Girvan to SWT Grey Hill–11th August 2012

Not many butterflies about this year so we decided as it was nice and sunny, to go in search of them. We looked up The Scottish Wildlife Trusts Grey Hill Grasslands online and saw that it was good for butterflies. We hadn’t been before, but weren’t disappointed, I think we saw 9 species in total! Here is a summary of our walk and our sightings.

We parked in the lay-by just south of Girvan, there are toilets and refreshments here. The Rooks were loitering waiting for tit bits left by those using the refreshment kiosk.

Ringlet Butterfly

We followed the coast for a while going through a patch of “waste”  ground by the retirement home. This is a great place for invertebrates with plenty of ragwort, mallow, yarrow etc.

Green-veined White Butterfly

Udea Lutealis Moth

Mallow

Rocky shore

Another white butterfly

Looking back towards Girvan

Jst past the burn you turn left up a farm track.

Willowherb

We followed the track as it winds up the hill

Girvan starting to look very small now

Through a cow field but still on the track. Looks like this one got his ear tack caught on something and its ripped part of its ear off!

Grasshopper

A pleasant surprise, we were welcomed by several friendly donkeys!

Posing for a shot!

Byne Hill

On a clear day you can see for miles up here

Common Blue butterfly

Antler Moth on Ragwort

Craufurd Monument with Ailsa Craig beyond

This neglected monument was erected in memory of Major Archibald C B Craufurd from Ardmillan Estate who took part in the capture of the Cape of Good Hope. Apparently there used to be a plaque on it but this was removed and dumped in the woods below.

Small Copper Butterfly

Common Blue Butterfly

Another Small Copper

There was a Kestrel hovering about here plus a Sparrowhawk but I didn’t manage to capture

Cicadella viridis, didn’t manage a very good photo before it hopped away!

We finally reached the reserve, the entrance isn’t very obvious as it is between farm walls, it could be made so much more straight forward if you were directed through the gate before the wall and you wouldn’t need to go near the house.

Small Tortoiseshell butterfly

Grass of Parnassus

Ragged Robin

The path is quite rough and boggy but there are great views

You follow the dry stone wall mainly but there are markers

Scotch Argus Butterfly, the first I have seen this year.

Common Darter

Buzzard

Ragged Robin

The wall continues over the burn. We met a coupe of walkers here, the first people we had come across since Girvan.

The dr stane dyke goes on for miles!

Sheeps skull

I chased this Grayling butterfly for a while before it settled on the wall, a good place to look out for them.

Small Tortoiseshell

Sneezewort

You can just see the windfarm in the distance

Fritillary, presumably Small Pearl Bordered

Strange cocoons on the soft rush, I later found out these belong to a parasitic wasp probably Microgastrinae sp

Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus on Grass of Parnassus

Almost reached the end of the linear reserve path now, time to head back.

Newtpol in puddle

A very tatty Meadow Brown

Black Clock Beetle-Pterostichus-madidus

There was a Peregrine hovering above the rocks but again, I didn’t manage a photo

Back to sea level again

Caterpillars on stinging nettles, Small Tortoiseshell i think.

A great walk and lots of sightings!