Overton Biodiversity Society

March 2012

4^th

snow fell from early afternoon!

6^th

the Peacock were vocal from mid-evening, the first time that they'd been heard, by some at least, for some time.

8^th

a Little Grebe was on The Test off Bridge Street late in the afternoon.

10^th

the Little Grebe remained on The Test west of Bridge Street.

11^th

Long-tailed Tit made an appearance in Woodlands gardens. A 7-spot Ladybird was on one of the newly planted trees in the community orchard at Overton Hill.

12^th

a male Lady Amherst's Pheasant was an astonishing find in the bushes at Hazelcombe.

Right: Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Chrysolophus amherstiae - By far the rarest of the three pheasant species introduced to Britain, their numbers now so low that they no longer allow a self-sustaining population to exist

13^th

2-spot Ladybird 'spotted' in a kitchen on Greyhound Lane.

14^th

Robin and Blackbird remained the early morning songsters.

18^th

140+ Fieldfare, 16 Meadow Pipit and two Redwing at Turrill Hill were evidence of continued winter migrants being present about the Parish. Lesser Celandine, Coltsfoot, Germander Speedwell and Flowering Currant were now in flower. A Pheasant was calling early morning about the Town Meadow area, 12 being seen at Turrill Hill later in the morning, Chiffchaff being in song there and perhaps hinting at spring soon to be arriving. Two Red Kite and nine Buzzard were over the north of the village mid-morning when a Sparrowhawk moved over Town Meadow.

Right: Pyrausta aurata - Mike Wall. www.hantsmoths.org.uk

24^th

a Cream-spot Ladybird was enjoyed the afternoon sunshine in garden.

25^tha

Tawny Mining Bee, Andrena fulva, was feeding on willow buds in the same garden.

27^th

two male Orange-tip were feeding on Lungwort in a Lordsfield Gardens garden.

29^th

a Pyrausta aurata was found in a lounge while a Hairy-footed Flower Bee was nectaring in an adjacent garden; the former being an early record of this species on the wing.

Contributors: Alison Hutchins, Peter E. Hutchins, Veronique Kerguelen, Maddie Taylor, Adam Trickett & Sue Teagle.