7th May - Martin Down NNR, Hampshire

Saturday was a complete wash out, with rain from the moment I got up.  As a result it was an early start on the Sunday of a Coronation Bank Holiday.  There were two big birds in Hampshire a Long-billed Dowitcher on Fishtail and a Hooded Crow at Brownwich.  I have seen plenty of dowitchers and in summer plumage from my time in the US and the crow, well its a crow.  So I was on my way to one of my favourite places, Martin Down in the north west of Hampshire, I was interested to see how it had progressed since the last visit four weeks ago and also in hope of finding a couple of the specialties that Martin Down can deliver at this time of year.

Passing through the New Forest I was surprised to see two Red-legged Partridges cross the road, what is probably more surprising is that these were my first of the year.  After yesterday's rain their was a mist hanging around the forest and as I pulled into the car park at Silens Lane the cloud was starting to break and reveal a weak sun.

I walked from the car along the track with Whitethroat and Blackcap singing, I was listening though for the purr of a Turtle Dove and unfortunately I couldn't hear any.  Reaching the main clump of Hawthorn and Blackthorn, I had to make do with the scenery around me.

Looking to the easy the field is full of ant hills, their presence emphasised by the damp grass and the low sunshine.

Turning a little to the south the view changes.

While at the top of one of the Hawthorn bushes sat a Buzzard, no doubt enjoying the sunshine after the rain of the previous day.

The ant hills were useful in allowing me to get some elevation to scan across the top of the bushes in search of the first specialty, the Turtle Dove.  With the sun coming out there were plenty of birds taking in the early morning warmth, but they were predominantly Woodpigeon and there was no sign or sound of a Turtle Dove.  There was though plenty of bird song including Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and away in the distance a Cuckoo.

I headed up the path toward the Bokerley Ditch, but stopped half way when I heard a Turtle Dove purring.  It wasn't though from the usual area but a long way off in the distance and down around the track that leads from the car park along the edge of the field.  I decided to walk across the meadow, the wet grass soaking my boots.  Around me Yellowhammers sang and there was also the jangling song of the Corn Bunting.

This Yellowhammer at the top of one of the Hawthorn bushes.

Here with a female in the background.

If you can get the aspect right the bushes and grass can provide a perfect green background to complement the yellow of the Yellowhammer.

Perhaps the greatest change that resulted from the Norman Conquest in the eleventh century was in our everyday language: within a century or so, Anglo-Saxon had merged with Norman French to create a new, hybrid tongue known as Middle English – the precursor to the way we speak today.

But as the old language fell into disuse, some of its words no longer made any sense. So, by a process called false etymology, people made up new versions, which sounded plausible, even if their original meaning had been lost.  

This how the name “Yellowhammer” came to be, the bird is yellow and is a member of the “bunting” family.  The Anglo Saxon word for bunting was and is today in modern German “ammer” and thus the name “Yellowhammer” evolved.

Another Bunting found around arable habitats ids the Corn Bunting, this brown bird doesn't have the striking plumage of the Yellowhammer but, like the Yellowhammer has a distinctive song that it delivers from a prominent position either at the top of a tree or from a fence post.

The Corn Bunting is in fact the largest of the buntings and an unusual bunting because the plumages of the sexes are similar in appearance, though the male is approximately 20% larger than the female.

The song is delivered with the head thrown back and the beak wide open.

I could still here the purring every so often but could not see where it was coming from, the intervals became longer between the song and eventually stopped all together.  I had continued the walk down hill, but now decided to turn back and return to the original plan of making my way to the ditch.

The Skylark is known for its fluty song delivered at height, but they will also sing from bushes and perches as well.  This individual stopped singing as I approached it.

The track reaches the ditch at Blagdon Hll and a footpath leads away to join the Jubilee Trail.  Along the sides of this footpath is a good place to find Early Purple Orchids, when we visited in April there was no sign of them but today there were plenty in bloom.

As the name suggests, the early purple orchid is one of the first of the orchid flowers to bloom during spring. 

There is a significant amount of mythology and symbolism associated with the Early Purple Orchid

The orchid has two root-tubers; one full and large, and one slack and small. According to the Greek physician Dioscorides, if a man was to eat the orchid’s full tuber, a boy would be born, whereas if a woman ate the smaller one, it would be a girl.

The plant was once known in the Scottish Highlands as ‘Gràdh is Fuadh’, meaning ‘love and hate’. This was because it was believed that eating the larger root of the orchid would make someone fall in love with you but eating the smaller one would make them hate you.

While some believe that the purple spots on the leaves of the early purple orchid have religious connotations, and are actually the drops of Christ’s blood from his crucifixion.

The blooms of the orchid were covered in small drops of water, left over from yesterday's drenching, here there was also a small spider and it's web was also holding the droplets.

Closer views.

The promise of sunshine was waning as clouds rolled in from the south west, there was though some pockets of blue sky to keep the hopes up of some extended sunshine and hopefully butterflies.

Looking east towards Windmill Hill with the clump of trees at the top.

I walked the line of the ditch, the Cowslips that were just coming out when we were last here were now putting on a good show and they were joined by a lot of Dandelions.

Pairs of Linnet could be seen along the top of the ditch, the males sporting some very smart pink breasts.

I turned off onto the Jubilee Trail that leads south west alongside the Blagdon Plantation.  This has been a good site for Spotted Flycatcher, they can be seen on the fence and flying out into the field.  Today though they were not to be seen and while there have been reports of Spotted Flycatcher arriving, they are one of the late arriving migrants and it could be that they have not turned up yet.

Blackcap sang from the plantation and I managed a few glimpses of Goldcrest, but there was no sign of the Firecrest we had seen last time.  I walked to the end of the plantation and had a brief glimpse of a Brown Hare in the tracks amongst the rapeseed in the field.  I turned and made my way back.  A small bird flycatching from the bushes stopped me, it turned out to be a Chiffchaff but as I waited to get a clear view a Brown Hare appeared on the path in front of me.

It always amazes me how sometimes a Brown Hare can be completely oblivious of your presence and other time dash off a t he slightest appearance.  This was one of those times where it was completely oblivious of my being almost in front of it.  It walked towards me and then stopped, sat down and started to preen, its fur very wet from moving through the grass.  No words just photographs.

Then it surprised me by standing on its back legs and shaking the front paws.

A pose more familiar when seen boxing.

In this shot the Hare is off the ground.

Then down to earth and it moved slowly, still as if it was not aware of me across the path and into the field.

I then picked it up in the longer grass, this time it seemed to be aware of me and even though I was a long way off, further away than earlier it seemed completely aware of me and ready to burst out of the grass should I attempt to get close.

I decided then to walk back to the car park and have some breakfast, it was still very overcast but I still had hope we would get some sunshine.  After breakfast I walked back to the ditch, a Lesser Whitethroat was an addition to the warbler list for the day but remained very elusive.

Walking across the main meadow I flushed a single Grey Partridge and watched as it flew away into the safety of Blagdon Plantation.

Despite the overcast conditions the first butterfly of the day appeared a rather worn Peacock warming up on the exposed mud.

Two Blackcaps were singing in the bushes at the junction with the Jubilee Trail.  They were not happy with each other and both males appeared to chase each other through the bushes.

There was also a female and the male seemed to take is lead from the female, following her as she moved away from the confrontation.

The female just before she flew off, quickly followed by the male.

Back along the ditch there were at least four singing Corn Buntings.

Males defend territories in the breeding season and can be polygynous, with up to three females per breeding male.

Males play only a small role in parental care; they are not involved in nest building or incubation, and only feed the chicks when they are over half grown.

Stonechats were also visible on the top of the ditch, announcing their presence with the call that gives them their name sounding like two pebbles knocked together.

All males here, but the females were close by

I disturbed a moth  and it flew a short distance before settling down amongst the grass leaves. After two failed attempts I managed to locate it and was surprised to find it was a Silver Y.

Usually most numerous from late summer into autumn, it can occur in any month with those in the winter generally associated with warmer southerly winds.

I walked on past the old rifle ranges and to the top car park, from their I crossed the road and entered the reserve on the north side.  Another Lesser Whitethroat was singing in the bushes, this time I was able to watch it but didn't get a clear view for a photograph.

Turtle Dove used to be seen here, but since the wires were removed they seem to have disappeared, I looked more out of hope, and there was nothing there.  I then walked along the path in the next field heading north east.  It looks as if the cloud is heavy in this view, but there was enough radiation to make it feel warm.

Movement in the Oak trees that line the edge of the field produced a Coal Tit feeding young and a vocal Marsh Tit.

Looking into the wood you could just make out the light blue haze of the Bluebells.

There was still no sunshine so it was a surprise to come across my first Small Copper of the year.

It was gone as quickly as it appeared.  I crossed the road and walked back into the main reserve, at the gate I was buzzed by a Speckled Wood, things were looking up on the butterfly front.

The cloud was now breaking up and the sun was out for periods which definitely warmed things up.  But I was still not prepared for what I found on a Dandelion head as I turned onto the footpath.  A Painted Lady!

The Painted Lady is a long-distance migrant, which causes the most spectacular butterfly migrations observed in Britain and Ireland.  Each year, it spreads northwards from the desert fringes of North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, recolonising mainland Europe and reaching Britain and Ireland. 

Up until now it was not known if the Painted Lady made the return journey at the end of the summer, like the closely related Red Admiral, or just simply died in the UK.

Scientists from the University of York and organisations including Butterfly Conservation, the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Rothamsted Research, have discovered exactly what happens to Painted Ladies each autumn.  It does migrate south each autumn, but makes this return journey at high altitude out of view of butterfly observers on the ground.

The whole journey is not undertaken by individual butterflies but is a series of steps by up to six successive generations so Painted Ladies returning to Africa in the autumn are several generations removed from their ancestors who left Africa earlier in the year.

By heading northwards in spring conditions, the population shifts northwards in a series of generations. But those that develop in the long day lengths of northern summers head south again, achieving massive distances by riding favourable winds.

Rather than overwinter in one or two places like the Monarch butterfly, the Painted Lady just keeps going, breeding and moving, breeding and moving again, in a never-ending series of steps taking the whole population from Africa to northern Europe again, year after year

This means that this individual which was in perfect condition is probably one of a generation "born" earlier in the spring in southern Europe, recent southerly and south easterly winds aiding it arrival here on a dandelion at Martin Down.

The Painted Lady was buzzed by a bee and flew of with that powerful fluttering flight.  I walked on following the road as I headed back towards the car park.  There had been a Red Kite around earlier and one appeared now wheeling away above me.

Another male Stonechat showed well in the bushes, the males look splendid at this time of year.

Rather than walk to the car park I crossed the field at an angle to the rifle ranges, a Willow Warbler sang from the hawthorn scrub and on the way I stopped for yet another singing Corn Bunting.

In the short grass area around the main rifle range bank there was a good number of Early Purple Orchids, including this white and pink form.

It was now warm and the skies were clearing from the south west, the first butterflies to really show were the Brimstones, both male and female could be seen flying along the ditch, the females checking the blackthorn shrubs for suitable egg laying sites, the males looking for females and the flowering Dandelions.

If a male did come across a female they would perform a fluttering display with both butterflies falling over each other in flight.

Another Peacock in a little better condition.

Another male Stonechat.

I had hoped we would fine two of the early skippers to emerge.  I only found one Dingy Skipper and it was gone as quickly as it appeared.  The Grizzled Skipper faired a little better with two sightings.

Another Small Copper in the ditch.

Gronking calls from above heralded the arrival of a Raven, it was very vocal as passed over head.

Cowslips dominated the slopes of the ditch and at ground level they created a yellow blur.

It was now a glorious day, the view looking across the copses and the car park.

Making my way down the hill a couple of Garden Warblers were singing in the first bushes I reached, they were very elusive and I was only able to get a few views but was able to confirm identification.

Further down in the shelter of the bushes there was another Small Copper sunning on the open mud.

Then a little further along a fourth Small Copper.

And very obligingly it perched on a twig.

As is the case at this time of year a male Orange Tip flew past me and just kept going!

A final view of beautiful Martin Down National Nature Reserve.

Over the next few weeks Martin Down will transform into a sea of grasses and wild flowers with orchids and butterflies along the ditch.  I will be back.