Stockbridge Down - Fri 22 Aug

Highlights were Silver-spotted Skipper, Chalkhill Blue, Juniper, Autumn Gentian, Ploughman’s Spikenard, 2 Wheatear and 2 Spotted Flycatcher.

The first sunny day for ages, but it was still a bit windy. As soon as we got over the road and onto the down we saw chalk downland flowers. Common Knapweed, Common Toadflax, Eyebright, Salad Burnet, Wild Carrot, Hoary Plantain and the seedheads of Yellow Rattle. As we walked through an area of long grass with these flowers we disturbed many Meadow Brown butterflies, a few Chalkhill Blue and Common Blues and a couple of Small Heaths. We walked to the top of the hill, passing many Harebells on the way, to an area with loads of Marjoram and Wild Basil with some Wild Parsnip and Viper’s Bugloss. Here many butterflies were nectaring. Meadow Browns, Common and Chalkhill Blues and a few Brimstones. Then Leslie saw a smaller butterfly on a marjoram flower – a Silver-spotted Skipper. Most of us got a good, but brief view before it darted off.
Further on we found a Juniper plant – quite a scarce species in southern England. There was also a patch of Autumn Gentian and some Ploughman’s Spikenard. We walked down the slope of the hill and stopped to look at two Wheatear on a fence. Then David saw a couple of smaller birds in the bushes. Two Spotted Flycatcher. Both of these species would be on their migration back to Africa. The rest of the walk we spent searching areas of Marjoram for butterflies, especially Silver-spotted Skippers. We didn’t see any other Skippers at all, but did see Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Small White, Large White and Green-veined White. Altogether we saw 12 species of butterfly, not bad for a windy day in a poor season!
Simon Curson