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iBirdz Southern Counties June 2009 - Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Sussex, Surrey & Somerset
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The main aim of the holiday was to search out the dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies of the south of England. Therefore, I have listed these first. I have also included the birds and mammals we saw plus anything else of interest. Damselflies and Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) - Found along rivers such as near Stopham Bridge and at the pond at Thursley Common. Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) - Seen in the New Forest at locations such as Crockford Bridge and Latchmore Brook. Blue Tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) - A common damselfly seen at many locations including by woodland ponds, along streams and river banks Scarce Blue Tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio) - Found only at Latchmore Brook along the southern side of the brook. Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) - Common found at many locations even away from water. Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) - Another common species found at many locations. Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) - This species was only found at Itchen Valley Country Park. It was searched for at other locations but we may have been a little early in the season for this damselfly. Red Eyed Damselfly (Erythroma najas) - A teneral example was found at Stopham Bridge and others were seen on the pond at Thursley Common. Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) - Possibly the most frequently seen species. Small Red Damselfly (Ceriagrion tenellum) - Seen only at Thursley Common in small numbers towards the back of the board walk. White Legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) - A single female type found along the fishermans path at Stopham Bridge. This was an unexpected find as it was early in the year for this species. Brown Hawker (Aesshna grandis) - Only one discovered at Radipole Lake. Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) - Several were seen at Thursley Common including egg laying females and a single male was surprisingly noted at Noar Hill. Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) - A single specimen was found hawking along the river at Stopham Bridge on our first visit. Club Tailed Dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus) - Found on both visits to Stopham Bridge with two during our initial visit and one on the second visit. Two possibles were also noted at New Bridge but were not confirmed due to poor sightings. Golden Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulogaster boltonii) - Fleeting glimpses of one at Thursley Common in the bushes around the pond and excellent perched views of one at Stopham Bridge. Downy Emerald (Cordulia aena) - Four or five seen patrolling the edge of the pond at Thursley Common. Four Spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) - Found at two sites, one at Latchmore Brook and hundreds at Thursley Common. Broad Bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) - Fairly common seen mainly singly at a good number of locations. Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva) - This species was found only at Stopham Bridge in good numbers along the heavily vegetated riverside. Black Tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) - One male was found at Thursley Common close to the car park and occasional single females were found along woodland rides such as at Oaken Wood. Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) - Very common at Thursley from the board walk and also good numbers along the stream at Crockford Bridge. Butterflies: Large White (Pieris brassicae) - Fairly common seen most days. Small White (Artogeia rapae) - Not as common as the above but seen on numerous occasions. Green Veined White (Artogeia napi) - Viewed on a daily basis. Orange Tip (Anthocaris cardamines) - Fairly common seen along woodland rides and hedgerows. Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea) - Three specimens seen in flight at Fontmell Down, one alighting for a few seconds. Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) - Seen mainly earlier in the holiday at locations such as Martin Down and Fontmell Down. Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) - Two individuals seen at Oaken Wood. Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) - Several found at Noar Hill and a single specimen at Haddon Hill. Little Blue (Cupido minimus) - Two or three individuals found at Martin Down and Fontmell Down. Large Blue (Maculinea arion) - Seen on the three occasions we visited Collard Hill, initially in ones and twos but up to tweleve seen on our last visit on 12th June. Silver Studded Blue (Plebejus argus) - A surprise find at Holmsley Ridge in the New Forest as two individuals were noted flying quite early in the year. Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) - Low numbers found across Fontmell Down. Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) - Seen in large numbers on chalk downlands such as Fontmell Down where numbers were well into the hundreds. Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) - Very common seen almost every day. Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) - Late in the flight period only two individuals were found at Noar Hill with a further two at Bentley Wood. Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) - Sighted on a good number of occasions. Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) - Surprisingly uncommon with sightings at Collard Hill and Hordle Cliff only. Peacock (Inachis io) - Infrequent sightings such as at Fontmell Down. Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) - Extremely common due to the large influx into the country. All individuals were extremely worn. Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) - Two or three fast flying individuals noted on Martin Down during the final weekend of the holiday. Pearl Bordered Fritillary (Clossiana euphrosyne) - Two very worn specimens found at Bentley Wood. Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary (Clossiana selene) - At least thirty seen at Bentley Wood in the eastern clearing on both visits there. Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) - Two butterflies seen only once at Hurst Castle. Heath Fritillary (Mellicta athalia) - Three freshly emerged specimens found late evening on the slopes of Dunkery Hill. Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) - Up to five very fresh specimens observed at Fontmell Down. Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) - Seen during the final visit to Collard Hill with up to six individuals seen. Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) - The first sighting was a single butterfly at Oaken Wood with greater numbers seen on each visit to Collard Hill. Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) - Very common seen almost daily at a variety of locations. Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) - Another common species seen almost everywhere there were trees or bushes. Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae) - Found in reasonable numbers on downland such as Martin Down and Fontmell Down. Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) - Quite common on grassland sites such as on the downs and Collard Hill. Large Skipper (Ochlodes venatus) - Only found at Fontmell Down. The following short list of moths are those I was able to identify without my ID guide. Moths: Argent and Sable: Bentley Wood Broad Bordered Bee Hawkmoth: Bentley Wood Brown Silverline: Bentley Wood Four Dotted Footman: Bentley Wood Speckled Yellow: Bentley Wood Yellow Shell: Hurst Castle Cream Spot Tiger: Hurst Castle Yellow Legged Clearwing: Collard Hill Burnet Companion: Fontmell Down Silver Y: Fontmell Down Five Spot Burnet: Common Six Spot Burnet: Common Cinnabar Moth: Common Mammals: Sika Deer Fallow Deer Roe Deer Rabbit Hare Weasel Grey Squirrel Reptiles: Viviparous Lizard: Thursley Common Slow Worm: Two under some corrugated Iron at Martin Down The following list of birds were seen during the holiday. I have only included site details for the ones seen on only a few occasions or once. Birds: Great Crested Grebe: Radipole Lake Little Grebe: Radipole Lake Fulmar: Durlston Country Park Shag: Hurst Castle Cormorant: Radipole Lake Heron Little Egret: En Route Mute Swan Canada Goose: Stopham Bridge Shelduck: Radipole Lake Mallard Gadwall: Radipole Lake Shoveler: Radipole Lake Tufted Duck: Thursley Common & Radipole Lake Pochard: Radipole Lake Hooded Merganser: Radipole Lake Sparrowhawk: Radipole Lake Goshawk: Stubhampton Bottom Buzzard Marsh Harrier: Radipole Lake Peregrine: Collard Hill Hobby: Martin Down, Fontmell Down and Thursley Common Kestrel Red Legged Partridge Common Partridge Pheasant Moorhen Coot Oystercatcher: Coastal sites and Hatchet Pond Ringed Plover: Hurst Castle Lapwing Dunlin: Hurst Castle Redshank: Costal sites and Hatchet Pond Curlew: Thursley Common Snipe: Crockford Bridge Black Headed Gull Herring Gull: Hurst Castle Lesser Black Backed Gull: Hurst Castle Great Black Backed Gull: Durlston Country Park Common Gull: Hurst Castle Sandwich Tern: Hurst Castle Common Tern: Hurst Castle Little Tern: Hurst Castle Razorbill: Durlston Country Park Guillemot: Durlston Country Park Stock Dove: Stopham Bridge Woodpigeon Collared Dove Turtle Dove: Martin Down Cuckoo: Heard at Bentley Wood Tawny Owl: Heard most nights around the campsite Swift Green Woodpecker: Collard Hill Great Spotted Woodpecker Skylark: On downland Woodlark: Thursley Common Swallow Sand Martin: Hordle Cliff House Martin Tree Pipit: Fontmell Down Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Grey Wagtail: Dunkery Hill woods Dunnock Reed Warbler: Radipole Lake Sedge Warbler: En Route Cetti's Warbler: Radipole Lake Whitethroat Lesser Whitethroat Blackcap Garden Warbler Willow Warbler Chiffchaff Wood Warbler: Dunkery Hill woods Goldcrest Stonechat: Hordle Cliff and the New Forest Redstart: Latchmore Brook Robin Nightingale: Oaken Wood Blackbird Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Long Tailed Tit Coal Tit Great Tit Blue Tit Nuthatch: Oaken Wood Treecreeper: Collard Hill Wren Corn Bunting: Martin Down Yellowhammer Reed Bunting Chaffinch Goldfinch Greenfinch Bullfinch Redpoll: Haddon Hill Linnet House Sparrow Starling Jay Magpie Raven: Stubhampton Bottom Rook Carrion Crow Jackdaw
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