2nd June - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Its June, the heatwave has gone, this morning being woken up by heavy rain.  The rain continued in showers as I travelled south to Titchfield Haven, for the first time in awhile.  When I arrived it was dry but with some impressive clouds out over the Solent and away towards Southampton Water.

I started on the east side hoping to find some orchids and like everywhere else they were out early, these Southern Marsh Orchids looking impressive in the grass by the side of the path to the Knight's Bank hide.

This orchid is tall with a strong stem and a crowded, cylindrical spike of pale pink to deep red-violet flowers.  Each flower has a prominent saucer-shaped lip centrally marked with speckles and dashes.  They are variable though and some plants can be more intense in colour than others.

They often grow in large colonies and the there were quiet a few here, so th ehope is they will spread even more.  They like wet soils and typical habitats include marshes, water meadows or fens along river valleys.

Also amongst the Marsh was an impressive spike of Common Spotted Orchid.  This orchid is both common and has spots on the leaves which help to identify it.  This is Hampshire's most common and widespread orchid and is found in a variety of habitats including open, dry grassland, damp fen, and woodland.  It colonises new areas easily and can be found along road and railway verges.

I had a look in the Knight's Bank hide, but it was very quiet, so I decided to head around to the west side.  Along the board walk there was a Blue-tailed Damselfly.

And a smart Comma.

Walking around the sea wall the clouds to the north of the Haven looked impressive and I hoped it stayed dry for my visit because it looked like there would be a lot of rain under those clouds.

Walking up to the Meon Shore hide the clouds looked even more impressive.

There were two drake Tufted Duck in front of the hide, always a nice duck to photograph.

The islands were full primarily of Black-headed Gulls but with a few Common Terns amongst them.  Looking around the scrape there were also a good number of Avocet, although there did not see any sign of nesting or chicks.  The Avocet were mobile chasing each other around.

This Avocet in front of the hide.

Black-headed Gulls having a chat on the island in front of the hide.

With so many gulls looking to breed there is always going to be predators, Foxes have been thought to be a problem as they have managed to break through the predator fence, but during the day the threat comes from the air and the Lesser Black-backed Gull.  There are at least two pairs around the scrape and they patrol up and down looking all the time for a weakness in the gull and Avocet defences.

The dark ominous clouds behind the gull adding to the menace these predators bring.

Sometimes they work together, one distracting the Black-headed Gulls while the other attacks with the gulls away, or they just dive in and grab the unsuspecting chick.  In this case the Lesser Black-backed Gull grabbed the chick but in the ensuing scramble the chick was dropped, but it looked like it was dead as it lay in the water.

The Lesser Black=backed Gull being chased off without any chick.

Another attack though was successful and flew off with the Black-headed Gulls giving chase unsuccessfully.

 

While I was in the hide two chicks were taken by the gull, while another looked like it had died as a result of an attack.  So is the scrape colony going to raise any young, we will have to see.

It doesn't look like the Common Terns have any chicks at present, the do have the opportunity to use the half pipes placed on the islands, but if the chicks come out into the open they will be vulnerable.  The Terns though were on show around the scrape.

Using the wooden posts close to the hide.

Heading out to the sea.

Other highlights on a typical June day, were Swifts and House Martins, mostly over the reed beds.  The Black-tailed Godwits prefer the deeper water of the north scrape, but were flushed and flew around before returning back to the edge of the reeds on the north scrape.  I counted 32 godwits as the passed by, this a selection.

And you can't keep the Marsh Harriers away, this male at the back of the North Scrape along with a couple of Swifts!

The showers, some showing as heavy on the radar were passing by to the north of us, and I had managed to avoid the rain.  As I walked over the harbour bridge, once again the clouds looked impressive and threatening.

I drove home through very heavy rain and flooded roads, a good start to the summer!

28th May - Alver Valley Country Park

On Tuesday, after I bowed out due to the heat, Ian dropped into the Alver Valley and the area known as Sandhill.  He reported back on finding numerous Bee Orchids and a single Lizard Orchid.  So I decided to visit today, early morning before the heat built up once again.  Ian had provided me with plenty of detail on how to find the location and a short video, I felt that I already knew where to go.  As I approached the area I used the WhatThreeWords Ian had provided, but before I could reach his spot I found a single Bee Orchid.

And a nice close up.

I carried on to the spot and found a lot of Bee Orchids in the grass.  One of the best know and loved of our Orchids here in the UK, it resembles a fat furry bumblebee perched on a stalk.  Here several plants together, the only time I have seen this with this species was at Dancing Ledge in Dorset.  That year there were many in a field, then the years after nothing.  Last year was not a good year for Orchids and I only managed to find one, so this is quite amazing.

The three large pink sepals contrast with the velvety maroon, pouch like lip which is decorated with yellow markings and forms the body of the bee.  The two side lobes are particularly hairy and resemble the bee's knees.  The slender greenish or pinkish brown petals form the bee's antennae.  Bee Orchids can vary in colour, shape and markings.  The flowers have evolved to attract male bees as pollinators, by luring them into mate.  However almost all the plants are self pollinated.  Soon after the flower opens the anther releases the pollinia which dangle like little balls on the ends of their flexible stalks to be blown by the breeze on to the stigma.

Having found the Bee Orchids I decided to look for the Lizard Orchid, again I had directions and I knew where it may be.  As I left the Bee Orchids I came across a single Pyramidal Orchid just beginning to flower.

It didn't take long to find the single Lizard Orchid.  It isn't fully out yet with plenty more flowers to open at the top.

The Lizard Orchid is the largest of the "mimic" species in Hampshire.  It is a large plant with tall spikes of straggly greyish green flowers which resemble a maypole in action.  On closer inspection each individual flower has the appearance of a lizard with the three-lobed lip resembling the long tail and hind legs.  The palle flowers are streaked or rimmed with brownish purple. 

The stem has large leaves that wither when the plant is in flower giving a dirt appearance.  Lizard Orchids are long lived and can live for up to nineteen years.

The Lizard Orchid is pollinated by insects, primarily bees.  The flower has a rather foul smell, which is said to resemble the smell of goats.

I spent time talking to some other people who had turned up and as we chatted a male Ketrel hunted overhead.

I went back to the Bee Orchids and walked around the wider area and found a lot more orchids.  Most of the stalks having at least four flowers maybe more with several still looking to emerge.

It is not that clear here, but there are quite a few Bee Orchids in this patch, close inspection needed.  The area was formerly a quarried area which was then later used to dispose of household waste.  It was then clay capped and is now predominately grassland.  The Bee Orchid is an adaptable grassland species and can be found in well drained grassland, disused gravel pits and roadside verges.

It was wonderful to see so many in this spot.

Five flowers here on a spike with at least another tree to emerge.

There were also more emerging Pyramidal Orchids.

And some more multi flower plants.

Before I left I went back to the Lizard Orchid one more time, passing through a cloud of Ox-eye Daisies.

The Lizard Orchid is on the edge of its range in England and its distribution numbers can fluctuate notoriously, it grows sporadically in well drained, open sunny spots on chalk and limestone grasslands. among both closely cropped and long grass.

This orchid was a surprise here, there never having been one before, how it got here will be a mystery, but welcome, the hope now is that there will be more to come.

It was a case of job done, so I walked around the lake with Swifts above me and Whitethroats singing from the bushes.