SE Nature Notes for w/e 19th June
21 June 2010
Portsmouth & Portsdown
On Portsdown pyramidal orchids were first seen on Sunday 14th. Other new flowers include squinancywort and harebell. Marbled white butterflies (left) began to fly from Monday this week.
Bee orchids are flowering by Peter's Pond at Farlington Marshes.
The peregrines in the Paulsgrove chalk pit have at least two chicks.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
Tufted ducks on the Brickkiln Pond at Stansted had 4 ducklings at the beginning of the week.
A hummingbird hawkmoth was seen recently along the Billy Trail.
A female stag beetle was flying in Mill Lane Langstone on Monday afternoon.
At the oyster beds common terns and black-headed gulls seem to be doing well.
On the RSPB Islands little terns are doing well and so far do not seem to be suffering from predation. It's possible that the foxes are feasting on the black-headed gull chicks before they reach the terns! Common terns and Mediterranean gulls are also doing well so far.
A small tortoiseshell butterfly was seen at the oyster beds on Tuesday when the milk thistles (right) on the end of the mound were beginning to flower.
Two tufted ducks and a siskin appeared at Sandy Point Hayling Island on Wednesday 16th. Both are rare at this site at this time of the year. The following day an osprey flew west over the reserve.
Half way down the Billy Trail near the sea grass display board there are about 30 bee orchids and at least 1 pyramidal orchid.
Fareham and Gosport
Butterflies in the Munitions Depot at Gosport on 15th included grizzled skippers, small heath and small copper.
A flock of around 150 black-tailed godwits at Fareham which included a number in full breeding plumage was probably a mixture of adult non-breeders, first or second summer birds not yet ready to breed and maybe some that have returned early following nest failures.
Waterlooville and South Downs
Bird watchers have been reporting Mediterranean gulls inland feeding on flying beetles including some on Butser Hill thought to be taking cockchafers. Others have noted them apparently en route to and from the harbours.
On Chalton Down north of Rowlands Castle this week the butterflies seen included small tortoiseshells and dingy skippers; and moths burnet companions, yellow shell and gallium carpets. A Volucella Bombylans var plumata hoverfly which mimics a buff-tailed bumblebee was also seen.
