Overton Biodiversity Society

June 2015

2^nd

Red Kite was just inside the western Parish boundary, at Southington, early afternoon, battling in to the autumnal winds, while more vocal was a late evening Blue Peafowl.

4^th

a Chiffchaff was singing at Parsonage Farmhouse.

5^th

a Goldcrest remained in song at Vinns Lane where a Red-legged Partridge made the most of recent garden plantings. The High Street was graced by an over-flying Red Kite later in the morning, one+ then being over Lordsfield Gardens mid-afternoon and one over Overton Hill later.

6^th

a Painted Lady was seen at the Sapley Lane Playing Field. A Kestrel about Vinns Lane early afternoon moved off to the north / north-west towards Northington Farm.

Right: Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui. Another northerly migration has brought many of these to the Parish

7^th

a Hornet 'visited' the conservatory of Mulberry House. A BTO House Martin Survey in the Ashe area found up to 26 active nests on just three properties; a hopefully promising trend for the Parish.

8^th

a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen nectaring on Red Valerian in Lordsfield Gardens, before 'buzzing' the observer! A Red Kite was lingering over fields at Southington early afternoon, another or the same drifting north over the High Street late afternoon.

9^th

both Red Kite and House Martin were seen, and heard, over Woodlands. A Red Kite low over the village early afternoon was pursued by even more local Jackdaw. A Goldfinch was at The Great North Field and 2 House Martin were seen over Winchester Street.

Right: House Martin, Delichon urbicum. Note the white rump that separates this from all other swallows, martins and swifts in Britain

10^th

a large patch of yet to flower Hemlock (!!!) was found at Ashe. A Cuckoo was again heard in song in the Polhampton area. Three Painted Lady were on garden flowers in the Overton Hill 'estate'. Two Red Kite were flying over Red Lion Lane at midday. A drake Shoveler, two pair of Teal, two Grey Heron and 39 Canada Geese, including four gosling, were amongst that about to be found about The Source of The Test during the evening. Large Bittercress was in flower by The Test at Polhampton. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Fox & Cubs were in flower by the Overton Hill play area, where a Red Kite was present late afternoon. Mid-afternoon saw a Buzzard over the Dellands track area, late afternoon a Red Kite over Foxdown.

11^th

late morning and a Red Kite was over Lordsfield Gardens, possibly the same bird there again mid-afternoon.

12^th

a Stock Dove, a far rarer bird locally than either Woodpigeon or Collared Dove, was singing in the grounds of Parsonage Farmhouse, as was a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap also in song, off Silk Mill Lane where Nuthatch was also heard. A Red Kite was over the High Street mid-morning, one over Winchester Street late afternoon.

14^th

a Green Pug was found in a conservatory. A Jay over Woodlands was a far rarer record nowadays than birds such as Red Kite and Buzzard - how times have changed!

Right: Green Pug, Pasiphila rectangulata - Picture: Mike Wall (www.hantsmoths.org.uk)

16^th

Two Red Kite were over the Foxdown area in the morning. A Thick-legged Flower Bettle was seen on Scabious at the train station in the afternoon. Five Swift were seen flying over Foxdown in the evening.

17^th

a predated Common Shrew was found in Lordsfield Gardens. A Buzzard was over Southington late morning, two Red Kite nearby. A Chiffchaff was still in song by the Dellands track. A Small Tortoiseshell was feeding on Daisies. Four House Martin and a Red Kite were flying over Overton Hill.

18^th

a Grey Squirrel was seen on the roadside footpath at Ashe Hill. A Red Kite was over Southington mid-morning, another over Lordsfield Gardens mid-afternoon when a Buzzard moved east over the High Street and two over Woodlands late afternoon, both heading north.

19^th

a Painted Lady was visiting flowers in a Lordsfield Gardens garden, a Blackcap singing nearby off Silk Mill Lane. Early afternoon had a Buzzard over Northington Farm and a Red Kite over Lordsfield Gardens. A Nuthach was found dead in a garden on Greyhound Lane.

20^th

a pair of Lapwing was on meadows between Polhampton and Ashe. A Buzzard was over the Overton Hill cricket pitch early morning whilst a gathering of four Red Kite over Woodlands late afternoon gradually split up, all birds moving off in different directions.

21^st

a Muntjac was seen on The Harroway.

22^nd

a Nuthatch was in the Vinns Lane area early afternoon, a Red Kite nearby.

23^rd

a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was visiting Red Valerian in Nightingale Rise. A presumed pair of Sparrowhawk was vocal over the High Street during the latter part of the afternoon. A Red Kite drifted south-west over the Overton Hill cricket pitch mid-morning, two then being over the fields at the western end of Southington where three were seen early afternoon. Further birds, two, were over Waltham Road mid-afternoon with perhaps one of these, or another, moving south-west over Pound Road a little later.

26^th

a Kestrel was about the northern end of the Turrill Hill valley late morning. Positive news concerning the local Stone-curlew was of a pair having bred in the Parish, one immature still present recently; this after no pairs were reportedly present earlier in the season.

Right: Stone-curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus. They're back!

27^th

two Painted Lady were about the hedgerows by Straight Lane. The pair of Lapwing on meadows by The Test were seen to be aggressive towards local Red Kite, hopefully a sign of at least possible breeding taking place in the area; three of the kite being seen in the area. Both Grey Heron and Canada Geese were nearby, at The Source of The Test. Ragwort in Vinns Lane was now in flower, though no larval Cinnabar Moth were to be found there, yet.

28^th

a Rosemary Leaf-beetle found in a back garden early evening may well prove to be the first for the Parish. Four Crossbill moved low west over the Signpost Plantation area early morning, the first record of this species in the Parish for some year.s. A Hobby upset the colony of House Martin at Lower Ashe mid-morning, interupting the BTO House Martin Survey being carried out there! Several Roe Deer, Brown Hare and Rabbit were on farmland at South Litchfield where good numbers of Marbled White, Ringlet and Meadow Brown were found at roost, three Buzzard also being disturbed from their overnight place of rest whilst Yellowhammer, Blackcap and Stock Dove were among the birds there still proclaiming their territories. Further Marbled White were seen in the Dog Field, in the rain! Three Red Kite were over the Lordsfield Gardens area mid-morning, this sighting continuing the pronounced build up of such gatherings about the village in recent weeks.

Right: Rosemary Leaf-beetle, Chrysolina Americana. This species was first found living 'wild' in Britain as recently as 1994

29^th

Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Green Woodpecker and Red Kite were about Lordsfield Gardens mid-afternoon, a further kite being heard over the Town Meadow area early evening.

30^th

an unseasonal record was of a Siskin flying north over Southington Close early afternoon. At least three Red Kite were over the western end of the village / Southington early afternoon, a Buzzard then over Hide Hill Plantation shortly afterwards.

Contributors: Jill Aburrow, Julian Aburrow, John Cahill, Brian Elkins, Margaret Elkins, Deborah Heath, Alison Hutchins, Peter E. Hutchins, Veronique Kerguelen & Lydia Knight.