As I started this post the number of views of this blog passed the 100,000 number, which I thought was worthy of a mention.
After last weeks partially successful visit to Martin Down I was determined to come back, hopefully with better weather. Well part of that wish came true, I did come back, but the weather was not that much better. The forecast was for it to remain dry but overcast. I was taking the gamble that sunny spells might roll in too. But arriving at an empty car park it was overcast ad away to the west dark clouds threatened. There was though plenty of bird song, around the car park a Whitethroat, Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting and away in the distance the purr of one of my targets for the day.
The grass was very wet from the overnight rain as I set off along the path from the car park. In the bushes close to the path a Yellowhammer, one of last week's special birds.
As I approached the small copse of hawthorn I could hear a Lesser Whitethroat singing and managed to get some views as it scrambled about in amongst the branches of the hawthorn.
I could hear the purrs of a Turtle Dove and managed to find the owner of the calls in amongst a group of Woodpigeon, the larger pigeons exploded from the tree leaving the Turtle Dove to continue its song.
Martin Down is the most reliable place to see Turtle Dove in Hampshire, but their numbers like everywhere else are declining. This one survived the journey across the Mediterranean, avoiding the shooters of Italy and Malta, but how many I wonder that would have arrived here didn't make it.
The Turtle Dove also seems to prefer to sing early in the morning, after around 10:00 am they seem to merge back into the scrub. So I was pleased to find this one, out in the open and singing. I would have liked it to be closer but I couldn't complain.
The purring call bulges the throat as the bird sings.
It has become another of those annual pilgrimages that we do to year tick specialist birds. In previous blogs in years gone by I have highlighted the plight of the Turtle Dove and what the reasons are for their decline. Aside from the shooting in the Mediterranean countries habitat is important here in the United Kingdom. One interesting fact is that they struggle to find accessible water. Most fields have the water troughs for livestock which the doves find impossible to drink from. They require a slopping bank so they can get down to the water. The troughs have replaced the dew and balancing ponds that the doves would use.
A Cuckoo called from behind me and I decided to try and find it. Cuckoos in Hampshire are normally a grey image flying away and it is very hard to be able to get close to them. As I came around the bushes I immediately flushed the singing bird and was left watching it fly away from me across the field and into a distant scrub. I decided to try and find it so set off across the field. At the scrub there was no sign of it. A pair of Red Kite flew over and I disturbed a couple of Roe Deer and a Brown Hare.
The dark clouds were now giving up some rain so I wandered back across the field where the Turtle Dove had moved but was still singing.
The rain became heavier and and looked for some shelter. In doing so I came across the Lesser Whitethroat once again, but with the heavy rain there was no opportunity to photograph. As the rain eased I did manage to find the Garden Warbler in the same spot we had seen it last week. This time I also managed to get a record shot as it sang from an exposed branch.
With the weather improving I decided to head to Bokerley Ditch. At least three Brown Hare were on the path in front of me, probably taking advantage of the shorter grass here rather than the long wet grass in the surrounding fields.
Last week on the bank of the ditch there had not been any sign of orchids, but today I found this in the location where we had seen Greater Butterfly orchids last year. It always amazes me how quickly a plant can grow and considering the temperature and lack of sun this month, this really put a spurt on through the week.
The walk along the ditch to first footpath crossing did not produce much, it was still overcast and also quite early in the morning. In the scrub to the north of the ditch another Lesser Whitethroat was singing. This time there was no rain and I watched as it crept through the branches and then finally appeared in an opening.
It seemed pointless to continue walking the ditch in the current weather so I decided to take a detour. I followed the path that leads alongside the small wood where we had sheltered last week. On the one side there is the wood and the other a field. After about 50 metres I saw two birds on the fence and post, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers and they were catching flies over the field.
Spotted Flycatchers are not the easiest bird to find, they are either very local or you catch up with them on passage so this was a real treat and with the lovely green background.
Both birds disappeared into the wood. The high canopy and open space below perfect habitat for them so maybe they will stay.
I walked on and could see the next field with several Brown Hare and a Roe Deer, the Hare were spread out and there was at least a dozen of them, their heads and ears giving them all away, but a few were sitting up.
I then noticed some movement closer to me and I could make out another in the long grass .
However as soon as it realised I was close by it ran off across the field, stopping when a Pheasant appeared to fly at it!
I then saw another, again close to the fence but further along the path.
As I watched it started to move and came towards me giving some great views and opportunity for some wonderful photographs.
I am not sure if because the have such large eyes the brightness makes their eye sight not so good in day light but it seemed as if it didn't know I was their despite looking straight at me. I have seen this before with Hare. It kept coming.
Then finally it realised I was there and turned away quickly and accelerated away fast across the field. I was left with a wonderful experience.
Walking on the path went through a gate and alongside a field with cows grazing and on the other side a cereal crop. A Corn Bunting sang from the top of a bush alongside the path.
The footpath then meets the Jubilee way which takes you back down to Bokerley Ditch where I had joined it earlier. Despite the overcast conditions it was dry and there were some great views
The path leading back to the ditch was very muddy and difficult to walk. Finally it opened out and alongside the the edge of the path were several Early Purple Orchids.
I was re-tracing my steps along the ditch now, a male Yellowhammer singing from the top of one of the bushes.
And then a little further a Corn Bunting showing really well
The short grass around the ditch at the intersection with Bowling Green Lane is the site for Burnt Tip Orchids. Last week there was no sign of them, but like the butterfly orchid the week seems to be enough for things to happen and there were three clumps of buds appearing. I estimate that this makes them about two weeks later than last year.
There were also a lot more Field Fleawort in flower too
While every so often you could find a nice composition of flower and seed head
Last week the Skylark were singing in the air, today they seemed to prefer the top of the short stunted bushes.
I walked up to the Rifle Range banks and walked around the sheltered spots there in hope of finding a few butterflies. There were signs that the sun may put in an appearance. Walking back a Corn Bunting was singing from a small bush.
With the sun finally coming out I decided to walk back along the bottom of the ditch, this immediately paid off as I found this very early Common Spotted Orchid. Very soon the ditch will be covered in these delightful orchids.
Then a the sun came out I disturbed a Small Blue from the grass, it quickly settled
It is possible to see the little blue iridescent spots on the wings
With the clouds gathering again I decided to walk back to the car park for lunch and to hope that the sun would return in the afternoon.
After some lunch I headed back to the ditch joining it at the spot where I had seen the flycatchers earlier. Along the way the dark clouds were still about despite little pockets of sunshine.
A pair of Stonechat were calling ahead of me as I walked towards the ditch. The male showing really well
It was back into the ditch with a little sunshine about and I came across a Dingy Skipper and this Grizzled Skipper that was sat at the tp of this grass stem.
The sun wasn't just bringing out the butterflies. Last week I managed to see an adder as it slipped away into the vegetation, today I managed to see the Adder before it saw me.
It was a lighter one than the brown coloured Adder I saw last week, but a large snake and probably another female. Eventually she was aware of me and slipped away into the grass and bushes.
A single Hawthorn bush in blossom on the grass land.
Cinnabar moths are usually difficult to pin down and to be able to get to see the red wings. With the coldish conditions this one remain stationary and had wings open hoping for some rays of sunshine.
At the ranges the Corn Bunting was still singing from the same bush
But then dropped to the barbed wire fence with a lovely background.
I could hear a cuckoo calling in the direction of the other car park. I walked over towards the call and after a couple of scans found it, which is unusual. I then ran towards it stopping every so often to take a record. This was the closest I got before it flew away once again. I am so glad I went to
Thursley to photograph Colin.
Heading back I came across a group of people who had found another Adder, this time a brown variant, when I reached it the snake was just slipping away into the grass.
I headed, once again, back to the ditch, there were breaks in the cloud and I was ever the optimist, there was still one more specialty I was looking for.
I started along the ditch and noticed a reddish brown shape in amongst the grass, as I looked closer I realised that it was a dead dandelion head, but right next to it a roosting Marsh Fritillary. I raised my arms in celebration turned back to look at it and it had gone. I couldn't believe it, I searched the area relentlessly without luck. Then a gentleman I had met earlier and shown the Burnt Tip Orchids turned up. I told him about the Marsh Fritillary and he said that he had just seen one near the rifle range bank on the short grass. He also offered to take me back and show me. When we got there there was another couple. The butterfly was stock still amongst the grass.
So here was my target species the Marsh Fritillary, we missed it last week but the pressure was now off having managed to see and photograph this one.
It was stock still in the cool overcast conditions and only briefly showed the upper wing before quickly closing.
Content in the knowledge that I had plenty of photographs of Marsh Fritillaries I left this one to warm up hopefully
Patches of blue sky raised hopes of maybe some more butterflies. but while the sun was hidden the Skylark were still singing from the tops of the bushes large or small.
The sun came out and so did the butterflies, at firs Dingy Skippers, then a few Grizzled Skipper, but it was nice to see this male Brown Argus.
Then my first Common Blue of the year, a male.
But aside from the Marsh Fritillary the prize butterfly was a big surprise. I noticed two dueling and at first thought that they were two Dingy Skippers, one definitely was but the other had a lot more orange than I would expect. As it settled I could see it was a Duke of Burgundy.
Apparently they get one or two along the ditch, the conditions are ideal with plenty of cowslips, but I would suspect the problem is finding a mate and how do they suddenly turn up here?
A Red Kite drifted over and a Kestrel was hunting the long grass alongside the path.
Time was moving on and of course the skies were clearing and the sun out as I headed down the main path back to the car park.
A Grizzled Skipper nectaring on a buttercup.
A female Orange-tip doing pretty much the same
The appalling weather we have been having has meant that sightings of Orange-tip have been far and few between so it was nice to catch up with this one even if it was a female.
On reaching the car a group of walkers let their dogs run through the grass close to the car park. Normally I would frown on this but in this circumstance it proved a blessing flushing a pair of Grey Partridge. I watched them fly low across the grass and into the fenced area where sheep were grazing. They landed not too far from the path that ran alongside the field so I headed over and amazingly was able to locate one bird that kept its head up above the grass.
I watched as it moved in the grass and every so often lifted its head a little higher to see what was going on.
I gave it a little more time to show a little bit more but eventually it slipped away from view. I wondered back to the car completely satisfied with the day's events, both targets seen and a lot more, Spotted Flycatcher was special as was the Lesser Whitethroat but the highlight had to be the Brown Hare, some of the best views I have had for a long time.
What will be next I wonder?
