26th May - Martin Down, Hampshire

For the first time for a long while we were not away over the May Bank Holiday weekend due to you know what.  As a result it was a chance to explore a little closer to home, so in clear blue skies and very warm sunshine Helen and I set off for Martin Down.  Having been there about ten days previously I was keen to see how it had moved on, then there were no Turtle Doves and only a few orchids, would these be present.  One thing was for certain as we pulled into the car park at the end of Sillen Lane, there were a lot more people about.

The first butterfly we came across was a Dingy Skipper, this one still looking quite good and not living up to its name.

We walked towards the ditch and past the copse of Hawthorn bushes in the hope of finding a Turtle Dove.  There was though no sign or sound of them which is quite worrying.  It would seem the small population that does arrive here in late Spring hasn't turned up.  There has been one report but aside from that nothing.  Its quite concerning that maybe the one Hampshire population is to disappear.

The Lesser Whitethroat we had seen on the previous visit was still singing from the same spot.  We walked up the hill to the ditch and i was hopeful of finding a Greater Butterfly Orchid, they had flowered here last year, but like the Turtle Doves they were not to be found.

We walked along the ditch, a Stonechat calling from the bushes at the 

Whilst not in the numbers we had seen on the last visit there were still many Small Blues about.

It was hot and the middle of the day, the butterflies were very mobile especially the Adonis Blue.  They are a brown colour on the underwing and unless they sit with wings open it is almost impossible to see them.  The first you notice they are there is when a flash of electric blue breaks from the grass.  They are then off and away not stopping at all.

Female Brimstones were still in the process of egg laying, but there were also males about too.

I didn't find any Grizzled Skippers but there were still several Dingy about.  All in various conditions this was the best, settled on a trefoil

A Five-spot Burnet was a find in the short grass.

Corn Bunting could be heard singing from the small bushes in the middle of the fields, but they could also be heard and seen from the smaller bushes at the top of the ditch.

The Burnt Tip Orchids Ian and I had seen ten days ago had gone over, and concerningly the larger ones were gone completely.  The Field Fleawort, while most were looking a little worse for wear, one or two were still in good condition.

The last thing I would have expected to find in the short grass was a Hawkmoth, but Helen pointed one out sitting in the grass.  This is a Small Elephant Hawkmoth, it being smaller than the elephant and having more of a mixed pattern on the upper wings.  I can only assume it has just emerged and its colour and position made it extremely at risk to predation.

I finally managed to catch up with a resting Adonis Blue

And a little further along another, this time with a little piece out of the wing that when closed showed off the electric blue of the upper wing.

We walked beyond the rifle ranges and circled around to the other car park.  In doing so we passed through an area of small hawthorn bushes, these were perfect for the Yellowhammer, and at about the right height for the photographs

The walk back was hot out in the open, Skylarks sang around us and we could also hear the jangling song of the Corn Buntings.  We took the sheltered path back towards the car.  In the dappled shade there were Speckled Wood butterflies and one was attacking a Demoiselle.  As it settled I could see it was a female Beautiful Demoiselle.

I am always amazed when you come across dragonflies or Damselflies so far away from any tangible water.  The closest I can think to here is a little head stream that passes the road leading into and out of Martin.  With it being so hot and dry lately I doubt there are any pools around the fields either.

Martin Down is a special place in the sunshine, but today maybe it was a little too hot.  It could also be that the orchids we were looking for are just still a little way off.  No complaints though, as I have said this is a special place and always worth a visit.