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Donegal Report Sept - Oct 2007


Details of Visit to Donegal by Bob Aldwell October 01 – 07 2007

The weather was mainly calm due to the presence of high pressure. There was a good deal of cloud most days with occasional sun but Oct 01 was very bright and sunny with sunshine. The other days except for Oct 03 and 07 had above average maximum daytime temperatures.

Oct 01 – Glenties – Ardun - Meenalargan – Moneybeg – Dunlewy Lough - Cruit Island.
10km squares G89, B91, B92, B72. Weather warm and sunny with temperature up to 19o C and sunshine for about eleven hours in west Donegal

Drumnasillagh  - damp meadow with DBS – G8295 9333 – P 1, SmT 3.
Ardun – south-facing damp meadow with DBS and hedges – G8602 9397 – SmT 1, SpW 1.
Meenalargan – sheltered road verge adjoining conifer plantation – G8103 9630 – SmT 5, SpW 1.
Money Beg – track at edge of blanket bog and adjoining small conifer plantation with local concentration of DBS where single MF web seen in September –  B9048 2013 - two MF webs.
Nr Lough Dunlewy – verge between minor road and blanket bog with local concentration of DBS and conifer wood across road – B9042 1994 – P 3, SmT 6+, SpW 1 – no MF but likely site
Cruit Island – maritime heath close to Donegal Thatched Cottages – B7320 2117 – two MF webs
In area where 100+ seen in early September - other larvae hidden in low-lying webs?


Oct 02 – Jackstown  - 10km square B81 – weather sunny and 18o C in mid-afternoon

Jackstown – at roadside adjoining scrubby wood – B8254 1997 – SpW 1
Jackstown – sheltered garden entrance with wild and cultivated flowers – B8252 1995 – RA 1.


Oct 03 – Shannagh – Dactan – 10km squares G67, G97 – passing cold front,  showery, temperature 13o-15o C

Dactan – at door of Danny Gilespie’s house – G6295 7452 – one LW larva moving to pupate
Shannagh – along  sheltered verge of  minor road with dense linear DBS – G9807 7452 – one  small MF web – A new 10km square  for MF


Oct 04 – Clonmany –Tullagh - Isle of Doagh  - Lagg – Malin Head
10km sqs C33, C34, C35, C45 – weather warm with mixed sun and cloud and temperature of 16o C

Umrycan – along minor road through blanket bog with DBS along roadside but no sustained 
stretches of dense DBS. Checked for MF webs but no signs – only a  possible site for MF
Clonmany – on dandelion in field adjoining road– C378 462 - SmT 1 
Tullagh – maritime heath with scattered DBS; no dense DBS and no MF webs seen - C3721 3497 – but better DBS at C3410 4988 – worth checking in MF flight period but habitat appears partially degraded.
Doagh Isle – on hill nr sea, plentiful DBS - C422 518 – no signs of MF webs – too exposed/dry.
Ardmalin – in boggy meadows with widespread DBS but not dominant – C4402 5818 -
- checked for MF webs but once again none seen.


Oct 05 – Carrick Hill – Glenard – Drumaville –Knockamany 
10km squares C32, C43, C44, C45 – weather 16/17o C with hazy sunshine – with Dermott McLaughlin at Carrick Hill and Paddy McCrossan at Drumaville and Knockamany

Carrick Hill – roadside and hillside with damp heath & scattered DBS - C367 276 - no MF webs.
Glenard – along minor road to windmills in hillside blanket bog  - C4583 3317 – SmT
Glenard – plantation track through blanket bog with scattered DBS – C4393 3362 and C4404 3395 – no signs of MF webs but a possible MF site for checking during flight period.
Drumaville – small heathy meadow with patches of DBS – C4861 4805 – SmT 2 – possible MF site for checking during MF flight period.
Knockamany – sunny roadside bank with plentiful DBS –unlikely MF site – SmT 1


Oct 06 –  Aught – Ture – Greencastle – Eleven Ballyboes - Balleeghan  - 10km squares C42, C43, C64 - Weather cloudy with temperature of 16o C

Aught – roadside close to Ruddy household with DBS and Bilberry – C4796 2926 – gave them a copy of the DNFC butterfly brochure – no MF webs seen, appears good area for GH.
Ture – cul-de-sac adjoining blanket bog, variety of natural vegetation – C4695 5976  - SpW 1
South side of Glackmore Hill – along minor road (cul-de sac)  C4663 3011 to C4684 3029 – plentiful bilberry and likely GH site.
Greencastle – nr Castle and along shore walk – C6563 4039 –  RA 1, SmT 2 
Greencastle Shore Walk – C6556 4034 – on valerian PL 1, SmT 1
Balleeghan – track through blanket bog with scattered DBS, Bilberry and Gorse – C6459 4207 to C6410 4272 – good prospects for GH
Ballymacarthur – lane with DBS, Bilberry and Gorse – C6397 4242 – good prospects for GH
Eleven Ballyboes – met with Con O’Donnell at his home - C6478 4075 – he reported on Oct 05 
- P 1, and SmT 3.


Oct 07 – Shannagh – Lough Avehy – 10km squares G97, H06 – weather cloudy and misty with temperature of 13o C

Shannagh – revisit new MF site discovered on Oct 03– dense DBS along an uncut road verge
G9807 7127 – one MF web as on Oct 03,  no others seen
SW of Lough Avehy – in blanket bog, along road and adjoining the lake – scattered DBS but no dense patches seen and no MF webs found  - H0330 6639
South of Lough Avehy and nr entrance to FEL forestry plantation: along wide verge on south side of road in dip with south-facing slope found dense DBS – H0395 6626 - one large MF web seen - A new 10km square record for the Donegal part of 10km square H06 (about half this 10km square is in Fermanagh, where MF has been recorded in recent years).


Overall Summary for Donegal Butterflies from September 15 – October 15

The relatively mild weather resulted in some butterflies continuing to fly throughout this period. Small Tortoiseshells were especially noticeable with just a few Peacocks, with Akke Simms reporting a late Peacock at Lifford on Oct 10. Painted Ladies were rare with Joanna O’Kane at Cavanacor, Ballindrait seeing one in her garden on Sept 16/19/20, Anne Barton at Eden, Rosbeg reported one in her garden on September 24 and 25 and Liz Sheppard at Carnowen, Raphoe had one on Sept 25/26/27 as well as my Greencastle sighting on Oct 06. Red Admirals were widespread but mostly singles with the latest ones seen by Richard McCafferty as a single in his garden at Glenties on Oct 10 and Frank Smyth reported one at Murvagh also on Oct 10. Other late flyers were SpWs and Frank Smyth reported a GVW at Murvagh on Oct 10. 

Bob Aldwell

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