Goldie M

[David M]

I wish you luck, Goldie. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Orange Tips were about up your way. Fingers crossed that you have a good day.

[Goldie M]

Thanks for your post David, no Orange Tips here yet though, I think we're a week or so behind here the weather's been great but a bit cold out of the Sun and we've had lots of cloud.

Our Daughter arrived on Saturday, so we were out Sunday and Monday traveling round, first stop on Sunday was Brockholes NR , I was sure we'd see Butterflies there but the Sun refused to stay out for long periods and the wind was chilly, not a single Butterfly was spotted but we did see this Goose (not sure what it's called looked it up in my bird book) it looks like a Barnacle Goose.

We decided to call at HLB NR before going home and I found some more Small Tortoiseshell and Commas enjoying the sheltered part of the field on the Dandelions but the Tort's still kept their wings closed a lot of the time.

Monday we drove to Fleetwood to Wyre CP, weather again pretty much the same but again only STS and Comma's and the Tort's were well worn, I did see this little bird, (again looked it up in the Bird book) I think it's a Chiffchaff but I'm guessing. It's been great just getting out with our Daughter and the weather although cool was great, Our Daughter though is used to the weather in the South now and was pretty cold
huddled up in her coat. Goldie

[bugboy]

Lovely Comma Goldie .

Your Geese are Canada Geese. Barnacles have a white face rather than just a throat and its probably a bit late in the year for them now, most having migrated back to their breeding grounds in the northern tundra.

The little bird is most likely a Chiffchaff, relatively easy to identify at this time of year since it's the only greenish Warbler to overwinter in the UK. It's close relative and 'identical twin' the Willow Warbler should be here any day now though (I've not heard any as yet). They can only reliably be told apart by the song with the Chiffchaff living up to it's name, an incessant chiff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff.

[Goldie M]

Thanks Bugboy, I like to find out these bird names so I can had them to my Album When I saw the little bird with it's feathers all fluffy I thought at first it was a young one then I realised it was much too soon, I'd never seen one before and this one didn't stay put for long
Glad you like my Comma, that's all I keep seeing here, it must be a good season for them and the the small Tort's, great find you had with the Large Tort, you deserve seeing it with all the journeys you take Goldie

[MikeOxon]

It's a good time to try and photograph a Chiffchaff. Once the trees are in leaf, it becomes almost impossible, unless you are very lucky. I usually recognise these birds by their call, which is very welcome in early Spring and then becomes monotonous as the year progresses. You are not always behind the South, up on the West Coast, since the milder sea air often encourages early species.

[Wurzel]

Cracking shot of the Chiff Chaff Goldie and that Comma is a beaut!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

I agree it’s frustrating when the weather doesn’t play ball, Goldie, but you’ll get those Orange Tips soon…probably at the same time as me, i.e. this coming weekend, when I’m sure they’ll be on the wing in my neck of the woods.

[Goldie M]

Many thanks Mike, Wurzel and David for your comments, my daughter just rang me to say she'd arrived home safely, ( you never know with all the rail strikes) she said it was lovely and warm in Kent, It's a bitter cold wind here and cloudy, wind direction NE UGH!

I wish I could see some mild sea air at present Mike, it's freezing here,

I was pleased to see a Comma Wurzel it was pleasant finding that after seeing nothing at Brockholes

I hope I see a Orange Tip David, this coming Weekend is supposed to have a high of 16c on Sunday, so finger's crossed Goldie

[Goldie M]

Well the weather's been great but no Orange Tip yet I did get my first Brimstone and Speckle though so I can't moan

The Butterflies seem to be coming in odd numbers here, I went to Hall-Lee=Brook yesterday and saw the Brimstone, 3 in fact but only one posed for me. then this morning, again at HLB I found the Speckie's, only 2 but it's a start, they weren't very active, one was clinging to a leaf with it's wings closed at first then gradually started to open them, looking at the shot afterwards I wondered if it had some thing wrong with it's wing or was it just the way the Sun was shining on it's wing
The other one was a little more active. Of course they could be newly emerged.
I also saw a Tortoiseshell yesterday but only one and no Comma's at all, things are certainly funny here, when the weather is so nice you'd expect more Butterflies to be about, I think they know the forecast isn't too good for next few days , much cooler here,
( So what's new ) Goldie

[Wurzel]

Hopefully they'll stay bedded down until the weather improves. As I'm on Easter break you can expect the weather to get better form about 23rd April and until then we'll have grey, cool and windy weather sorry

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, it's cold here at present but last year round about this time we had Snow so it's an improvement on that.
We've booked to go South on the 12th May I'm looking for the Grizzled Skipper, it would take my count to 50 if I find it , I try to see two new species every year whether I get a shot of them or not it's just great to see them.
I've taken a look at the previous years butterflies and I saw the OT's mostly in May so fingers crossed for good weather then, hope you enjoy your break. Goldie

[Goldie M]

The weather here has been awful but this morning we got the Sun back although still pretty cold. I was in the kitchen brewing a cup of tea and looking out through the window into the garden to see what the birds were getting up to when I noticed what I thought was a tree Creeper going up the tree at the bottom of the garden.
I thought it's too quick to be a Bird, then I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it was this tiny mouse, I quickly got my camera and changed the setting to sport, ( taking a leaf from Wurzel's book ) I managed to catch it on camera , I'm not seeing Butterflies at present so thought I'd just share this for a laugh, it's certainly made me laugh. Goldie

[Goldie M]

Just received two photos of Butterflies from my Nephew who's working in Hong Kong , he knows I'm a fanatic with BF's Does any one know what this one''s called? He was on a walk when he saw it, I've told my Nephew I've started an Album and I'll let him know it's name. Goldie

[Padfield]

Hi Goldie. I'm separated from my books at the moment (until Tuesday) but from a quick internet check would suggest Athyma nefte (the colour sergeant) for the first one (Athyma, certainly) and Faunis eumeus (the large faun) for the second. If no one else confirms or corrects I can do so myself when I get back to the books!

Guy

[Wurzel]

Good to see you're working on the next generation Goldie I would go with Guy for the first one but haven't a clue on the second one a Google wasn't that helpful there

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That's one brave little mouse on your bird feeder, Pauline. Hard to see how such a creature could be more exposed to predators. I hope he/she managed to find safety and enjoy the boldly obtained reward.

[Goldie M]

Thanks Guy and Wurzel, I'll send him these names , if you find they're different I can always let him know.

I also get photos from my Grandson Wurzel, he's interested to know what the Butterflies are called, he sends the photos when he see's them when in Brighton. I know most of those though

Hi! David, it certainly was a brave little mouse because I saw the Sparrow Hawk only the day before. not only that but it made quite a few trips up the tree. I was fascinated with it's colour though, it had a very cream under belly and a milk chocolate brown body , usually when I've seen them in the garden or else where they've been dark in colour but as you can see in the photo this mouse was different. Goldie

[MikeOxon]

Butterfly ID becomes a very different game, once one wanders into the tropics, Goldie! When I visited Sabah, a couple of years ago, I read that almost 1,000 species have been recorded from Borneo, with around 625 at the Kinabalu National Park alone! It took me several weeks after I returned (and some valuable help from Guy Padfield) to identify the relatively small number of species that I photographed. Having said that, the 'Colour Sergeant' is one of the easier ones and I know that it is present in Hong Kong. I remember seeing several butterflies along the path from the top of the Peak Tramway, when I was there in 2009, but I didn't have a suitable camera with me for collecting photos.

[Goldie M]

Thanks for that Mike, I'm looking forward to more photos from Hong kong and will need more help I'm sure with them. Goldie

[Goldie M]

I've just checked the Internet and I think my mouse is a Dore Mouse, it's colouring seems to check out cream under belly and Chocolate Brown, any think I'm right !!!!! Goldie