18th July - Portsdown Hill, Hampshire

A change in the weather, the temperatures were not going to be above 25 degrees today!  A nice northerly breeze would cool things off.  I met Ian at Portsdown Hill, we were there to look for the reported Brown Hairstreaks which would save us the long trek we normally take to Shipton Belinger to see this beautiful butterfly

Despite the breeze when sheltered the sun was still very warm even early in the morning.  As we walked around Fort Widley a yellow butterfly flew past and for once settled on the side of the path.  A Clouded Yellow and a chance for a photograph.

We walked through some glorious flower meadows with thistle, knapweed and wild carrot.  Despite the time of day there were plenty of butterflies, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown the most numerous, but also several Common Blues.

We eventually found the meadow where the Hairstreaks have been seen.  This butterfly likes Ash and blackthorn, there was plenty of this around the outside of the meadow, but the specific location I had been told of was not in the sun at the moment, so we walked the area that was.  Plenty of Oak and Ash and it wasn't a surprise to see Purple Hairstreak. 

In a sheltered spot a Migrant Hawker settled on a bush.

Another surprise was this Small Blue, clearly from a second brood it was settled on a grass stem.

We walked around the outside of the meadow without any luck.  There were plenty of juvenile and adult Swallows flying low over the flowers and the mown grass.  At times they would pass by us so close showing some incredible flying skills.  

We were deciding where to go next as we stood on the mown grass.  It was hard to ignore the swallows as they flew around and between  us.

Twisting and turning.

We decided to retrace our steps back to the car park and there was a wonderful show of butterflies along the path.  A male Brown Argus.

And more Small Blues.

But the highlight was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth that had a liking for Field Scabious.

Probably some of the best photographs I have taken of this delightful little day flying moth.

Even at the very high shutter speeds it was not possible to freeze the wings completely, but it does show the figure of eight pattern the wings take to enable it to hover.

The length of the proboscis is quite amazing.

More butterflies in the fields and by the side of the footpath.  A Small Heath.

And a smart male Common Blue.

Through the day we saw four raptors, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and this Red Kite that was being mobbed by Magpies.

Walking back from the cars we found a nice female Common Blue.

And the obligatory Painted Lady.

And the first Green-veined White of the day.

The sun was now on the blackthorn in the location I was told, but there wasn't any sign of the Brown Hairstreaks.  As the area warmed up Gatekeeper appeared and Meadow Brown.  A circuit of the filed once again found yet another Small Blue.

The density of the flowers in the meadow.

We stopped for lunch on a bench at the top of the hill and enjoyed the view and the cooling northerly breeze.  After lunch we set off once more down the side of the field.  A small orange butterfly set the pulses racing, but it turned out to be a Small Copper.

Still no sign of the hairstreaks and after several circuits we gave up.  Walking slowly for quite some time plays havoc with my back and I had to get a rest so we made our way back to the cars.  Another Painted Lady.

An what was probably the same Clouded Yellow we had seen at the start of the day was nectaring on Thyme.

Showing a little of that elusive upper wing pattern.

In total we saw twenty two butterfly species and two moths, but it was disappointing not to be able to include the Brown Hairstreak in that list.  Never mind, we always say that nature is not something that you can rely on to deliver, and it was a good day in great company.