Summertime Blues

 It shouldn't be, and I hate to say it, but summer is definitely my least favourite season.

Being self-employed, in a job which is largely seasonal, summer seems to be totally taken up by work, and those times I'm not at work I'm generally too knackered to think about a really early start to go birding before work.

Every year I promise myself that this year I'll devote more time to learning more about different branches of the natural world, to getting out more to my favourite places (and new ones), to enjoying the better weather and long days, and it never happens. Which is all very depressing, but unfortunately unavoidable.

This morning, however, I did allow myself a morning off work to go to one of my most favourite places of all: Martin Down in NW Hants. 

As always there, I wasn't disappointed. Primary target was the alarmingly declining Turtle Dove. Despite their dwindling numbers I actually had probably my best views ever of them in Hampshire.

Skylarks were, as is always the case there, everywhere; constantly in song, chasing each other across the grassland, bickering, flirting and more.

Corn Buntings too were singing all over - it's only in recent years that they've come to match Yellowhammer in numbers. Today the latter were mostly silent, but still gave nice views 

There were plenty of other birds to see of course, including two pairs of Grey Partridge accidentally flushed

 Stonechats

And a pair of Marsh Tits: these in the same area as six species of warbler, five of them in song: Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat (the last one was just calling, but gave nice views; two other "lesserthroats" sang elsewhere on the reserve).

Butterflies were only just getting going by the time I left, but eight species allowed photos (and Orange Tip was seen from the car as I was leaving):

Adonis Blue

Small Blue

And again - I think this is a totally underrated species, a diminutive subtle stunner

Common Blue

Grizzled Skipper

And another

Dingy Skipper

Small Heath

Speckled Wood

By far the tattiest of the two Red Admirals

There were moths too (these plus a couple of uncooperative Burnet Companions)

Five-spot Burnet

Crambus perlella (these were very numerous)

Crambus lathionellus I think, but a dark one

Yellow Shell

Homoeosoma sinuella

Plus other bits and bobs from flowers to beetles. It's certainly somewhere I could never get bored, and just wish I had time to visit more often.

Burnt-tip Orchid

Common (?) Spotted Orchid - the spotted orchids baffle me

Germander Speedwell - common as muck but stunning nonetheless

Common Rock-rose

Goat's-beard - I love this flower, simple but spectacular

Bloody-nosed Beetle

And more of the many hares present