20th April - Noar Hill, Hampshire

Tucked away amongst the farms and fields around the Rotherfield Estate, Noar Hill is a delightful little reserve that has a wonderful reputation nationally and in the county.  Every year towards the end of April for quite sometime now I have been visiting for one thing, the Duke of Burgundy.  Noar Hill is a prime site for this little butterfly, the chalk pits and rolling hills provide micro climates in early spring, with temperatures warmer than the surrounding area, couple that with plenty of the butterfly's feed plant, Cowslip and it is ideal for them.

Whilst the temperatures have been low over the last few days there has been plenty of sunshine, so I had high hopes of finding some this morning.  I arrived mid morning and as I walked up the slope to the reserve the wind was still quite chilly.  I walked into the first chalk pit but other than a Green-veined White that flew through nothing showing.  As I came out there were several Early Purple Orchids in bloom.

Walking around the slope to the first hollow a Peacock was nectaring on a dandelion bloom.

There had been quite a bit of clearance and chopping back done through the winter and these had created a few more sheltered spots.  I found a cleared pit close to the large Junipers and there on the moss was my first Duke of Burgundy.

It would fly up, but would always return to a similar spot.

Had to get low to try and photograph the underwing.

This was a male, the males have four functional legs, the front to not used for anything.  The females have six functional legs.

Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps sang around the bushes and trees, mostly hidden behind the leaves.  The Whitethroats though would sing from a prominent place.

I walked through the reserve trying to find new locations.  I came to one that I knew well and found another male around the ant hills.

Sat up on a leaf.

The wind blew and tipped it over again showing the under wing.

Originally thought to be a Fritillary, due to the chequered pattern on the wings, it has since been classified as close to the metal mark, the only one of that group found in this country.

I found another male close by, so up to now I had seen three individuals

I walked to the far end of the reserve to another sheltered spot where a Green-veined White sat nicely on a leaf.

A lovely Early Purple Orchid in the pit.

A Speckled Wood settled on the ground.

I chased this Orange Tip for ages, it would pause at the Self Heal flowers but never settle, but finally it did.

I walked down the bridleway and it was dominated by Holly Blues, they seemed to be everywhere.  Not all would settle but a few did, this one on the Ransome's, or wild garlic.

This one on a branch of the hedge, initially with the sun behind the cloud, but as the sun came out it opened up.

The Bridleway comes out into the open and view aout across the fields was spectacular with the white fluffy clouds.

I then met another person who was looking for help in navigating the reserve, so I walked with him back to the first chalk pit.  He had not seen one before so was happy to come with me.  As we walked to the far side of the pit another male was sitting on a leaf in full sun

The slope on the pit allowed me to get low again to see the underwing.

I walked back through the reserve and found another three Duke of Burgundy taking my day total to seven.  Not a bad count for my first visit this year and some of my earliest sightings.

As I walked past the newly cleared area near the junipers I heard a Firecrest singing and I waited and it showed nicely.

I was hoping to find a Dingy Skipper, but there weren't any about.  I did manage to see Large and Small White though, but again they did not stop. 

I walked back down the bridleway once more with more stunning views.

A Song Thrush was hunting on the grass amongst the Cowslips.

It wasn't until I made my way out that I found another butterfly, the Comma.

Walking out of the reserve another spectacular sky in front of me, the clouds and sky colour reminding me of the cartoon Simpsons Sky!

Great to see the little Duke once again and to spend time around the lovely reserve, I would have liked a Dingy though, but there is still plenty of time.

18th April - Magdalen Hill Down, Hampshire

The sun was shining as I walked up the hill to the reserve at Magdalen Hill.  Entering the reserve I walked through a field of Cowslips, it seemed like there were more than there had been on my last visit.  There were plenty of Brimstones flying amongst the cowslips, both bright yellow males and the whiter females.  A Green-veined White showed well on a bramble leaf.

Then along the main path a male Brimstone nectaring on a Cowslip.

A gap in the hedge afforded views across the field covered in the yellow cowslips.

A little further along the path a view across a field looking towards Winchester.

I walked through the chalk pits and then down the hill, a patch of bramble provided an opportunity for relief and it turned out to be a very good spot.  First, Peacock, Brimstone and a few Holly Blue, then a surprise, a Green Hairstreak dropped almost in front of me.

A lovely fresh looking specimen.

THere were two about and they were pinging each other which meant they moved away from me, but provided some nice scenes with the leaves.

Leaving the hairstreaks I walked down the hill to the sheltered area at the bottom of the hill, there were a few clouds about, but when the sun came out so did the butterflies.  Brimstone, Peacock and Comma, then a small one, a Grizzled Skipper, sitting nicely on the grass.

There were at least six skippers along the bottom of the hill.

Then I came across two more Green Hairstreak.

Holly Blue were difficult to count, but there must have been at least half a dozen.  This one settled on the leaf while the sun was behind a cloud and then as the sun cam out it opened the wings to show the upper side.

Looking out across the field to the south with the clouds sending sunshine out across the fields.

As I walked along the bottom of the hill I came across a singing Lesser Whitethroat, I could see the bird but it never showed well enough.  It then became a challenge and I waited and waited and finally got an acceptable shot.

This was the ninth warbler species seen today.

I decided to walk around the perimeter of the reserve following the path away to the east at the bottom of the hill and then up the slope and back to the gate by the cemetery.  No small butterflies along the path, but plenty of Brimstone, both male and female.

At the cemetery gate there were some interesting views across the cowslip covered fields.

Looking south the variation in spring greens on the far slope was impressive.

I made my way to the path that leads through the scruby area.  Once again plenty of cowslips and a trail that winds carefully through them.

Another period of the sun behind clouds had this Holly Blue settle on a leaf.

Then slowly opening the wings to show the darker blue tips once more.

On my last visit here I had found a Dotted Bee-fly, today It was the commoner Dark-edged Bee-fly.

The cowslips have been incredible this year and as I left the reserve I had to take one more photograph, that doesn't do them justice.

A better visit than the last one here, but still awaiting some of the other early butterflies