny Owl, Shardeloes Lake, 6 February
58) Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch House, 2 February
57) Green Woodpecker, Shardeloes Lake, 6 February
56) MANDARIN DUCK (11 birds), Shardeloes Lake, 6 February
55) Great Crested Grebe, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 28 January
54) Ring-necked Parakeet, Chenies Village, 5 February
53) Argenteus Herring Gull, Shardeloes Lake, 27 January
52) Meadow Pipit, School Lane, Old Amersham, 27 January
51) Stock Dove, Hyde Lane, 25 January
50) EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (658), Hyde Lane, 24 January
49) LAPWING (112), Hyde Lane, 24 January
48) Little Egret, Bois Mill, 8 January
47) Northern Pochard, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 6 January
46) Gadwall, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 6 January
45) Bullfinch, Penn Wood, 6 January
44) Common Buzzard, Penn Wood, 6 January
43) SISKIN, Penn Wood, 6 January
42) Jay, Penn Wood, 6 January
41) Greenfinch (389 in roost), Penn Wood, 6 January
40) BRAMBLING (61 roosting birds), Penn Wood, 6 January
39) Yellowhammer (70), School Lane, Old Amersham, 1 January
38) Goldfinch, 1 January
37) Chaffinch, 1 January
36) House Sparrow, 1 January
35) Common Starling, 1 January
34) Carrion Crow, 1 January
33) Rook, 1 January
32) Jackdaw, 1 January
31) Common Magpie, 1 January
30) Long-tailed Tit, 1 January
29) Blue Tit, 1 January
28) Coal Tit, 1 January
27) Great Tit, 1 January
26) Common Blackbird, 1 January
25) Fieldfare, 1 January
24) Redwing, 1 January
23) Song Thrush, 1 January
22) Robin, 1 January
21) Dunnock, 1 January
20) Wren, 1 January
19) Grey Wagtail, 1 January
18) Pied Wagtail, 1 January
17) Collared Dove, 1 january
16) Woodpigeon, 1 January
15) Common Gull, 1 January
14) Black-headed Gull, 1 January
13) Coot, 1 January
12) Moorhen, 1 January
11) Common Pheasant, 1 January
10) Common Kestrel, 1 January
9) Red Kite, 1 January
8) Tufted Duck, 1 January
7) COMMON TEAL (4), Chenies Bottom, 1 January
6) Mallard, 1 January
5) Atlantic Canada Goose, 1 January
4) Mute Swan, 1 January
3) Grey Heron, 1 January
2) Continental Cormorant, Bois Mill Fishing lake, 1 January
1) Little Grebe, Chenies Bottom, 1 january

Species Recorded in the Amersham Recording Area in 2011

94) EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (13), Copperkins Lane, Chesham Bois, 29 December
93) NORTHERN WHEATEAR, Chenies, 17 September
92) YELLOW WAGTAIL (2), Shardeloes Lake, 4 September
91) SEDGE WARBLER (5), Shardeloes Lake, 17 August
90) SAND MARTIN, Shardeloes Lake, 08 August
89) COMMON CROSSBILL, Chilton's Wood, Chorleywood, 07 August
88) PIED FLYCATCHER, Shardeloes Lake, 01 August
87) COMMON REDSTART, Shardeloes Lake, 01 August
86) Ring-necked Parakeet, Chaffinch House, 01 June
85) Lesser Whitethroat, Bovingdon Claypits, 31 May
84) SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (pair), Blackwell Lodge, 17 May
83) Red-legged Partridge, Martintop Farm, 17 May
82) Garden Warbler, 3 singing males, Chess Valley, 17 May
81) Common Swift, Little Chalfont, 12 May
80) Eurasian Skylark, Lane Wood, 17 May
79) Western Reed Warbler, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 17 April
78) Common Whitethroat, Mill Farm Meadows/Frogmore, 17 April
77) Willow Warbler, Chesham Pow Wow Lake, 05 April
76) European Barn Swallow, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 05 April
75) House Martin, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 05 April
74) Common Treecreeper, Shardeloes Lake, 05 April
73) Bullfinch
72) Blackcap, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 01 April
71) Meadow Pipit, Chalfont St Giles, 28 March
70) Common Chiffchaff, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 21 March
69) BRAMBLING, Penn Wood, 1 February
68) LESSER REDPOLL, Hyde Heath, 1 February
67) Yellowhammer, Shardeloes Lake, 26 January
66) WATER RAIL, Shardeloes Lake, 26 January
65) Common Buzzard, Great Water, 26 January
64) Marsh Tit, Wallace's Wood, Chenies Bottom, 26 January
63) FIRECREST, Hogback Wood, Beaconsfield, 21/1
62) Great Crested Grebe, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 18 January
61) Sinensis Cormorant, Bois Mill Pond, 18 January
60) Fieldfare, Chenies, 4 January
59) LAPWING (12), Chenies, 4 January
58) SHOVELER, Chesham Pow Wow Lake, 3 January
57) Long-tailed Tit, Hyde Heath, 2 January
56) MANDARIN DUCK, Shardeloes Lake, 2 January
55) Redwing, Penn, 2 January
54) Goldcrest, Penn Wood, 2 January
53) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, Beaconsfield Tip, 2 January
52) Lesser Black-backed Gull, Beaconsfield Tip, 2 January
51) Herring Gull, Beaconsfield Tip, 2 January
50) SISKIN, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
49) Greenfinch, Latimer, 1 January
48) Goldfinch, Chaffinch House, 1 January
47) Chaffinch, Chess Valley, 1 January
46) House Sparrow, Chaffinch House, 1 January
45) Common Starling, Chaffinch House, 1 January
44) Carrion Crow, Chess Valley, 1 January
43) Rook, Chesham, 1 January
42) Jackdaw, Chess Valley, 1 January
41) Jay, Chess Valley, 1 January
40) Common Magpie, Chesham, 1 January
39) Nuthatch, Neptune Falls, 1 January
38) Blue Tit, Chaffinch House, 1 January
37) Coal Tit, Chesham, 1 January
36) Great Tit, Chess Valley, 1 January
35) Common Blackbird, Chaffinch House, 1 January
34) Mistle Thrush, Latimer, 1 January
33) Song Thrush, Chaffinch House, 1 January
32) Robin, Chaffinch House, 1 January
31) Dunnock, Chaffinch House, 1 January
30) BOHEMIAN WAXWING (82), Chesham Broadway, 1 January
29) Wren, Chess Valley, 1 January
28) Grey Wagtail, Chess Valley, 1 January
27) Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch House, 1 January
26) Great Spotted Woodpecker, Latimer, 1 January
25) Green Woodpecker, Latimer, 1 January
24) Common Kingfisher, Chesham Fishing Lakes, 1 January
23) Tawny Owl, Little Chalfont, 1 January
22) Stock Dove, Latimer, 1 January
21) Collared Dove, Chaffinch House, 1 January
20) Woodpigeon, Chaffinch House, 1 January
19) Common Gull, Great Water, 1 January
18) Black-headed Gull, Chess Valley, 1 January
17) Coot, Chess Valley, 1 January
16) Moorhen, Chess Valley, 1 January
15) Common Pheasant 1 January
14) Common Kestrel Chess Valley, 1 January
13) Red Kite Chesham, 1 January
12) GOOSANDER Chesham Fishing Pit, 1 January
11) Tufted Duck Chesham Fishing Pits, 1 January
10) Northern Pochard Chesham Fishing Pits, 1 January
9) COMMON TEAL Chenies Bottom (4 birds); 1 January
8) Gadwall Great Water 1 January
7) Mallard Chess Valley 1 Jan
6) Atlantic Canada Goose
5) GREYLAG GOOSE Great Water, Latimer 1 January
4) Mute Swan Chess Valley 1 Jan
3) Little Egret Chess Valley 1 January
2) Grey Heron Chess Valley 1 January
1) Little Grebe 1 January

Species recorded in 'Recording Area' in 2010