Fermyn Woods Butterfly Walk & Lyveden New Bield Walk

It's been a while since I last walked in the Rockingham Forest part of the County. No better time than now though with  the chance of spotting the rare and elusive Purple Emperor Butterfly. Parked up in nearby Brigstock I made the short walk over the flyover to the car park and Information centre a Fermyn Woods.

I did manage to spot a Purple Emperor or two about 10 years ago. They are hard to see though, as they spend most of their time in the tree canopy. They don't like flowers either.. Preferring rotting fruit and animals droppings. This is the best time of year and they reside in Ancient Woodland. Fermyn Woods is a good place at anytime foe wildlife spotting. A mixed landscape of meadows, marshes, ponds and forest. Time to get off the beaten track, although there are very few people about anyway. 

Red Admiral

Bird life is quiet in July , most of the hard work raising young is now complete. It is though peak season for those who like to look for and study insects (Entomology). Long light days and dry warm conditions are just the ticket for them. There are butterflies in abundance in the long grass and verges. A pair of mating 'Silver Washed Fritillaries' is a good spot. Deep orange with black spots on the upper side of its wings, and has a wingspan of 54–70 mm. The silver-washed fritillary was in decline in the UK for much of the 1970s and 1980s, but seems to be coming back to many of its old territories. 

Peacock

Comma

Small Heath ( left) and Gatekeeper

Mating Silver-Washed Fritillaries

I came across a group of people all searching for the Purple Emperor. They had long lenses and various other optical items. I asked if they had seen anything interesting? One of the group was quite convinced that he had seen a PE in the tree tops. His friends however seemed less convinced. Plenty of Ringlets, Gatekeepers, Small Heath and Meadow Browns we all agreed. I carried on in the direction of the Welland Airfield.    

Small Skipper (Left) and Ringlet

A very nice lady out walking pointed out the Lancaster Bomber memorial. The Lancaster DV361 crashed close by on December 22nd 1943. The plaque is a bit faded but you can read the following. 

'IN MEMORY OF
Flight Sergeant Cecil Ryall, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Royal Australian Air Force

Sergeant Thomas Higgins, Air Gunner, Royal Air Force

Sergeant George O'Neill, Air Gunner, Royal Air Force

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM'

'On 22nd December 1943 Lancaster DV361 set off on a cross country test flight, piloted by P/O GA Baker. There was an engine fire which could not be extinguished and the crew were ordered to bale out. Sadly, three of the crew were killed. 

Taking a path back through Fermyn Woods I came across a footpath marker for the 'Lyveden Way'. A 10 mile long route  opened in September 2005 as part of the 400th anniversary of Lyveden New Bield, an Elizabethan lodge and moated garden. It continues as far as Wadenhoe and is Northamptonshire's seventh long distance path. Always a stunning site begun by Sir Thomas Tresham to symbolise his Catholic faith, Lyveden remains incomplete and virtually unaltered since work stopped on his death in 1605. I have written about it before on a different blog in more detail. 

Lyveden New Bield

Leaving LNB behind I continue back up to the road. Continuing on the road past the airstrip and eventually back to Fermyn Woods. This time I take a different route back through the woods in the hope of seeing the PE.Alas it was not to be this time. I have seen an awful lot of other interesting Butterflies and insects so I'm not too disappointed.

Here is a picture taken 10 years ago at Fermyn Woods of a Purple Emperor. This particular beauty was enjoying itself feasting on some bird muck on my car bonnet!  It was so engrossed it was totally unaware of my presence. It won't be long before I'm back over again.

A really enjoyable walk at 8.3 leisurely miles.