The specialty here is the White-letter Hairstreak, a little patch of Wych Elms holds a small colony and they are easy to access. We were here early because last year (albeit a week later) we had managed to see this delightful little butterfly low down on the bramble before they head up into the heights of the Elm trees to spend the rest of the day.
As I waited for Ian to arrive the sun was out and giving some sign of warmth, bees nectared on the bramble flowers that were just emerging, and across the field in a gap between the trees and bushes you could just make out the bridge of the Queen Elizabeth 2 aircraft carrier in Portsmouth naval docks.
Crossing the road with the sun out and entering te old car park there was an air of anticipation, but this evaporated when there was nothing to see on the bramble other than flies and a few hover flies including this smart little fly, Dasysyrphus tricintus
So it was back to standing and waiting, looking longingly at the Elms, and also the bramble for anything that would resemble a small butterfly. A Meadow Brown put in an appearance as did a couple of these Running Crab Spiders Tibellus oblongus.
Quite a large (about 10 mm) and elongate pale creamy brown
spider with various markings, and usually a darker stripe down the centre of
the abdomen. The males look similar to the females although their bodies are
slimmer. They actively pursue their
preys, as they do not make webs. This genus was once considered a subfamily
within the sedentary 'crab spiders' but today has been split and is considered
a separate genus of slender crab spiders.
Every year we visit here we are always impressed by the bird life seen over head and around the bushes, today was no exception. Sparrowhawk, and Buzzard passed overhead, our attention attracted to them by the mobbing of crows. Both Grey Heron and Little Egret flew over, and feeding high above us were several Swifts.
In the bushes were singing Blackcap, Robin and Blackbird while family groups of Blue Tits were in the oak trees, the adults being run ragged by the juveniles, and also a lot of Long-tailed Tits, the family group though seemed a little more at ease in comparison with the continual begging of the young Blue Tits.
Time to enjoy the morning sunshine.
And tidy up a little bit.
Movement in the bramble as we stared at the leaves produce a female Blackcap.
A speckled Wood put in an appearance.
While the Meadow Brown sat on one of the bramble leaves to enjoy the sunshine.
A small butterfly with a flitting flight sent the pulses racing only for it to turn out to be a Holly Blue. It settled with wings closed.
But as the sun came around it started to open them, but only partially as if to tease.
We had seen bees and flys at the top of the elms, but finally our watch paid off and at least two White-letter Hairstreaks were engaged in some duels around the top of the trees. When one settled we were able to get a record shot of the butterfly.
We knew from experience that they would not now come down to the bramble leaves and decided that we should move on. Before leaving though we walked around the area on Monks Walk. I commented on the fact that there was no sign of any butterflies at all when Ian gasped, and pointed out an immaculate male Marbled White. I flew around for a short while as we followed it with some expectancy. Finally it settled and showed off those beautiful black and white markings.
Marbled White's never fail to impress, of course they are not a "white" but a member of the "browns". Here a close up of the markings on the upper wing, a lovely blackish brown checkerboard.
It moved and settled quickly in the grass again, and this allowed a head on shot looking down at this lovely butterfly.
While we had not managed some great shots of the hairstreak the appearance of the year's marbled white pushed that disappointment to one side.
Moving on our next destination was to be Browndown south, the heather and heath here holds a small population of Silver-studded Blues, however the cloud was building up quite quickly and the prospects did not look good.
And so it was to be, a walk a round the bell heather failed to find any butterflies let alone Silver-studded Blue. Whitethroats sang from the birch trees and family groups of Magpie called noisily from somewhere within the deeper bushes.
Just as we were reaching the road a small brown butterfly flew past me and settled on a grass seed head. This was the tattiest Small Copper I think I have ever seen.
From Browndown South it was short drive to Browndown North. It was now completely overcast and the wind had picked up as the tide was coming in. Walking along the shingle path a Dartford Warbler sang from a nearby gorse bush.
I was able to get a little closer as the bird sang.
Target here was Purple Hairstreak, but I don't think either of us believed we would find any, nevertheless we shook the oak branches and bashed the leaves but nothing appeared. We had a quick look around for any possible Nightjar, but soon realised it was all hopeless in the conditions. There had not been any sighting of a butterfly, but walking back we came across this day flying moth, a Yellow Shell, on and around the gorse.
Rain was now in the air and that meant finding some shelter some where, the decision was taken to head to Titchfield Haven, at least we could take up that well know pastime adopted on June days of trying to get an acceptable in flight photograph of the Swifts.
As we walked from the cars to the visitor centre a Kestrel was hunting over the reed bed, another summer distraction a hovering Kestrel.
We walked back to the Meon Shore Hide, just outside the hide a Lesser Whitethroat was singing and giving some brief views but never enough for a photograph. Despite the rain the water levels were low, and another feature was the relatively quiet atmosphere. At this time you would expect the noise from the Black-headed Gulls to still be a feature, there were some calls but not as incessant as it can be
A Green Sandpiper appeared on the mud to the left hand side of the hide.
A first for the year, and a bird that begged the question, was this a returning migrant? Green Sandpipers are always one of the earliest signs of the autumn migration which is possibly why this bird was here.
Another feature of the South Scrape was the number of Avocet, 66 were recorded in the visitor centre and it was difficult to dispute that count, they seemed to be everywhere.
What were missing though were Avocet chicks, the word in the visitor centre was that a Fox has got through a hole in the fence and has decimated the Avocet breeding this year. This may also account for the reduced Black-headed Gull activity, I am sure the Fox didn't stop at taking a few gull chicks as well.
The water was providing some lovely reflections of the feeding Avocet.
Watching the Avocet sweeping their bills threw the thick mud ad then eating something was difficult to watch, what do they find in the mud?
Bit as is the way with Avocet they never seem to get dirty, they always manage to look immaculate, unlike some birds out on the scrape (yes Canada Goose I am talking about you!).
There were a few teal, and a couple of Shoveler feeding along with the Mallard and Gadwall. Of the waders there were a few Redshank, Turnstone plus just under 30 Black-tailed Godwits in various stages of plumage, from a couple in the brick red breeding plumage to the basic winter fair.
A Great Black-backed Gull would make regular fly pasts in the hope of finding something to take, these fly pasts would attract the attention of the Black-headed Gulls who would look to chase it off. There were at least four Common Terns at the back of the Scrape, and this Sandwich Tern flew into a close island to preen and wash.
We decided to leave the hide, and just as we did a group of Oystercatcher flew over, always a nice catch in flight, here showing the non-breeding plumage.
We walked around to the Pumfrett Hide where we stopped outside totally mesmerised by the Swifts hunting around the trees and bushes and out over the scrapes.
As always loads of frames taken but many discarded for being blurred out of focus or only showing part of the bird. Here are the best of what I was able to take.
So we finally ended the day with some Swift photography, it wouldn't be June without it. I left a little early but Ian reported later that there had been a fox and cubs on the scrape, they clearly have a problem here and need to find the hole in the fence.
After the poor weather of the week you have to regard today as a success despite the inclement conditions from mid morning onward. We did get White-letter Hairstreak, and the first Marbled Whites, there is also plenty of time to catch up with the others we didn't see as well. Lets hope the summer starts soon.
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