Goldie M

[MikeOxon]

I believe your plant is Buddleja × weyeriana 'Sungold' - it's great for butterflies I do like your second Small Tort photo very much, with all those back-lit hairs shining in the sun. It shows how the butterfly keeps warm in the coming winter.

Mike

[Goldie M]

Thanks Mike, the Buddliea certainly suits it's name, "Sungold " , I'm surprised just how this small cutting took and how well the flowers photograph with the Sun on them.

I've not seen the Butterfly since but it was cold yesterday, by the way , thank you for the comments you made
about
my Brimstone photo, I'm going to print the photo out and make it bigger because it reminds me of what Butterflying is all about to me . Sunshine, Flowers, Butterflies and hazy lazy days Goldie

[Goldie M]

I was surprised to see a lone Red Admiral on Friday 21st of October in the Back Garden because the weather has been cold and wet and I've seen nothing even when the Sun has been shining for a while now.
The Butterfly would land on the Buddliea which, I was just about to cut down when the Butterfly flew in
I've left the Buddliea now for a few more days to see if the RA returns, I did manage a couple of shots not too good I'm afraid but I'm posting one any way. Goldie

[Goldie M]

It's quite a while since I posted and quite a while since I ventured out looking for Butterflies, the weather here in the North has been very cold and our Daughter visiting us from Kent in October ( the last time we ventured very far) brought no results, then to cap it all I got a tooth infection which lasted for a few days, which has now cleared up but then the cold weather really arrived -4 and we just missed the snow.

I did how ever take a few shots this year of some wild flowers which I thought might just brighten up our mood, it certainly did mine when I looked at them. Goldie

[trevor]

Good to hear from you Goldie. The season is really tailing right off down here now.
I can't complain, I've had a good year.
I do envy those Slipper Orchids though.

Best wishes,
Trevor.

[bugboy]

Glad your feeling better now Goldie, like Trevor I'm very jealous of your Slipper Orchids

[Goldie M]

Thank's Trevor, the Slipper Orchids are out each May/June at Gait Barrow, it's the only time we struggle to park at GB, people come from far and wide just to see them and I like to take a shot every time I go

Thank you Bugboy, I feel much better now, The Slipper Orchids seem to come out just as the Dukes and the Pearl BF /SPB are coming out which makes the trip up there even better and not far from them in the Bushes are the GHS so it's usually a great day out, roll on Spring! Goldie

[Wurzel]

How far away those heady days seem and how long until they return Still your images brightened my mood Goldie - cheers

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, it's looking good for next year a round here, the butterflies retired early, we've already had Snow, (well near us) and temps of minus -4 , cold weather also forecast for Thursday, so fingers crossed maybe we'll get back to normal. Goldie

[David M]

Agreed, Goldie. I've been heartened by the frosts we've had in south Wales so far, and with any luck we'll get a proper, cold winter whereupon butterflies surely can't be any worse off than they've been after the mild ones we've been having?

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, looks like we've got Snow coming to the hills this week, roll on Spring Goldie

[Goldie M]

Well! out came the boots this morning has I walked to the local shop for a newspaper, we had our first snow fall, or was it hail stones, what ever, every thing was covered in a light fall.
The m 61 was blocked yesterday and I couldn't see the Moors for mist but I took this shot of my Cherry Tree at the bottom of the Garden with the Snow on the roof and boy as it been cold, so cold the Wood pigeons took the top of a chimney pot where the heat was and two more on the top of a lamp post and there's more snow forecast for tonight. I'll have to venture out and try to get some more shots of the Moors that's where most of the heavy snow fell. ( That's if I'm brave enough ) I do tend to Hibernate myself in Winter. Goldie

[Butterflysaurus rex]

No snow down here yet Goldie but it's a bit windy to say the least! A good run of frost down here would help the Butterflies so I'm hoping some of your weather makes it down this far. Not for too long though, I tend to seize up in cold weather.

Best Wishes

James

[David M]

No snow near the south Wales coast, but I did notice a dusting on the highest peaks inland when I ventured out around midday today.

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, we've not had any heavy falls of Snow here but my cousin lives only half an hour a way and they've had a really good Snow fall.
The wind here is very strong and cold and it's raining but we've been lucky so far we certainly didn't get the storm ( Angus ) that hit the South. Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie,

No snow here yet but it was bitterly cold last week and Storm Angus has been making itself felt the past couple of days.

I recognise those Ladies Slipper Orchids at Gait Barrows, I took a photo of the same clump when I was there earlier this year, brings back some great memories

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Neil, it sounds like we're already for next year and Spring

Today was one of the best days since November came in, lots of Sunshine not much breeze, still cold but great for a long walk in the country
We decided to visit Pennington Flash, we were disappointed when we reached the Hides, usually the birds are given Bird seed and other various feed, like Nuts etc but there was nothing there at all, so as you can imagine,
there was very few Birds to photograph.
I managed a Thrush, and a Moor Hen.! Has we walked round through the trees we came across a family of Swans in their own private pond One Tree had Berries on it and a few birds were enjoying themselves there, I took some shots of these and some Ducks way out in the distance, a Cormorant was sat on a post in the lake and it was only when I got home I saw what the post said
One of the Birds in the tree had a black cap, I've looked in my book and thought it may be a Black Cap but yet the beak seems different so I could be wrong.

It was a good day out and felt good to get out and stretch our legs Goldie

[bugboy]

Hi Goldie, if the unk bird with a black cap you mention is in the second and third pictures, it is a female Bullfinch

[Goldie M]

Thanks Bugboy, I should have guessed really because I'd just taken a shot of the Male Bullfinch in the same tree but some how the female seemed bigger and darker on the head, it was a good way off at the top of the tree though, excuse, excuses, . I recognised the male because of his red chest which stood out at the top of the tree. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great shots of the Bullfinches Goldie - they can be difficult to get close too, especially the females

Have a goodun

Wurzel