Lamsdell Bird Ringing and Wildlife Blog: Noar Hill

Saturday 24 April 2021

Noar Hill - 23rd April 2021

The day had warmed up nicely and we visited Noar Hill hoping to see Duke of Burgundy butterflies soon after emergence. These butterflies were once classified as a fritillary due to the similarity to those fritillary species found in the British Isles. It is, however, the UK's only representative of the subfamily known as 'metal marks'.

Duke of Burgundy

These butterflies are really quite small and well camouflaged but we managed to locate seven, mainly in the sheltered areas of the chalk pits.

Chalk pit habitat of the dukes

There are other butterflies at Noar hill too. Several Brimstone butterflies were seen.

Egg laying Brimstone female

Green Hairstreak

Cowslips and Violets are scattered across the hill.

Cowslips

More finds in the lane leading to the hill.

Holly Blue

Lesser Celandine

Dandelion

About us

Chris and Denise Lamsdell

We have both been birders for about 40 years based in South Bucks near the West London reservoir complexes.

Since September 2021 we have been based in North Norfolk. We have done our bit of twitching in the past, but with other priorities this has become a much reduced activity with a preference for seeing new birds where ever our travels take us.

We both have been ringing since 2005. Our local group was the Runnymede RG while based in Buckinghamshire. Since moving to Norfolk we have started a new group called The Iceni Bird Monitoring Group, aimed at increasing public engagement through colour ringing projects on Black-headed Gull, Turnstone and Lapwing. We ring at several sites including Sculthorpe Moor, Sandringham Estate, Deepdale Farm and also monitor bird populations for the Norfolk Rivers Trust. We do ringing at home and support with foreign projects when opportunities allow. Chris also has an interest in Butterflies and Dragonflies and contains his limited photographic skill to them.