Goldie M

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Goldie
I'm glad to hear your husband is feeling better. What better medicine than sunshine, Green Hairstreaks and Ospreys? Lovely Adder.
BWs, Neil

[Goldie M]

Thanks Neil, I agree, Jim hates sitting about ( lucky for me ) so has soon as he feels better he's out and about Goldie

[Goldie M]

Well we've got the rain at present but it was a lovely morning, bright Sunshine, cooler, but very little breeze, so I thought," why waste it"
I went across to Hall-Lee-Brook on the off chance I'd see a few more Butterflies and I finally got some decent shots of the Speckie, for once they weren't hiding from the Sun
I walked along the path by the houses and was confronted by a Holly Blue that was low on the ground searching for some thing, it wasn't flying very fast which makes a change so I followed it to see if it would settle and it did so i took some shots , I thought at one time it might open it's wings has it flew onto a leaf , it did partially but that was it.
After that I saw a very nice GVW and has i made my way through a field (not yet mown) I came across some cuckoo flowers and to my surprise a female OT paid them a visit just has I was passing Not a bad morning at all!!! Goldie

[ernie f]

Goldie

I particularly like your pic of the female O Tip with its wings very wide open.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie,

Good news about your husband and a great report from Foulshaw Moss

You may have already seen it but I see that Pearl-bordered Fritillaries have been reported from Warton Crag.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Hi! ernie, yes I liked that one too she was flying about so much and I just caught her has she settled. thanks very much for your post Goldie
Hi! Neil, Yes I've seen the report on the PBF at Warton Craig but I find the steep slopes a bit too much to tattle So I usually go to Gait Barrow where it's much flatter or Arnside Knot, some times I'm lucky by going a bit later in the month I get both PB/SPB at GB and the Duke, hope fully this will happen this year Goldie

[David M]

Great that you got an audience with Holly Blue, Goldie. I also like the female Orange Tip pose - you caught that just right!

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, thanks for your post the Holly Blues and Orange Tips just seem to be coming out since we had the nice weather over the week-end, I hope we get some more Sun, I'd love to to see an opened winged HB Goldie

[David M]

....I'd love to to see an opened winged HB

Wouldn't we all, Goldie? Especially the females.

Maybe we should all contact millerd for tips?

[Andrew555]

A very nice selection Goldie, the open wing OT is great.
I like your garden shots too.

[Wurzel]

Great of OT shots Goldie, the 'wide open winged one' is particularly cracking Fingers crossed for some good butterflying this weekend

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks very much David, Andrew, Wurzel for your posts, I've been pretty lucky so far this year in finding the butterflies, I hope I can keep it up
The weather lately has been too cold even when it's been dry, we don't seem to be able to get rid of the cold wind, it was very misty this morning but the Sun is out now burning it off so Hope fully I'll see some thing at HLB before the cloud returns has it's suppose to do this afternoon. Goldie

[Goldie M]

I went over to Hall-Lee-brook today, I couldn't go in the morning I was busy and by the time I got there the skies were cloudy, I did manage to get a few shots of GVW's , in fact they seemed to be the only thing flying besides the Speckies Any way at least it didn't rain Goldie

[Wurzel]

Yep Saturday wasn't exactly what the weathermen forecast down here either Goldie, the promised sunny intervals were scheduled arrive at ever alter hours throughout the course of the day Mind you as you showed if you get out you can always find something - nice shots of the GVW

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, at least the weather's improved now

Well today we were going to set off for Wales when the travel forecast said the roads were blocked ( the M62 is murder at present) so we set off for Gait Burrows instead , I thought we might see some thing but there were no Dukes, one man said he'd seen one so we waited and waited and waited, nothing! We did see a Dingy which quickly disappeared before we could get a shot, not a good day for Butterflies
When we decided to leave I did find one Green Hair Streak, which I was thankful for We called at Warton Crag on the way back, we just went to the parking part and not to the steep crag, some times you can see some thing there other times like today nothing! Pearl BF have been seen but that's mostly on the steep South slopes which unfortunately are too steep for me
The Man we'd spoken to at GB who said he'd seen the One Duke was also at WC and he said he'd not seen any more Dukes after we'd left, I'm thinking maybe another week before they're out, may be the Pearls will show then has well they always seem to be a week behind at GB.
When I got home I found a Green Veined White in the back garden nearly disappearing inside a Blue Bell which brightened my day
no end Goldie Oh! I took a shot of this Bird in the Garden not sure of it's name, I thought a Sparrow but not sure which.

[Art Frames]

Hi Goldie

Ive had my share of days like that. I tend to only mention the good ones, which is why my posts are quite infrequent

I love the GVW up the bluebell. It was only last year I took my first butterfly on a bluebell shot. I'd always assumed they were set up by photographers. But now I appreciate they are butterfly magnets and I keep an eye on them and managed a few myself today as well..

[Goldie M]

Hi! Art, I must admit it's the first time I've seen a GVW on a Blue Bell, I usually try to find the Orange Tip on them which I'm pleased to say I did this Spring I'll have to start looking more closely at Blue Bells from now on.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has days like yesterday , it just shows the best laid plans can go array Goldie

[Goldie M]

After shopping today I popped over to HLB, I decided to walk by the stream and look at the Garlic Flowers i'm so glad I did the flowers were lovely and has I watched a Butterfly flew down onto the flowers, it was a lovely sight
I walked round the field there and saw lots more GVW's and a Speckie flew onto a leaf near me, I liked the unusual stance he took so I had to take a shot of him My big surprise was a Comma that flew down just has I was leaving through the gate drawing me back to take one more shot. I hope this weather keeps going Goldie

[Wurzel]

I've not seen a Comma for a while now Goldie so good stuff Nice Greenstreak - it's a 'punctata' as well Good luck with the Pearls and Dukes

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

That makes two Punctata ab's now Wurzel, considering it was the only GHS I saw that day, I was lucky!!

Hope fully we're off to look for Grizzles this week-end, I'll leave the Dukes and Pearls until next week, I noticed whilst at GB that the Ferns the Dukes like to sit on top of were half their normal size, also the Slipper Orchids were no where near ready, not even roped off, so maybe lots of time yet to see them.( Hope fully ) Goldie