Gowerdale
Private Property of Hawnby and Arden Estate
This private estate does have a limited public access via footpaths which are taken by this route from the car parking area and then down into Gowerdale skirting the valley as far as Sunny Bank,
This area has always been a known location for the rare Duke of Burgundy but in recent times scrub encrouchment has reduced the amount of available area but this is now being reversed by extensive management by Butterfly Conservation volunteers each winter.
Sections:
S1+S2 are intensively farmed agricultural field margins and have a good numbers of species like Ringlet, Meadow Brown
S3 is moorland edge and has very good numbers of threatened Small Heath, Small Copper and Green Hairstreaks.
As we approach the woodland in S4 Duke of Burgundy , Wall, Dark-green Fritillaries, Dingy Skipper and a array of grassland species like Small Heath, Small Copper and Common Blue which continue in S5.
Results 2023
Overall numbers down -30% against the county average -41% so better than most even with the disaster of so few whites see graphic above. The Whites were down over 95% here while elsewhere about -50% which likely because they fly in from surrounding farmland. Greatly reduced numbers of the vanessids worse again than the county average with Comma and Tortoiseshell nearly disappearing.
Like elsewhere Peacock did better than last year with a massive improvement . Great to have Duke of Burgundy up while at Hawnby they were down a third. Large and Dingy skipper were also up on last year. While teh majority of Browns were down 50% in common with the county Ringlet managed to increase which was in common with other well drained limestone sites. Fritillaries had a very torrid time everywhere but they will return.
Overall not bad considering what a crap year!
Results 2023
More intensive monitoring shows us what a wonderful site this location is.