3rd July - Old Winchester Hill, Hampshire

The first Monday I have not either been at work, sick or on a public or work holiday for just under 44 years, I am retired, so to celebrate I arranged to meet Ian at Old Winchester Hill.  It was a fresh morning, sunny intervals and a fresh breeze blowing.  From the car park we headed out along the top path towards the bronze age hill fort.

Tall grass lined both sides of the path and it was being blown about by the stiff breeze, however I was not surprised to see a Marbled White sitting on the flower head of a Scabious amongst the grass.  This was one of the butterflies we both had hoped to catch up with this morning.

A nice close up of this male.

The grasses making the perfect background for the light mauve of the scabious.

Open wings catching the morning sunshine down among the grass stems.

As well as the Marbled Whites there was another special butterfly found at this reserve, the Dark-green Fritillary and a little further along the path one came up from the grass and then flew back down to settle out of the wind amongst the bramble leaves.

The Dark Green Fritillary is the most widespread fritillary found in the British Isles and is usually seen as it flies powerfully over its grassland habitats, frequently stopping to nectar on Thistles and Knapweed. It gets its name from the green hue found on the underside of the hindwings, which are peppered with large silver spots.

The fresh wind meant it did not raise its wings to show off the green hue and spots before it flew off.

A Yellowhammer sang from a nearby bush, showing well against the distant clouds and fields.

I was able to get a little closer as it sang.

Walking from the car park there had been quite a few Red Admirals about and very soon it became apparent that there was in fact a lot.  The brambles appeared to be covered and they would fly up from almost anywhere.

By no means the highest seen on the bramble but it gives some idea of the numbers.

In the sheltered spot there were many other butterflies joining the Red Admirals.

Small Skippers

Large White

A very smart Comma

Plus many more Marbled White.

We decided to walk to the fort by the track that follows the slope.  Great views as always

A Dark-green Fritillary was along the path keeping out of the wind.

At last a view of the under wing.

A Chalk Fragrant Orchid amongst the grass in the south side of the fort.

We also found Common Spotted and Pyramidal Orchids in the moat.  But the dominant flowers amongst the grass were the Rampion.

And the scabious

Looking south west over Warnborough HIll.

The view in black and white, just as spectacular.

The fields were looking very parched, adding to the pastel colours on show.

The north slope of the fort was sheltered from the wind and the butterflies were showing well.

Male and female Marbled White, the female having a brown chequered underwing to the male's black.

The flowering thistles were a big attraction to the Marbled Whites.

There were more Dark-green Fritillaries on the slope.  This female was the easiest to get to.

The males are the more conspicuous of the two sexes, and can be seen patrolling over large areas of habitat looking for a virgin female which often rest low down in vegetation. Once found, mating takes place almost immediately. A mating pair may be found resting on vegetation and will even continue to nectar while coupled.

Females are somewhat-easier to see when egg-laying, where they intersperse periods of nectaring with basking and bouts of egg-laying, when they will crawl deep in vegetation, searching out the lushest growths of larval foodplant mostly Dog, Hairy and Marsh Violet, before laying a single egg, although several eggs are often laid in the same area.

To save me having to write up the history of the ancient fort here at Old Winchester Hill I thought it would be better to take a photograph of the information provided by Natural England

From the fort we followed the slope path once again and then descended the steep slope to the wood at the bottom of the valley.  Just before the entrance to the wood the area is sheltered and there were more Dark-green Fritillaries.

The wood is suffering from Ash die back and a lot of area has been cleared.  Coming out we followed the lower path before turning up the hill.  Wher the path turns up there were several spikes of Viper's Bugloss.

This is a hairy plant with dense spikes of bright blue, funnel-shaped flowers. It is found on chalk grassland, sand dunes, cliffs and disturbed ground, and is in bloom from May to September. It provides food for a range of insects, including Buff-tailed and Red-tailed Bumblebees, Large Skipper and Painted Lady butterflies, Honeybees and Red Mason Bees.

A Small Tortoiseshell on the path as we climbed the hill, like the Red Admiral there appeared to be quite a large emergence of these around the area.

At the gate what else could be present, a Gatekeeper or Hedge Brown as it is sometimes known.

Yet another Small Tortoiseshell.

Walking back to the car park there was movement across the path, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth, but unfortunately it settled amongst the pebbles and did not perform around the bramble.  On the ground and still it looks quite drab.

At the car park I was taken by the rose-bay willow herb against the dark background.

My time was up, I had an appointment to go to, but it was a nice way to start what I hope will be many more weekday jaunts.