Goldie M

[David M]

Hi! David, the plant is a Wall Flower Perennial, I've forgotten it's name but it's quite out standing because it flowers all year, except Winter of course

Thanks for the info, Goldie. I see that 'Bowles Mauve erysimum' is the plant in question and I will track some down next year to place in my borders.

[Goldie M]

Thank you very much Guy, coming from you that's a real compliment
Chilly or not it's still a fantastic place where you live, I've only flown over Switzerland when I was going to Italy and it looked breathtaking, I love your scenery shots, they remind me of the Rockies, I lived in Calgary for two years and I loved it, I missed the seasons over here and when I got back I was determined to fill my garden with flowers, this I did and that's what got me interested in the Butterflies Goldie

Hi! David, glad you found the name of the plant you won't be disappointed, I usually take cuttings from it just in case it gets too leggy you can always set off new plants then, I do this with the perennial plants, I take the seed heads put them in pots outside and when they reach a certain height put them in the garden, it seems to work and it saves keep buying seeds

I've put a few more shots in one from today of the Small Tortoiseshell just landing on the flowers and one that my little Darter friend enjoys of the water dish plus Butterflies and the Darter making himself invisible on the Autumn Glory Goldie

[Wurzel]

That last shot is great Goldi, I had to do a double take as the first time I looked at it I thought you'd captured a Red Admiral coming into land, then I saw that it was two close together

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, it's all happening in the garden at present

We went to Thornton Country Park on Thursday( it's really Wyre CP ) it's near the river Wyre, I hoped to see some Coppers there but no luck, there was Red Admiral's, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma's and I counted 8 Speckled Wood, they were all in the same area a round a walled horse shoe shaped seating area where Autumn Glory was planted all round the top of the wall, it was very impressive full of all these different Butterflies.

I took a few shots but the Butterflies kept bumping one another and flying up, so hard to take in groups, I'd to take individuals more than groups Whilst taking the shots this Silver Y moth came in, it was more like a Humming Bird Moth because it buzzed about all over the place, I did manage to get a shot but only for a second

Apart from that odd day out it's been the garden at home I've been filming in, mostly the same Butterflies arriving ,the Peacock arrived once again in the front and the back very worn and weary looking, I've not seen it for the last two days so I'm assuming it's hibernating, which brings me to a question, If the butterfly is in such bad shape will survive until next year

Today is very foggy ,up to now, but if it doesn't clear up we can't grumble, it's been an absolutely great week so far with loads of lovely Butterflies, the exception being the Copper, can't win them all though can we. Goldie

[Hoggers]

Gorgeous photos from your garden, Goldie! What a marvellous sight all those flowers and butterflies make!

Best wishes,

Hoggers

[Goldie M]

Many thanks Hogger's it was a great week, one to remember through the Winter The weather's changed here now and we're back into heavy cloud, worse luck Goldie

[David M]

Wow! Even the Speckled Woods are attracted by that erysimum! Definitely going to plant some next year.

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, you won't be disappointed if you do, look at the few shots I took today

I thought today was going to be like yesterday cold and cloudy, it's had it's moments but then the Sun came out and so did the Admiral's, also saw one TSS and one Comma all of which I managed to photo I think maybe my RA could be the same one, it kept coming and going all day so I'm not sure, it was certainly in good condition and it's making the season much longer seeing and shooting these lovely Butterflies Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Some lovely photos of your garden butterflies Goldie, you have some great plants for attracting them at this time of year.

I have tried growing erysimum 'bowles mauve' myself but it doesn't do well in my heavy soil.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cracking Red Admirals Goldie

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Sorry about your plant disappointment Neil, we've got clay soil around here, it can be heavy but mixed with some topsoil and bone meal that usually does the trick, having said that, I have a friend who lives in Cambridge and she can't grow Camellias are Rhododendron because of the soil, I don't think it's acid enough are some thing

Thanks Wurzel, I had a great week with the Butterflies, just watching them was enough Goldie

[bugboy]

Your gardens teaming with butterflies at the moment Goldies makes me wish I had a garden!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Buggy, you'll have a garden some day I'm sure

Today was unusual weather wise, Sunny at first and then lots of rain, it didn't deter the Butterflies, whilst the Sun was out I saw Red Admiral's and Tortoiseshells but the surprise of the day was the Red Admiral who braved the rain

It was a beautiful Butterfly has well very colourful, when the darkness came I expected it to fly off, instead it stayed where it was on the flower, it didn't even close it's wings , only when it flew to another flower did it close it's wings and then immediately opened them on regaining it's balance, I just had to go out in the rain and get a shot of it

I tried to keep my camera out of the rain which didn't help with my balance and the shots I took, still I noticed the blue on it's wings which made me glad I'd gone out in the rain, I just hope the Butterfly went for cover after that because it poured down later. Goldie

.

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Goldie. So that's where all the butterflies have gone-they're all in your garden! Virtually nothing left down here. So enjoy them while they last,great pictures,too!

[millerd]

Lovely Red Admiral - they don't seem to be worried that much by the odd bit of rain, and the ones round here certainly fly in near darkness especially when it's not cold. They're very characterful butterflies.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Thank you Essex for your comments, the Butterflies are still flying in the garden, I look every day for them and it's great to see them.

I didn't know the Admiral's didn't mind the dull weather Dave, they're certainly hardy, they seem to be the last Butterfly other than the Speckie to leave around here, we certainly see loads of them in the North at this time of year which often surprises me, why not earlier, usually you see just the odd one or two in the early months. Goldie

Today we went to Presall Sands Pilling, more for a nice walk than any thing because the weather was great but cloudy at times , I didn't expect to see too much in the way of Butterflies but I took my camera just in case
I did see a bird I can't name and I only had a close up lens , so the computer had to make the shot bigger.
It's a nice walk along the shore of Morcambe Bay to Knott End where you can take a Ferry across to Fleetwood
if you want too, it's also good in the Winter for different Birds arriving there so they say.

After wards we went to the Wyre Estuary Country Park, we'd been there the the week before and saw a good number of Butterflies so we hoped we'd see some more, I took some shots of Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshell but the Butterflies were fewer than last week.

We ate our picnic at the Park and then headed for home. When I got home I went into the garden to be greeted by yet another Red Admiral and a Small White basking in the Sun, it was a very enjoyable day even if I
didn't see a Small Copper Goldie

[dave brown]

Hi Goldie,
Your bird looks like a 1st Winter (Northern) Wheatear to me. Most books show the adult male and female in summer plumage, which have a lot more Grey on the back. The Northern species is the one that occurs in Britain and Northern Europe.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, thanks for the ID I'll look it up in my book,I think I'll go there again when the weather gets cooler but on a bright Winter's day because it seems they get quite a lot of birds coming in for shelter in the Winter at Presall Sands, Pilling.

Yesterday I was in the Garden most of the afternoon tidying things up and once again enjoying the Butterflies it was a lovely day and although I've put some photos in before of these Butterflies I couldn't resist including some more also took a shot which somes up this time of year to me Goldie

[Wurzel]

More great stuff Goldie, especially those Specklies The only problem is that you're making me miss having a garden more and more

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, I didn't know you'd no garden, that's a shame because you love Butterflies so much Glad you like the Speckies, the flowers are just showing signs of wear now but those purple Wall flowers are still attracting the Butterflies.

Yesterday was a bit cooler the wind had a bite to it, still a Red Admiral turned up also this rather large Bumble Bee, I'd loads of those earlier in the year, this Bee was a surprise yesterday, I kept my distance Goldie