Nature Notes April 2025
Nature Notes
Despite the bright sunshine, there was a cold east wind blowing as we crossed the road heading towards the level crossing on Kelling Heath. The Chiffchaffs were in full song and in warm sheltered spots we even caught a whiff of coconut, as the Gorse was in full flower. A small dark shape flitted across the track and settled beside a blade of grass. As we cautiously approached, it was difficult to see what it was, until it shifted slightly and its underwings glistened a glorious spring green in the bright sunshine: it was a Green Hairstreak butterfly! The upper wing surfaces are dark brown so it is only when the insect is at rest that its name becomes obvious. Usually these beautiful creatures are extremely active and hard to see in detail, but this one must have been cold, as it sat quietly in the sun and allowed us to take its photograph. Close up, it was possible to see the black and white striped legs and antennae as well as great dark eyes. Having warmed up, it was suddenly up, off and away, leaving us feeling privileged to have shared a few moments of this insect’s short life. As we walked alongside the railway, we had another amazing encounter. We heard the distinctive ‘chirr’ of a cross Dartford Warbler coming from the far side of the cutting. We stood and watched for several minutes until, suddenly there he was, perched on the fence facing away from us, still scolding loudly. He turned from side to side in agitation, allowing us to see his wine red breast and grey-brown head and back, as well as his long scruffy-looking tail, which he held cocked like a Wren. Something nearby was clearly upsetting him as he continued to scold until he was satisfied that he had driven away whatever it was, then flew across into some dense vegetation and disappeared from view. Dartford Warblers are usually very secretive so that was also a very special sighting. As we looped back across the road, before heading north and down to the sea, we met yet another heathland resident, this time a Minotaur Beetle, lumbering along a path. These are waste disposal experts being one of the dung beetle tribe. They dig underground tunnels up to 1.5 metres long and stock them with rabbit droppings before the female lays her eggs in the brood chamber. This one was newly emerged, as his three ‘horns’ were covered with soil, where he had dug himself out of his burrow. He would have been in search of a newly emerged female and if challenged by another male for the right to mate, they would lock ‘horns’, the winner being the one which manged to topple his rival onto his back.
Do let me know if you see any interesting wildlife (rachel.42rr@btinternet.com)
