Field Trips for 2021

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 July 2021

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Tuesday 20th July

 Farley Mount (SU435295)

Meet at 09:30am: Target Species: Purple Emperor, Dark Green Fritillary, & Scarlet Tiger Moth

Leader: Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266 Mob: 07752 182340

Directions: Well signposted along the old Roman Road known as the Sarem Road from Winchester, the area has many car-parks, but park at the Pitt Down car-park known as Spindle Tree Car-Park. This is a long day so bring lunch, in the morning we will circum-navigate West Wood and look in on Crab Wood, and then in the afternoon look at Pitt Down. Please Bring Lunch

August 2021

Sunday 15th August

Shipton Bellinger (SU222465)

Meet at 09:30am: Target Species: Brown Hairstreak, Wall Brown

Leader: Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266 Mob: 07752 182340

Directions: Meet at the Village Hall car-park, and then it is straight walk up to the Blackthorn thickets, where hopefully Brown Hairstreaks will be observed. From the A303 (T) the main Amesbury to Andover road, look for the A338 Shipton Bellinger/Tidworth road, this road goes underneath the main road of the A303 (T). The village of Shipton Bellinger is 2-3 miles on the left on the A338. Bring lunch as we will visit another site in the afternoon

Wednesday 18th August

 Soberton Down & River Meon (SU612165)

 Meet at 10:30am: Target Species: Possible Brown Hairstreak

Leader Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266 mob 07752 182340

Directions: This site has been a good area now for several years where Brown Hairstreak eggs have been found, so chances of seeing a female laying may well be possible. Found along the Wickham Road (A32) Park in the car-park almost opposite the site, where the Town Hall is situated. We can also walk along the river Meon where there is another site where Brown Hairstreak eggs have been found, also Kingfisher, Dragonflies and other interesting flora and fauna. . Please Bring Lunch

Sunday 22nd August

New Forest

Beaulieu Heath (SU350018)

Meet at 10:30am: Target Species: Grayling

Leader Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266 mob 07752 182340

Directions: Along the M27 Motorway look for junction (1) come off of the motorway here towards Lyndhurst. Through Lyndhurst ( A very busy market town allow for plenty of time ) Look for signs to Brockenhurst along the A337, from Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst follow the B3055 with the car-park on the left hand side in Hawkhill Inclosure, and Hatchet Moor on the right hand side. Meet at the car-park in Hawkhill Inclosure:  With easy walking in the tranquil New Forest, . Please Bring Lunch

(Explorer Map OL22

Wednesday 25th August

  St Catherine’s Hill Down (SU485277)

Meet at 10:30: Target Species: Adonis Blue, Silver-Spotted Skipper, and other flora and fauna

Leader Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266 mob 07752 182340

Directions: Can be seen from the M3 Motorway, come off at Junction 10 and on to the A31 over a roundabout, parking is on the left hand side. Very steep in places, spectacular views of Winchester from the Fort and Maze at the summit of St.Catherines Hill, bring lunch. Parking at Shawford Down. Please Bring Lunch

Wednesday 1st September 2021

 Beacon Hill NNR (SU605227)

Meet at 10:30

Target Species: Silver-Spotted Skipper, Brown Argus, Clouded Yellow spectacular views

 Leader Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266 mob 07752 182340

Directions: Located just of the A32 the Wickham road from the south drive through Droxford village, and Corhampton Villages, then turn immediately left into the village of Exton (Easily missed) Past the public house called the Shoe Inn and along the narrow tracks up to Beacon Hill, to where the car-park is.

 Sunday 5th September

Old Winchester Hill (SU640208)

Meet at 10:30am: Target Species: Adonis Blue, Silver-Spotted Skipper, & Clouded Yellow

Leader Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266 mob 07752 182340

Directions: The reserve can be found from the north through West Meon on the A32 well-marked as a NNR Reserve, also from the south throughout the village of Droxford, again along the A32, very steep hillsides in places. Please Bring Lunch

Message from the field trip co-ordinator

Footnote:  If the weather looks inclement then please phone the leader of the field trip advertised. I will personally change the date of my field trips if the long range weather suggests the weather is going to be wet and windy, on the Hants Butterfly website page a few days before and also on the Hampshire Butterfly Facebook page.

September 2021

Field Trips of Yesteryear

Meanwhile let's have a look at some fields trips from yesteryear....There have been so many highlights over the years and for those who have been on my field trips I hope this brings back some memories. For any of you reading this and thinking of dipping your toes into the Hampshire Butterfly field trips in the future, then I hope these notes and pictures will encourage you to come along. Join me and my other fellow field trippers for a day out looking at Hampshire's glorious flora and fauna. On most occasions we find our' target' species, but even if we dont we have a good go, and I must say we tend to learn a lot from other people's knowledge.

These are just a snapshot of many field trips I organise every year. There are invariably up to 20 walks starting at the end of April with at least 3 or 4 every month and these will go on until the first week of September. I try and start them about 10:30 am, so everybody who is coming can get to the site in ample time. As the Purple Emperor is such a fickle butterfly and very weather dependant, it can be flying very early in the rides, so some of the field trips will start at 09:30 am in June and July.  

Field trips are for everyone, however rough terrain over fields and in woods could regrettably make access impossible for some people with mobility issues...although having said that there are exceptions and photographs in this section under (May 2016 Martin Down) show a mobility scooter moving over the chalk downland with some ease and the owner saw everything he wanted to see! 

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Two Field Trips in 2020 under Government Covid restrictions were to Shipton Bellinger to see the Brown Hairstreak and Wall Brown on the 9th August and the 20th August at Old Winchester Hill to see the Clouded Yellow and Silver Spotted Skipper

Abbotts Wood Inclosure Field Trip July 2021

Adonis Blue

 Female Brown Hairstreak

 Wall Brown

 Male Brown Hairstreak

 Male Adonis Blue

 Painted Lady

 Silver-Spotted Skipper

 Brown Argus

 Clouded Yellow

May 2019 New Forest : target species : Pearl-Bordered Fritillary and Raft Spider

Class of 2019

 Raft Spider

 Female Broad-bodied Chaser

 Pearl-bordered Fritillary

 Tiger Beetle

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

 Common Lizard

Ranmore Inclosure New Forest

May 2018 Botany Bay Surrey (not Australia!) target species: Wood White and Nightingale

One Wood White

Two Wood Whites

 Mating pair of Common Darters

 Nightingale

 Three Wood Whites

 Four Wood Whites

 Speckled Yellow Moth

Green Hairstreak

August 2017 Beacon Hill NNR (Exton) target species: Silver-spotted Skipper

Class of 2017

Female Chalkhill Blue

Comma on Bramble

Silver-Spotted Skipper

 Old Winchester Hill from Beacon Hill

May 2016 Martin Down target species: Marsh Fritillary, and Adonis Blue. 

Mating Small Blues

Female Marsh Fritillary

Female Holly Blue

Class of 2016

Male Marsh Fritillary

Female Adonis Blue

 Burnt Tip Orchids

Male Brown Argus

Horseshoe Vetch

July 2015 West Harting Down target species Purple Emperor, Hummingbird-Hawk Moth

West Harting Down 

Mating Silver-Washed Fritillaries

A rather battered male Purple Emperor

Always time to eat!

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

May 2014 Hyden Wood target species: Orange Tip and Bluebell woods.

Admiring the view

Robin on her nest

 Part of the south downs way

 Bluebells in all their glory in the wood

Speckled Wood

 Male Orange Tip

June 2013 Setley Common target species:

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Silver-Studded Blue

 Male Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

 Mating Silver-Studded Blues

Male Clouded Buff Moth

Large Skipper