Magdalen Hill Down Nature Reserve - Butterfly Conservation

20/04/2026

06/03/2026

The last winter jobs are now finished - scrub clearance at the bottom of the hillside, clearing dumped rubbish and fixing gates. At Bentley Station Meadow we saw Brimstones, Commas, Long Tailed T**s and a Common Lizard. We basked in the sunshine together. Thanks loads to the amazing volunteers who help out on each reserve.

25/02/2026

Working through a grizzly wet winter, the volunteers have been accompanied by stonechats, kestrels and now skylarks. We were excited to welcome Kate B, Anna, Laura and Rosie from BC Volunteer staff team. They came and joined the volunteers on Magdalen bringing the most delicious cake! Things also good at Bentley Station Meadow, just one more volunteer day to go, the last push before we stop, say goodbye to winter and welcome spring, just as brimstones and peacocks are appearing. The main reserve at Yew Hill was grazed, just one incident with 2 escaped sheep, possibly let out or chased by dogs, we don't know. Nearly made it this year without incident but thankfully all the sheep are now safe and have been moved off site. We can't manage the meadow area due to the Southern Water construction works. Sadly they've widened the vehicle track beside the meadow. Otherwise, thanks to all the hard work of the volunteers, we are just finishing off the last of the winter work parties ready for spring.

09/12/2025

It's been really busy on the Reserves with the winter grazing underway and the volunteers in full swing. Lots of brilliant work by our amazing volunteers together with some SDNP volunteer days and Hampshire Conservation Volunteers. Yew Hill has been a bit disrupted due to the Southern Water construction traffic and path closures. Thankfully we could get the sheep onto graze. Hoping to get the SW meadow cut before spring. Great team work and the satisfaction of doing something so worthwhile and beneficial for our wildlife. An optimistic feeling for the end of the year on our exceptionally beautiful and rich nature reserves, worth all the effort.

29/09/2025

As summer warmth fades its been replaced by cold frosty mornings and beautiful autumn light and colour. Magdalen has an abundance of Devil's Bit Scabious and boletus mushrooms popping up all over the hillside. I saw 2 Clouded Yellows, 8 Common Blues, 2 Small Whites, a Speckled Wood and Small Copper at MHD today. The SDNP had their volunteer team day at Magdalen last week, with a walk and talk followed by staff updates. They all made themselves at home on the chalk bank, a good day. Andy Barker also met on site to look at scrub clearance for this winter.
There are 4 cows currently grazing at BSM and the Bentley volunteers will be kicking off the first volunteer work party this week.
Yew Hill had a green fayre community event at Oliver's Battery with lots of local groups doing great work for our wildlife. Although Southern Water have closed off some access for the construction of the reservoir, we will still be able to continue managing the small meadow and the main reserve.

15/08/2025

Today is super hot but it was actually quite cool and very cloudy on our last Reserves walk at Magdalen on Wednesday. Joined by Dave and Anna Stewart on birds and plants, a total of 17 of us headed off into the grey day. We were still fortunate to see a total of 10 species and delighted to see an amazing display of Adonis. There were good numbers of Chalk Hill Blues too, they were flying together over the hillside. Anna pointed out the flower spikes of Autumn Gentian. Last week the Tadley group came and had a great showing of Adonis in Tumuli field and a Clouded Yellow at the western end of the hillside. We missed the Small Blue that's been seen.
I've seen an increasing number of huge excavated piles of soil and chalk from badgers on the hillside and in the Allotment field. I think a very big network of tunnels is being dug!

The hay cutting was done, with a bit more taken from Roadside than intended. It leaves less for the cows this winter which is unfortunate but it has cleared the hawthorn regrowth which was getting away....

Look out on Monday 7pm BBC 1 on the One Show. If all goes well Bentley Station Meadow should be on TV!!

20/07/2025

The Big Butterfly Count is now underway with the launch filmed at Magdalen Hill Down with Dr Dan H***e, the Comms Team and BCs new Records Officer. I ran a moth trap the night before, didn't get much but was saved by a Garden Tiger Moth, (a Jersey Tiger moth was seen later as well). Late evening on the meadow was full of swifts and swallows, so good. The launch was a super day for butterflies. Earlier, we had some other VIPs visit Magdalen, hosting a field trip for delegates of the National Landscapes conference. Also 30 PHD students visited with the focus on sustainability.
Meanwhile, at Yew Hill the wonderful Rupert Broadway led a walk with 9 people. We saw over 100 Chalk Hill Blues, even more Gatekeepers and 17 species in total including Dark Green Fritillary, Small Copper and Painted Lady. No sign of the White Letter Hairstreak but the elm trees looked healthy. I also counted 4 stunning Adonis later that afternoon at Magdalen.
Last week Yr 4 from Oliver's Battery primary did a field trip to Yew Hill. Armed with nets and bug pots they found lots of insects, butterflies everywhere and flocks of birds along the hedgerows. We got so close! Thanks to Kevin for making that possible.
Bentley Station Meadow is also doing well, looking deliciously wild and overgrown! The cows will come on soon but for now the volunteers cut the transect path and kept the place looking cared for. There were quite a few butterflies including one Silver Washed Fritillary, let's hope their numbers pick up, along with the Small Tortoiseshell.

11/06/2025

I'm pleased to say it's our first Butterfly Walk of the year at Magdalen Hill Down this Friday 13th June, meet 11am up the track past the stone masons off Alresford Road. There are currently lots of Marbled Whites, Large and Small Skippers, Small Blue, Common Blue and Meadow Browns, with a couple of Small Tortoiseshells seen recently.

Lots has been happening, guided walks, Wi******er College Students helping clear footpaths, a meeting with volunteers and our wonderful Kate Barrett, contractors repairing fencing, the five cows are now in Area 4 on the Hillside having grazed Tumuli field and I finally got round to topping up the pond. There are always birds there along with delicate Blue Damselflies and Broad Bodied Chaser dragonflies, superb to watch.

Dan H***e reported a Bee Orchid and even
a Small Blue at Chilcomb sports ground scrape, , so that's doing really well. Thank you to Wi******er City Council and our volunteers who helped get it established.

Something unexpected at Bentley Station Meadow. Following some publicity by Steven Lofting on UV torch surveys for Hairstreak caterpillars which apparently glow in the dark, we decided to test it one evening at BSM for Brown Hairstreak. It worked!! They lit up and shone like magic in the dark. We counted 5 larvae.
The One Show then filmed one evening at BSM. This little nature reserve is going to be on TV!! We don't know when but watch this space 🤞🙏