Ashley Whitlock
Hampshire & IOW Butterflies and Moths
2026/2027 Hampshire & IOW Nature Notes Blog by Ashley Whitlock A.R.P.S J.S.A.P
Portsdown Hill Brown Hairstreak Egg Hunt 14th February 2026
A lovely day although somewhat cold with a northerly breeze blowing over the top of the down today. Several of us embarked on looking at the Blackthorn all around the field which is close to the Churchillian pub, and we looked for a couple of hours without any success. This doesn’t really surprise me as I feel the Brown Hairstreak in 2025 had a pretty poor year, as I didn’t see any up at Portsdown Hill throughout its flying period of late August, September and early October last Year. We did see hibernating Ladybirds and a Green Shield Bug all of which eat the eggs of the Brown Hairstreak. We found two oval eggs of a moth or another insect but identifying it is a bit tricky.
Milton Foreshore 12th February 2026
My favourite patch in amongst the chaos which is Portsmouth at the moment with road works everywhere and it’s a nightmare to get anywhere! Contrary to popular belief I do visit other areas, but as this is so near home and I don’t have to use the car it makes sense for me to just to go around the corner until everything dries up and the sun gets warmer and is out for longer…here hoping. Anyway, yesterday there were plenty of Brent Geese to be seen and when they all take off in their thousands it’s quite a spectacle. Also to be seen a Red Data Species the Curlew put in and appearance several times as a Red Data species it seems to do well along this part of the shoreline. Little Egret, Oystercatchers, Redshanks, Shovellers and Pochards were also seen.
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Milton Foreshore 09th February 2025
A break in the rain found me local again today with birds, but insects are starting to wake up. I saw several Honeybees flying about and a couple of Bumblebees as well. On the bird front with the tide out they were hard to identify at times, but there were plenty of Oystercatchers, Cormorants on the Swan Lake drying their wings, Crows of different species Brent Geese, a solitary Little Egret hunting, as well as a hovering Kestrel over the Common, many gulls and Pied Wagtails along the sea walls. On Facebook somebody has seen a Hummingbird Hawk moth flying in and around some Snowdrops on the Isle of Wight at Bonchurch, and on the mainland a Peacock butterfly was seen. It wont be long now when we will be seeing these butterflies and taking them for granted!
West Walk - Forest of Bere in the mist Sunday 8th February 2026
Southwick 5th February 2026
A look around a typical woodland in the middle of winter where it’s been constantly raining for the last few weeks and no end in sight of it stopping either. Very wet underfoot and Rivers and streams are at their fullest with fast flowing water and the water board are letting out large amounts of water from lakes, so they do not flood roads and fields in the surrounding areas, however the fields are already saturated in the surrounding area of the Meon Valley and its been noted that we have just come through the wettest January on record for rainfall.
There wasn’t a great deal of wildlife to see with just a few Mallards, Coots, Moorhens, and Grey Wagtails, with plenty of Robins singing their hearts out in amongst the hedgerows, Magpies Rooks and Crows are busy starting to nest amongst the tall stands of Beech trees. There were several areas of Daffodils out and some Snowdrops in the Beech Woods, but very little else.
Spot the Kingfisher......
Undisclosed location 28th January 2026
I went to an undisclosed location yesterday to see a Kingfisher although it was a long way away it was still a treat to see. There was also lots of bird song plenty of Blackbirds, Blue and Great Tits, and a Firescrest. On the water there were Coots, Moorhens, Mallards and a rather feisty Male Swan, which seemed to follow me every where I went.
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27th January 2026 Milton Foreshore
There hasn’t been anything to write about in all honesty over the past few weeks of the New Year, except that I’ve been away for a fortnight in Barbados, which was lovely but very hot and got eaten alive by mosquitos. I attempted to get some butterfly pictures but wading through grasses up to waist height was a big no, no. I did see some butterflies and moths and some lovely birds, but I kept them for longer lenses. Back down to earth it has been so wet and the local patch at Milton is like the lake district with puddles everywhere, and the two lakes are quite high. However yesterday I took a walk in the late afternoon when the weather was sunnier and saw plenty of waders, like Little Ringed Plovers, Sanderlings by the shed load, Redshanks, Oystercatchers, Green Shanks, Turnstones all along the banks of shingle that have been created when they built the sea defences. If you didn’t know they were there you certainly wouldn’t have seen them! There were plenty of Gulls, and Brent Geese and Wagtails as well on the football pitches. I still haven’t seen my local Kestrel yet but forever hoping in the spring.
Warning over viral Highland cows trend after three people were rescued while trying to take photos on Butser Hill
We’re seeing a growing number of visitors heading to Butser Hill in Hampshire, after the area’s Highland cows went viral on social media. Three people were rescued from the hill yesterday evening (Saturday 24 January), highlighting the risks of visiting the area at this time of year.
Crews were called to assist three individuals who had become disoriented in the area, amid bad weather conditions and fading daylight. With temperatures dropping and rain setting in, the group quickly found themselves in difficulty. Firefighters from Cosham and Havant worked with colleagues from the South-Central Ambulance Service. Despite challenging conditions, the individuals were swiftly located using the what3words app to narrow down their location.
We’re seeing a growing number of visitors heading to Butser Hill in Hampshire, after the area’s Highland cows went viral on social media. Three people were rescued from the hill yesterday evening (Saturday 24 January), highlighting the risks of visiting the area at this time of year.
Crews were called to assist three individuals who had become disoriented in the area, amid bad weather conditions and fading daylight. With temperatures dropping and rain setting in, the group quickly found themselves in difficulty. Firefighters from Cosham and Havant worked with colleagues from the South-Central Ambulance Service. Despite challenging conditions, the individuals were swiftly located using the what3words app to narrow down their location.
Station Manager Steve Jenkins said:
“Social media posts often show the Highland cows and panoramic views, but rarely reflect the physical effort or preparation required to reach them. The terrain can be challenging, especially during winter when poor weather conditions are more frequent and the daylight hours are limited.
“The area is covered in thick gorse, and the wet weather has made the ground very slippery. Without proper preparation, visitors are at risk of slips, falls and hyperthermia. We’re glad no one was harmed during this incident, but it highlights the risks of visiting an exposed downland environment where conditions can change rapidly.”
Butser Hill is a popular beauty spot, however:
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The terrain can be steep and slippery, and chalk paths can be unstable after rainfall
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Weather can deteriorate quickly, leading to wind exposure and poor visibility
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Mobile signal can be inconsistent, making it harder to call for help
The frozen Milton foreshore and the Wolf Moon
