Images of this log have been divided into the following sections:
Insects abound - and hop and fly
The Brown Argus is back :-)
8th August, an e-mail arrived with the following photograph of a Brown Argus taken by Alan Thornbury, confirming its return to the Portsdown SSSI.
"Alan thought he saw one last year in the same area but without photo evidence and the easy confusion with female common blue, the seeds of doubt were sown in his mind. From the photo today however, there is no doubt - note the lack of a third row of black spots close to the thorax on the underside forewing, which is present in the common blue. The lack of Brown Argus on Portsdown has been somewhat of a mystery, since the habitat in places looks very suitable including the presence of rock rose."
Hornet Robberfly and Hoverfly
Great Green Bush Crickets : Tettigonia viridissima
Many Great Green bush crickets were found while clearing on June 1st
Flora
Flora
The hill is covered in flora, in a wide variety of colours :-)
Sharp-leaved Fluellen
The discovery of a Sharp-leaved Fluellen ( Kickxia elatina) on August 24th on a rainy task day caused great excitment as this is its first sighting on the Hill.
It was found amongst the flint and regrowth of the recently-cleared slopes of 'compartment 2'.
Its tiny size can be estimated by the thumbnail in the picture
Tasks and Events
2nd August - Mowing and seeding
Having ripped out the scrub earlier in the year, we are now re-seeding it with grasses and flowers in the form of locally-harvested 'green hay' to encourage re-establishment of chalk grassland.
3rd August - Many hours hand-clearance, tidied up in minutes
5th-7th August: Southsea Show
Richard, on our Portsdown stand at the Southsea Show
8th August - travellers
Amongst the more usual detritus left by 'travellers' who had camped and then moved on, this time they left us a cockerel!
The RSPCA were called by a some of the public who were enjoying the warm holiday weather, so he was taken away to safety.
9th August - the DEFRA visit
Kathy from Defra came to inspect the site, in the interests of the new DEFRA "Environmental Stewardship" scheme that will aid our restoration work.
11th August - task day
Scrub clearance, burning and seed collection - 'Business as Usual' on a Wednesday Volunteer Task day.
