16th May - Acres Down & Martin Down, New Forest, Hampshire

Restrictions eased it was the first chance to meet up with Ian after over eight weeks.  We chose to meet at Acres Down in the New Forest.  We decided on an early start, 5:30 am to be exact and as you would expect there were no other cars in the car park when we arrived.  I expected to be engulfed by bird song but it was strangely quiet.  A Cuckoo called from behind us and we continued to hear it as we walked the cycle track.  At the large bend there was no sign of any Redstart but I did find a Green Woodpecker sitting motionless at the top of a dead tree.

A Stock Dove was calling from just below the woodpecker but obscured by branches.

Walking down the path we could hear Blackcap, Chiffchaff and more Cuckoo.  There were distant Goldcrest and Firecrest as well but it was still very quiet, I expected a lot more.  Singing Wren and Chaffinch had us stopping to listen more carefully for a possible Wood Warbler but it never materialised.

At the bottom of the cycle path by the dead tree a Song Thrush was singing from one of the pines set back from the path.

The last time we had been here was at the start of March and the change was considerable.  Back in early March there was water everywhere, the small ditches either side of the path were flooded and the ground waterlogged in many places.  The biggest change though was the flow of Highland Water.  In March it was gushing around the bends of meanders and water poured out of the drain by the bridge.  Today all was calm, the drain was just a trickle and much of the stream bed was visible where the flow had eased off.

As we stood taking in the changes a pair of Grey Wagtail flew from the bank, settling on the exposed pebble on the meander.

Rather than continue on we decided to turn back and take the loop to Milyford Bridge where we could take the path up towards Acres Down.  In keeping with most of the morning so far the walk did not produce anything of interest.  We stopped listened but apart from a few Siskins overhead very little was showing.

The path up to Acres Down was dry but rutted.  There was still a bog over the down so we had to skirt around the outside.  A Tree Pipit sang from a bush but soon disappeared,  in fact the most numerous were the Meadow Pipits, engaging in their parachute displays.

A Willow Warbler sang from the top of a Birch tree showing well at the top, for me this is the song of wild and open places

Away in the distance there were contact calls of Stonechats and as we approached the gorse bushes we could see both adult male and female along with a couple of recent fledglings that looked really cute sat on the top of the gorse.

They would remain motionless until they considered it a little too close and fly off a short distance.

The adult male looked quite smart still.

But I don't think it would be unkind to say the female looked a little tired.  Incidently she has a ring on her right leg but I can't see any detail.

With little else of interest about we walked back to the car park a little disappointed with the morning considering we had put in a very early start.

Not giving up we decided to take a walk back down the cycle track to the main bend in the hope of giving a Redstart one more try at showing.  With a little bit of encouragement we managed to find one singing, but as is usually the case here it was at the top of a tall tree.

We were uncertain if there was more than one bird in the area as little squabbles would break out forcing one bird out of the tree, it wasn't clear though if this was in fact another Redstart.

Views then became a little better as it perched and sang a little lower down in the tree.

While all this was going on a Stock Dove was calling from the very same branch we had seen it on way back in early March.  While the Redstart went AWOL I turned my attention to the Stock Dove.

Back in the Beech tree the Redstart found a spot where there was a little window through the leaves that allowed me to focus on it.

While I was merrily shooting away Ia was struggling to get on the bird.  I know how this feels, you are desperate to see the bird but at the same time completely embarrassed that you can't see it.  He didn't manage to see it despite even my attempts to show him where it was.  Here is a wider shot, can you see it now?

This time of year is the pilgrimage here for this bird and we were relieved to have made contact.

As we walked back along the cycle path we came across the Redstart on to the track.  It didn't stop, flying into an Oak tree.  We saw it again a little further along but promptly disappeared again.

We walked back to the car park and decided on the next move.  It was to be to Martin Down on the Hampshire Dorset border in the west of the county.  A wonderful open grassland National Nature Reserve.

On arriving the skies had cleared and the sun was out and it felt quite warm despite the fact it was only 9:30 am.  Walking from the car park a Whitethroat sang from the top of the hawthorn trees lining the main track.

Martin Down is one of the only places left in the county to see Turtle Dove, however our search today couldn't find any in the usual spots, it would seem they were yet arrive here, lets hope they haven't met with a fate crossing the Mediterranean.

Whitethroat and Blackcap sang from almost every bush, while the first butterfly of the morning was a Grizzled Skipper.  I had seen one last weekend at Magdalen Hill, but this one was quite pristine

We circled the bushes in the hope of finding a Turtle Dove or maybe some butterflies.  There were no doves and the only butterfly was a Small Blue.  As we walked away a Lesser Whitethroat sang so we turned back to try and find it.  We were given a bit of a runaround but finally managed to get some acceptable views as it sang.

Leaving the Lesser Whitethroat we made our way towards the Bokerley Ditch and hopefully butterflies.  That statement turned out to be an understatement as butterflies seemed to be everywhere.  I have decided to describe what we saw as we walked the length of the ditch.  We started at the location of the Butterfly Orchids, we couldn't see any showing yet.  Moving on it was all about the Skippers, Grizzled and Dingy, first a Grizzled again

And then an immaculate Dingy Skipper

And then the first of many Small Blues, this one looking really smart on the grass stem.

The first moth a Yellow Shell.

Competing with the Small Blue for most numerous butterfly was the Small Heath, in flight they look orange but when they settle the wings are closed shut but the detail is lovely.

Then Ian found the butterfly I was hoping to see, a Marsh Fritillary, a beautifully marked butterfly that takes on the appearance of stained glass window.  This site is probably the best place in Hampshire to see this gorgeous butterfly.

We took the tactic of Ian walking along the side of the ditch while I walked along the bottom of the bottom of the ditch.  Butterflies were appearing all the way, mostly though Small Blues and Small Heath.  Every so often though something different would appear in this case a pair of moths, the Burnett Companion.

All around was bird song, mostly Skylarks above us, but also Whitethroats from the bushes at the top of the ditch and the Yellowhammer with that distinctive "piece of cheese" song.

The Marsh Fritillaries started to come in good numbers and we commented on the fact that we had never seen good numbers at this early part of the ditch.

As mentioned before the Marsh Fritillary has the most colourful upper-sides of all of our fritillaries, being a highly-variable chequered pattern of orange, brown and yellow markings. The bright colours fade after a few days and leaves the butterfly with a shiny appearance - early Lepidopterists naming this butterfly the "Greasy Fritillary" as a result. This butterfly is primarily a wetland species as its modern name suggests, one of the reasons why they are found along the ditch.

Colonies of this butterfly are known to fluctuate wildly in numbers. It may be present in some numbers one year, for the population to crash the following year before recovering as unexpectedly. This species does not do well in adverse weather conditions and also suffers greatly from larval parasitism by a species of wasp. Unfortunately, this charming butterfly is one of our most threatened species and has suffered severe declines in recent decades.

Another new butterfly was a nice Brown Argus.

We had reached the first crossing with a south facing slope.  This is a good spot for the blues, both Adonis and Common Blue.  We chased a blue around with the thought this might be an Adonis as the blue was quite bright.  However when it settled it was clearly a Common Blue.

Walking around the area we didn't find any Adonis, but Ian did find a lovely Small Copper, another first for the year.

As I watched the Small Copper flit around the grass I noticed a greenish flutter up the side of the slope.  Looking closer I was pleased to see it was a Green Hairstreak.  I was beginning to worry about finding one this year so was pleased to see this one even though it was a little worn.

The call of Ravens above diverted our attention for the butterflies to the skies.  Not sure what this one is carrying, it doesn't look like prey, something it has picked up that took its interest

A Yellowhammer had been singing from a nearby bush and we managed to get close to it

But there is always the point where you try to get that little bit closer and the bird realises

Back to the butterflies and moths along the ditch, a Common Blue settled on a Cowslip..

Then some excitement as we tried to work out what this moth was.  It is in fact a Green Carpet.

The number of Marsh Fritillaries seen was by now into the twenties and the challenge was to try and get a view that was a little bit different.  As you tried to get a different angle the butterfly would fly off.  With patience though it was possible.

It is extremely rare to be able to get a view of the under wing, this was the closest I got

Up to now the Small Blues were the most abundant, but there numbers were dropping off and the Small Heath were catching up quickly with pairs dueling all over the place and some settling nicely for photographs.

Then two finds by Ian, the first another Green Hairstreak, a little worn, the hind wing on the other side was badly damaged.

And then an Adonis Blue that appeared to have deformed wings as a result of emerging.  It fluttered about but never looked like it was happy.  What you can see though is the vivid blue of the upper wings and the browner colour in comparison with the Common Blue underneath.

A Corn Bunting was singing from the top of the ditch.  They can be difficult to locate as they sit motionless in amongst the branches, their only movement to through the head back to sing.

The butterflies kept coming, a Dingy Skipper.

And a beautifully marked Marsh Fritillary

The walk had now reached the second footpath crossing.  Here an Orange Tip and Large White flew past.  This is the spot for the Burnt Tip Orchids and sure enough they were already in flower if not particularly tall.  Beautiful little flowers that are a speciality here.

Another speciality flower here is the Field Fleawort, a slender plant with a single stem and a rosette of leaves about its base. It produces up to ten orange-yellow flowers in early summer. The stem is covered in white hairs.  In England it is confined to the south, particularly the Chilterns, Dorset, the Cotswolds and the South Downs.  This native plant grows on shallow soils over chalk or more rarely on oolitic limestone. It occurs mainly on south-facing short grassland and downland in lowland areas and favours ancient earthworks and tracks which create a suitable micro-climate.

It is classified as ‘Endangered’ and is included as a species “of principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity” under Section 41 (England) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.

It is threatened by agricultural improvement of grasslands through the application of artificial fertilisers, ploughing of grassland to create arable land and re-seeding with more vigorous grass varieties.

This short-lived perennial or biennial produces seed which only remains viable for a relatively short time. As a result, grassland requires careful management to encourage this wildflower.  The presence of Field Fleawort is an indicator of good quality grassland.

A Skylark dropped to the ground at the back of the ditch and I was able to use the hawthorn bush as cover to get close.  In this view it has the look of a lizard about it

It was back into the ditch and here one of two Silver Y moths seen, the "Y" visible on the wing.

More Small Heaths, this one a very showy individual.

And of course more Marsh Fritillaries.

This area of the ditch was fenced off and had been cleared either by man or by grazing sheep.  This meant that I couldn't walk the bottom of the ditch but this didn't stop the flow of butterflies, another Brown Argus

Plus also one of three Cinnabar moths

On reaching the firing ranges the ditch becomes a lot shallower and overgrown, there were still plenty of Marsh Fritillaries about, but now the dominant butterfly became the Brimstone, with female Brimstones laying their eggs on the underside of the young Buckthorn bushes.

The Brimstone would alight on the leaf and position the abdomen on the under side of the leaf.  Once flown away we turned the leaf over to see the tiny white specks of the eggs

Having completed the length of the ditch we headed back to the car for food and drink.  Walking down the path you have to wonder if there is a better place tan this on a sunny spring day, blue skies and white fluffy clouds support the wonderful grasslands.

Another Corn Bunting singing from a small bush in amongst the grass.

While a Whitethroat provided a much better view at the top of a tree

Then as we approached the car park the last butterfly of the day, a rather good specimen of Grizzled Skipper.

I had to leave then, but could reflect on a day when it was great to be able to get out again, a day when the early morning really disappointed despite the Redstart.  But recovered immaculately in the late morning and early Afternoon.  Some wonderful butterflies, the chance to draw level with Ian on butterflies seen and some glorious weather and countryside.

To conclude here are numbers seen of butterfly, the numbers of Marsh Fritillaries being very impressive:

Butterflies:

Dingy Skipper - 29                        Brown Argus - 2

Grizzled Skipper - 10                    Small Copper - 1

Brimstone - 48                              Green Hairstreak - 2

Small Blue - 76                             Large White - 1

Small Heath - 77                           Adonis Blue - 1

Marsh Fritillary - 51                       Orange Tip - 2

Common Blue - 24                        Small White - 2

Moths:

Yellow Shell - 4                             Cinnabar - 3

Silver Y - 2                                    Green Carpet - 1

Burnett Companion - 2

9th May - Magdalen Hill, Hampshire

After last weeks short trip to Noar Hill, there was the opportunity to visit another butterfly reserve within the same sort of distance radius of 15 minutes.  It was also a glorious day, temperatures as we arrived at around 22 degrees and endless blue skies.  Walking up the path into the reserve there were Blackcaps singing from the scrub inside the reserve.  As we walked along the path into the main chalk down of the reserve a male Brimstone flew past and settled on a leaf in the adjacent hedge.

The gates into the reserve are covered in signs, signs about dogs, signs about breeding birds and signs asking whether you need to visit.  It is a little off putting which is I suppose what it is supposed to do, but with absolutely no one about, I considered nothing to be wrong in what we were doing.

Through the gates we approached the chalk pit.  However now with a difference, a path created by flints on either side and more signs warning of the need to stay on the path.  This is the place to find Small Blues.  There have been reports of them on the wing, but they were definitely not in the pit.  We did manage to find a butterfly, a fleeting glimpse of a Dingy Skipper briefly nectaring on the flower of a trefoil.

From the chalk pit we went through another gate with more signs (somebody must have spent a fortune on the A4 frames).  We took a path that led up to the top of the hill and out of the bushes to give some wondrous views across the down away towards St Catherine's Hill and the M3 motorway.  I was quite surprised as to how much traffic there was moving on the motorway.

The walk was being accompanied by the song of Yellowhammer and Whitethroat and while the Whitethroats did so from within the bushes only showing themselves when they burst into the sky and dropped back out of sight, the Yellowhammers would sing from a prominent perch

I had taken the wrong path and it was leading upwards, the best place to be here to find the specialists is down close to the road in the shelter of the bushes.  We continued to follow the path and finally it reached a gate with a path that led back down the hill.  Just before we walked through the gate Helen found a Small Heath settled on the grass.

The path headed down hill until we were able to enter the reserve once again at the bottom.  By the gate was a clump of the lovely Aquilegia or Common Colombine, other names include Granny's Bonnet which describes the lovely bell shape of the flower head.

In the reserve the grass was covered with lovely yellow flowers.  At first glance they could be thought to be buttercups, but on a closer look it is possible to see that they are a lot different and are in fact Common Rock Rose

Another Small Heath settled in the longer grass close to the hedges

Another Yellowhammer sang, this time from a very prominent perch of a dead branch.

Following the line of the hedge and trees at the bottom of the hill I finally came across one of the butterflies I was hoping to find.  I followed a small butterfly as it flew over the grass teasing with me as it stopped to investigate certain flowers.  It was small and I knew it had to one of the two and finally it gave itself up pausing on a small blue Bird's Eye flower.  The Brown Argus.

The shadows were a pain and I wonder what the white "C" is on the right upper wing?

Then it was gone, flitting away and out of view. 

Around the corner and I stumbled on the other species I was looking for, a Grizzled Skipper.

Skippers have a habit of just spring away and you then lose them, this did exactly that but I was able to find another that posed much better for me on another buttercup.

We made our way back up the hill disturbing a Speckled Wood to add to the list.  Walking back along the path towards the reserve entrance I stopped for a Common Blue.  But just as I focused on the spot it was buzzed by another smaller insect and flew off.  It turns out that "insect" was in fact a Small Blue and once the larger Common Blue was out of the way it settled in the sunshine.

Another first for the year and a pristine specimen at that 

A walk around the part of the reserve close to the main path up produced a hidden but singing Willow Warbler and a few Common Blues, one of which settled long enough for a photograph.

As we left to return to the car a Buzzard came overhead quite low.

A short trip, but a necessary one to get to see some of the spring chalkland butterflies that do not appear around Four Marks.

2nd May - Noar Hill, Hampshire

I thought long and hard about this, but ultimately decided that I was not putting myself at harm or anyone else.  In fact we both agree that if we arrived and there were many cars parked near the footpath entrance we would turn back.  Noar Hill is approximately a 15 minute drive from home so fits with the guidelines we were intending to take longer walking around the reserve.  As we pulled up there was only two cars so we were good to go.  Walking up the footpath towards the reserve an Orange Tip flew past, not stopping and a Kestrel was sitting in the middle of the field on our left.  We walked into the old quarry, a lot of the trees and bushes have been removed and an area that was sheltered and in the shade was now open.  The first butterfly to settle was a Dingy Skipper.

This was quickly followed by the target species, the reason for coming here, the Duke of Burgundy.  This one a male as it has only four functioning legs.

As these small butterflies have a habit of doing they sprang away as I tried to get closer and completely disappeared.  We decided to walk on, but paused to take in the display of Early Purple Orchids on what was the bank of the quarry.

This one picked out by the sun with a black background.

Walking into the first pit where there were plenty of cowslips and more orchids.  More butterflies appeared with the majority being the Dingy Skipper.

Despite its name, a freshly-emerged Dingy Skipper reveals a subtle pattern of browns and greys that is quite beautiful. However, this butterfly does live up to its name as scales are lost over time, resulting in a lacklustre and drab appearance. These specimens looked in very good condition and were probably freshly emerged.

There were several Duke of Burgundy's too, although some of these were in a rather faded and tatty condition.

I then came across one that was in good condition.  The Duke of Burgundy is the sole representative of a subfamily known as the "metalmarks", since some of its cousins, particularly those found in south America, have a metallic appearance. The Duke of Burgundy was once classified as a fritillary, given the similarity with those fritillary species found in the British Isles.

A curious characteristic of this subfamily is that the female has 6 fully-functional legs, whereas the male has only 4 - the forelegs being greatly reduced.

This butterfly was, in the past, primarily known as a woodland butterfly, where it fed on Primroses growing in dappled sunlight, with a number of colonies in chalk and limestone grassland. However, the cessation of coppicing in woodlands has had a marked effect on this species, with many woodland colonies dying out as a result. Primrose is used as the larval foodplant in woodland, whereas Cowslip is used on grassland.

The Cowslips were still in good condition and are dotted over the grass, the trails weaving between them and the Early Purple Orchids.

A small moth caught my eye as it flitted amongst the grass stems.  This is a Mint Moth and it flies actively in sunshine and also at night. During the day adults are often found sitting on the leaves of Mint or related species.  In the case of Noar Hill the related species would be oregano and marjoram of which there was plenty about.

The caterpillar feeds on various plants, such as Mint  including Cat-mint, Marjoram.) and also Wild Thyme. the moth is associated with chalk and limestone grassland, quarries and woodland.

The Dingy Skippers were showing very well, allowing a good view of the intricate patterns on the upper wings

This one settled on a leaf when the sun went in and didn't move.

I wasn't able to get a photograph of the Dukes on a Cowslip, but this Dingy did cooperate.

We walked to the sheltered patch at the far end of the reserve here there were many orchids amongst the grass and cowslips and it was an opportunity to get low down for a different perspective.

It was also possible with the Cowslips too.

Here orchid and cowslip alongside each other.

A Firecrest sang from the bushes surrounding us and there was constant songs from the Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroat.  Yellowhammer were also heard.

Walking back we came across more Dukes, but sadly in a poor condition.

But a few were still looking good.

The sunshine would come and go and this would inhibit the movement of the butterflies.  We searched for sometime around the Juniper bushes for Green Hairstreak but without any luck.  As we walked back towards the car I did manage to find the first Small Heath of the year.

And then a little further along the first Common Blue of the year, a male.

It slowly opened its wings to show of a beautiful blue.

As we approached the entrance and the quarry once again I was taken by the cowslips this time against the black background.

A quick look around the quarry once again produced both Dingy Skipper and Duke but they were very mobile.  There was also a very confiding male Brimstone.

Leaving the reserve there is a wonderful view across the fields towards the Selbourne Hangar.

It was great to go somewhere different and to seem a special butterfly in the Duke of Burgundy and to find the first Dingy Skipper, Small Heath and Common Blue of the year.  I needed this injection of something new and I hope that very soon we will be able to venture an little further afield.

14th April - Four Marks, Hampshire

As if I am sure no one needs being made aware the Government lockdown has completely curtailed any adventures away from Four Marks.  This has meant that I have turned to the countryside around my home here in Four Marks for my photographic and wildlife fixes.

I intend to publish posts on a weekly basis summarising the experiences I am able to have on my daily exercise walks.  The weather you can see from the photograph above of Swellinghill Pond has been amazing, in full contrast to the weather we experienced this winter up to the announcement of the lockdown.

You can find these by following the links below:

Week One: I was Wrong and I just Can't Live Without You

Week Two: Surrendered to Self Preservation for Others Who Care For Themselves

Week Three: Ice Will Melt, Water Will Boil

I will add to these links as the lockdown progresses, but in the mean time all please respect the guidelines and stay safe