3rd June - Old Winchester Hill, Hampshire

Glorious weather on Sunday, Monday dawned with sunny skies, but these faded away to become watery sunshine.  I was banking on it being warm enough for butterflies so headed to Old Winchester Hill for the first summer visit.

There was some weak sunshine as I set off along the top path and almost immediately I found a Small Heath, settled on a grass stem.

There were plenty of white flowers on the bramble and I found a Silver Y moth nectaring on one, the wings were still vibrating but it was an opportunity to close up on the head and proboscis.

As well as the Bramble flowers there was plenty of Dog Rose in flower.

Turning onto the path leading towards the hill fort a Red Admiral was taking in what little radiation there was from the weak sunshine.

I turned on to the moat of the fort and headed towards the south slope.  There was a few orchids showing amongst the grass.  This one a Common Spotted Orchid, the most numerous.

But there were also quite a few Chalk Fragrant Orchids, these are not patterned on the petals and appear slimmer and taller.

There were quite a few Jackdaw feeding in the field, here is one resting on the fence with the house of the winery in the background.

I walked down the slope to the gorse and juniper at the bottom of the slope.  The sun had now almost disappeared behind the clouds and the temperature had dropped a little.  I did not see one butterfly in an area that normally produces a few.  I was hoping for some blues, but all I could find were Linnets and singing Yellowhammers.

I walked back up the slope and up onto the fort, the wind was taking the edge of the temperature.  A Yellowhammer was collecting food on the path, probably with a nest close by.

I walked around the fort and then down the track on the other side of the main path.  As I walked down the steep slope to the wood there were signs the sun might be coming back so I remained hopeful.

Walking through the wood I found this striking looking beetle.  It is known as a Scarlet Lily Beetle.  A quite appropriate name.

The beetle eats the leaves and stems of members of the lily family, such as Lilies and Fritillaries and also lays its eggs on the same species.

as you reach the bottom of the valley in the wood you come across a very striking Beech tree, the trunk is very tall, probably due to the surround trees on the slopes.

I saw one Common Blue on the path coming out of the wood, but it did not stop.  I decided to sit and eat my lunch in the hope that others would appear, but the sun decided to go into heavy cloud cover.

I walked the path to the bottom of the car park slope wondering what to do.  There was now some sunshine, and away to the north west, the direction where wind was coming from the skies looked like they would be a little clearer.

I turned back and walked the path once again.  The sun did appear and with it several Common Blues.  This was my first photograph of a Common Blue this year.

This one looked like it was newly emerged.

Walking back I then found the butterfly I was hoping to see today, a male Adonis Blue.

But it didn't stay long.  The Adonis like warm sunny weather so I was hoping things would get better.  I walked up the hill and decided to walk along the top path once again, but I didn't see a single butterfly despite the warm conditions.

Walking down the slope to the Wood once again there were male and female Brimstone, and in the wood I came across two Speckled Wood.

Out of the wood there were more Common Blue along the path.  Then I came across the first Meadow Brown of the year.

A male Brimstone.

Walking up the slope I watched a Yellowhammer fly across the path and settle at the top of the dead tree alongside the path.

Red Kite and Buzzard flew over, but very high up.  Once through the gate, there was a calling Chiffchaff in the bushes and feeding in amongst the nettles below.

Walking back to the car park I thought about the butterfly days I have had this year.  There doesn't seem to be the numbers that were about last year, this may be due to the weather and conditions, but spring has not been good so far this year, lets hope the summer brings a little more.