Goldie M

[Neil Freeman]

I reckon you see more Painted Ladies than I do Goldie - your garden is a magnet for them! Dave

Ditto,

Its been a few years since I have seen one in my garden.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Many thanks everyone for your comments, it's funny really, I'm usually out looking for Butterflies but with my hip and back having been a bit sore I've had to choose where and when, so i've been spending more time in the Garden, if I'd been out that day I would have missed the Painted Lady

Yesterday was my Husbands birthday so we decided to go to Brockholes CP and have lunch at the floating restaurant there, Brockholes has been built on a flood plain of the River Ribble and if the River floods it has a Draw Bridge that can be pulled up.
It also has a few shops and you feel like your on a boat', chairs and tables or inside and out of the Restaurant where it's great to sit and watch the birds swim by
We had our lunch there and then walked to where the fields surround the Wet lands, the fields were full of wild flowers and I was thrilled to find the Large Skipper in numerous amounts also the Common Blue.
In the first shot I took I'm thinking there could be two LS's, there seems to be two many legs in there
In the third shot I didn't notice the aphids until I looked at it on my computer
I'd received my new lens the day before so i was in a hurry to try it out and was pleased with the results
We also saw loads of Dragon fly's and I took a couple of shots of them, I've no Idea what they're called but one in particular I'm not too sure about,(whether it's a DF or a Fly of some description ) It was certainly impressive
Damsel Fly's were every where and you felt like you were treading on them, it was a good day out and we enjoyed it, hope fully we'll get to Witherslack and Foulshaw this week, the NBA and Large Heath have been seen there. Goldie

[MikeOxon]

There are times when the garden is the best place to be - it's very good that you had a visit from a Painted Lady and the young Starlings are always amusing to watch.

Looking at your latest photos, I feel that your new lens has a sharpness that was sometimes lacking in your older one. I look forward to seeing more of your results when using it.

Mike

[Pauline]

Smashing shots of the Starling family Goldie - but don't they just make a racket!

[jenks]

Hi Goldie,
I agree with Mike, great photos. I believe the damsels and dragons are 1. Common Blue Damselfly; 2. male Banded Demoiselle; 3. female Black tailed Skimmer.
I was in west Wales on Sunday, walking the coast path. Firstly, the Ceredigion coast from Cwmtudu to Cwm Soden, which I haven`t visited before (about a 3 mile walk), in the morning. Common Blue 30 plus, Small Heath 20 plus, Green veined White 20 plus, Small Copper 5, Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary 5, on the bracken clad slopes (the reason I came here), Speckled Wood 6,Large White 4, Peacock,1 very tatty individual and Orange Tip, 1 male (late I thought). Moving down to Pembrokeshire in the afternoon and evening, at Stack Rocks, Castlemartin , I had a Painted Lady flying in off the sea at about 5 p.m. Between 8 and 9 p.m. I was watching and counting the Manx Shearwaters milling about offshore from the Deer Park, Marloes, before returning to their burrows on the island of Skokholm under cover of darkness. And suddenly another Painted Lady flew in off the sea, 8.46 p.m. Now that is late for a butterfly ! I stopped counting Manxies once I`d reached 2000 as my clicker finger was getting sore. IMHO, being born and bred in Pembs, I have to say this coastal path equals that of Dorset although I have to concede that Dorset`s weather is probably kinder on a yearly basis.

Jenks.

[CallumMac]

Hi Goldie, great set of pics - looks like you've got to grips with your new lens very quickly!

I believe the damsels and dragons are 1. Common Blue Damselfly; 2. male Banded Demoiselle; 3. female Black tailed Skimmer.

I agree with jenks on 1 & 2 but pic 3 definitely shows a Four-spotted Chaser - I would lean towards a female.

[Wurzel]

Great set of Large Skippers Goldie Especially like the last one as it it looks like he's getting every last drop

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[jenks]

Agreed Callum ! 4 spotted Chaser it is. I should have looked more closely at the wings and I would have seen the dark wing spot on the right hand side upper wing.

A request for info please. Does anyone have any news of Glanville Frits at Hutchinsons Bank or Heath Frits at Haddon Hill?

Jenks.

[bugboy]

Glanvilles at HB are having another lean season. Only a handful seen, mostly flybys. They're having a wonderful season on the IoW by all accounts though.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Mike, this new lens has a stabiliser which I think makes all the difference, I've sent my other lens to be repaired they say the motor has gone ( never heard of that before) it's worth getting it repaired though it's good for distance.

Don't they just Pauline, they're annoying with their constant noise.

Thanks for the info on the Dragonflies jenks, I've not got a clue when it comes to them, it sounds like you'd a good day out with the amount of Butterflies you saw and I've got another one for you to name

Thanks Callum, also thanks for the ID's, like I've said to jerk's there's another one for you to name

Hi! Wurzel, I like that one too, it looks rather tipsy I thought

We got a phone call this morning from my cousin to say she couldn't go out today, we made a quick decision to go up to Foulshaw Moss, I'd heard the Large Heath were out there and also nip across to Latter Barrow for the Northern Brown.
It was a mixture of a great day but also a bit disappointing.
At Foulshaw the Heath were everywhere, everywhere you didn't want them If I'd have had a long-distance lens i'd have been fine as it was they stayed a good distance a way so my shots were very much hit and miss At least I got some thing besides the Butterfly ( part of the Bog) the weather was very hot with no breeze so they went to ground quickly.
After we lunched we went a cross the road to Latter Barrow, it's only a small NR so after we walked around and had seen nothing we decided to sit and watch It was then I saw a flash go passed so we followed it, it flew down a path and out into some tall Ferns , I recognised it has my first NBA for years Least I hope it is!!
It was then out of the Ferns flew a flash of Orange it was so quick landing only once and folding it's wings, had a quick nectar drink
before disappearing back into the Ferns, I'd just time for two quick clicks It was a great day out! Goldie

[Maximus]

Well done with your Large Heath and NBA, Goldie We were hoping to travel up there in a week or so, but the weather that's forecast for then may rule out our trip

[Goldie M]

Hi! Max, it's a pity you can't get up here next week, we've been so lucky with the weather up here, it rained one full day, we had the tale end of somebody's storm and that's all the rain we've had since the first BH .We've had to water the Garden twice the Sun has been so hot and at Foulshaw Moss where the Heath are it's pretty dry, so when the Heath are out their looking for shade all the time, ( As well as partners) Hope you manage to come and the weather's okay for you Goldie

[millerd]

Large Heath, NBA and then a SPBF all in one day, Goldie! Not something us Southerners can easily go out and do... The first two species I have yet to see - ever! - so that's worth a few for certain. Brilliant.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Glad you had a cracking day Goldie Large Heath AND an NBA Fantastic stuff!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[jenks]

More excellent photos, Goldie ! Your first photo is of a Large Red Damselfly. Seeing your photos of Large Heath make me think I need to get to Cors Caron (Tregaron Bog) for my annual sightings of this. It`s the most southerly site for LH and so the nearest to me. I certainly don`t expect to see the numbers that you saw though, this site has a fairly small population.

Thanks Buggie for the info re Glanville Fritillary. The Isle of Wight certainly has good numbers but getting there and the cost of the ferry is prohibitive.

Jenks.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, it was a great day out and the Large Heath were just coming out so plenty of time yet for any one to see them.
It's been so hot in the North over the last few weeks with very little rain, talking to the Ranger there they were quite worried at one time for them but there was loads flying but because of the heat they were seeking out mostly the middle area's of the Moss.
The Northern Brown were at Latter barrow NR which is just a bit further down the road from the Moss , I'd never been there before but decided to give it try so I was really pleased when we managed to see them, also the SPBF

Hi! Wurzel, it was a great day out and we'll be going back to both places, we were a bit fed up with Gait Barrow not having seen much there so when I saw the NBA and the LH had been seen we went there instead, Latter Barrow is lovely, full of wild flowers and just across the road a bit further down the road from the Moss so easy to do both on the same day. ( Also there's a Pub right on the corner just a walk a way from LatterBarrow)

Thanks again Jenks, you would have a great time at the Moss I've never seen so many Dragon Flies, I managed the one but most of the people there had come just for the Dragon Flies not for the Butterflies and of course to see the Osprey's which by the way had three new Chicks. Goldie

[David M]

Large Heath so early is highly notable, Goldie. You did well to follow your instincts.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie,

A good decision to go and see the Large Heath.

I have seen Large Heath at Meathop Moss in early June a couple of times but never been to Foulshaw Moss despite it being close. This is a species that soon starts to look tired and worn so early June is a good time to see them in good condition.

Latterbarrow is a lovely little reserve, I always try to make the time to pay a visit when I am up that way. I have seen NBAs and Small Pearls there every time I have visited

Cheers,

Neil

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, they were just coming out and were looking for mates so pretty hard to get shots of, it was so hot as well and we've had so little rain that even the bog didn't look very boggy and where it was boggy the Dragon Flies had taken over and were mating like mad even landing on people (Ideal day for the Dragon Fly lovers) Goldie

Hi! Neil, I much prefer Foulshaw Moss over Meathop, There's a toilet there a Ranger Station a good Car Park and the Board Walk is just beside the car Park,( not that I need one yet) but lots of people there in wheel chairs when I've been there.also there's a couple of picnic benches which we made good use of
The Osprey nest is in the Moss and in the Small Ranger Station they've placed a screen where you can watch the Birds , the ranger is very helpful has well with info, we always put some thing in the box there towards the up keep.
Latterbarrow, is great and now we've an idea where to look for the Butterflies we'll definately go back there, I was so pleased to see the NBA not having seen it for a few years, it was very hot though and it never opened it's wings fully which was a shame but
plenty of time now I know where to find it. Goldie

[trevor]

Well done with your Large Heath and Northern Brown Argus.
I've heard that LH can be tricky to photograph, with vegetation getting in the way.

Cracking images in the circumstances,
Trevor