Goldie M

[Goldie M]

In-between the heavy showers yesterday, the sun was shining and although cooler it didn't stop the Butterflies from coming into my Neighbours garden
I again got my steps out and although they were a distance a way couldn't resist trying for a few shots It was a treat to see the Red Admiral had returned for the Autumn also he Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock, I'm hoping for more today Goldie

[Maximus]

Nice to see some lovely September butterflies in the sunshine, Goldie

[Wurzel]

Nice selection of shots Goldie I think you need to have a word with your neighbour and fit a gate between theirs and yours

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[MikeOxon]

Seems like you should be planting your own Buddleia

[Goldie M]

Thanks Max, none since then though the weathers been to cloudy and cool, we'll see what the weekend brings Goldie

Hi! Mike and Wurzel, the thing is, I've got two Buddliea's in the back Garden (different Colours) and one in the front Garden, mine face South and gets the Sun all day so don't last as long, my neighbours is more sheltered, so it seems to last longer, it's also been there for years, mine for only three, that also makes a difference.

When I returned from Kent I took these shots of a Painted Lady and Small Tort on my Buddlieas so I've got the best of both worlds My neighbour and I have a natter while I'm taking shots, I think she thinks I'm strange Goldie

[trevor]

HI Goldie,
I wondered about the Red Admiral, it has an extra white spot on the red ' band '. i've looked at my
other RA images , and none have the extra white spot.
If you had been with me today you would have seen three Hummingbird Hawkmoths !.

Keep up the good work,
TREVOR.

[Wurzel]

Seems like you've got the best of both worlds then Goldie, your two Buddleias and one in reserve for later Nice Painted Lady

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

I wish I had been Trevor, I've seen Humming Birds in the West Indies but not the Moth but there's always tomorrow

Thanks Wurzel, I've not seen a Painted Lady since worse Luck

Today I went to Hall-Lee-Brook, having seen a Small White in My Front Garden I thought some thing maybe on the move

The first thing I saw were Speckled Wood's they were every where and really enjoying the Black Berries Has we walked along the now narrow path (so many thistles all with their seeds blowing every whereI I noticed and tried to avoid the Nettles, but then a movement caught my eye and has I looked two Small Caterpillars were gorging themselves in the Nettles, I'd never seen these before so it was only when I got home and looked them up in my book and checked the UK species album that I assumed they are Comma Cats. ( hope I'm right) I also saw a Small Tortoiseshell and what a think is a Darter DF

Further along the path I saw a Gate Keeper, ( much to my surprise I thought they'd all gone) then another surprise when I saw two Green Veined White's Mating, the Male wasn't in such good shape but was still very active It just goes to show every time you go Butterflying you can get a surprise Goldie

[Goldie M]

I went back to Southport yesterday, it was cool at first then the Sun came out of the clouds and the weather was perfect.
We thought we'd visit Sandhills NNR first, when we got to the car park though we were stunned to find a charge of £4 being posted for the day on a normally free car park, needless to say we parked some where else. Which meant a rather longer walk.
They don't seem to under stand these people that we don't all have young families and want to stay all day on a beech, which is what was happening, the small car park is only a short distance from the beech where they charge £4 for driving onto, it doesn't take a genius to work out what their plan was.
Anyway I took some shots of Grayling,they weren't in very good condition but still going strong , there were still some CB's about. We were going to stay a bit longer but some Gulls were swooping a round us and it got quite scary,
my Husband suggested we leave, it was only later we found out a couple of Hawks were attacking and had probably caught one near to where we were UGH!
We moved on to Marshside NR which is nearer to Southport , we climbed to the top of a Sand Dune and I took some shots of another Grayling (not very good ) I was climbing up at the time and the light was too Bright.

I took shots to the left of me and the right and forward to get an Idea of the Dunes, when we climbed down I found these two Common Blues mating, I was surprised but it was great to know we'd have a future species next year
Further into the dunes we came across Lots of Red Admirals and Tortoiseshells it was a good day out Goldie

[David M]

Bet you were glad to get out, Goldie?

Well done with the Graylings. I've never seen them in September. They are usually done and dusted before the last week in August down here.

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, yes it was good to get out in the Sunshine again, I'm glad we did because the last couple of days have been much colder, no Sun today at all.

I think the Graylings are late like every thing else up here at present, still no Copper, which I'd love to see Goldie

[Allan.W.]

Hi Goldie
Just read your posting for Sept 2nd,and Trevor pointed out that your Red Ad; showed an extra white spot in the red cross band,this is an Abberration known as AB; Bialbata,you do see a fair few. Of the dozen or so ,that I saw over the weekend ,2 were Bialbata I posted one on September sightings . Regards Allan .W.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Allan, I posted an Admiral with extra spot in my Sept 8th posting(not too clear a photo) the posting you refer to Allan, Sept 2nd is Trevor's reply to me after I told him he'd got an ab It's great to inform people about these things, it's the way we learn, so thank you for taking the trouble to do so Goldie

[Goldie M]

I was In my Garden all day today pottering about, the weather was good very little breeze but loads of Sunshine in-between light clouds.
I was grumbling at the lack of Butterflies in the Garden this year and thinking and comparing it to the last few years when Sept you were sure you'd see ST's and lot's of Red Admiral's, together with whites etc. So feeling sorry for myself I brewed a cuppa it was when I returned to the Garden that I got a glimpse of some thing Brown fluttering about, to my surprise I saw this Speckled Wood, I say surprise because nothing as been in the garden for ages. I rushed in for my camera and got some shots, it didn't fly off though but stayed for quite a while .
I was pleased and when I looked again the Specky had been joined by a lovely Tortoiseshell, I took more shots of the Tort and then a Small White joined the party this continued for quite a while, it made a change from taking long shots of my neighbours Budleia with
Red Admiral's on it
Any way I just had to post some shots and hope fully weather permitting I'll get some more before the season finishes I noticed when in the Garden the large Tree in the back ground it's leaves already changing to gold and red, Autumn is nearly with us Goldie

[Wurzel]

Nice to hear you're leaving your neighbour's Buddliea alone for once Goldie Specklies are great value at this time of the year as they don't seem to age as badly as other species

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, right now I'm wishing I lived in the South so I could extend my season to look for the unusual Butterflies that arrive down in the South at this time of year, I'll just have to book my next holiday down there in September Goldie

[Maximus]

Hi Goldie, it's great that you saw those Small Torts, Small Whites and Speckled Wood in your garden, and got those lovely shots too Seeing butterflies in our garden always makes us happy

[Goldie M]

Thank you Max, glad you enjoyed my Butterflies

I was visited again Yesterday this time by the Red Admiral

The weather had been very cold for a start then the Sun came out and I was delighted to find the Butterflies in the Garden again.
the Speckie didn't stay still for long and was flying back wards and forwards, very unsettled,.

We've started the day well today, although cold this morning the Sun's out and hope fully it'll get warmer if the rain stays on the other side of the Pennines Goldie

[millerd]

Nice Red Admiral, Goldie - it really stands out against the yellow flower. At least you had sunshine - it was cold and wet and dark in London all day.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Thanks Dave, those flowers do the trick every year, when the Budlliea is nearly finished they come into there own

This morning started off very dark and wet, I was just looking out into garden from the Living room wndow when I saw the Hawk sitting on the fence, I ran to get my camera still hoping it wouldn't fly off, I didn't think my photos would be very good taken through glass etc, but I still couldn't let the opportunity go to at least try to get some shots

Then to my complete amazement, landing either side of it, these two Magpies flew in( couldn't see the other one from the house) they started to hassle the Sparrow Hawk, ( I assume that's what this is ) they kept flying up over it's head then landing down again, I didn't get all the action I was so surprised The Hawk didn't like this at all and flew off followed by the Magpies, it was amazing to watch, I didn't think any thing would stand up to a Hawk like they did

Yesterday I had the SPeckie back in the Garden, this time it flew onto my glass table The Red Admiral was also back, I'd taken shots of it with open wings so I decided to take some underwing shots, I didn't realise just how colourful they could look, the Sun is shining again now and when I look outside the Speckie is back once more, I'll hope some thing else arrives it's all happening at once in the Garden. Goldie