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| Marbled White
© Richard Smith
|
Twelve
members turned out with Angela on a very hot day at Stockbridge Down. We
had clear views across Hampshire and Wiltshire to Danebury Fort and Salisbury
Plain. It was a wonderful day for butterflies with sightings of Silver-washed
and Dark-green Fritillaries, Peacock, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small Skipper,
Marbled White and lots of Meadow Brown. The highlight for one very fortunate
member was a sighting of a Purple Emperor. They are enjoying a bumper year following the
mild spring.
Red-tailed
and White-tailed Bumblebees were out on the summer flowers. Birds were keeping
a low profile, perhaps because of the heat, but a Buzzard soared on the
thermals above and a Corn Bunting sang from the top of a tree.
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| Wild Basil
© Richard Smith
|
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| Dropwort - the downland Meadowsweet © Richard Smith |
The flora is distinctly different from that of the Forest. Among at least 30 different species found were chalkland specialists like Dropwort, Squinancywort, Wild Carrot, Red Bartsia, Wild Basil, Musk and Dwarf Thistles, Wild Thyme and Marjoram, Salad Burnet, Hoary Plantain, Fairy Flax, Wild Clematis, Privet, Rock Rose, Field Scabious, Dogwood and Juniper. The Juniper is interesting because there are separate male and female plants.
Stockbridge
Down is dotted with Bronze Age tumuli and there are traces of an ancient field
system believed to be between 3,000 and 4,000 years old. These levelled areas
with steep slopes between are believed to have been dug by hand and are known
as lynchets.