Goldie M

[Gibster]

Regards the Lady's Slipper....Sami just offered me her stinking trainers, not quite in the same league, I feel! But sweet...kind of....

[Goldie M]

Very Slippery Gibster Goldie

[Padfield]

'A sock by any other name would smell of feet'. Romeo and Juliet.

Guy

[Goldie M]

I think you should both read the poem by " Elizabeth Barrett Browning" " The Sweetness Of England" My Favorite Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Weds 18th May, after two weeks of rain and cold winds the forcast gave us some hope today of better weather, so we set off, our rain coats in readyness. We decided to visit Gait Barrows again , when we got there the clouds had lifted and the sun was out but the wind was still very cold. We went to where we'd last seen the Duke of Burgundy. sad to say the primroses had all gone and the Duke no where to be seen. We hung about for while and then we got a nice surprise, two Small Pearl Borderd Fritillaries arrived chasing one another about. We saw Pearl Borderd as well, but that's all. IT was well worth the trip though.
On the way back we stopped at Warton Crag and saw the Perigrin Falcons on their nest, so all in all it was a pretty good day. Goldie M



Thursday 19th May We went to Southport today, (make hay while the the sun shines ) In the Dunes we saw some Small Heath ,Common Blues even Orange Tips in the Trees by the road side, another good day out. But we're back in the rain today . we'll have to wait for the sun again. Goldie

[Goldie M]

I went back to Hall Lee Brook at the weekend to see if I could find any more Butterflies and to see how the work was progressing. I was amazed to find lots of the grass had been piled to the side to make the foot paths wider, In doing this alot of the places where I'd seen the butterflies laying eggs in the grasses had gone. I took some photo's, I hope they've not disturbed things too much, what, with the weather being so bad, with the high winds and cold temperatures ,poor things have had enough to contend with. Needless to say I saw two BF, I think both were Small Whites, I've put a pic of one incase I'm wrong, I usually am Goldie M

[Goldie M]

I got back on Sunday from Norfolk and I'm pleased to say i finally saw the Swallow Tails. We set off on the 5th of June Sun, on the Monday it rained all day, but we checked out the sites where we knew if there were SWT they'd be, also it would save time finding all the differant routes for when the weather was nice.
On the Tues it was cloudy and very windy, we decided to call at Strumpshaw Fen first, we saw nothing , so on we went to How Hill where we saw 6 or 7 trouble was none of them settled, anyway on the Wed we went again to How Hill and in the field facing the cottage I managed to get some pics, this time they were flying all around us at intervals. It was funny really, there was quite a few people wanting to take pic's, so when any one saw one we all rushed to get alook and take pics.
We didn't go again to How Hill until the Sat before we left,( the weather had followed us from the North) we'd spent the last couple of days dodging showers, but Sat was lovely, temperatures in the 20s, no wind, nothing in the field this time so we walked along the path by the Broads where the windmills are, the Thistles were just about to come out, they weren't out fully but enough for the SWT. So I was able to take more Pic's, it was the icing on the cake for me and finnished my holiday on a high note. It more than made up for the disapointment of last year when we went all that way in May and saw nothing.
I must say though although some of the SWT did come out early, I took 1or 2 pic's where you could tell this, alot were in pristine condition and I was told these were the ones that were out (At the right time) so should any one be going you could still get some good pic's.

[Goldie M]

I went to Walley yesterday 20th June. I was looking for Meadow Brown, I've not seen any around here at all. (Lanc's) the weather as been really bad, cold winds etc, anyway yesterday it wasn't too bad, the only things i spotted though were a Speckled Wood which was too quick for me and a Large Skipper sitting on top of an Orchid Oh! and a Comma which looked fairly new. It sat on a leaf for ages, it seemed to be drying out it's wings, I'm no exppert so I could be wrong, it gave me hope though that maybe things are on the move here.
Last year the weather was nice at this time and the High Brown Fritillary were coming out also the Dark green up in Gaits Barrow, but no one seems to have seen them yet up there, still with seeing those Large Skipper, given a nice day I may pop up to Gaits Barrow to take a look before I set off on my travels to the South East this Week-end.
I also went to Pilling nr Fleetwood on Sunday Large Heath have been seen there before at this time, boy was it cold, we just came home. Pic's of the Comma and the Large Skipper Goldie M

[Goldie M]

I visited Hall Lee Brook this week, I've found out it's private land given over to the Forestry Athurities to run. I met two rangers who were on the look out for somebody camping there. Horwich country Park was devastated this April when sombody set fires on the Moors which killed alot of nesting birds also BF. Since then I don't think camping as been encouraged .
I visited the site when I returned home a fortnight ago and saw nothing except, for a few whites. On returning Wed, to my relief I saw Gate Keepers, Meadow Browns, Comma's,
Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Green Veined Whites, Whites Large and Small, also Holly Blues which were too fast for me, no Peacocks though or Skippers. Every thing is very late arriving, I suppose because the weather has been so bad up here.
I'm not too good at picking out where places are located, I usually get lost even when there pointed out All I know is the spot is situated in Westhoughton, Bolton. Bolton council run HLB also with the Forestry A, the've Put wild flowers even on all the roundabouts and by the sides of fields, I've put a picture in my diary to show just what it looks like.
I think it's worth going back to HLB to check each year how the place is progressing and if it's attracted any more differant species of Butterfly. It's worth mentioning the fact the've made three little ponds there and these are already attracting Dragon Fly's. I hope when I return again from Kent in three weeks( I'm house sitting) I'll see some Peacocks, they were there in Spring hopefully they'll be back.Goldie

[Goldie M]

I arrived back from Kent last Thursday and I would like to thank" Fishiee" for is information about Temple Ewell. I found it ok. I couldn't believe all the butterflies i saw there.
I must have spent about 6 weeks in all this summer which took in June ran into July and the beginning of August. I managed 37 differant species and added three new ones to my list. 40 in all. I've not been able to go back and look at Hall Lee Brook yet, the weather's not been too good and I've had to garden, everything was over grown, but my own garden as been full of Small Tortoiseshells, Red Admirals, Peacocks, Whites ,Speckled Woods , the list goes on. I have however missed out on Gates Barrow and the High Brown and Dark Green Fritilaries this year, anybody know if their still about I doubt it now, although the weather here has not been as nice as every where else, I noticed some spieces here are later than in other parts of the country. By the way Fishiee I got my Adonis Goldie

[FISHiEE]

Glad you found Temple Ewell ok and got your Adonis Blue

It's really a great site and there's usually clouds of blues when I go. I didn't realise how spoilt I was in Kent for Adonis Blues. Now I'm in Hampshire they're pretty much non-existent here!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Fishiee, I'm planning to visit Hampshire next year, some one said there were Brown Hair streaks and Purple Emp's there. We plan on taking the caravan, so looking for a site. My husbands not too hot on reversing so no hills or difficult sites We love the New Forest and hope to visit Dorset and Pool, love the natural harbour there.
Thanks again for your help, it's certainly the best site for Blues I've seen, I'd like to find the Silver studded Blue next, in no hurry though.
I visited Hall Lee Brook yesterday, the weather was warm if not too sunny. I only saw Speckled Woods, Whites, but the site is coming along nicely, hopefully in the future more species of BF will arrive. Goldie M

[FISHiEE]

Oh there's plenty of Silver Studded Blues over this way. One of the big draws for me moving to Hampshire! They are now just 20 minutes from my door and I can go before/after work as well as at weekends. I saw about 3 in Kent and they were about an hours drive from home there! Brown Hairstreaks and Purple Emperors were pretty much impossible in Kent. They have a few over here. Brown Hairstreaks eluded me this year as the weather didn't play ball when I had time to go for them. Purple Emperors I found, though the ratio of people to butterflies was about 10:1 which put the shine off those rather for me.

Temple Ewell is an excellent reserve. I perhaps didn't appreciate how good it was until I moved away from it. Did see my First Hampshire Silver Spotted Skippers and Wasp spider today. Adonis Blues are a bit thin on the ground though... ie pretty much none unless I travel all the way to the border with Dorset which is almost as far as Dover is from here I think!

[Goldie M]

The weather 's been horrible here, (Lanc's). I've been concerned, because last year we'd loads of Butterflies in the garden in September and although we've had some, not many of them have been Peacocks. Inbetween the strong winds and rain a couple of days were nice, then we mostly got Small Tortoiseshell's and Red Admiral's, i've enclosed some photo's, also the Peacocks i did see were very small in size compared to what i saw a couple of years ago.
I've seen one Large White, that was yesterday, I'm hoping the weather they've forcast for next week brings out more peacocks, fingers crossed Goldie M

[Wurzel]

Alright Goldie - I think the last shot of the Small Tortoiseshell is great - it made me smile as it looks like it's having to lift it's feet as the flower is so hot, like those desert lizards

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

I think Wurzel it's more like the flower was still wet from all the rain we've been having.Goldie

[Goldie M]

2nd October Fantastic week this week in my garden, I've seen Comm's, Red Admiral's and Tortoiseshell's right up to yesterday. In the rain again today The photo's should keep me busy for awhile though.
I also managed to go to Hall Lee Brook again but the only thing I saw there was a Speckled Wood, The pond was growing bigger with all the rain and things seem to be settling down ( no more paths made are vegitation disturbed) so I'll look forward to Spring and the Orange Tips. The tree's had grown alot , the Silver Birch inparticular was a shiny mass of silver leaves really suited it's name.
I've enclosed a couple of pic's. I've also been interested waching the Butterflies. The first two days when the weather was nice, they landed on old leaves and flowers even my bird table , they didn't seem interested at all in feeding, it was only has the weather became hotter that they flew onto and settled on the flowers that were still nice. I assumed they were getting ready to hibernate and then changed because the weather improved.
I took notice of where they came from in the early mornings, I found the Red Admiral on my Hydranga the Comma's seemed to come from the garage roof, has did a couple of Small Tortoiseshells, they landed on the flowers, had some breakfast did a spot of sun bathing opening their wings really wide then took off again. At night I watched them return .( It was a really lovely week)Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Lovely day today 15th Oct, I didn't expect to see anything in the garden though because the weathers been so bad. Nothing but rain since my last postings, any way I managed to see 2 Red Admiral's and take a picture Then my husband and I went for a walk and has we went through this ginnel between the houses I spotted Comma's and more Red Admirals, a total of 3 or more comma's and about 7 Red Admiral's, I hope tomorrows a nice day as well Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Tuesday 18th Oct, I returned on Sunday to the ginnel where I'd seen the Butterflies. The weather was warmer than Sat had been and I was amazed by the amount of differant insects I found there. I took some photo's but on nearly all of them there appeared an insect. Bee's, Wasp's, Hover Fly's and some i'd never seen before.

A couple of people, ( who didn't stay very long frightened of the Wasp's, )told me the Wasp's had a nest there, one woman didn't know about the Butterflies names and said I'd made her day and she'd take more notice next year when she went down the ginnel again. (They both looked at me as If were mad though)
The Red Admiral's were there in force and were not not put off at all by the many insects buzzing them. Only one Comma though, that was all I needed to make my day.
I took a sample of the plant and i've got it in a bottle with some water in , I'll take it to my local garden centre and find out what it's called, unless anybody knows what it is. I certainly want it in my garden. Goldie M

[Pawpawsaurus]

I took a sample of the plant and i've got it in a bottle with some water in , I'll take it to my local garden centre and find out what it's called, unless anybody knows what it is.

It's Ivy.

Its flowers are a major source of nectar at this time of year, hence its popularity with Red Admirals, Commas, bees, wasps, hoverflies and other nectar-seeking insects which happen to be about.

Paul