18th July - Portsdown Hill, Hampshire

A change in the weather, the temperatures were not going to be above 25 degrees today!  A nice northerly breeze would cool things off.  I met Ian at Portsdown Hill, we were there to look for the reported Brown Hairstreaks which would save us the long trek we normally take to Shipton Belinger to see this beautiful butterfly

Despite the breeze when sheltered the sun was still very warm even early in the morning.  As we walked around Fort Widley a yellow butterfly flew past and for once settled on the side of the path.  A Clouded Yellow and a chance for a photograph.

We walked through some glorious flower meadows with thistle, knapweed and wild carrot.  Despite the time of day there were plenty of butterflies, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown the most numerous, but also several Common Blues.

We eventually found the meadow where the Hairstreaks have been seen.  This butterfly likes Ash and blackthorn, there was plenty of this around the outside of the meadow, but the specific location I had been told of was not in the sun at the moment, so we walked the area that was.  Plenty of Oak and Ash and it wasn't a surprise to see Purple Hairstreak. 

In a sheltered spot a Migrant Hawker settled on a bush.

Another surprise was this Small Blue, clearly from a second brood it was settled on a grass stem.

We walked around the outside of the meadow without any luck.  There were plenty of juvenile and adult Swallows flying low over the flowers and the mown grass.  At times they would pass by us so close showing some incredible flying skills.  

We were deciding where to go next as we stood on the mown grass.  It was hard to ignore the swallows as they flew around and between  us.

Twisting and turning.

We decided to retrace our steps back to the car park and there was a wonderful show of butterflies along the path.  A male Brown Argus.

And more Small Blues.

But the highlight was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth that had a liking for Field Scabious.

Probably some of the best photographs I have taken of this delightful little day flying moth.

Even at the very high shutter speeds it was not possible to freeze the wings completely, but it does show the figure of eight pattern the wings take to enable it to hover.

The length of the proboscis is quite amazing.

More butterflies in the fields and by the side of the footpath.  A Small Heath.

And a smart male Common Blue.

Through the day we saw four raptors, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and this Red Kite that was being mobbed by Magpies.

Walking back from the cars we found a nice female Common Blue.

And the obligatory Painted Lady.

And the first Green-veined White of the day.

The sun was now on the blackthorn in the location I was told, but there wasn't any sign of the Brown Hairstreaks.  As the area warmed up Gatekeeper appeared and Meadow Brown.  A circuit of the filed once again found yet another Small Blue.

The density of the flowers in the meadow.

We stopped for lunch on a bench at the top of the hill and enjoyed the view and the cooling northerly breeze.  After lunch we set off once more down the side of the field.  A small orange butterfly set the pulses racing, but it turned out to be a Small Copper.

Still no sign of the hairstreaks and after several circuits we gave up.  Walking slowly for quite some time plays havoc with my back and I had to get a rest so we made our way back to the cars.  Another Painted Lady.

An what was probably the same Clouded Yellow we had seen at the start of the day was nectaring on Thyme.

Showing a little of that elusive upper wing pattern.

In total we saw twenty two butterfly species and two moths, but it was disappointing not to be able to include the Brown Hairstreak in that list.  Never mind, we always say that nature is not something that you can rely on to deliver, and it was a good day in great company.

16th July - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Still hot and officially a heatwave, but it felt fresher over the last few days and a lot more amenable to do things.  After the disappointment of last night once again I decided to spend some time back at the Haven.  As I arrived a message came in that there was a Ruff on the north scrape, I was yet to see one this year so I was pleased I had opted to come here.

I checked in at the cabin and then walked around the sea wall in a fresh breeze.  The tide was out and there were terns fishing offshore.  In the bay from the roadside there was a Common Sandpiper feeding on the exposed mud.

As I walked into the reserve all the birds on the south scrape appeared to go up.  Overhead were several Sandwich Terns.  From below they look a little like the Fairy Tern with the black eyes

For once I avoided the Meon Shore hide and made my way around to the Pumfrett Hide where there would be a better view of the north scrape.  I stopped at Darter's Dip briefly to get a close up of this Common Darter.

The Ruff was still present, but feeding i the far north eastern corner, still I was able to get a record shot.

The light from this hide in the early morning is poor and with the size of the reeds a lot of the scrape is not visible.  On the south scrape there were three Dunlin, all in breeding plumage on the exposed spit.

A Common Tern fishing over the south scrape.

The talk in the hide turned to butterflies and the possibility of finding hairstreaks along the Meon Road.  So a couple of us walked around to see if we could find some.  White Letter have been seen, but it might be a little late, Purple are more than likely there while the big hope was to find Brown Hairstreak.

You walk the canal path then across the road at the bends to a patch of Wych Elm and Oak.  There were a few butterflies about, but not what we were hoping for.  We walked through the line of trees to the footpath alongside the field of wheat.

There were more butterflies along the path and we soon found a Hairstreak, but not the ones hoped for.  A pair of Purple Hairstreak were mating on the leaves of a holly bush.

On the edge of the wheat field there was a Painted Lady.

And a male Common Blue.

While on the bushes and holly a lovely Holly Blue.

Only one hairstreak species out of the three hoped for but it was a pleasant walk and nice to see the Purple Hairstreak.

Back at the reserve I went into the Meon Shore hide where the conditions looked a lot different, water had been diverted on to the scrape.

The terns were very busy moving back and forth from the sea with fish.  It was nice to be able to catch up with a few Sandwich Terns.

The Common Terns were also busy with fish.

The familiar call of a Common Sandpiper heralded the arrival of one from the far side of the scrape, flying on to the island in front of the hide.

It then made its way around the small island picking off the insects that were on the surface of the water.

A lovely reflection.

Most of the waders were on the north end of the scrape with quite a few Black-tailed Godwits and Avocet roosting in the sunshine.  One notable record was that of a tufted Duck with three ducklings, what was a surprise was the female hauling up on a island and letting the little ones swim around on their own.

I wanted to get back to the north scrape in the hope that the Ruff was showing a little better.  I had forgotten to photograph the scrape first thing, but now the light was better.  Again a lot more water and quality mud.

The Avocet were feeding in the shallow water which provided some very nice reflections.

Standing quite regally.

And some stretching.

I dismissed a small wader close to the hide as a Common Sandpiper, then it flew off and revealed the white rump of a Green Sandpiper.  Of course it flew around the left hand side and out of sight into the north west corner.

A Snipe on the edge of the south scrape was a nice find, they must be starting to return.

Then some luck the Ruff made its way across the scrape and into the east corner and then came back across the mud quite close.

Clearly in moult but showing the feathers of a male bird.

On my way back I stopped off in the Meon Shore hide once again and it proved to be a very good decision.  On the island 'C' which is at the back of the scrape there was a Roseate Tern sat alongside a Common.  A very welcome year tick.

It was very much a day of surprises in which I picked up two year ticks and some interesting discussion around the butterflies of Hampshire.  The good news is that the scrapes have been replenished and are looking a lot more conducive to the autumn wader passage which is already under way.