April
April started at Titchfield, on the 2nd, the highlight being a Speckled Wood Butterfly, the first of the year. On the 4th I saw an Osprey that had taken up residence on Long Island in Langstone Harbour in very strong winds. There were more birds of prey in the afternoon at Alresford Pond with Marsh Harrier and Red Kite showing over the pond.
On the 5th I was in Winchester at the Cathedral where the old female Peregrine had been replaced by a young one. The male was busy bringing food and mating with her but unfortunately they were not successful in raising young this year.
On the 6th Ian and I visited RSPB Arne, where the Forster's Tern present in 2023 had returned, we managed to get distant views, other birds seen of interest were Whimbrel, Swallow and Sandwich Tern.
A second calendar year Little Gull was on the north scrape at Titchfield on the 8th and on the 11th a long overdue trip to Bransbury Common saw Great Grey Shrike and Grasshopper Warbler.
In the afternoon I dropped into Pennington where a single Whooper Swan had taken up residence on the marsh, a county tick.
A morning visit to Old Winchester Hill found some summer migrants, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. There was a Firecrest close to the car park and Red Kite and Buzzards around the slopes of the fort.
On the 13th, Ian and I went out of the county to Durlston Country Park. Our targets were Early Spider and Green-winged Orchid, which we were successful with. This an Early Spider Orchid
Then a walk to Dancing Ledge where the Puffins showed well.
Guillemot and Razorbill were also present and Gannet distantly offshore. A male Peregrine was also hunting along the cliffs. My first Wheatear of the year was around the Lighthouse.
We stopped off on the way home at Posbrook Floods where there was all three hirundine and a Hobby, plus a pair of Garganey.
On the 16th I had a visit booked with the Great Bustard Group on Salisbury Plain. A great experience with superb views of two males squaring up to each other.
On the 18th I was in the New Forest with more summer migrants Willow Warbler and Redstart. Ian and I had acquired pheromone lures for Emperor moths and they proved to be a success luring several males on the heather.
On the 20th it was a first visit to Beacon Hill at Warnford. Ian and I have looked at the hill many times from Old Winchester Hill. Highlights were more Red Kite, a Raven Family and this beautiful Green Hairstreak, the first special butterfly of the year.
Then the yearly trip to Noar Hill where there were at least four Duke of Burgundy butterflies as well as Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Green-veined White and Brimstone.
A Marsh Sandpiper turned up at Pennington in the third week of the month. As I walked to Normandy Marsh on the 22nd where it had been spending time, I had to stop for this stunning Spotted Redshank in summer plumage.
Fortunately the Marsh Sandpiper was still there and showed very well.
A bonus was also a Curlew Sandpiper on Normandy Marsh and Spoonbills on Pennington Marsh.
Two Common Dolphin were off shore from Hill Head on the 24th. On the 27th while sea watching at Hill Head a report came in of a Black-winged Stilt at Hooks Link scrape, a short dash found it showing well. We were lucky as it was a one day bird, disappearing the next day.
It was back to Hill Head again on the 30th, off shore there were Sandwich, Common and Little Terns, several Whimbrel and on the high tide roost on the spit partially summer plumaged Sanderling.
In the afternoon a visit to Browndown South saw at least three Adders "dancing" around a female. This went on for quite few hours with neither male giving up.
May
In the New forest on the 2nd, Snipe were drumming at the view point at Acres Down while the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was still drumming on the usual tree along the main path. A rare visit to Testwood lakes had Great Egret and nesting Little Ringed Plover.
At Hill Head on the 4th had Gannet off shore and Bearded Tits in the reed bed. In the afternoon at Fishlake Meadows at least Hobbies hunting insects and dragonflies over the reeds and pools.
A Bittern was booming from the reed bed and a couple of Cuckoos out over the marsh area, while at least four Garden Warblers singing along the canal path.
On the 7th it was back to Noar Hill for the afternoon with Dingy Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Orange Tip and two spectacular Emperor Moths. The wild flowers were also impressive with plenty of Cowslips and early Purple Orchids. There were at least eight Duke of Burgundy.
My highlight of the spring was on the 9th May at Acres Down where two Bee-eaters flew over, unfortunately no photographs. There were also Tree Pipits and Woodlarks. In the afternoon I dropped into Magdalen Hill where I picked up Brown Argus, Common and Small Blue and Grizzled and Dingy Skipper.
The first visit to Martin Down this Spring Had Cuckoo, plenty of Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer, Brown Hare and three Spotted Flycatcher. Along the ditch the Burnt Tip Orchids were in perfect condition.
What was to become the highlight of the summer for Hampshire birds was the arrival of a pair of Roseate Terns on Normandy Marsh. I visited in quite heavy rain on the 16th and the terns were showing very well on the island in the middle of the lagoon. It was to be the first of several visits to watch these rare sea birds. Also present were three Garganey on Pennington, where Swifts hawked over the flooded marsh.
We were away in Somerset on the 18th and a visit to Shapwick Heath saw plenty of Great Egret and several Hobby over the reed beds. A surprise was a young Adder on the bridge across the canal.
For the first time for some time Ian and I visited the east clearing at Bentley Wood on the 20th, some quality birds, Firecrest, Willow Warbler and Tree Pipit. The main reason for the visit was the Pear-bordered Fritillary of which we only saw two.
In the afternoon it was back to Martin Down. There were butterflies such as Dingy Skipper, Small Heath, Small Blue and Green Hairstreak, but the numbers were poor which was to be a story of the year. In good numbers, 22, were the Marsh Fritillaries along the ditch.
Early Purple Orchids and Greater Butterfly Orchids were also in flower along the ditch.
I was back to Normandy Marsh on the 21st, this time in sunshine and the Roseate Terns, that were now looking like they would breed, were showing really well, moving back and forth from the island to the sea to fish.
In the afternoon a visit to Pig Bush produced two Honey Buzzards over the trees to the west.
I went looking for Wood Warbler on the 24th was not successful, but a walk around Boulderwood saw Firecrest, Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher. From there it was back to Pig Bush where a surprise was a couple of Nightjar roosting in an Oak tree, occasionally churring as they moved around.
Close by a Cuckoo put in a brief appearance.
A walk down to the open heath and marsh area saw distant Honey Buzzard and a single Goshawk. Redstart were busy around the fallen dead trees, this male showing very well.
On the 30th I went to RSPB Pagham Harbour where a Red-necked Phalarope was on the Ferry Pool. On the way home I stopped at Woolbedding Common where again there were distant views of Honey Buzzard.
The last day of May saw me back at Titchfield Haven where there was a huge congregation of Swifts over the scrapes.
June
On the 3rd I tried Old Winchester Hill again for butterflies and while there was a good count of species overall the numbers were extremely low. The highlight was a few Adonis Blue.
On the 4th a Red-backed Shrike turned up at the Hamble Country Park, notoriously one day birds I made a dash there and managed to catch up with a bird that has become quite rare these days.
While the butterflies were still difficult to find the orchids were having a good year. At Martin Down on the 6th I can not recall ever having seen so many Greater Butterfly Orchids. As well as these there were excellent numbers of Common Spotted, Chalk, Marsh and Heath Fragrant Orchid. The Burnt Tips were still in bloom, but the highlight was a single Frog Orchid found close to the old rifle ranges.
After a week in Sicily from the 7th to the 14th, I was back out with Ian on the 15th. Once again we were looking for orchids. Starting with Portsdown Hill, it was the beautiful Lizard Orchid.
The day finished with a visit to a small reserve called Chappet's Copse where we found Broad and Sword Leaved Helleborine, but missed out on Fly Orchid.
On the 17th a walk around found unexpectantly another Nightjar roosting on a birch tree, the main reason for a visit was to see Silver-studded Blue of which there were good numbers for once.
Later we visited Noar Hill once more where there were more orchids to find. New for me were the Common Twayblade and the diminutive Musk Orchid.
A Hobby at Titchfield on the 18th was the highlight of the visit. On the 20th June I started a ten day pilgrimage to Abbotts Wood in Alice holt Forest. My quest as always at this time of year was the Purple Emperor. Once again the quantity of butterflies was down, but I did manage to find my first White Admiral of the year.
On the 24t there were more White Admiral, a flowering Broad-leaved Helleborine and a few Marbled Whites.
The first Silver-washed Fritillaries were out in the Straits Inclosure on the 25th, and later in the afternoon in Abbotts Wood i found my first Grass Snake for sometime, devouring something on the path.
I finally saw Purple Emperor on the 27th, but not the views I was hoping for, with the butterflies high in the trees.
It was the 29th when Abbotts Wood gave up the Purple Emperor, after sightings in the trees once more we came across on on the path nectaring on dogs faeces but eventually opened up the wings to show off the stunning colours.
In the afternoon it was back to Old Winchester Hill and after some considerable searching we finally found at least six Dark-green Fritillaries.
A nice way to end the month and quarter.
Full details of all of these trips can be found by looking back over my blog for this year, just choose from the contents on the right hand side
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