6th June - Martin Down, Hampshire

June is always a good time to visit Martin Down so I had arranged to meet Ian relatively early this morning.  As it was it wasn't as early as I liked but on arriving the weather was good and despite the cold wind it was a pleasant sunny morning.  We set off up the hill towards the Bokerly Ditch once more this year.

On our last visit the Greater Butterfly Orchids had been just stalks, the hope was that today they would be in flower.  As we approached the ditch we could see the bank covered in white flowers and as we got closer we could see these were in fact Greater Butterfly Orchids and more than we have ever seen at this location, they were literally everywhere.

While some were more of a stalk, this one had fewer flower heads, but it provided the chance to see the delicate nature of these orchids.

There are two species of butterfly orchid, greater and lesser.  They are best told apart by the angle of the pollinia, they are parallel in the lesser, but as can be seen here in the Greater they are more angled.  The pollinia are the orange marks in the middle of the flower head.

Everywhere you looked there were stalks of these lovely delicate flowers.

The Greater Butterfly Orchids were not the only orchid species, there were at least a couple of Fragrant Orchid species.  Chalk Fragrant Orchids

And what looks like a Heath Fragrant Orchid.

There were also plenty of Common Spotted Orchids.

We walked along the ditch once more, passing so many Common Spotted and Fragrant Orchids.

At the junction with the Jubilee Way we found a Spotted Flycatcher in the dead branches of an Ash tree.  By the way it stayed in place we think it might be a newly fledged youngster, but were not certain.

The dark background of the trees provided a lovely frame for this male Yellowhammer.

The female, here with food.

And a Five Spot Burnet in the grass of the dutch.

We walked up the Jubilee Way looking for more Spotted Flycatcher, we could hear them in the copse.  Ahead of us was a Roe Deer feeding by the gate.

Then we came across a Brown Hare in the grass.

We walked to the top of the path without seeing anymore Hare, then as we came back a Spotted Flycatcher flew out of the trees, but we were distracted as there were two Brown Hares that ran past us very close.

The Spotted Flycatcher then came back and sat for us on an old post.

We returned to the ditch and continued the walk.  A Small Heath settled in the grass.

Then a flash of electric blue and a male Adonis Blue settled on some Kidney Vetch in front of us, a stunning butterfly.

With wings folded it doesn't stand out.

Rooks were all over the grassland and would settle together calling constantly in the hawthorn bushes.

At the next footpath cross roads a Small Blue, looking a little faded.

The Burnt Tip Orchids were still in flower, but were looking as if they were about to go over very soon.

But the other rare flower here, the Field Fleawort, were showing very well.  Favouring chalky soils, this is a strong hold for a species that is becoming quite rare.

Just before the rifle ranges is a very good place to find the Common Spotted Orchids, this one a very special specimen.

A Small Heath nectaring on the bramble flowers.

Another Five Spot Burnet.

We walked around the rifle ranges and headed to a corner of one where there are usually good numbers of Fragrant Orchids.  As we worked our way through the Fragrants I came across what at first I thought was an orchid that had gone over.  But a closer look showed it to be fine and after Ian checked it with his app, we were looking at a Frog Orchid, a first for both of us.

It is a relatively small orchid and can be difficult to spot, however the shape and colour are distinctive once you know what to look for.  They are scarce favouring chalky and limestone soils.

They have downward facing flowers with rounded a rounded hood and long reddish green lips which have two side lobes and a tiny central one.

There were plenty of orchids along a bank that was now being warmed by the sun.  Never give up the chance to photograph moth or butterfly settled on an orchid.  Here a Five Spot Burnet on a Common Spotted Orchid.

Then the butterfly that is special here, an almost immaculate Marsh Fritillary.

There were Common Blues and and a few Brown Argus buzzing around in the sunshine.

Another Moth on an Orchid, this time a Burnt Companion, a fairly common day flying moth in these grasslands.

The grass on the bank.

Walking back there wasn't much of any other interest, but this Grizzled Skipper showed itself from a different angle showing off the lovely patterns of the underwing.

These dainty little butterflies are now coming to the end of their season, a chance to enjoy them until next year.

We walked around the edge of the fields hoping for Turtle Dove without any luck.  A Lesser Whitethroat gave us the run around before we walked back to the car park and I headed home with time to get myself ready for my coming trip.

20th May - Bentley Wood, Eastern Clearing and Martin Down, Hampshire

It was to be a butterfly day and I had arranged to meet Ian at Bentley Wood in the eastern car park.  This is one of those specialised locations that we may visit annually. Once upon a time it was the only place in Hampshire you could find Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, but over the last three or four years they have all but gone.  It is, though a good sight for Pearl-bordered Fritillary that appears earlier than its similar cousin, so we were here to find them and hopefully some others.

It was a beautiful morning and the car park looked quite impressive.

I could hear a Firecrest at the back of the car park, so as I waited for Ian I went in search and found it in probably the darkest part of the wood.

Ian duly arrived and we set off down the main path to the Eastern Clearing, an area of Bracken, Hawthorn and marshy ground, one of the reasons the Pearl-bordered Fritillary can be found here.  As we entered a Blackcap was singing from the high point of a dead branch.

Yellow Wave moths were flying around and there were also Broad-bodied Chasers.  Here a male settled on the bracken.

A Garden Warbler sang from the bushes and showed typically poorly amongst the leaves.  A Willow Warbler was singing behind us and we could also hear Tree Pipit, a guaranteed bird here.  We walked to the tall Oak trees where the Pipit was singing and found it at the top, and then realised there was another singing, this one at the top of a dead branch and more accessible.

As I watched the Tree Pipit a butterfly settled on the bracken in front of me, a Pearl-bordered Fritillary, job done!

This is the earliest of the British fritillaries to emerge on the wing and is usually seen from early spring.  They are named after the seven silver pearls seen along the underside of the hindwings and obviously not visible here!

The Pearl-bordered differs from the rarer Small Pearl in that its seven "pearls" are edged with red chevrons and not black.  From above the patterning along the edge of the wing has a more open appearance than that of the Small Pearl.

Leaving the tree Pipits we walked back to the main area and came across an Orchid, that at first I thought could be a Southern Marsh, but we found spots on the leaves so it has to be an early Common Spotted Orchid.

The Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were quite active and we saw about five or six, but very few were settling, this one did briefly.

The female Broad-bodied Chasers were a little more accommodating

. 

A medium sized dragonfly, that is commonly seen in early summer.  They prefer standing water and small puddles and pools.

We had hoped we would get some more action here, but it was quiet with few butterflies.  Having found the one we were looking for we decided to move on to Martin Down, the other side of Salisbury.  My last visit drew a blank on the Marsh Fritillaries, hopefully they would be around today in the warmth and sunshine.

Arriving in the car park we set off down the lane towards the Dyke, Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting and Whitethroats sang along the path, but once again there was no purring from a Turtle Dove.

Along the way, more butterflies, the Dingy Skipper.

Then my first Small Heath of the year.

As is always the way the stunning view out across this wonderful reserve.

The Greater Butterfly Orchids that were just stalks ten days ago, were now showing buds and the start of some petals.

And so it was off along the ditch, and it did not take long before we found the first Marsh Fritillary.

These are a scarce butterfly in the country, being highly localised and have declined severely during the 20th century but have held on in there southern colonies.  Bokerly Ditch here at Martin Down provides ideal conditions for them, despite the name they do not favour marshy conditions but damp tussocky grassland that can be found here, and the provision of Devil's Bit Scabious their foodplant

This is a male, they are brighter and slightly smaller than the female.

They are rather slow flying in comparison with other fritillaries, keeping low to the ground.  The adults rarely fly more than 100 metres from where they emerge.

In the first stretch of the ditch we saw at least six individuals, all males.  Last year we were not able to find any here and only managed one at Bentley Wood.  The year before that I only found one individual, so it was great to see them once again in good numbers.

The beautiful upper side pattern of the Marsh Fritillary, with contrasting orange, yellow and brown.

We reached the crossroads with the Jubilee path and amongst the grass in the ditch was another early Common Spotted Orchid.

We walked along the track in search if the Spotted Flycatcher.  Last visit they were calling all along the path, today it was eerily quiet.  After some extensive searching we finally managed a quick glimpse of one.  There was also no sign of any Hare.

Back out on the ditch it was back to the butterflies and a nice Grizzled Skipper.

And a pair of mating Dingy Skipper.

The first Cinnabar Moth of the summer.

Walking along the ditch there were more Marsh Fritillaries and frustratingly a Painted Lady that flew past me and up and over the bank of the ditch. 

Coming up on to the main path we came across a pair of Small Blue mating on a grass stem.

Once again a highly colonial species, that does not wander far and can almost to be guaranteed to be found in the same locations year after year.  It favours sheltered grassland with ample amounts of the foodplant, Kidney Vetch, where the female not only rests but feeds and lays her eggs.

A Brown Argus, the only one seen.

The Burnt TIp Orchids were still looking spectacular ten days on.

One or two clouds were bubbling up to add to the wonderful views.

Approaching the old rifle ranges there is a metal box and here is a good spot for Common Spotted Orchids and there were plenty about, showing very well.

Walking around the old ranges we found a Green Hairstreak, they are now approaching the end of their season so an opportunity to get some photographs before they go away until next year.

An interesting view.

More normal approach.

Plenty of grass between the old ranges and there were more Marsh Fritillaries scattered all around.  An opportunity to see the butterfly from below.  This one looked like it still had to fully open the wings.

The nearest fore wing is not quite fully "pumped up".

Then we came across a mating couple, showing the underside.

Females are mated soon after emergence and are so full of eggs that they crawl in the grass and can only fly small distances, another way to distinguish the sexes.

From the ranges we headed back to the car park across the open grassland.  The path has very defined tyre tracks and in places these were flooded with water and mud.  In these spots there was a large colony of Small Blue, imbibing on the mud and flying around the vegetation.  Up to now we had not been able to capture a Small Blue with its wings fully open.  So we waited and eventually one opened those dark blue wings.

Walking back along the edge of the fields we had a Speckled Wood and a Holly Blue, just before the car park, another beautiful Green Hairstreak.

There were a couple of butterflies we had hoped for that were missing today, both Blues, Common and Adonis.  They should be out now but there wasn't any sign of them.  A really good day and lovely being at both sites in the warm sunshine.