The tide was out, and Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns could be seen fishing over the pools left on the beach. Away out over the scrape in the reserve I could see the gulls flying up and around, but with the wind coming from behind me the noisy calls that goes with the gulls was very feint.
We stood and chatted waiting to see what the weather would do. As we talked a Kestrel appeared over the grass land close to the road. Clearly it was concentrating on hunting because it was not concerned as we approached and crouched down to photograph it hunting.
Everything was moving, the wings and the tail to hold its position, but the head remained completely stationary.
It would lift its head to check around and then go back to concentrating on the search in the grass below,
Then the body reacting to the wind to hold the position of the head.
Fanning the tail, and raising the feathers on the edge of the wing.
The hunt was not successful as it pulled up and flew off to try somewhere else. Later we saw it being mobbed by Common Terns.
I had expected the procession of Common Terns out from the reserve to the sea, but this wasn't the case. Although one or two would pass us every so often.
Every so often there would be pairs of Mediterranean Gulls flying over, their calls heralding their presence above us. Another gull would fly over but its intentions were more threatening, a Great Black-backed Gull would come from the beach and heading for the scrape. On several occasions it was intercepted by the Black-headed Gulls, but on this one an Oystercatcher took up the role, chasing the large gull around until it decided to head back to the beach.
It was now a little warmer than when we arrived, and the sun was still about. As a result we decided to try our luck with some local butterfly sites. First up was to be Monks Walk at Gosport, a good place to find White-letter Hairstreak, and there have been reports of them about in the Wych Elms there.
We park in Monks Walk, then cross the main road to a small brownfield site that was probably a car park at one time. Nature has recovered to the spot which is about the size of two tennis courts. There are still some patches of tarmac, but it is mostly grass and bramble beneath the surrounding Wych Elm and Oak.
Walking in two Meadow Browns flew up from the grass, the first for me in this country this year.
There was some shelter from the breeze, and above us there were patches of blue that allowed some sun to get through. The White-letter Hairstreak spend a lot of their time up in the tree, so its a case of looking up, and hoping they either fly up, or in the case of Ian you have an eagle eye and can spot one sitting on a leaf.
This one would turn to where the sun should have been, so there must have been sufficient radiation to warm the insect up. Photography though was very difficult as the sky was white, and it needed considerable over exposure to get jut a poor record shot.
You can only look at a stationary butterfly for so long so we set off wandering around the plot. In amongst the grass Ian found a Cinnabar Moth.
Then a Common Blue.
It was either due to the weather or maybe that it had just emerged as it sat very still, it looked pristine which makes me think maybe the latter.
Back at the elms there was still no sign of movement from the hairstreaks, but on the bramble below the trees a Speckled Wood sat still on the leaves, it too waiting for some sunshine to warm it up.
Then a patch of blue allowed the sun to shine, and suddenly the hairstreaks started to move. Two engaged in a little spat, and the butterfly we had seen earlier moved, and it was now possible to see the distinctive markings.
Although still distant and against the white background.
The cloud returned and attention turned to the bramble bushes, This is a Willughby's Leaf Cutter Bee, a fairly common leaf cutter bee found in the south of England.
A Scorpion Fly, so called because of the scorpion like tail. It can't sting with it, but apparently if handled moves the tail as if to sting.
But the bramble was covered with these Dark Bush Crickets
Another thing about this spot is not just the insects, but just standing still and looking up there birds flying over. When we arrived a Grey Heron flew over, on previous visits we have seen Peregrine. Swallows, House Martins and Swifts soar above, and in the bushes a Blackcap sang, and was joined by this Wren, that crawled up the branch to deliver and loud burst of song.
A wander through the grass found another day flying moth, this time a Six Spot Burnet.
Totally concentrating on the flower head of the clover.
The Common Blue had left the grass stem, and we re-found it nectaring on another clover flower.
The sun then returned and this produced quite a bit of activity from the hairstreaks, abut still all at the top of the elms. We counted at least five individuals, and they would fly around the leaves, settling briefly only to be buzzed by another and they would then spiral upwards before splitting up and flying back to the top of the elm.
A Small butterfly flying lower around the bramble had us hoping, but it turned out to be a Holly Blue.
Finally we managed to get some acceptable views of a hairstreak sitting on one of leaves. It looked like they were not going to come any closer so we had to make the most of it.
I always hope to get an acceptable photo, but it doesn't seem it will be this year.
We decided to move on, and walked back to the cars. Before leaving we walked around the trees there and found a Comma sitting on a Hazel leaf.
We decided to move on to Browndown in the hope that we could find some Purple Hairstreaks. When we left it was still sunny, but on arriving the breeze was quite strong blowing off the sea, and as we walked to the area the wind seemed to increase, and the cloud had built up totally obscuring the sun.
We walked along the sheltered spots but there was nothing about. Even the sheltered spots were breezy. We then walked through the heather towards the firing range where we heard the feint snatch of a churring Nightjar, but could locate the bird at all.
It was then to the oaks. To be honest with the wind, and the cool conditions I doubted we would find any Purple Hairstreaks, but more of a concern we could not find the oaks, it was completely different. As we walked around the heather looking, and finally found some life, a Mother Shipton Moth in the heather
Away to west we could see rain approaching, and decided it was time to make our way back to the cars. In June if there isn't the weather to provide suitable conditions for butterflies then there is little to see, so we decided to call it a day, and retire to watch the World Cup.
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