Saxlingham Nethergate Butterfly Survey
Group/Individual: Abbie Powell and Jo Sanders
Location: Saxlingham Nethergate
Jo Sanders and Abbie Powell live in Saxlingham Nethergate and have recently helped Norfolk Wildlife Trust, as part of its Natural Connections Project, to survey the butterflies inhabiting their parish. Jo and Abbie mapped out a route around the parish meadow and Abbie’s perennial flowering garden and walked the route together on a weekly basis recording the butterflies they saw.
During the summers of 2008 and 2009 they recorded 20 species including an intriguing record of a pearl-bordered fritillary, a species that was thought to no longer occur in the county.
This sighting was given further substance by a similar record submitted independently by another resident of the parish, although unfortunately no photographic record was obtained. The Norfolk county recorder, Andy Brazil, visited the site and while he believed it to contain suitable habitat for the species no further sightings were made. The general conclusion is that it was probably released by a local breeder – but who knows? The incident goes to prove that there is always something interesting to see locally that can help plug gaps in our knowledge.
Jo and Abbie have enjoyed their butterfly walks and plan to continue surveying in coming years. Abbie said:
“We have had great fun recording the butterflies over the years, taking time out to just enjoy our village butterfly inhabitants and have become much more aware of wildlife in the village as part of the regular route we surveyed. We both feel that if people are interested in doing a survey in their village it would be beneficial to do the surveying with another person as we found it really helpful jointly counting, discussing and agreeing the species seen and it’s much more fun doing the survey with others to share the experience.”
Jo said:
“During my maternity leave I carried out the butterfly surveys with my daughter Rosie… it was great to enjoy the wildlife and get some exercise and fresh air for Rosie, and since she has become a toddler I still carry out the surveys with her as she runs around the meadow. I hope as she becomes older we can enjoy it together and she can have fun counting the butterflies. It was really good to be part of a community project, and I now appreciate the diversity of the wildlife in the village even more.