This Thursday we have a General Interest walk with Jo Dowle, setting off at 10.00.
Grid ref: SU229122
What3words: skim.desk.vertical
Walk report: 10 August 2023 Whitefield Moor with John Enfield
A cloudy start walking toward Puttles Bridge, the cropped grass speckled with Cats-ear; a Green Woodpecker was glimpsed, a tiny toadlet and Humpback Brittlegill were seen. Among the Scots Pines across the road, Bilberry thriving in the understory, a large Southern Wood Ant’s nest and a variety of fungi including a tired Stinkhorn were spotted.
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| Bilberry © Chris Robinson |
Crossing the bridge across an area of bog, Round-leaved Sundew, Common Cottongrass, some delicate White Beak-sedge were identified and a Chiffchaff was heard and then seen. Skirting another area of damp ground escorted by two Brimstones, the track leading to the bridge over Ober Water was reached. Along the track Unbranched Bur-reed and Marsh Woundwort were noted as well as a Holly Blue and a Common Toad.
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| Common Toad © Richard Smith |
Holly Blue © Chris Robinson 
Unbranched Bur-reed © Chris Robinson
Among the oaks and the odd birch by the bridge were a variety of inaccessible fungi, one possibly an Earthball and another on a Silver Birch, a Dog Vomit Slime Mold.
Along the track through the heather, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was briefly seen and then a New Forest speciality, some Coral-necklace, was spotted growing on a patch of bare damp soil. Leaving the track to go through the wooded area of Holm Hill, many widely spaced ancient Hollies with multiple thick stems were passed, evidently copiced over centuries. A map from 1786 shows the wood, its size and shape much the same as today and with the same track leading to it. Having a biscuit break was accompanied by the sound of some Honey Bees in a nearby nest and a visiting Bee Wolf.
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| Honey Bees © Chris Robinson |
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| Honey Bees © Richard Smith |
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| Bee Wolf © Richard Smith |
Back on the track leading to the bridge over the Silver Stream, a Red Admiral, another Holly Blue, Rove and Dor Beetles, Harebell and a fungus, possibly a Panthercap, were seen.
A Rove Beetle (Staphylinus erythopterus) © Chris Robinson
At the bridge, the sun was now out and dragonflies were flitting about. A young Robin hovered giving a good view and a highly active Keeled Skimmer briefly landed on the path for another view. Also seen were some Oblong-leaved Sundew.
Grayling © Richard Smith
Along the track to the car park, the pollinators were now busy thrumming away, excavated spoil from the holes of Bee Wolves were clearly seen along the sandy edge, a Grayling landed on the bare path and finally one of the several Meadow Pipits paraded on the track to give a splendid view of its plumage. JE
Our route
© Crown copyright 2023 Ordnance Survey.
Media 006/23.
The licence is valid until 31 December 2023
Walk report: 27 July 2023 Stockbridge Down with Richard Smith
On a cool overcast day, we met at Stockbridge Down, a National Trust managed SSSI comprising a chalky downland habitat with an iron-age hill fort at its summit. We started with good views of a Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding on Buddleia in the car park.
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Hummingbird Hawk-moth © Richard Smith |
Aside from assorted Corvid, nothing was flying in the mild, damp conditions as we walked slowly along the western edge of the Down. Amongst the bramble and rabbit burrows, numerous wildflowers and plants were found beside the track. Wild Basil and Wild Marjoram grew profusely along with Common Toadflax, Common Knapweed (rayed form), Common Agrimony, Birds-foot Trefoil, Lady’s Bedstraw, Wild Mignonette and Ragwort. Cinnabar moth caterpillar and Common Soldier Beetle were found on several of the Ragwort, and as the day warmed, we had our first views of Chalk Hill Blue and Gatekeeper butterflies. A Chiffchaff was heard and seen, Eyebright and a few Harebells were added to the plant list, and a Kentish Snail was found attached to a grass stem.
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Chalk Hill Blues © Andy & Sue Skarstein |
Heading uphill we had distant views of the 25 metre
antenna of Chilbolton observatory, and our planned lunch spot at Danebury Ring.
Spear and Dwarf Thistle and Squinancywort were identified. Continuing to the
summit, we found both Perforate and Pale St John’s Wort, Small Scabious, Hoary
Plantain, Wild Parsnip, Wild Carrot, Common Fleabane, Black Bindweed,
Meadowsweet and the pink flowers of Common Restharrow.
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Wild Parsnip with Marjoram © Richard Coomber |
We paused at the summit for coffee and biscuits,
and chance to survey the scrub and Juniper on the southern reaches of the down.
A Kestrel hovered over the scrub, several Wayfaring Trees were fruiting along
with Blackthorns (Sloe), and Oxeye Daisy, Common Rock-rose and a couple of
Viper’s Bugloss were also found.
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Wayfaring Tree fruits © Richard Smith |
Descending the western edge of the Down through areas of coppiced Hazel that were covered with cobnuts this year, we noted a large Yew, Self-heal, Red Bartsia, Musk Thistle, Yarrow, Mullein sp and Rosebay Willowherb. Signs of rapid regeneration of recently cleared areas (to support butterfly habitat) were also noted. Returning towards the car park along The Gallops, an area formerly used to train racehorses, more butterfly emerged including a Large White. Common Carpet, Willow Ermine and Mint Moth were also found. Musk Mallow, Herb Bennet and Fairy Flax were added to the botany count, and a Yellowhammer was heard but not seen.
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Common Carpet © Andy and Sue Skarstein |
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Mint Moth © Richard Smith |
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Yellowhammer - male with food © Richard Smith |
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| Our route © Crown copyright 2023 Ordnance Survey. Media 006/23. The licence is valid until 31 December 2023 |
References
Walk report: 13 July 2023 Beachern Wood and Aldridge Hill area with Claire Kidger
We arrived at Beachern car park in the pouring rain which thankfully stopped as we started walking across the lawn in the direction of Beachern Wood. We observed a couple of Swallows and several House Martins flying overhead. There were patches of Chamomile and Lesser Trefoil growing in the lawn.
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| House Martin © Richard Smith |
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| Lesser Skullcap © Richard Coomber |
Lesser Spearwort © Richard Coomber
Walking alongside an open damp ditch we observed many species of flowers: Lesser Spearwort, Lesser Skullcap, Bog Pimpernel, Water Forget-me-not, white and purple Marsh Thistle, Tormentil, Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Eyebright, Marsh St John’s-wort, Cross-leaved Heath, Bog Asphodel, Bog-myrtle and Water Mint. A small red fungus grew in a patch alongside the damp area- Hygrocybe helobia. We were lucky to see a family of Mistle Thrushes flitting around the adjacent heath.
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| Hygrocybe helobia © Claire Kidger |
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| Mistle Thrush © Richard Smith |
As we made our way towards Aldridge Enclosure to the east of the cottage at the woodland boundary more flowers were observed: Common Cow-wheat, Yellow Pimpernel, bedstraw sp. and Selfheal.
We watched Green-veined White, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies on the brambles. Crossing the footbridge over Ober Water into the woodland on the east aspect of Aldridge Hill we saw Hard Ferns growing along the bank. Beech trees were laden with Beech masts with some small clumps of Foxgloves beneath the trees.
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| Green-veined White - female © Richard Coomber |
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| Hard Ferns © Chris Robinson |
We tracked along the edge of the woodland edge of Aldridgehill Inclosure to the south of Ober Heath. Then the sun began to shine and Large Skipper butterflies fluttered amongst the heathland plants. There were areas of Petty Whin growing within the heather clusters. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker was heard in the woodland and a family of Stonechat’s seen on the Heath.
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| Intermediate Sundew © Chris Robinson |
We took a short break sitting on a fallen tree, with Sharp-flowered rush, Intermediate Sundew and Marsh Pennywort growing at our feet. Silver Y moth was seen deeply camouflaged on a dead branch. A small longhorn beetle dropped in for a snack! It turned out to be White-clouded Longhorn Beetle Mesosa nebulosa.
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| Sharp-flowered Rush © Chris Robinson |
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| Silver Y - a migrant moth © Richard Smith |
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| White-clouded Longhorn Beetle © Claire Kidger |
Making our way back through the mixed woodland of Aldridege Hill Inclosure, and back onto the lawn area of Whitefield Moor with Wild Thyme, Common Centaury, Harebells, Yarrow and Red Clover. A charm of Goldfinches flew and perched on the Gorse bushes.
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| Juvenile Goldfinch with Stonechats © Richard Smith |
Thank you everyone for all your great observations. CK
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| Our route © Crown copyright 2023 Ordnance Survey. Media 006/23. The licence is valid until 31 December 2023 |
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