25th May 2019 - Exploring Hampshire

News that yesterday’s squacco heron was still at Posbrook Flood at Titchfield prompted mine and Dads first twitch in a while. On arrival at the site we were told that the bird was still present but out of view. Fortunately we didn’t have to wait too long before someone spotted its head and neck sticking up from the dense vegetation in front of the pool. Over the next half hour or so it played hide and seek occasionally giving good views before disappearing again. Only my 2^th UK squacco and virtually a new bird for myself because I can barely remember the 2007 Crossness bird!

Squacco Heron, Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Late May is the peak time for seeing orchids in the UK so rather than drive home, we set the ‘sat nav’ for Hen Wood (a well-known site for the scarce narrow-leaved helleborine) and headed inland towards Petersfield. We failed to find Hen Wood but ended up instead at Chappetts Copse, a woodland reserve to the east of West Meon managed by Hampshire Wildlife Trust. Here we saw both white and plenty of the far more showy narrow-leaved helleborine, plus a couple of diminutive fly orchids.

Narrow-leaved helleborine, Chappetts Copse, Hampshire

A single bee orchid in the usual spot in Shoreham on our way home.

Bee orchid, Shoreham, West Sussex