Alton Cemetery then along the Wey

 We had a brief walk around Alton cemetery, having heard about orchids there. It was pleasantly overgrown with 20 or more Pyramidal Orchids scattered about the place in 1's and 2's 

Fox and Cubs may not be a native species, but they are still a bit special. These were in the cemetery, there were more along the railway line.

Then a walk along the Wey from the industrial estate - where 20 or more Scarlet Tiger Moths were resting on the caterpillar's food plant, Comfrey.

A bit of searching the Great Mullein revealed this spectacular large Mullein Moth Caterpillar

Not particularly wild... 
 

Neatham Down - Ringlets now emerging in numbers

I've yet to ID this (very cooperative) small bug but was pleased with the shadow effect on the leaf...

  

Glowworm - Shortheath Common

We're not sure why we picked up a discarded, decaying Pheasant wing at Shortheath on 16 June. However we were surprised to find this Glowworm larva on it. Snails are the prime food item for these beetles - presumably this means that carrion is also part of the diet. 

This Common Tern was fishing the pond - perhaps a wanderer from Frensham 

Alton Orchids and other wildlife 19 June

 Pyramidal Orchids are continuing to spread from their hot-spots on Treloar Meadow and the A31 Alton Bypass. 

They have now managed to cross to the east side Whitedown Lane to , with three now opposite Beechwood Road, and another opposite the entrance to Ackender Wood:

Indeed on the western verge down Whitedown Lane/Pertuis Avenue to the Basingstoke Road I found 4 species. A total of 111 Common Spotted Orchid at this regular site, and two Pyramidal Orchids.

This White Helleborine had finished flowering:

And a total of 3 Bee Orchids - coming into flower. As always surprisingly difficult to spot.

A family of young Pied Wagtails at the sports center...

On to Chawton Roundabout where the verges are rich in flowers. Oxeye daisies finishing, St John's Wort coming out, and various shades of Pyramidal Orchids - one with a Meadow Brown attached. 

What else can we see in this picture (to prove the point made above) ? Two more Bee Orchids:

Also Meadow Cranesbill, Musk Mallow, and Field Scabious

Also a number of immature and a single adult shieldbug on Whitebeam (?) - details TBC.

At Chawton - Stinking Iris in Mingledown Wood..

and a successful brood of 3 young Kestrels - an adult was flying over calling

And summer is truly here - Large Skipper

Away from Alton - Portland late May

 A day away from Alton on a trip to Portland, Dorset.

Goldfinch on the beach huts. (Young birds already fledged as well). The ring on the leg means it's had a visit to the observatory. Either that or it is married.

Linnet in the fields...

Dingy Skipper...

Total of 10 migrant Painted Ladies seen...

The micro-moth Pyrausta Aurata by the beach huts... 

A burnet moth (of some sort) caterpillar climbing the limestone in one of the quarries. 

It was a fine day and large numbers of the introduced Wall Lizards were on show...

I was watching two together when a third appeared from the crack in the rock...

Peregrine on the cliff...

A white wagtail - the continental (and Icelandic) version of our Pied Wagtail on the East Cliffs - regular passage migrants here but this was a late date for one...

The tide was low and the sea flat - meaning that the boot-weed near the bill provided an interesting site...

I'm not sure why but as we started walking the coast path from Southwell I commented that it felt like a good day for dolphins - perhaps due to the flat sea. When we got to the lighthouse at the bill (and with no prior knowledge), guess what ... 

Perhaps as many as 8 Bottle-nosed dolphins actively feeding and leaping. 

Almost as good as this Rose Chafer - a large beetle...