Janet Turnbull

[Janet Turnbull]

Envious of Gren's success yesterday, Alan and I followed his route along the canal this afternoon when the sun came out. Almost immediately a Holly Blue fluttered down and gave me time to get down on hands and knees on the towpath, to Alan's embarrassment and the amusement of passers-by .
We discovered new habitats just off the canal and got hissed at and chased by a Canada Goose who thought we were too near its nest .
Several Brimstones - both male and female - were on the wing but did not settle where I could get at them; a pair of Small Tortoiseshells and several Peacocks, a solo male Orange-tip and a solo Comma.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet, no Holly Blues for me yet but if you want lots of Butterflies, Brockholes is the place, although there was no HB's there yet, plenty of Orange Tips though. Goldie

[Janet Turnbull]

Orange-tips have surfaced in Sale now Goldie! I must make a trip to Brockholes soon though.

Wandered round my local patch today to see if anything was happening. The place which was alive with Commas last year was bereft today but I wonder whether the Himalayan Balsam which absolutely swamped the banks of the Mersey and the surrounding flood plains could have prevented any egg-laying. Also I noticed that along the river bank the hedges have been flayed, as they had been encroaching on the footpath. The banks were mowed last autumn, too, to chop down some of the balsam.
Maybe I set out too early - it was 10.30am and the temperature was 14 degrees, but thunder storms were forecast for the afternoon. By noon, the temperature had risen considerably and the Orange-tip showed up in the horse field, the footpath round which has a good display of dandelions. A Comma preceded me along the path, landing on the ground every few yards and taking off whenever I focused the camera on it. A female Brimstone nectared on a dandelion too - there wasn't any alternative - and eventually a male Brimstone caught up with her but she brushed him off.
A white butterfly teased me for ages fluttering backwards and forwards along the bank of dandelions trying to find the right one but after half an hour I gave up and decided to go home. A Peacock shot up and zoomed off to perched high up in a tree but apart from these there was nothing.
The thunderstorm didn't arrive and I spent the afternoon trying to create a space to plant a Buckthorn which I have ordered - a bigger job than I anticipated..

[bugboy]

That Orange-tip image is a corker Janet, still not found a settled male yet

[Janet Turnbull]

Thanks, BB - hoping to find a female next time the sun shines!

I'll be up at Drumnadrochit 10-16 May. Anybody know if there's any chance of seeing Pearl Bordered frits?

[Andrew555]

Nice shots Janet. The back lit Peacock is great, and of course the Orange-tip.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet, that's a belting OT photo, well worth waiting for Goldie

[David M]

You've had a joyous last few days, Janet, and I'm sure you will find PBFs in the region of Scotland you intend to visit in mid-May.

I don't know any sites personally, but hopefully one or more of our northern members will be able to provide more specific advice.

[Janet Turnbull]

Volunteering day today with The Conservation Volunteers. They don't do things specifically for butterflies but it's good that any part of our natural world gets some conservation attention. Anyway today it was local, at Sale Water Park and there was only me and the project manager so we had a quiet day tidying up the overhanging brambles near the entrance. It was sunny and sheltered from the wind where we were working and this lovely male Orange tip settled for me.

On a sunny spot on the wall this ladybird had an unexpected delivery - I'm sure she would have tried to make it to a leaf to deliver her eggs!

And a hoverfly was taking a rest from hovering

I got a funny look when I asked if I could dig up some nettles to take home they have now been planted in a pot. Hope they survive! I have also potted up a self-setting buddleia and I'm awaiting delivery of a buckthorn whip - I realise I should have ordered three, but never mind.

[Goldie M]

At least you saw a Butterfly Janet!! and a lovely one too, nothing here and too cold to venture forth in that wind UGH1

Green Hair Streaks have been seen at Foulshaw Moss though in the Lakes. Goldie

[Janet Turnbull]

Green Hair Streaks have been seen at Foulshaw Moss though in the Lakes. Goldie

We called in at Foulshaw at the beginning of April and although it was too early for GH we did see the Ospreys! They had just arrived
It's clearly time to make a trip to Cut Thorn Hill for the Green Hairstreaks!

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots of the Orange-tips Janet, especially the one from two posts back Also I really like the composition of the Peacock on the bullrush

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Orange Tips are just irresistible aren't they, Janet?

That's an interesting shot of the ovipositing ladybird too. I've never seen this myself and like you, am wondering why she's laying her eggs on the stone rather than on plants.

[Janet Turnbull]

Trying to improve my fieldcraft I went out to Banky Meadow even though it was cloudy, hoping to discover some roosting butterflies. Ofcourse I didn't find any at all, so I continued to the river and walked along towards Stretford from the footbridge and soon spotted a Lacewing roosting on some cow parsley. Further on were some Green Dock Beetles - the bodies of the pregnant females were greatly distended but it didn't stop the randy males.

[Wurzel]

You really caught the colours on the Dock Beetles, beautiful in appearance if not in nature, you'd think the male might have realized he was a bit late

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Janet Turnbull]

Sunny but breezy so I wandered around the sheltered inflow between the Mersey and the lake at Sale Water Park, hoping to see the kingfisher as well as butterflies but the bird kept himself well hidden. A few male Orange-tips fluttered around the hedge mustard, and a couple of large, lazy Alder flies. A pair of Wagtails hunted for food by the flood gate. I explored the meadows, which appeared to be totally bereft of butterflies and then went to look at the area where last year we coppiced the willows to improve the habitat for willow tits. There were no willow tits that I could see but a flash of orange caught my attention, and sure enough it was a Comma sunning himself on the dock leaves. A couple more Orange-tips came by, and then my first Green Veined White appeared and settled among the hedge mustard.

Part of the coppiced area

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet, if you do venture to Brockholes try the walk by the River as well as the Woods, I was there yesterday and OT's were every where, I was only told about the River Walk when I was leaving but it seems lots of different BF's are there I'll go back there this weekend hope fully. Goldie

[Andrew555]

Great shots Janet, I like the variety.

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots of the alert Comma Janet Interesting way of coppicing. Down here we cut to about 6-8 inches and then cover the remaining stool with some of the shorter twigs to protect it, the method shown in your shot looks a lot more manageable and keeps the ground clear for flowering plants

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Janet Turnbull]

Lovely shots of the alert Comma Janet Interesting way of coppicing. Down here we cut to about 6-8 inches and then cover the remaining stool with some of the shorter twigs to protect it, the method shown in your shot looks a lot more manageable and keeps the ground clear for flowering plants

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Maybe what we did was more like pollarding, Wurzel. What you describe is proper coppicing. I'm afraid I just wielded the loppers like everyone else as per instructions - I will ask the project managers about it next time I see them.