Cheers Dave – It didn’t occur to me till you mentioned it that the Painted Lady is probably too fresh a specimen to be a migrant. We are well-inland and quite northerly here and it would have had to be very lucky to get to that point in that condition. It most likely was, as you say, the next genera...

Cheers Ernie and Wurzel I agree David, we had a good drenching last weekend, but another hot week has dried it all up again. I am noticing a lack of some species at the moment. Must admit I selfishly hope it lasts till at least next week as I have some time off work and I have some plans afoot On th...

Cheers Wurzel I agree David, we have had another spell of rain, but not anything major. The vegetation is showing this lack of rain now 21 July Late morning I had the day off and was looking after the two great grandsons. Initially took them up to the play area at St Ives. Behind the swings was a pa...

Cheers Wurzel and David The weather finally broke here yesterday and we had some rain, torrential over the York area I believe There appear to be whites everywhere at the moment. Just driving back and forth to work, or around the house, you can see whites floating by almost continuously There is als...

Thanks for the info on Kiplingcotes Callum. I was more intending a visit next year anyway; so will be looking at a few sites in that general area. My next holidays are in August and I intend to do both Fairburn and Blacktoft in the days I have available to myself Your diary is good reading, especial...

Those Speckled Woods look reasonably fresh Wurzel, are you into another brood down there - Phil

Loved the Gatekeepers Pauline and that is a weird looking Meadow Brown - Phil

Pauline. That is a very good garden count, I'm envious. The bird you referred to is a Lapwing, I'm sure that is the picture you are on about. I will endeavour to caption any future ones. Glad you enjoy the bird pics, only wish I could do as well with the butterflies. I'm stretching my camera with ma...

Dave, Wurzel. Thanks for the Ringlet pointer, will have to back-check my Ringlet folder at some point and see if it is an isolated instance Wurzel. I will probably take you up on the offer. A list of worthy sites would save a lot of time and heartache Local patch – Late afternoon Got back into Bingl...

Hi Callum - Reading your diary with great interest. I am not that far from you in Bingley, West Yorkshire. Clocking up a few to visit locations from your posts. I used to multi-drop in the York area a long time ago, YO4 out to Riccall and Holme O S Moor and YO6 up to Helmsley and Kirby Moorside, so ...

Interesting and well illustrated as always Wurzel, some lovely shots - Phil

I particularly like the third DGF, looks like it would not be out of place on a Dr Who episode - Phil

Hi Wurzel Now a close up Purple Hairstreak would have been an added bonus, and a Clouded Yellow, the stuff of dreams. I do think the trip down (despite 6 hours on the M1, M25, M4) has confirmed I need to plan a holiday for myself down south next year. just have to decide when and where. There are st...

Hi Pauline

Nice to see some Siskins again, you seem to have got them a bit earlier than I am used to up here

Phil

David and Ernie, glad you enjoyed it. I have an owl that haunts the area close to the house and that I hear most evenings or early mornings; but I have only seen it infrequently. I used to see lots more when I was out walking, especially as you can usually locate them roosting due to the commotion t...

Cheers Wurzel 24 June 2018 Bingley Bog North – Afternoon This was my first chance to get out after a few weeks of family and work commitments, so I decided to go down to the bog for browns and skippers. Followed my usual path of around the path to the by-pass area then back to the entrance with a di...

24 May 2018 Strid Woods – mid morning to early afternoon I have visited here once a year, usually in May, for a fair number of years. It is situated in the Dales and a few miles upstream, on the River Wharfe, from Bolton Abbey. It is part of the Bolton Abbey estates owned by the Duke of Devonshire. ...

Cheers Wurzel. The absence was not intentional, personal circumstances were not good late winter into spring By the way I came across the World of Wurzel lately, great site, give yourself a big pat on the back I am really impressed, will be keeping an eye on it Glad you liked the Mipit, a few more b...

13 May 2018 My local patch – Afternoon I went over the field to the copse, then down the bridleway to Eldwick Reservoir, re-traced my steps back to Heights Lane then along here to Walsh Lane and home. A mixture of fields and rough pasture a mile or so from the moors proper Saw my first Swifts of the...

6 May 2018 Bradup - Afternoon After a dull wet and cold spring it was my first time out for a while, with some decent weather. I headed up to Bradup on the edge of Ilkley Moor, here the terrain changes from well-grazed pasture to rough pasture then to heather moorland. I was hoping the Stonechats wo...