15th June - Portsdown Hill, Beacon Hill & Chappetts Copse, Hampshire

Saturday morning was a wake up call, overcast, strong winds and sporadic rain.  A long way from the blue skies and warm temperatures we had left behind in Sicily the day before.  I had arranged to meet Ian at the top of Portsdown Hill, today was to be about Orchids and hopefully butterflies but the latter was not going to be easy.  As I sat in the car, parked in the lay by the rain became heavy, the wind rocking the car and the rain thumping on the windscreen and roof.  When Ian arrived he joined me in the car and we chatted until the rain eased and there was signs of blue sky away to the west.

Leaving the car we were joined by a Kestrel using the up draught from the hill to hover over the grass area.

We walked down the hill and through the grassy paths, as I said we were here to look for orchids, and some special ones at that.  Along side the paths there were Pyramidal Orchids in bloom.  The pyramidal orchid lives up to its name - look for a bright pinky-purple, densely packed pyramid of flowers atop a green stem. 

Eventually the path took us to a grassy area that was below the chalk cliffs of Portsdown Hill and in amongst the tall grass was the orchid we were looking, the Lizard Orchid.  I have seen these before, but in the Dordogne area of France, this was the first time I had seen one in this country.

The Lizard Orchid grows on calcareous soils and likes sunny positions on the edges of open woodland and on roadside verges. This orchid also grows in dry meadows, rocky areas, and open woods.

The long, tail-like lip is usually spiralled and dotted with pink or purple in the centre. Lizard Orchid’s flowers have a rather foul smell, said to be similar to the smell of goats.

Lizard Orchid is usually rare in the UK but in the right location it can be found in great numbers. It grows up to a metre in height but can nonetheless be difficult to spot when growing in long grass on roadside verges.

The scientific name (Himantoglossum) derives from the Greek for ‘strap-tongue’ Hircinum is Latin for ‘goat-like’, and refers to the strong, foul smell of the flowers.  In most European languages it is known as ‘(Billy or male) goat orchid’.

The Lizard Orchid is pollinated by insects particularly bees.

In the same area as the Lizard Orchids were several Bee Orchids.  These were looking particularly superb with most of the flower heads in perfect condition.

The Bee Orchid is a sneaky mimic - the flower’s velvety lip looks like a female bee. Males fly in to try to mate with it and end up pollinating the flower. Sadly, the right bee species doesn’t live here in the UK, so the UK Bee Orchids have to rely on self-pollination.

A small orchid, the bee orchid has a rosette of leaves at ground level and two leaves that grow up the stem as a sheath. The stem displays a number of relatively large flowers with pink sepals that look like wings, and furry, brown lips that have yellow markings on, just like a bee.

A drop of water left over from the rain was clinging to the velvet like abdomen of the "bee".

As well as these two special orchids there were others, the Common Spotted Orchid.

Despite the overcast conditions a Marbled White flew past us, but didn't stop, a first for the year.  But then Ian found one settled on the top of a Pyramidal Orchid.

A newly emerged male, sitting out the cool conditions.

We climbed up the side of the cliff, it looks quite dramatic close up.

At the top of the cliff we walked through loads of daisies and Common Spotted Orchids.

Despite the overcast conditions, the sea around Portchester Fort looked distinctly Mediterranean.

We disturbed a group of Ravens that were feeding on a dead rabbit, they took off and flew around us using the wind to not go away too far.

From Portsdown Hill our next destination was to be Beacon Hill.  We had been here for the first time earlier in the spring, and I an had visited in the week and found Man Orchids.  He was happy to return so I could see them.

We walked around the hill, taking in the wonderful view on what was now a lovely morning.

After reaching the area we eventually found a single Man Orchid, a spike about 20 centimetres tall alongside a small Blackthorn bush.

The Man Orchid takes its name from the appearance of its hooded flowers, with dangling appendages that look like a head and limbs. It grows from tubers, does not always flower annually and is now a rare sight in the UK.

This is an orchid of short alkaline grasslands and is most often found growing full sun or mid-shade, but the Man Orchid is also found occasionally along the edges of open woodland and in scrubby areas.

As I have written the name Man Orchid refers to the human shaped lip of the flower which, together with the sepals and petals which form a hood above the lip, gives the flower a strong resemblance to a small human figure. The plants grow to around 40cm tall and there are 5-10 basal leaves which are unmarked but clearly veined. The colour of the flowers varies from greenish-bronze to pale yellow and they are usually marked with bronze.

I am a sucker for a tree on the horizon.

The side of the slope was covered in Chalk Fragrant Orchids.

This we considered is a Heath Fragrant Orchid.

A superb Common Spotted Orchid.

Another Chalk Fragrant.

A close up of the petals.

Walking back to the cars, the slopes were covered with daisies and buttercups.  Back in April it was Cowslips.

Our final stop of the day was Chappetts Copse just outside West Meon.  This is a reserve managed by the Hants and IOW Wildlife Trust and consists of ancient woodland.

We were here for more orchids, this time Helleborines.  Unfortunately the two orchids we hoped for, Frog and Bird's Nest were now past there best, but this didn't stop us looking for them.

In the dark conditions under the Beech canopy Ian pointed out a White Helleborine.

White Helleborine is a slow-growing orchid that grows under Beech trees. It has angular ribbed stems and ribbed leaves. Its small flowers are creamy-white and elongated with a curved tip, borne in spikes. On opening, the flowers show a yellow lip, which gives rise to the alternative common name of 'poached egg plant'. However, the flowers do not always fully open, as the plant relies mainly on self-pollination.

There are two other Helleborines here, the most numerous being the Sword-leaved Helleborine.  There are getting to the end of their flowering period, but there were still a few showing flowers.

The Sword-leaved Helleborine grows to about 40 cm in height and is distinguished from the Broad-leaved Helleborine by the shape of its leaves, which are long and narrow. Both the Latin namelongifolia which means long-leaved and the English common name 'sword-leaved' refer to the distinctive shape of the leaves.

Although generally associated (in the UK, that is) with the chalk-rich habitats of southern England, the Sword-leaved Helleborine also occurs in western Scotland, in a few sites in Ireland and on the western fringes of Mid and North Wales. This species is in steep decline both in the UK and throughout mainland Europe, where it is widespread but nowhere very common.

Not far from the Sword-leaved Helleborines were the similar Broad-leaved Helleborine.  These are not quite flowering just yet so we had to make do with the flower heads and the broad leaves for identification.

The Broad-leaved Helleborine is a tall, dark orchid with leaves that spiral around the stem and purple-tinged, drooping flowers. It flowers from July to September and can mostly be seen in woodlands and scrub.

It has broad, oval leaves, with strong veins, at its base, and smaller leaves that wind their way up its stem. A single flower spike has loose clusters of 'drooping' flowers that are greenish with a purple tinge.

Some species of wasp and bee that are attracted to Broad-leaved Helleborines have been noted as becoming 'intoxicated' after visiting these orchids for nectar - it appears that the flowers can contain a kind of alcohol as a result of a fungus! The bees like it so much, they come back for more, ensuring the flower is pollinated.

We will be back to Chappetts Copse earlier next year to hopefully find the Fly and Bird's Nest Orchids.  Today we were happy with the two Helleborines.

Despite the weather it had been a very successful day with three new orchids for me and the lovely Lizard and Bee Orchids.  

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.