2nd June - Portsdown Hill and Old Winchester Hill, Hampshire

Monday looked like the best day of the first week of June, the forecast showing sunshine for most of the day.  With reports of Marbled Whites at Portsdown Hill and a chance the orchids may have progressed I decided to head there first.  I was hoping today would be a good butterfly day.

The view as I parked was lovely in the morning sunshine, the tide out in Portsmouth harbours, but sufficiently deep for the warships that were at anchor.

It didn't take long to find the Marbled Whites, there were several flying amongst the short grass as I scrambled down the side of the hill.

A stunning male looking like it has just emerged.

The last two visits here have been in overcast and damp conditions so it was wonderful to see the chalk of the Portsdown cliff against the blue sky.

I was disappointed not to see any orchid spikes as I arrived at the triangle site.  It took awhile but I eventually found one Lizard Orchid, probably the same one Ian and I had seen just over a week ago.  It looked like it was suffering from the lack of rain, the flowers looking wilted and tired.

There wasn't any sign of the Bee Orchids, hopefully a little too early still, but there were plenty of Pyramidal Orchids just beginning to emerge.

Rather than climb the west side of the cliff I decided to retrace my steps back to the lay by where the car was parked.  A Buzzard was being mobbed by a Carrion Crow along the edge of the chalk cliffs.

Just before I started the ascent up the hill I came across another butterfly first for the year, the ubiquitous Meadow Brown, the first and maybe one of the last photographs of this commonly seen butterfly.

Other butterflies seen were a single Holly Blue, two Red Admiral and several Brimstone.

From Portsdown I drove over the downs to Old Winchester Hill, my first visit of the year.  I walked from the car park along the top path and was surprised by the short grass, normally by now this would be quite long and blowing in the breeze.  So with the short grass the only butterfly was the Small Heath.

Once I reached the flowering bramble things picked up, several male Brimstones nectaring on the flowers.

A very worn and faded Painted Lady flew past me, still, despite the state of the wings, a very strong flyer.  It settled on the bramble.

Then a little further along I came across half a dozen immaculate Painted Ladies, more indication that this could be a very good year for this lovely butterfly.

Just as I was about to leave the bramble I followed two orange butterflies, only one settled and showed itself as a Small Tortoiseshell, a butterfly that is becoming quite rare these days.

At the bridleway to the HillFort, on the other side of the fence a=was a bank covered with purple Vetch.

I walked through the Yew Forest and down on to the track that follows the slope to the fort.  Down below I could hear Red Kite calling and stopped to watch four birds all together, I think these were immature birds from last year collecting in the dead branches of the Ash trees.

Walking around the moat of the fort, what was noticeable once again was the short grass and lack of wild flowers.

With no flowers I didn't see a single butterfly on the walk around the fort.  Back at the gate the Red Kites had taken to the air, showing well below and at at eye level.

The view looking back towards the fort.

Walking down the slope towards the Woodpecker Wood there were several Common Spotted Orchids.

A white variant.

The commoner pink variety.

And I was also able to find a single Chalk Fragrant Orchid.

Walking through the wood there were plenty of Speckled Wood in the sunny glades.

This path shows how dry the hill is.

I only saw three blue butterflies, two Common of which this was a very worn and faded specimen.

And a stunning male Adonis Blue.

I sat at the bottom of the slope and ate my lunch, as I did so there were Meadow Brown and a single Marbled White about.  The walk up the slope saw the four Red Kite appear with a Buzzard and a pair of Raven fly over.  Not a bad start to the month, but it looks like the weather will not be very helpful for the rest of the coming week.

31st May - Acres Down New Forest, Hampshire

After seeing the Honey Buzzards yesterday at Woolbeding I decided to go after a Hampshire Honey Buzzard and I decided on Acres Down as I hadn't been there for them yet this year.  The traffic was building up as I came off the motorway, but there was space in the car park.  I gathered up my equipment and lunch and walked up the hill and through th ecopse to the viewing point looking out over the forest towards the west.

I came across a Woodlark on the path and it allowed me to get close, but with all my stuff I couldn't reach the camera in time, and it flew across in front of me and over the back of the trees.  As I approached the viewing point I could hear Woodlark singing as well as Redstart and Tree Pipit.

First raptor to show not surprisingly was a Common Buzzard, quickly followed by several more.  There was cloud about, but it looked like it was breaking up as the sun started to warm things up.

Later the view was as spectacular as ever.

The first Honey Buzzard sighting cae from the south west area, appearing over the trees and immediately looking completely different from the Buzzards that you think are Honeys.  The first thing that hits you are the longer wings, then it is the length of the tail.  Finally the head appears to protrude more than a Buzzard.  As it turned you can see it gliding and soaring on flat wings, the Common Buzzard will hold them in more of a "V" shape, plus head on the Honey has a smooth down curving of the wings.

It was always too far to get a decent photograph once again, but I tried.

Another or possibly the same bird was picked up later and this came overhead but at an incredible height, turning out to be just a speck in the sky.

As well as the Goshawks there were at least two Goshawks, one coming into range of the camera, just.

After three hours and a quiet spell from the last Honey I decided to call it a day and walked back to the care.  A Painted Lady flew past me, never stopping.  

The view from the top of the slope that leads down to the car park.

In the car park there was a singing Firecrest, not something unusual these days.

So more Honey Buzzard sightings, but again all distant.  I am not sure if I will get another opportunity this year, although once their chicks have hatched and fledged apparently they show well then, we shall have to see.