Hull Railway Triangles: KC stadium triangle in June

I was at this site a few days ago, it looked fantastic, with plenty of flowers, but the morning was cloudy and cool. I planned a visit for a sunny morning for a butterfly count, and today was the day, sunny, warm and with barely a breeze all day. It was already quite hot at 8 am, with plenty of butterflies on the wing.

The view to the south west.

Near the western corner of the triangle.

Looking to the east with Hull Royal Infirmary in the horizon.

The grassland was a riot of flowering Field Scabious, knapweed, Ragwort and Creeping Thistles (top shot). There has been some tree planting with plastic guards but the trees haven't done so well. It is such a shame to convert this beautiful grassland into a wood! This type of habitat is often dismissed as 'rough ground' or 'waste ground', but they are a rare habitat, especially in the city, and they are biodiversity rich. There are rabbits on the site, and they contribute to maintaining the grassland. Some of the paths are mowed, which maintains access, but I'm not sure of any other management. 

Agrimony, Agrimonia eupatoria.

Butterflies galore!

The east and west side of the triangle fall in different km2 and I try and do two butterfly counts. It proves tricky to keep track of all butterflies though! There are so many that some of my species counts would be gross underestimates, especially whites and skippers that need closer examination to determine species, but also ringlets as there so many bobbing about.

Ringlet on Creeping Thistle.

 I'm trying to pay especial attention to skippers, as I had another Essex Skipper yesterday at the Amazing Community Garden and I wonder if they are much more widespread than believed. I don't make a lot of headway, there are dozens of skippers chasing about, they are very active and hard to approach, the light also is very harsh and I'm finding it tricky to get any photos of them sitting and from the right angle. Eventually I manage a few photos, two individuals are Small Skippers, but then, bingo an Essex Skipper! 

Small Skipper.

Small Skipper. Note the brown underside of the antennae tip.

Two views of the Essex Skipper feeding on Field Scabious. This is the diagnostic face-on view of the antennae, showing the black tip.

Green-veined White.

A Cinnabar Moth.

Large White.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Meadow Brown.

Linnet on Giant Hogweed.

Bird highlights included Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Greenfich. A flock of Goldfinches fed on thistle, with the first clumps of thistle down floating in the air. 

On the way back, near the entrance, a large leaf-cutter is feeding on a thistle flower. 

Megachile sp. on thistle.