Returning from Shetland I was keen to get some chalk under my feet again. I headed to Martin Down NNR an extensive chalk downland site in the NW of Hampshire, in the hope of bagging a LIFER or two? I was not to be disappointed.
Despite initial concerns about the wind direction (NE / E) and speed (Bft scale 4), I managed to connect with my target species after searching out of more sheltered areas of grassland, behind scrub blocks or on the SW facing slopes of the ancient earthworks.
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| small blue (Cupido minimus) |
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| common blue (Polyommatus Icarus) |
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| green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) |
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| grizzled skipper (Pyrgus malvae) |
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| dingy skipper (Erynnis tages) |
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| Adonis blue (Polyommatus bellargus) LIFER |
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| Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) LIFER |
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| common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsia) |
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| burnt-tip orchid (Neotinea ustulata) LIFER |
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| fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) |
Whilst head down looking at invertebrates and plants, I couldn't help but enjoy the soundscape of singing birds incl. at least two purring turtle dove (
Streptopelia turtur), corn bunting (
Emberiza calandra), skylark (
Alauda arvensis) and yellowhammer (
Emberiza citrinella).
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