The two headed beast of Hampshire

[British Red]

A few from todays walk you might like Jon

A just released poult who is really going to confuse the beaters given he likes to run towards people

Lords and Ladies

Cramp ball

So, There I am, messing about with fungus, when I hear a rustling – I look up and 20 feet away is a badger pushing through the dry leaves. He was of course long gone before I got my camera into action L. Weird to see one at 2:30 in the afternoon though!


Well, we walked on a bit further and then I had my normal “brew up”. It’s a lovely clearing that and there were butterflies and bumblebees all around

Painted Lady

Marbled White

Bumble Bee on Teasel

The first of the blackberries were starting to ripen so, having finished my brew, I picked the few I could find and put them in my billy. Not enough for a blackberry and apple pie yet, but since I had some bannock mix left over from the meet and a few duck eggs in the fridge, I reckoned blackberry pancakes would round off a lovely day

Red

 

[JonnyP]

You have some great wildlife there Red and those pancakes look nice. I have been down to dartmoor for the weekend and saw some good stuff there too, including a bat that decided to spend the day on a tarp, will put up a pic later.........

 

[British Red]

Jon,

Look forward to seeing the piccs mate - cut my bushcraft teeth (or "wild camping" as it was then) on Dartmoor a few decades ago. Still have to pay a nostalgia visit to the Warren House each time I'm passing. Really is a fantastic spot - I envy you (still The Welsh Marches provided some great opportunities ..heres a few of my "what I did on my holidays" in return" for your bat.

The place (the Welsh Marches)

Setting camp

The food (bannock baked in a billy can)

Shelter Building

Red

 

[wingstoo]

Red, we didn't have a great deal of wildlife in the camp site but we had some amphibous creatures...

This is a little toad that MB found...Took ikkle s up to site yesterday and found another four much the same size, the ground was practically crawling with them...

Also on Thurday morning, just before sun up I saw this little beastie sat on the log moving sack...

Also saw a couple of low flying harriers, but they were going to fast to photograph....


LS

 

[British Red]

You have a fantastic spot there LS - thanks again for letting BB and I come and play - you and MB are fantastic hosts - Already looking forward to the next time

Red

 

[JonnyP]

Looks like a good spot there Red, I bet you had loads of horse fly's in that bracken. Here are a few of our spot......

The bat on the tarp.........

My set up..........

The river we were next to.........

The food.........

And the flying ants who liked the tents........

 

[wingstoo]

We made a pathway to the birch tree with the tin can hanging in it, must admit we did put up a few more for some long range target practice...That stuff is way over the 6ft marks now...almost need a flag on a pole incase you get lost in it and the rescue parties need to come and find you...don't recall seeing any horse flies and a quick check over for ticks came up with nothing as well...Shame we didn't have any deer in as visitors this time, and only saw one rabbit the whole week...guess they were hiding from the rain!


Nice pics Jon, did the stream have any fish in it?

LS

 

[JonnyP]

We made a pathway to the birch tree with the tin can hanging in it, must admit we did put up a few more for some long range target practice...That stuff is way over the 6ft marks now...almost need a flag on a pole incase you get lost in it and the rescue parties need to come and find you...don't recall seeing any horse flies and a quick check over for ticks came up with nothing as well...Shame we didn't have any deer in as visitors this time, and only saw one rabbit the whole week...guess they were hiding from the rain!


Nice pics Jon, did the stream have any fish in it?

LS

Cheers.....
Loads of small trout, but didn't see anything over 4" in there, though there probably was somewhere............

 

[wingstoo]

Cheers.....
Loads of small trout, but didn't see anything over 4" in there, though there probably was somewhere............

Hi Jon,

I am told that a small brick of C4 brings them out of hiding...SWMBO went up Black Mountain a couple of years back, on the way back we saw a stream that was wonderfully clean and saw a couple of packs of Trout about 12 to 14" in length...Oh for a night line...sorry I mean a rod and line and of course a fully licenced set up...

LS

 

[locum76]

Thats the kiddy Red, but I am more interested in the plant it is feeding on, I think its a round headed rampion and if it is, they are quite scarce. Look at this post on WAB http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/f...ts-tree-forums/3327-round-headed-rampion.html

it looks a wee bitty like a cornflower too though. the ramion doesn't have those fine petals round the outside. cornflower does???

 

[wingstoo]

Sure doesn't look to much like a cornflower...

LS

 

[JonnyP]

it looks a wee bitty like a cornflower too though. the ramion doesn't have those fine petals round the outside. cornflower does???

I am pretty sure it is not a cornflower and is a rampion, but I am open to being proven wrong..........

 

[British Red]

it looks a wee bitty like a cornflower too though. the ramion doesn't have those fine petals round the outside. cornflower does???

Definitely wasn't a cornflower - those I know (but only cos I grow them in the garden) smaller and much softer petal structure. Can't say any more than that though.

Jon, your bat is the cutest wee beastie! I really envy your "tarp ornament"! I love your stream photo, the colour of that water brings it all back! Actually mostly the complaint we called "dead sheepitis" - soon learned to filter and purify water up there! Did you ever make it up to OWH to check out the flowers?

Red

 

[locum76]

fair enough... im pretty crap at identifying flowers to be honest.

 

[JonnyP]

Definitely wasn't a cornflower - those I know (but only cos I grow them in the garden) smaller and much softer petal structure. Can't say any more than that though.

Jon, your bat is the cutest wee beastie! I really envy your "tarp ornament"! I love your stream photo, the colour of that water brings it all back! Actually mostly the complaint we called "dead sheepitis" - soon learned to filter and purify water up there! Did you ever make it up to OWH to check out the flowers?

Red

Dead sheepitis.......lol, good name. I took loads of water with me and filtered extra out the stream, (went down with Andyn and his family btw) The bat was found on Andys tarp, so not my bat, can't take the credit.
I did not go up to OWH as I was told the rampions would be going over by then and the one on your shot was just starting to go, so I did not want to go all that way and be disappointed, still, they will be up next year...........

 

[Moonraker]

Jon is right, it's Round-headed rampion (Phyteuma orbiculare).

Also known as the Pride of Sussex - demonstrating the importance of the county for this species - this distinctive plant grows on the chalk Downs and is a sign of very good quality short turf. The round flower heads are up to half an inch across and vary from violet to dark blue. It also grows in Surrey, Hampshire and Wiltshire as well as in Europe in France and Germany.

source: http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/botany/botany1.asp

You can check regional distribution of the species here;

NBN Gateway - Round-headed Rampion

So locally common (nationally scarce) in Hampshire. You can see them here too;

Hampshire Wildlife Trust Reserve: Catherington Down

 

[British Red]

Jon is right, it's Round-headed rampion (Phyteuma orbiculare).source: http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/botany/botany1.asp

You can check regional distribution of the species here;

NBN Gateway - Round-headed Rampion

So locally common (nationally scarce) in Hampshire. You can see them here too;

Hampshire Wildlife Trust Reserve: Catherington Down

Thanks Simon - this one was in Hampshire (along with a good few hundred like it) although on a different site!

Trust me to show Jon a moth picture and not know the flower was scarce :lol

Red

 

[JonnyP]

Jon is right, it's Round-headed rampion (Phyteuma orbiculare).source: http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/botany/botany1.asp

You can check regional distribution of the species here;

NBN Gateway - Round-headed Rampion

So locally common (nationally scarce) in Hampshire. You can see them here too;

Hampshire Wildlife Trust Reserve: Catherington Down

Cheers for the confirmation Simon, I have still yet to see one in the flesh, pretty plant...........

 

[Moonraker]

Cheers for the confirmation Simon, I have still yet to see one in the flesh, pretty plant...........

I would think you should still find them at Catherington Down or where Red found them.

Or you are always welcome over here Jon This is the similar Spiked rampion (Phyteuma spicatum) which I photographed last year on the nearby Aubrac plateau;

In Britain, it is confined to a few woods in East Sussex. They often have white flowers. The easy way to tell them apart is to count the lobes on the end of the stigmas (sticky out bits). If they have three lobes they are orbiculare, if two then spicatum (spic= spiked).

In fact the roots can be used raw in a salad but in the UK they are both protected species and too beautiful to munch

Lovely photos everyone btw

Regarding Cinnabar moths and Ragwort, It is true that the 'The Ragwort Control Act 2003' seeks to control the plant, but the more recent DEFRA Code of Practice is quite clear that this should be the case only where ragwort presents a risk to livestock, notably horses, who can die from eating it. It states;

This code does not seek to eradicate ragwort. Ragwort, as a native plant, is very
important for wildlife in the UK. It supports a wide variety of invertebrates and
isa major nectar source for many insects. In many situations ragwort poses
nothreat to horses and other livestock. It is a natural component of many types
of unimproved grassland and is used by some invertebrate species that have
conservation needs. However it is necessary to prevent its spread where this
presents a high risk of poisoning horses and livestock or spreading to fields used
for the production of forage. A control policy should be put in place where a high
and medium risk is identified.

source: DEFRA - Code of Practice on How to Prevent the Spread of Ragwort 2004 (downloadable PDF format file)

Returning to our friends the Six-Spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulae), I also took this shot last year on a different trip;

Typical French wildlife Note the blue/green metallic sheen on the wing (and antennae) which is typical of the species.

If you are interested in identing moths then there is an excellent web site, with super photos here;

UK Moths

For both Butterfly & Moths the Butterfly Conservation web site is top notch;

Butterfly Conservation

They provide a page with all UK butterfly species including details for most of them here;

Butterfly Conservation - UK butterfly species

They are a great organisation who do loads of work to help protect and encourage butterflies and moths in the UK and are well worth supporting, by joining or otherwise.

Finally one of the most wonderful sights, groups of the Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) which is so sadly now extinct in Britain since the 1920's I feel so lucky to be able to see them here and in other European countries. Just reminds me how much we have to lose as more and more species become endangered in Britain.

Black-veined Whites feeding from one of the very best nectar bearing wildflowers, Viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare)

 

[British Red]

Simon,

Fantastic info and beautiful photos too - I'd love to see a few more if you ever have an idle five minutes! I have a vision of you and Jon carefully identifying species whilst I stumble through the woods pointing and going "oooh pwetty" . Really though - more photos please

Red