Commathe No.89 Autumn 2014 Regional Magazine of West Midlands Butterfly Conservation Photographic competition winners... Order your 2015 Calendar now! Limited stocks ies and moths bac g butterfl k to Br ringin itain B • ww w.we stmid lands-butterflies.org.uk Chairman’s Briefing An eventful summer is good news for all our members reetings, I hope you get The Comma three times a year! Gyou had an I would also like to welcome as new Cover story enjoyable summer. Committee members Simon Primrose, Brown Hairstreak Mike Our front cover picture of a My highlight was Champion ( Small Williams stunning male Brown Hairstreak seeing six is now our Marketing and Coppers Mel Mason was taken by keen photographer on Ragwort Publicity Officer) and , Pete Withers, of Bewdley, at high on the Malvern who will join us as Malvern Hills Branch Chairman John Grafton Wood Nature Reserve. Hills. Whilst not the representative. Earlier in the year Peter Seal Dover You can read about the new most unusual sighting left us due to pressure of other Brown Hairstreak "champion" it reminded me of seeing them on Mint commitments, but I hope we can draw on Page 6, the Grafton Wood in my childhood garden, one of the on his expertise when needed. butterfly walk on Page 11, the experiences which led to an enduring • raise more funds; and ancient woodland and open heathland Chief Executive Dr Martin Interaction with Head Office Brown Hairstreak storyline in interest in butterflies. Earlier articles in • increase and retain membership, we seek to protect, there is some scope Warren (right) with The Comma The Archers on Page 14, and the have outlined efforts to help The first significant task the Committee encouraging members to support their for work in urban green corridors, members of the branch Grayling annual Grafton Wood open day the on the Malvern Hills and charged me with when I took over local work party – our wardens will including brownfield sites, road verges, during his visit to Grafton John Tilt on Page 29. we aim to support the Conservators there from in March was to follow welcome you with open arms. See parks and waterways. A bequest to BC Wood. From left: Ian Hart, by making maximum use of a legacy up our interaction with Head Office. our winter programme on Page 30. to be administered by one of our John Tilt, Simon Primrose, granted to us by the Albright Trust – we Thankfully we’d reached a better shared members (an ex-chairman no less) may Trevor Bucknall, Steve Contributions hope through matched funding. understanding of our relationship on the I have spent most of my adult life in afford the opportunity for a matchpot Williams, Robin Hemming, financial front but there were other Birmingham to which I had the good funding bid to take this forward. Peter Seal (Mike Williams) Please send articles and images New Regional Officer aspects to explore. Martin Warren, fortune to return in July and assist with a There are many small scale initiatives to the editor at: thecomma@ First and foremost I would like to extend Chief Executive, came up from Dorset in butterfly walk along the River Cole led we could be associated with. As an btinternet.com. The opinions a very warm welcome to Rhona May to see us for a very positive by Jan Tomlinson, Birmingham Park example the Rea Valley Conservation expressed in this newsletter are Goddard. Rhona is now in ..more than day which was rounded off by Ranger. Nothing unusual to report but Group has been running for many years not necessarily those of the West post three days a week and 70% of the a sun-filled walk round the family orientated event at Sarehole in South Birmingham and undertakes Midlands Branch or Butterfly will be supervised by Jenny population covered Grafton Wood. This led to Mill was well organised and in turn practical work to improve the by our Branch live Conservation. Joy who we also welcome discussion about priorities, well attended. surroundings and help wildlife – do in an urban back to her Senior Regional environment an exercise given extra Birmingham with its wildlife corridors consider joining them to give urban Company limited by Officer post two days per incentive by renewed Regional is far from devoid of interest. I remember butterflies a boost. To join contact guarantee, registered Copy deadline week. Their early priorities are the Officer input. a Small Heath on my lawn in Kings Roland Kedge on 0121 477 2629 in England (2206468) The deadline for editorial Wood White project across three We took the opportunity to share our Norton – admittedly in the hot summer To take a wider view of opportunities for Registered office: contributions to the Winter counties, the next phase in the Wyre views on the Regional Officer role and of 1976. And this brings me on to an development across the West Midlands Manor Yard, East Lulworth, edition of The Comma is Forest and volunteer based activity on priorities but we also have adopted a set important point: more than 70% of the region and to help members become more Wareham, Dorset BH20 5QP. 12th January 2015. Cannock Chase. I would also like to of broad priorities. These include: population covered by our Branch live in involved, the Committee wants to take Charity registered in welcome all those who have joined us • strengthen joint working between paid an urban environment. forward plans to put in place local or England & Wales this year. Remember, even if you are not staff and the Branch; county networks. A couple of options are (254937) in a position to join activities, just • maintain reserves and other Urban green corridors under discussion and I hope to be able to and in Scotland renewing your membership helps in the landscape scale conservation projects Whilst it is right that our resources are (SCO39268) Batch Number: C015022 goal of protecting wild butterflies – and in line with our Regional Action Plan; focused on prime sites such as the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 2 the Comma Autumn 2014 3 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Need to Know about Butterflies in in Harborne. Do let me know if the West Midlands” – proceeds to there is a favourite walk of yours Wood White publicise these in the next edition of Branch funds. This is to be led by which would qualify. (Dave Williams) The Comma. Our New Members another ex-chairman, Ian Duncan. Finally, I want to take the Mating pair of Day on 31st May proved to be a We are at an early stage with opportunity to pay tribute to those Dingy Skippers great success (see Page 5), but it is scoping out the task and it is involved in producing The Comma. (Dave Williams) the case that such events need a lot dependent on obtaining funds. We Becoming more closely involved of preparation. If we are to get local are seeking your help by identifying has demonstrated how much goes groups off the ground it will be butterfly walks. Our “30 Walks in into preparing an accurate edition important that people come forward the West Midlands” has sold out and getting it out to over a to help with the organisation. One and we wish to produce an update thousand members. Producing The way of doing this would be to have within the new publication, or if not, Comma is essential, however the two leaders or coordinators to as a revised walks booklet. We postage costs weigh heavily on our support each other. would like to increase the walks limited budget. One thing would featured to 50 and include more help us: is there a local business New booklet urban routes. I am sure the Cole which could assist us with franking? One other initiative I must mention and Rea Valley would be suitable is the production of a book “All you and indeed the disused railway line Spotlight on Rhona Goddard West Midlands Branch : Chairman Peter Seal sent a can’t remember exactly when I developed an Llanymynech golf course and Llynclys Quarry. This personal invitation to our I interest in butterflies, it could have stemmed from was for the benefit of a number of species including new members to visit the New Members’ a school project or an afternoon walk spent with Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Small Pearl- Wyre Forest to see some of my family. The only thing that I can be certain about bordered Fritillary, Grizzled Skipper, is that my parent’s enthusiasm and love for nature Dingy Skipper and Grayling. our more interesting Day triumph definitely had a huge influence. I’ve been working butterflies and moths. in conservation for almost 10 years. Dedicated volunteers I started at Slapton Ley NNR where I was However, none of this would have been possible his New Members’ Day was found Pearl-bordered Fritillary “Back to Orange” project involved with a number of projects including a without working with and supporting a number Talso a golden opportunity for and Dingy Skipper. The management of Wyre Forest has Large Blue habitat restoration project. When I of very dedicated volunteers, who helped with them to meet some of our members been a long-term project for the West moved to the Great Orme Country Park again I every aspect of the project including botanical and hear about our activities. Butterflies:14 Pearl-bordered Midlands Butterfly Conservation. The had a varied role, which included rounding up the and butterfly monitoring, erecting fences, scrub Twenty new members attended and Fritillary, Small Pearl-bordered “Back to Orange” project and its Fritillary, Peacock, Speckled Orme goats, restoring areas of heathland, and clearance and checking livestock.