Ashley Whitlock
Hampshire & IOW Butterflies and Moths
2024 Hampshire & IOW Nature Notes Blog
Milton Common 12th Farlington Marshes 13th November 2024
Weather has broken at last from the doom and gloom of the last few weeks, and its out and about to see what’s about. Unfortunately, there isn’t many butterflies if any, although today at Farlington Marshes there was a Peacock and Red Admiral seen from a distance. It was just like summer as I didn’t need a coat to wear. On the Milton Common Eastern Road there were a few birds to be seen like the return of the Brent Geese and a Curlew was shrieking at the top of his voice and was easy to locate.
At Farlington Marshes there were far more to see even though the Reedbeds have been devastated by the sluice gats being broken and saltwater getting into the freshwater lagoons. Although this didn’t seem to bother the birds as there were plenty of waders, and Ducks on the shoreline. I have never seen so many Grey Herons as I have done today. Stonechats and Greenfinches were darting in and out of the hedgerows along the paths. In the fields there were plenty of Lapwings and Canada Geese. In the distance there was a ‘murmuration’ of Knots or something else I’m not sure what as they were too far away.
Autumn
Female Speckled Wood in immacilate condition seen on a wall close to Portsmouth University grounds taken on a mobile phone by my wife Jackie. The photo looks almost like a painting.
Milton Allotments 17th October 2024
Not many good butterfly days left so today was a surprise that the butterflies had survived another deluge over the past few days. It was good to see the Speckled Wood, Small Whites, and the odd Peacock, which has been quite absent over the past few months. Still a few wildflowers showing and there were lots of Shield Bugs, Nursery Web Spiders, and Several species of Ladybirds in amongst the foliage.
Titchfield Haven 8th October 2024
Back to the birds now that the butterflies and moths are nearly finished and I ventured to one of my local patches near to Fareham and Titchfield Haven delivered. A very far off glimpse of an Osprey was seen and he/she was flying and hovering over the patches of water looking for that meal which is going to help it with its long flight back to the Gambia in West Africa, very soon, it’s the first time I’ve seen an Osprey at this site wonderful to see. Also, there were lots of waders, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Snipe, Redshank to name a few, and lots of Starlings. The weather wasn’t brilliant with heavy showers periodically, but that doesn’t matter when you are inside a bird hide!
Home Saturday 5th October 2024
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Having my back garden re-modelled next week and in the process I dug up several Rhubarb plants and I managed to disturb a lovely Angled Shades Moth which I relocated. I must confess its one of my favourite insects definaetly one of the nicest Moth species.
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Portsdown Hill 4th October 2024
Another look around one of my local patches Portsdown Hill, today was a decent break in the weather with high pressure sat over the country, despite this views of butterflies were very few. On the Ivy a couple of Red Admirals were seen nectaring, along with countless bees and wasps. In the area where we saw the Long Tailed Blue activity there was absolutely nothing except a couple of courting Speckled Woods At the base of the site where the Dogwood runs riot, there were a couple of Meadow Browns and Common Blues, surprisingly a couple of Brown Arguses, one female and a couple of males. Years ago, when I used to complete a transect on this site the Brown Argus was a rare butterfly as there was very little Rockrose on the site. They certainly didn’t fly into October, and I would suggest these were a third generation.
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Eastney Beach 17th September 2024
Another look around this site same weather but a bit breezier, however the Common Blues seem to be more numerous, and the whites, I’ve never seen so many Large Whites laying and having fisticuffs with small whites along the beach. The Small Copper seemed to be commoner as well two individuals down at the Eastern end, and two closes to the Royal Marine Statue. All in good condition and feeding on Oxford Ragwort. The Clouded Yellows seemed to have wandered off.
Fort Cumberland 16th September 2024
Another warm sunny day, perfect for looking for butterflies as the year is now starting to draw to a close. An old stamping ground to look for the Small Copper today and after a about twenty minutes or so a lovely fresh female was seen, feeding on Hawkbit. This wasn’t the same one as I saw 5 days ago as that would look rather worn now. A few minutes later a very battered male Small Copper was seen as well, along with several Small Heaths, and Common Blues. There were plenty of Small and Large Whites dotted about but very little else.
Eastney Beach 16th September 2024
This site is just around the corner from Fort Cumberland, but interesting to note how the terrain changes, along with the species as well. As soon as I started walking a Clouded Yellow graced us with his presence, it looked immaculate, but wasn’t going to hang around for long. There were lots of Common Blues in different stages of freshness, but most were in good condition. The pleasing thing was that I saw my first Small Coppers here, a lovely female and a worn male, and again a Brown Argus, which was seen here last year as well. The Clouded Yellow was patrolling up and down looking for nectaring plants, which there are very few, but it was so pleasing to see my first of the season.
Milton Foreshore 15th September 2024
A perfect day lots of sunshine nil wind with moderate temperatures, but that didn’t stop the best count of Whites in the garden with dozens of Large and Small Whites fighting for air superiority on my Buddleia, with the odd Red Admiral. One Large White even had the audacity to look through my upstairs landing window soaking up the rays of the sun. On a little walk up to my local patch Milton Foreshore and the last of the wildflowers are just giving enough nectar to attract the last of the butterflies, however I was surprised to see a fresh male Small Copper nectaring on Michaelmas Daises, and Common Fleabane. Although my LNR Milton Lock is just up the road I haven’t seen a Small Copper there for many years now.
Natures Larder
Portsdown Hill 14th September 2024
Another look at the area where the Long-Tailed Blue was seen in 2023 but alas no sign, and then on to the area where I saw the Brown Hairstreak, again no luck. But on the way round there was plenty of Red Admiral feeding on the stinkhorn Ivy up to 15 individuals being seen around the site. Also, the Comma is quite common feeding on the Bramble berries and the odd one or two Speckled Woods, one Holly Blue and many Small and Large Whites. The odd Vapourer Moth were seen buzzing about, but not much else, and next week promises a very hot spell……
Fort Cumberland and Eastney Beach 11th September 2024
Cloudy with sunny intervals was the best on offer today without any rain so I made my way to an area where the Small Copper used to be quite common. Fort Cumberland is about 10 minutes’ walk and today a rare occurrence the Small Copper was seen a female feeding on several wild plants and a Salt and Vinegar packet of crisps. She was in good condition and also seen were many Small Whites and Common Blues with the last of the Small Heaths in 2024. On the beach for the first time, it looks 2024 I will draw a blank on the Small Copper, although they are very difficult to see at the best of times, although the Common Blue was seen well into double figures with mating ones as well. All in all, it was a good afternoons butterflying.
Home 8th September 2024
In such a cloudy day with drizzle there was a period this afternoon which bathed the back garden in sunshine and the butterflies did come out to play, probably the most butterflies I’ve seen in a small space in 2024. Good Red Admirals feeding on the Buddleia and battling for air superiority with the Painted Ladies, and Large Whites, and the odd Peacock. Must have been up to about 30 odd butterflies flying about and perched on the buddleia.
Wasp Spider and Meadow Grasshopper on Portsdown Hill by Don Simcox
Photographs by kind permission of Nic Burns
Portsdown Hill Field Trip 4th September 2024
The field trip today was marred by cool cloudy weather, and we failed in our mission to seek out our Target species the Clouded Yellow, Brown Hairstreak and Adonis Blue. However, with just limited butterflies on offer we all managed to see something, with Chalkhill Blues being seen on the lower slopes of the down including fresh females, several six spotted Burnet Moths, and a lovely Wasp Spider. We looked at the area of the Long-Tailed Blue where it was seen in 2023, but alas nothing seen, but it has been reported from Browndown Ranges at Gosport. Over to Fort Widley and I showed everyone where I had seen the Brown Hairstreak last week, but she obviously had moved on as it was very cool and cloudy which doesn’t help with their egg-laying mission.
Many thanks everyone for making the field trip season enjoyable, with many ups and downs with weather, health etc, I really don’t know where the season has gone but thanks to you all for making the effort to get to the sites and the most important thing your friendship may it continue, here’s is to 2025.
Photo of male Adonis Blue and female Adonis Blue laying eggs on eyebright by kind permission of Lindsey Clifton and Ross Underwood
Photographs of Painted Lady and Male Adonis Blue Claire Hartt-Palmer
Old Winchester Hill Field Trip 1st September 2024
A perfect day weather wise and the butterflies were performing their last rituals before the curtain of Autumn descends. Walking around the furthest slope facing south was a delight seeing the fresh Adonis Blues battling for air supremacy against their cousins the battle scarred Chalkhill Blues., and one female Adonis Blue decided to lay some eggs on Eyebright flower, despite there being plenty of Horseshoe Vetch in the vicinity. Also, the ‘little whizzers introduced themselves all the way down the slope towards the bottom of the slope. Many were male Silver Spotted Skippers and looked in pristine condition. An odd sighting going up towards the Fort area was a pristine looking Dark Green Fritillary, it seemed very odd but that’s all it could have been. The temperature was climbing into the afternoon, but unfortunately, we didn’t see any evidence of Brown Hairstreak on the way back to the carpark, even though there is good amounts of Blackthorn along the footpaths. I would like to thank all who came and made this one of the most memorable field trips for 2024.
Old Winchester Hill 29th August 2024
A perfect day to get out and about, however the species counts were quite disappointing, although I should have realised this by now, after a poor season for most species. The two target species were very low with just four male Adonis Blues seen at the bottom of the far south slope, and this ran parallel with the Silver Spotted Skipper. I have been counting this species here for twenty plus years and this is the lowest for this time of the year, again just four specimens being seen two males and two females. There must have been more, but they certainly weren’t obvious. Just the dozen species being seen on the south facing slope, I just hope these species will recover in numbers if we get the right weather.
Portsdown Hill 29th August 2024
On the way home I visited Portsdown Hill, being my local patch, and trawled around the Blackthorn thickets in the afternoon, and the sun was very warm on the northern slopes. After about twenty minutes I wasn’t very hopeful, and then I looked down and there sitting in front of me was a lovely female Brown Hairstreak. She sat on a Bilberry leaf showing me her lovely underwing patterning, and then she flew into a Blackthorn thicket where I watched her crawl up a stem of a Blackthorn twig with her abdomen at the short trial. She paused a few minutes and then hopped onto another twig and did it in reverse. I think she did egg lay but I wasn’t sure as she kept disappearing. It was an extraordinary 10 minutes or so, as she kept pausing in the sunshine, and then went back to work. Other species seen were several Holly Blues lots of Speckled Woods, and a lovely Comma.
Photo: Alan Dunk
Photo: Claire Hartt-Palmer
Over the past week it looks like the female Brown Hairstreak has been busy in certain places in Hampshire , being seen rather lacally in Farlington Marshes, which is a result of several being seen on top of Portsdown Hill over the past few years so they are spreading their wings. Also at Soberton Down in the Meon Valley, this would suggest the butterfly is very mobile as I suggest the butterfly is utilising the old Meon Valley Railway line to get about. Most of the field margins are covered in Blackthorn, which suggests the butterfly could be more 'common' than once thought. It has also been seen at Stockbridge Down, where eggs have been found over the past few seasons.
Beacon Hill NNR Field trip 21st August 2024
A rare field trip after my illness and the weather did behave itself in the morning but again the weather deteriorated with wind and lots of cloud so any attempt to see our target species was hampered by the weather. We were lucky as to finding a couple of Silver Spotted Skippers, but they were extremely rare and the terrain in which they are attempting to make a comeback in is totally inadequate for this species. The grasses are far too long, and areas where there have been sheep doing their bit, are not seemingly there as a permanent fixture, so they are taken off and the grasses start to grow again. Also, the rabbit population is at an all time low I would say I found half a dozen rabbit scrapes where the grasses were adequate in height and these were mostly at the bottom of the first ‘bowl’ on the right as you enter the reserve. Species of note seen were good numbers of Brown Argus, a few Chalkhill Blues, Common Blues, and Small Heath, and at last a few Small Coppers were noted in the sheltered shorter grass areas.
Noar Hill Tuesday 20th August 2024
Cloud and windy conditions were hardly going to be the best weather to find the illusive Brown Hairstreak today, but after 2-3 hours wandering around areas where I had seen the species before, with no luck, the weather did start to behave itself, and in the afternoon, things were starting to move. Several males were seen close to one of the ‘lekking trees’ and were flying in around the rides alighting on high hazel bushes. I also found two flying close in one of the chalk pits where I have seen them before. I went into an area where I had found lots of eggs on mature Blackthorn, and at about 1330 I found a male and female down imbibing on Hemp Agrimony. They hung around for a while but not so close at first, but the very freshly emerged female came the closest about 4-5 feet and was feasting quite avidly for about ten minutes. In all I found about ten individuals which is a good count in such ‘troubled times for butterflies. Other species seen were Small Heath, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown.
Over the past fewdays whilst my neighbours are away on holiday Ive had my moth trap out and here are a few of the moths seen. Jersey Tiger Moth (50+) Red Underwing (1) Garden Tiger Moth (6+) Elephant Hawk Moth (2) Angle Shades (4) Yellow Underwing (1) August Thorn (1) Garden Carpet (1) Silver 'y' (10+) Grey Dagger (5) Double Sqaure Spot (12+) Setacuous Hebrew Character (5) Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing (1) Common Footman (1) Brimstone Moth (10) Common Rustic (12) Gold Spot (1) Lacky Moth ((6) Spectle (1)
I can be thankful I live near two or three major parks the seashore and an allotment, which gives a lot of scope moth wise, and to have several rarieties in the mix is quite something.
Browndown Ranges 10th August 2024
For once the flag wasn’t flying indicating that you walk around the site, and it became a sort of bright and dull day in one, one minute it was windy then when the sun came out the temperature went up and out came the Graylings. Several females were seen laying their eggs on Bristle Bent grasses and some sticks and old logs. They are a joy to see when they fly as they are very ghostly twisting and turning as they embark on their mission. When the sun came out how they turned their bodies to reduce their shadow signature. Other species seen were Small Heaths, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and a Small Blue
Charlton Down 05th August 2024
Another cloudy day with small intervals of sunshine, and it was decidedly cooler as well, however the Chalkhill Blue was out in good numbers, as well as freshly emerged males seen pumping up their wings. Gatekeepers are now fading fast, and the Small Skipper is still in good numbers, but the Silver-Spotted Skipper was very hard to find, in fact both specimens seen were in odd locations not seen in the usual area. A female Dark Green Fritillary graced me with her presence, but she was looking for good areas to lay her eggs and she wasn’t sitting pretty at all. Marbled Whites are practically finished as well, so the Autumn season now begins ……
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New Members Day at Magdalen Hill Down 3rd August 2024
The new member’s day at Magdalen Hill down was a success today despite the weather being very cloudy and drizzly at times. In the morning, we had talks about Gardening for butterflies, Butterfly and Moth recording, Photographing Butterflies and Moths, Introduction to the BC reserves, Volunteering for the branch, and then Butterfly Walks. We then had lunch on the down and then we all split up for a wander around the site. We saw several Adonis Blues many Chalk hill Blues, Brown Argus, Common Blues, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers, Six Spotted Burnet Moths, Silver Y Moths and an Oak Egger Moth. A very enjoyable day and hope to see some of you on the next set of walks scheduled for this month and September.
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Charlton Down and Queen Elizabeth Country Park 21st July 2024
A damp and dreary day but I went out nevertheless but its amazing what turns up even when the temperature is very low for July, but with nil wind which was a bonus, and the species count was quite impressive though. The Chalkhill Blue had arrived and there were plenty of these, dotted over the downland. The Skippers had also come of age, there were plenty of Small and Essex Skippers flying around. The Ringlet had disappeared, and the Meadow Brown was down in numbers, but the Gatekeeper was doing well. Just one male Dark Green Fritillary was seen flying over the Dogwood on the down, but even in this weather it wasn’t hanging around. Moths seen were Silver Y moth and Six Spot Burnet Moth. The downs are covered in wildflowers which makes walking around more interesting.
In the afternoon I visited the Quenn Elizabeth Country Park, and the sun came out at last, and this brought out the Commas, Red Admirals, and Speckled Woods, and a lovely Scarlett Tiger Moth seen cruising over the Hemp Agrimony in the distance, and it was very distinctive the way it flew, and the colours really stood out. No sallow was seen in the area where I was, all Beech Trees, but the area was called Gravel Hill, and this is where the Purple Emperor has been reported in the past.
Micheldever Wood Field Trip Wednesday 17th July 2024
The promise of good weather today but it was cloudy again for most of the walk around this beautiful woodland, and when the sun wasn’t shining there was very little to see. Fortunately, the sun did shine for some lengthy periods of time, and we had good views of the magnificent Silver Washed Fritillary, witnessing their mating rituals as they sped down the wide ride and a pair in cop, being harassed by another male who was quite persistent. We also saw a few White Admirals flying in around the bramble. The usual suspects were observed like Meadow Brown Marbled White Gatekeeper and Ringlets, but our main quarry the Purple Emperor was all but finished by the swamping they must have had over the past few days, as they species sit right on top of the oak canopy and are very vulnerable to the deluge we have had. Luck y for us at 1130 there was some movement in a very splendid looking Sallow tree close to the summit, and there she was in all her glory, probably just finished some egg-laying but she was observed just flitting in and out of the sallow leaves and then she decided to make haste over to a large Beech tree, here she was seen flying in and around the tree for a minute or so but then unfortunately we lost her. It was good to observe her as she went about her business, but all too quick. Another Purple Emperor season finishes feeling like it’s hardly begun……
In the afternoon some of us decided to visit Abbotstone Down which is very close to Micheldever Wood to see if we could see the Dark Green Fritillary but somehow this species is proving to be just as illusive.
Charlton Down Saturday 13th July 2024
A Day where you thought summer might have started, beginning at last and then the clouds started to roll in and by the time I had got back to the car, it was quite cloudy. My mission was to see the Dark Green Fritillary, but this year they are very few and far between, and I only managed just four. Usually at this site they are flying in very good numbers, and you normally see at least one or two in any given vista you may be looking at. The Marbled White dominated the downland; however, these were probably not in such big numbers as usual at this site. There are some big buddleia bushes in bloom on top of the downland, but these were very empty despite the number of butterflies flying about, but this is where I first noted the male Dark Green Fritillaries, and a solitary female which looked amazingly fresh. Moths of note were several Silver ‘Y’s and 6 Spotted Burnet Moths.
North Harbour Thursday 11th July 2024
Another visit to see the White Letter Hairstreak and with the weather today it was warm and sunny with very little wind and these conditions are the what they like, and it wasn’t long before they were flying in and around the elm sprigs, and having little fisticuffs with some of the bees and flies which were getting rather annoying to them as they starting to come down to the Cow Parsley flowering Bramble and the small areas of Thistles. Once they start to feed, they don’t seem to notice you and can click away merrily with out disturbing them. I saw up to a half-dozen White Letter Hairstreaks and there were three or four Purple Hairstreaks as well flying in and around the ride, although there wasn’t any Oak in the vicinity, they do like Ash trees to sit in, quite why this is I’m not sure, also the Purple Emperor seems to like Ash as well and there were a few of these trees dotted about. The Elm in the vicinity seems to be quite healthy although there is a small area where they seem to have died off, but in the grasses the Elm seems to be germinating everywhere, so there should always be a good population of the trees in the vicinity and the butterflies should always be present.
A walk in West Walk in the afternoon produced not much at all, certainly Purple Emperor, White Admiral or Silver-Washed Fritillary, were all absent… I’ve never known a year quite like it.
Location: Whiteley Pastures Sunday 7th July 2024
Whiteley Wood or Pastures is chaotic in the shopping area and the roads that lead into it but walk short distance and then into the wood itself up the main ride and you can certainly get away from it all. You can hear the cars but other than the odd person with their dog, and you can still be on your own.
The sallow content in the wood is phenomenal, all the ride sides are covered in it, certainly has made a comeback since the mid-eighties when they pulled it all out to do a lot of logging in the wood.
Jackie and I just had a short walk to see what we could see on the off chance, in the afternoon. The wind was horrendous at times but when it abated for a short time then it was very pleasant. Jackie saw a male at about 1330 over the tall oaks where there is a small bridge over a stream. In fact, the male was around long enough for me see it as well walking back for a minute or so. Unfortunately, that was it on the emperor front, most disappointing.
A recorder saw at least (6) males in the wood a few days before, and had three on the ground, so it looks like the wood has certainly improved since I used to visit when the Whiteley Pastures housing estate was built. Although I had a field trip here a few seasons ago and I think we counted upwards of (20) sightings which was certainly a record for me! The Purple Hairstreak was very common flitting in and around some of the Oaks especially the smaller ones along the main ride.
How much more pressure this site can take from humans and the building that is still going on around the area. The Purple Emperor can survive in small numbers if the area which has good amounts of sallow and oak stands. This site is fortunate that it is not on flat ground and the Assembly points are well away from any human presence.
The Silver-Washed Fritillary and White Admiral were not seen, and this is the first time I’ve visited this site ever and not seen them at all!
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West Walk Field Trip Thursday 4th July 2024
A re-arranged field trip as the weather for the actual scheduled day was going to be more like November than July. The only thing that spoilt today was the wind it was quite gusty at times which made observations extremely difficult. It was a new site to a lot of field trippers and the first butterflies we saw were one of target species a Silver-Washed Fritillary, which are not in great numbers anywhere at the moment. White Admirals were seen flitting through the bramble patches and teasing us with a picture from afar. There were Ringlets and Meadow Browns but not great numbers, but the Comma seems to be in good numbers. Just before lunch 11:30 we were down a very small ride with plenty of sallow overhanging the ride when a male Purple Emperor was seen feeding off some very old Horse manure, unfortunately he didn’t like being disturbed and soon got up into a loftier perch where he looked down on us in all his regal splendour.
He was a pristine specimen and I think this site is quite late, so these have only just started here. He stayed with us about twenty odd feet above our heads moving several times, I think he would have come back down however our presence probably put him off. But it was a treat to see him, nevertheless. We also witnessed a male being blown down the ride by the gusty wind, for a few seconds, it certainly wasn’t good Emperor watching weather.! In the afternoon a short walk around the site the species count didn’t go up any, but it was a lovely field trip and I thank all those who manged to change their plans at such short notice.
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When I got home I was priviliged enough to witness a Sparrowhawk on the hunt and he perched on my roof for a good 10 minutes long enough to get my camera!
Alice Holt Forest Abbotts Wood Inclosure Field Trip Wednesday 3rd July 2024
A dreary day and as expected we saw very little with a few Ringlets and Meadow Browns kicked up in the grassy rides as we walked along the main ride of Abbotts Wood. Everyone was enthusiastic about the day, and I was told that at roughly 12:00 there would be some sometime. But during the first hour or so we had a shower or two, but it wasn’t going to dampen our spirits. The witching hour came and went, which is the 11:00 time when Purple Emperors tend to get motivated, however it would seem they were still in bed. The time came and KA-BOOM! The sun shone and the Purple Emperors suddenly went scatty. We weren’t in the small triangle, but it didn’t matter we had a huge vista and saw threes and threes the total went up and up and up and it was amazing just how the Purple Emperor was behaving. In the first 10 minutes there was 6, and after 20 minutes there was 15 at least, and after 30 odd minutes it had gone up to well past 20! Chasing, interacting having little fisticuffs, but mainly Oak edging and Sallow Searching trying to find that lady. In all we had a great day as it turned out, with Silver-Washed Fritillaries, White Admirals, Skippers, Red Admiral, Commas and Marbled Whites thrown in.
Alice Holt Forest Abbotts Wood Inclosure Tuesday 2nd July 2024
A Cloudy day didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for getting out into the Purple Empire, and I was glad I did, as between the hours of 10:30 and 14:00 I saw over a dozen males, mainly oak edging and sallow searching for females. Several males in the late morning had several tussles with each other over some lofty Oak trees, and several settled down and faced the main ride wings open and I was hoping that they were going to alight to the floor of the ride for a bite e to eat, however this wasn’t the case. Still just seeing these magnificent butterflies soaring around and flitting in and around the Oak sprigs and sallow shrubs was a joy to see.
Other butterflies of note were several new Silver-Washed Fritillaries and a handful of White Admirals, with Meadow Browns and Ringlets, and the odd Purple Hairstreak seen in the lofty canopy. However the question must be asked, just where are the butterflies?
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Abbotstone Down Field Trip 30th June 2024
A cloudy day basically foiled us in meeting our target species in full today, despite this there was plenty to see in the flowery meadows of Abbotstone Down. The best counts were the Marbled Whites which were flying in all weather conditions followed by Ringlets and Meadow Browns. In all up to (7) species were seen, and some of the target species have yet to emerge here I suspect like the Dark Green Fritillary, and Purple Emperor is one of those species which you must be in the right place at the right time and is not seen at this site very often. We had a long break, and the sun did briefly show itself, but the species count didn’t go up anymore but the walk being short was worth the effort just see the fantastic flowery meadows, and the woodland which surrounds this site.
Many thanks to all who made the effort despite the weather today.
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The neighbours were away this weekend so I jumped at the chance to put out my moth trap. Here are a few of the most spectacular ones anda list for those interested. Lackey Moth, Elephant Hawk Moth, Buff Tip Moth, Cream Wave, Box tree Moth, White Ermine, Swallowtail, Moth Double Square Spot, Scalloped Oak, Yellow Underwing, Setacious Hebrew Character, Garden Dart, Heart and Dart, Gold Fringe, and Lime Speck Pug.
Broxhead Common Field Trip Wednesday 26th June 2024
Midday and the heat was getting a little uncomfortable now as we set off over Broxhead Common. The Bell Heather looked splendid as the rain in the past few months had left most of the area in a purple haze….the Silver Studded Blues were out in good numbers both sexes were flying like there was no tomorrow. We saw both sexes of the Clouded Buff Moth, and the highlight for me was seeing the magnificent Emperor Moth caterpillar, feeding away on the heather. There wasn’t many more butterflies of note except a couple of Purple Hairstreaks had been noted in the Oak tree woodland part of the site close to the cricket ground.
Straits Inclosure Wednesday 26th June 2024
The hottest day of the year and here was hoping that the Purple Emperor would make its first appearance for 2024. It appeared at about 10:30, swooping over the main ride for about twenty seconds a lovely male, and then disappeared again into the canopy. A second Male was seen flitting through the Oak springs in a tall Oak tree a bit further along from the fallen Deer tower at the end of the main ride in Straits Inclosure. He again made a brief appearance in the ride then disappeared. It wasn’t until about 12:25 when we had set up camp at one of the main Assembly points did, we get good views of a chasing pair, and these were chasing for about 30 odd seconds. One of the males must have given a left hook as we only saw one male again flying around his vista for about three quarters of an hour.
Hampshire is now Purple- Male Purple Emperor seen on Monday 24th June 2024 on the Hampshire Sussex Border
North Harbour Portsmouth Tuesday 25th June 2024
Another very hot day and it’s getting quite uncomfortable walking around sites now, and this site being so close to Portsmouth is handy in the fact I can get out and take cover quite easy. Today the gates were open where they were locked over the last weekend, and the grasses and verges are full of wildflowers, and I have never seen so many pyramidal orchids in one place, there must have been a hundred or more in a small area of grass land. There are plenty of Elms as well coming through, so hopefully the White Letter Hairstreak shouldn’t die out in this area. I did see at least three White -Letter Hairstreaks two males and a female which was fighting an amorous male right in front of me. The female took cover for a good ten minutes. This was on the large Elm where there is an underpass under the main road.
North Harbour Portsmouth Sunday 23rd June 2024
Visited a site which I haven’t been to for many years and found that the area was becoming a good area for wildlife, especially around the boundaries of the old IBM buildings, with areas of Orchids and other wildflowers. There were many Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns, and, in the Elms, I got glimpses of the illusive White-Letter Hairstreak butterfly. Two were chasing, doing their territory dispute, and a lonesome male was just flying in and around some of the sprigs of Elm leaves. In the meadow where there was some Nettles there was some Peacock caterpillar’s feeding away, not very long before we see this beautiful butterfly on the wing again. Disappointingly though there was very little else, no Blues or Skippers which I would have associated with this type of meadow. Also there seems to be no access to the lake area now, which used to be a lovely walk where I discovered the Small Blue butterfly many years ago.
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Oxenbourne Down Friday 21st June 2024
Another balmy day and the heat feels like Croatia, but without the butterfly species! On the downland today there were just 3 or 4 Adonis Blues, one Common Blue, Marbled Whites, are building up in numbers, and the Meadow Browns have gone mad, and the Small Heaths were still in evidence with just one or two female Brimstones still laying their eggs on Buckthorn on the slopes.
Alice Holt Forest Abbots Wood Enclosure Thursday 20th June 2024
Perfect weather today as a June high pressure drifts in and promises a good week of weather, however the Purple Emperor seems to be stuttering into emerging only so far being seen in Sussex at good old Knepp a few days ago. On the butterfly front there was very little to see with several White Admirals flitting around the Bramble patches in the main rides. Mostly Meadow Browns taking advantage of the weather and one Comma, and Red Admiral. Very poor for the third week of June. In the skies there were plenty of aircraft activity with several A380’s overflying the area and many light aircraft flying over from Farnborough and Red Kites circled the skies as well.
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Isle of Wight mini field trip 6th June 2024
Perfect weather conditions today to be visiting one of the best butterflying sites Compton Chine and Mottiistone Down with Afton Down thrown in for good measure. The Glanville Fritillaries were very active having fights with Large Skippers who were the ‘new kids on the block’ as it were, and they were trying to oust the Fritillaries from their territories. Most of the male Glanville’s were faded but there were a few still in good order and we found several females as well which were newly hatched out.
Other species that were common were the Small Heath, and Common Blues. The Adonis blue like on the mainland seems to be a bit slow emerging this year, but the ones we did see were pristine. Small Copper and the odd Green Hairstreak amongst the ever growing total of Meadow Browns were the other species along with very tatty Dingy Skippers the odd Grizzled Skipper. Brown Arguses on Afton Down were pristine as their foodplant Rockrose looked splendid on the downland, along with Horseshoe Vetch and Kidney Vetch. Beautiful Orchids like the Bee Orchid were seen, and Pyramidal Orchids were common to see growing everywhere.
Stonechats kept us company on Compton Chine along with multitudes of Skylarks on Mottiistone and Afton Downs, and Buzzards hung in the air on the updrafts from the cliff face on the way round from Afton Down to Mottiistone, looking rather menacing and just looked odd for such a large bird. A great day out and I thank everyone for their company today.
My Locol patch of wildlife called Milford Common has a lot of young birds swimming around on the two lakes , Mallard ducklings and Swan Cygnets are now getting bigger as the days get longer. Mr Grey Heron is forever hanging around hoping for that eating opportunity where he will defineatly take a cynet or Mallard duckling or two given half a chance. This period of re-newal is fraut with danger and anybody who has been following the Springwatch programme with the Peregrine Falcons will know only too well that you have to be forever on your guard. The Reed Warblers are also nesting and are making a hell of a din as they chatter amoungst the reeds. They are safe from the infamous Cuckoo though as they dont ventue this far to find a nest nearest we have seen Cuckoos is Farlington Marshes across the estuary. On the butterfly front there is now a transition from the spring species to the summer species, and many of the spring species look as if they have finished, Orange Tips are gettig rarer and the Duke of Burgundy has now finished, unless anybody can correct me on this . Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells are also gone, but yesterday I saw a Holly Blue laying her eggs on my Buddleia Bush , which I have witnessed before, its quite amazing how many different plants they utilize for egg-laying despite their name!
5 Spot Burnet Moth variations on Butser Hill
Photographs by kind permission of Andy Smith
Butser Hill Private Field Trip Wednesday 29th May 2024
It was looking dodgy in the carpark with a stiff wind and the clouds were rolling in but as we descended into the depths of the downland the wind abated for a time which helped enormously for butterfly and moth spotting. We saw up to (15) Duke of Burgundies and all these looked worse for wear, but the Grizzled Skippers were still emerging, and there were plenty of these and Dingy Skippers to see. Lovely Brown Arguses were seen with mating pairs but the biggest counts were of Small Heath countless on all the slopes walked. Other species of note were Green Hairstreaks, Common Blues, alas no Adonis Blues though. Moths were 5 Spotted Burnet moths, in various disguises.... Silver ‘Y’s , Burnet Companion’s, Mother Shipton moth, Speckled Yellows, and Yellow Shells.
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Butser Hill Saturday 25th May 2024
The hottest day of the year I suspect with the temperature rising in the afternoon to well to 25c. The species of butterflies and moths was quite impressive, and for once the Duke of Burgundy didn’t disappoint! On the western side of Butser there was one male and one female seen and the female was seen skulking in amongst the foliage, usual behaviour for the female of the species. On the Northern slope there were up to a dozen or more seen and on the valley floor a rare abb:Lecodes was seen, holding territory and it was in a good condition, so this wasn’t a pale tatty male it was a freshest male with pale spots on top of the wings. Up to 42 individuals were seen today which is easily the highest this season for this species. Other species of note were Green Hairstreak, Brown Argus, Small Copper Common and Small Blue, Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Large Skipper, moths were Ruby Tiger Moths, 5 spot Burnet Moths, Burnet Companions, Silver’y’s, Cinnabar Moths, and Common Carpets. I thought I may see an Emperor Moth, but I think they may well be on the way out. There were a lot of Skylark’s, Yellowhammers, Green Woodpeckers, Red Kites, Buzzards, but no Cuckoo.
Old Winchester Hill Friday 24th May 2024
Another rather cloudy day with short intervals of warm sunshine, I really went to the site to see if I could find the Duke of Burgundy, and again I was unsuccessful. I may have been too late as other sites it seems to have emerged a lot earlier this year, so my thoughts about it not being here may be a bit hasty. Maybe in 2025 I will visit the site in the first two weeks of May and see if I am successful. I did manage to see a Brown Argus, and several Small Blues, but the Adonis Blue at this site is normally a week or so later than other sites. The Yew tree plantations on the hillsides look rather splendid, and the Elm trees are now in full leaf and it would be interesting to visit again during the WLH season to see if there are any flying around the tops of the trees.
Meon Valley Thursday 23rd May 2024
The weather today was rather cloudy as I began looking around the site however in the first few minutes, I managed to find a freshly emerged Adonis Blue and he was cold as he didn’t fly away as I approached. He seemed to be alone, but the Common Blues are starting to emerge in numbers. Good counts of Small Heath, and the Silver Y and the Speckled Yellow moths were abundant, more than I can say for the Duke of Burgundy as I really struggled to find it. It wasn’t really until the sun shone that I had any chance really and then I only found two, a female which had been laying her eggs, and the fresh male I found the other day.
Highlight of the day was sitting down on an Ant -hill eating my lunch and watching up to a dozen Green Hairstreaks flying and imbibing on the fruits of a Cotoneaster plant which are really a pest on chalk downland as they are very difficult to get rid off as they spread like wildfire and very difficult to eradicate.
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Martin Down Field Trip Sunday 19th May 2024
There was a certain amount of doom and gloom as we all stood in the carpark with no sun and warm coats and hats at the short trail. Not a good way to start a field trip but we did and hoping for a miracle! I was confidentially told that the sun would appear at around about 11:00, and sure enough it did, and then the site exploded with species and one of the targets were met. Plenty of Marsh Fritillaries were seen battling for territories and good amounts of other species like Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Common Blues, Holly Blues, Small Heaths, Green Hairstreaks, Small Copper, Common Blues, Brimstones, and Red Admirals. The Moths were not to be outdone, plenty of Silver Y moths, 5 Spot Burnet Moth, Cinnabar moths, Yellow Shells, Lackey moth caterpillars, Burnet Companions, Common Heath, and to top it off at least three Emperor Moths which attacked my camera bag which still had my Emperor Moth Lure still attached! Lots of lovely wildflowers with Orchids out in bloom and good birds as well with the Cuckoo singing in the distance lots of Skylarks, with other hedgerow birds like Yellowhammers, Stonechats, Whitethroats, and Corn Buntings to name a few. It was a great field trip and sorry to the those that went to Sillens lane but no doubt your list was just as good.
Old Winchester Hill /Meon Valley Friday 17th May 2024
A disappointing trek around Old Winchester Hill looking for the Duke of Burgundy but it seemed rather illusive only seeing Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Green Hairstreak, Brimstones, Small Copper (female) laying eggs on sorrel and Red Admirals, with lots of Silver Y moths which should be the moth of the year if it carries on like this in numbers also seen were Common Carpet moths. Red Kites and Buzzards were also seen but no sight or sound of the cuckoo which 20 odd years ago would have been horrifying. It would seem the cuckoo is as rare as hen’s teeth these days, especially in and around the Meon Valley. We heard it several times in the New Forest, but today not a sign.
Wednesday 15th May Field trip New Forest Pignal Inclosure and Pig Bush Heathland
An excellent field trip to the New Forest where the sightings of fresh Pearl- Bordered Fritillaries were a joy to see and watch as they battled for territories and made hay whilst the sun shone in their forest world. There were over thirty seen, mainly males which were feeding on very few wildflowers in the rides. In fact, there were very few butterflies seen, these were just a few Speckled Woods, one Orange Tip a few Brimstones, and Silver’y’ moths and Common Carpet and lots of Brown Silver Line moths in the rides. Other flora and fauna seen were Newts in the large puddles created in the rides by the work being done by the Forestry re-surfacing some of the rides, also several Dragonflies, lots of Frog Tadpoles, which were probably being eaten by the large and menacing looking Raft Spider. In the afternoon on the heathland at Pig Bush the emperor Moth was seen flying frantically around my lure on my camera bag, along with male and female Common Heath Moths and Small Purple Barred Moth. Birds heard and seen were Stonechats, Cuckoo, Skylarks, and Redstarts.
Sunday 12th May Field Trip West Wood and Pitt Down
West Wood Field Trip meeting today was rather warm walking around both West Wood and Pitt Down however we saw the Woodland Duke of Burgundy and many other species Grizzled Skipper, Small Heath, Holly Blue, Brimstones, Orange Tips, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Comma, Green Hairstreaks, Green Veined Whites, and Small White. Moths were very sparse with Common Carpets, lots of Silver Y moths and a Barred Umber Moth
Milton Allotments and West Walk Friday 10th May 2024
Visited my local patch this morning, which has not been mown now by the council for many months, so this seems to be paying off as I saw a male Orange Tip which is something of a rarety around this site. Also fresh Speckled Wood's , Green Veined Whites, Holly Blue and Small Whites. The Small Tortoiseshell seems to have disappeared now this is the only place now I can find it in reasonable numbers at the moment. Sheild Bugs were everywhere mating etc, and the wildflowers have gone mad. Unfortunaetly the Elm tree seems to have succumed to Dutch Elm Disease. I then went to West Walk near to Wickham and enjoyed the sunshine, and saw Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Crossbills feeding on Fir cones. Butterfly wise it was rarther sparse with just Brimstones, Speckled Woods and Small Whites, for company.
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Butser Hill Field Trip Sunday 5th May 2024 Weather Cloudy Misty then rain warm in sunny periods.
First Field trip of the season and it wasn’t going to be a good one, as the ever threat of rain was always on the horizon. It did warm up when the sun did shine but these periods were very few, and the species count consequently was very low. Four butterfly species and several moth species were identified. The butterfly species were Duke of Burgundy (4) Dingy Skipper (1) Grizzled Skipper (4) and Green Hairstreak (1). Moths were Silver ‘Y’ moth, Common Carpets, and unidentified moth at this time.
There has been a lot of scrub bashing and there has been a herd of cows bulldozing there way through a lot of the scrub which has opened some of the areas and should help many species especially the Duke of Burgundy
The dukes were very hard to find and when we did see one, they didn’t fly away as it was too gloomy and cold. Everything else was just a bonus and I suppose we were lucky in seeing what we did see. Highlight was hearing the Cuckoo and seeing it fly as well. I managed to get back to the carpark when the heavens opened.
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Butterflies are building in numbers very slowly, with Brimstones having the best counts in woods and on downland sites. Green Hairstreaks, Holly Blue and the Duke of Burgundy are coming on quite nicely. Peacocks are looking distinctly tired, and the Orange Tip as well, and I havent seen many Small Tortoiseshells, which doesnt bode well for the summer. Grizzled Skipper and the Pearl Bordered Fritillary have been seen over the past few days so the Pearl in Hampshire will be the one to look out for. Glanville Fritillary caterpillers are probably pupating as I speak and a few weeks of good weather and they will/should be on the wing along with Wall Brown, Dingy Skipper, Common and Small Blue. On the Moth front I keep seeing Common Carpet Moths, Muslin Moths, Spring Usher and the Silver 'Y' Moth has been noted as well.
Thursday 25th April 2024 It was far better in the small periods of sunshine where again like yesterday only the Duke of Burgundy was seen. Today however there were up to (7) specimens seen including one female. They were not obvious they were there until the sun shone and became active where two males were having a territory dispute. The dukes were seen at 11:45 and through to 12:00 until about 12:30 when the sun disappeared again. Early signs are good but there were no individuals in the gorse strewn area at the top end of the down. Look at the female Duke of Burgundy top left compared to the male bottom right their patterns on the tops of their wings are totally different, something to remember when out and about.
Noar Hill Saturday 20th April 2024
Arrived at Noar Hill today with the intention to seeing the Duke of Burgundy, it was rather cool to start with and a very keen wind picked up, as I started to wander around the site with myself for company. After an hour there were a few people around all looking for the same thing, and it was 11:20 with the temperature at a lofty 11c when two males appeared in one of the flint pits. They weren’t very active, in pristine condition and certainly weren’t fighting each other for territories. Other butterflies seen were several Orange Tips, Peacocks, Holly Blues, Green Veined White, Red Admiral, Comma, Brimstones, and Small White. There are some lovely early Purple Orchids and the Cowslips all looked splendid. In the large puddles where horses had been ridden the elusive fairy shrimp was found.
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The Duke of Burgundy has been spotted over the last couple of days at Noar Hill although sightings will be hindered by the cool wet and windy weather and any good emergence will be quite slow, and at other sites in Hampshire at the moment. Also the Green Hairstreak , Clouded Yellow , Glanville fritillary caterpillars have been spotted on the Isle of Wight, along with a Striped Hawk Moth, and Hummingbird Hawk Moth.
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Noar Hill/Broxhead Common Friday 12th April 2024
A lovely warm day to go and visit Noar Hill in the hope the Duke of Burgundy maybe on the wing. If it was I didn’t see it as one or two flying on this site is like looking for a needle in a haystack. However the weather brought out at least 6 species my first Orange Tips and saw at least 6 of these all males, several Speckled Woods, Commas, good numbers of Peacocks and Brimstones both males and females. Two male Holly blues were interacting as well which was good to see, showing their upper and lower wings when settled for a brief time. On to Broxhead Common and the Emperor Moth ‘lure’ was performing very well, as in a short space of about 5 minutes I had at least half a dozen males flying frantically around me. Several posed nicely on the heather, but there wasn’t much else here other than a few Brimstones and Peacocks.
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Milton Lock Foreshore Monday 1st April 2024
I went out for the Small Tortoiseshell today, and looked in all the usual places, and the Nettle is growing in profusion, and I was lucky to see one…just one. This butterfly was so common in the 70’s and 80’s but alas no longer. Never thought I would have to go out looking for it! One Speckled Wood also joined the list but not much else except a couple of lovely Curlews feeding along the foreshore. The closest I’ve had the privilege to see these lovely birds.
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Saturday 30th March 2024 Portsdown Hill
Hurrah for a warm and sunny day! Visited part of my old transect route on Portsdown Hill today. Saw over 50+ Brimstones, 20+Peacocks, Small Whites and half a dozen Speckled Woods. No Small Tortoiseshells which will probably be like Hens teeth this season judging by the amount seen in 2023. In the air there were plenty of Buzzards, Kestrels, and a few Red Kites. Stonechats and Skylarks were very prominent with their singing walking around today.
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Milton Lock LNR and Portsdown Hill Thursday 21st March 2024
Another odd day when the sun shone and it was insanely mild, and there were good numbers of invertebrates around especially bees and hoverflies. On the butterfly front there were a couple of Commas, and Peacocks, and an early Speckled Wood. In the afternoon the sun disappeared and so did the butterflies on Portsdown Hill, with just a couple of Peacocks to be seen, surprisingly no Brimstones were seen on either site, which is most unusual. On the Bird of prey front there were Kestrels, Buzzards, and Red Kites. Unfortunately the Peregrines didn’t show. There were lovely singing Skylarks on top of the hill, and Great Tits giving it their best voice.
Butterflies and moths are on the March! over (10) Brimstones (all males) seen on a journey between Portsmouth and Stansted House (West Sussex) and the odd Peacock. It was the warmest day of the year so it was the best time to see them. Several Speckled Woods and Commas were also seen in and around Hampshire as well.
Cornwall Holiday & Romsey Abbey Monday 18th March 2024
Another dim and cool day with partial sunshine, visiting Romsey as I had a talk on the Purple Emperor Butterfly in the evening. In the meantime I visited the Abbey to have a look at the elusive Peregrine Falcons which have made home there. I wasn’t disappointed as the male and female were seen. The Male was seen flying around in circles above the tower and off into the distance where he was probably looking for food. There are plenty of pigeons in and around the site, although the birds are constantly pestered by Rooks from the Rookery nearby. The female was calling from the tower and looking skywards to see where her partner was. He was soon joined by the female and they went off together on a hunt I assume. The Peregrines at Winchester haven’t layed eggs yet so I don’t suppose these have either, although I don’t think these have been here very long.
On the butterfly and moth front it’s been very dismal, probably the worst for sightings by me for a long time, although other sightings have come in like good amounts of Red Admirals, Commas, and Peacocks, with reports of moths as well caught in people’s moth traps.
I haven’t put anything up on the blog for a while as I have been to Cornwall for a short break, and there weren’t any butterflies down there either! There were Dolphins in St Ives Harbour which were a treat to see early one morning. Also I saw hunting Peregrine Falcons, White-Tailed Sea Eagle, Choughs, Fulmars, and Kittiwakes, lots of Turnstones in the harbour, which were extremely tame. Rock Pipits were very tame as well in the harbour, but that cannot be said for the huge Herring and Black backed Gulls all waiting to be fed or steal someone’s Pasty or Fish and Chips along the seafront of St Ives!
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Titchfield Haven Monday 19th February 2024
Another visit to see the Spoonbills of which there were two of them, not doing very much, but it would seem they feed mainly at night so they were trying to get some rest, however with up to three Marsh Harriers in the area there was a lot of noise mainly from the Black-Headed Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls. Plenty of other birds to see along the shore line but I do like a Shoveller!
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Titchfield Haven/Canal Friday 16th February 2024
A visit to Titchfield Haven today in sunny weather, although there always seemed to be the threat of wet weather on the horizon. Very wet and muddy underfoot, in fact part of the footpath was closed off so I had to turn around. In fact this was a good omen as I had passed the site of the Glossy Ibis and got a good look at them feeding in the River Meon floodplain. There were at least three of them and they looked quite at home there. In the craggy trees of mossy lined Oaks there were lots of Blue, Great, and Long Tailed Tits flying in and out of the branches. No butterflies today as it wasn’t that warm, but the bird life was great, and I was glad to get my quarry.
Milton Thursday 15th February 2024
Just out for a short walk out in the sunshine and it’s the warmest day of the year, and out came the butterflies. Two male Brimstones were seen along a footpath leading up to Milton Road in Portsmouth. Both males briefly interacted, but went their separate ways. They had probably been hibernating in some Ivy which covers a lot of the fencing along the path. In the main road a Red Admiral was seen flying about and briefly settled on a van parked by the side of the road. In Southampton a very very early Speckled Wood was seen by Nic Burns.
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West Meon Sunday 11th February 2024
Another good day well the afternoon anyway, as the rain seems to be with us again after a blank few weeks. Looking around West Meon today normally turns up several butterflies but today I drew a blank on the downland. The raptors were in good numbers with Red Kites spiralling and locking talons as they drift upwards on the thermals. Other birds seen today were several Dabchicks or Little Grebes, and these are delightful birds with their distinctive calls on the ‘Meon Fly Fishing’ Lake. Wildflowers are very slow at the moment good showing of Snowdrops everywhere, but the Primroses are lagging behind.
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Farlington Marshes Thursday 1st February 2024
A perfect day with lots of winter sunshine and no wind, which is always a bonus in anybody’s book. Decided to visit Farlington Marshes again for the elusive Bearded Tits and in the first hour it looked like there wasn’t going to be any showing, although several people had said they had seen them. In the meantime around mid-day I was entertained by multitudes of Lapwings flying in and around the site. There were lots of Canada Geese and Brent Geese on the lake. There were plenty of ducks and waders but they were a long way off. Suddenly here were some familiar twittering amongst the reeds and sure enough a couple of Bearded Tits showed up, they were at a distance but they did eventually come right down to the ‘wire’ as it were. Fantastic acrobats, as they fed on the seed from the reeds. In no time at all there were at least 20 odd males and females all feeding and interacting. They were a joy to watch and the males were avidly feeding on the seed heads with a few had looked as if they had paired up. Meanwhile on the butterfly front several Red Admirals have been seen in the New Forest, plus Peacocks have been seen dotted around Hampshire along with a Painted Lady on the Island
Milton Foreshore Friday 26th January 2024
Went to my local patch today to see the Black Swans, which seemed to have attracted a lot of attention at Eastney Lake. I was pleasantly surprised how many birds there were along the low tide shoreline, must have been hundreds. They were feeding avidly, mostly Brent Geese, but there were other shorebirds, like Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatcher, and Turnstones. Very close to where I live I came across a couple of Curlews, and all the time I’ve been visiting this site I have never seen them this close to where I live.
I didn’t have to go walk very far, as the Black Swans had espied me and they obviously thought I had some food, and they came right over to me less than a few yards, making these small ‘purring noises’. The Mute Swans were around but whether they will tolerate these Black Swans on their patch only time will tell.
In the garden the Honey bees were starting to get active and my small patch of Bell Heather breaking into bloom was frequented by several bees gathering nectar. Unfortunately I still haven’t seen any butterflies yet.
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Isle of Wight: Yarmouth/Tennyson Down/Cranmore 22nd /23rd/ 24th January 2024
It was good to get out and about over this few days which I do when it’s around my birthday, and I always favour the Isle of Wight. Yarmouth always has a good variety of birdlife in the estuary and on the 22nd January just before the storm hit, there were plenty of wading birds to be seen. There were Godwits, Sanderlings, Turnstones, Oystercatchers, and Redshanks, all plying their trade along the shoreline. There was also Tufted Ducks and Mallard, and on the shore Shorelarks busied themselves to finding that tasty morsel. I didn’t see the Kingfisher which I saw here last year, although I’ve no doubt they were around.
On the 24th January after the storm I decided to get some walking in on Tennyson Down although wildlife wise it was a bit barren however I did see a couple of Kestrels, and a Peregrine Falcon close to the monument. In the afternoon I visited a friend who has Red Squirrels in her garden. It took about 20 minutes before one turned up and they were about twenty yards away so good for some telephoto pictures. The bird feeder had shed some of its content after the Blue and Great Tits and to a lesser degree the Great Spotted Woodpecker had dropped lots of seed on the ground. Several Reds turned up and it was quite comical to watch them chasing each other, and boy they don’t hang around either. It was a joy to see and several of the Reds had slightly different colour fur, whether these were immature animals I wouldn’t know.
Back home and in the morning it was unusual to see a lot of Fox activity opposite where I live, but good for photos. A female has built a den on the banks of the allotment, and they were probably trying to get extra rations as the foxes give birth shortly. On the butterfly front Red Admirals and Commas have been seen in the New Forest and on the Island
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Milton Lock and Foreshore 18th January 2024
It’s now bitterly cold with temperatures overnight at about -8c and with sharp frosts in the mornings. There is very little bird life in the garden despite putting up fat balls and two nut dispensers; I think the ever present pigeons are putting off the Blue Tits and other birds I would love to see in the garden. Along Milton Lock the Brent Geese are ever present, with Dunlin and Redshank feeding along the shoreline. Along Milton Common and Foreshore the Oystercatchers are growing in number and so are the Curlews with their distinctive calls.
In the hedgerows the Robins and Hedge Sparrows are present but are not showing themselves, along with Blue and Great Tits. Other birds of note are the lovely Teals all paired up along with a few Shelducks. On the Lakes the Mute Swans seem to have paired up again from last year, and Mallard, Tufted Duck Coot and Moorhens are present. The Kingfisher I saw a few weeks ago seems to have disappeared.
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Milton Lock and Farlington Marshes 10th January 2024
January is now in the grip of an icy wind blowing in from the North-East and has kept the temperatures down to around freezing. On the Lakes the birds are probably finding it difficult to feed as they quickly see somebody observing them they are soon almost under your feet wanting food. Along the shoreline the tide and many Turnstones and Oystercatchers were feeding, and on the University grounds the Brent Geese were feeding on the grass in there hundreds.
Out on Farlington Marshes the Cold wind soon kept the observers down to a small number, most of us were there to see the Bearded Tits. In the wind they were not showing very well, but we did manage to catch several of them brave enough to stick their heads up in the cool temperatures. There were lots of Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Black Headed Gulls, on the large lake but it was frozen in places which didn’t help the birds when they wanted to feed. There weren’t many other birds to see as this temperature keeps them down. The Short Eared Owls seem to have left the area, I’m just hoping they will come back one day.
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2024
Milton Lock and Foreshore 05th January 2024
A blank December with mainly storms and torrential rain and windy conditions hardly weather to conduct observations in the field. Starting 2024 with a local walk along the foreshore at Milton Lock, the Brent Geese were busy with the tide being out and they feeding in the mud, along with Redshank, Curlew, and Mediterranean Gulls, Black Backed Gulls and Black headed Gulls. In the hedgerows and bramble, there were plenty of Sparrows, Goldfinches, Blue Tits, with the odd Long-Tailed tits.
On the Swan Lake there were several Cormorants, Tufted Ducks, Moorhens, and the Great Grey Heron, being very close for observation, he or she was eyeing up some Grey Squirrels scrambling in and around the dead Elms. Further down towards the War Memorial, the Oystercatchers were busy and making their distinct calls, interacting with the Redshank, a pair of Shelducks and Teal
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