Goldie M

[Willrow]

Improvements on the weather front for the next few days Goldie...hope you get the shots you want

Best Wishes,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[Goldie M]

You were right about the weather Willrow, we took a chance yesterday and after a morning of showers we took off for Gait Barrow after a promise of fine weather in the afternoon.
Thanks Neil, glad you liked the Peacock shots, I hope you got some of the nice weather we enjoyed yesterday afternoon

When we arrived at GB the weather was already improving, so we went to the place where last year we saw the PBF , not a sign of them , we waited around for ages, the Sun finally came out and the temperature really soared still no PBF but the Dukes came out in force and although I'd got lots of photos of them before I couldn't resist the extra shots, I was delighted when they started flower hopping on the wild Strawberry plants, I'd no photos before of them on flowers so that was a bonus

We looked for the Green Hair Streaks but none were seen, so I went back to the Dukes and has I watched them this bright Green caught my eye and there was a GHS It landed on one of the flowers, I got a quick shot before it flew off has quickly has it had arrived Still no PBF

We walked round for another hour or so then decided to call it a day, has we were walking down the path this little BF landed in front of us, my first Dingy Skipper of the year, so I wasn't too disappointed with the day and I can always go back in the next week or two when I think the PB will be out for sure I've enclosed a shot of Gait Barrow also one of Warton Craig and a view of Morecambe Bay from Warton Craig Goldie

[trevor]

Hi Goldie,
Your last Duke image is a beauty, i only saw three today. Tomorrow i am hoping to see some Marsh
Fritillaries, fingers crossed!. Hope the weather where you are is improving.

Best wishes ,
TREVOR.

[Wurzel]

Cracking Dukes Goldie Fingers crossed that you get Pearls and I get Dukes this weekend - or failing that we could 'tick' each others

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Trevor, glad you like the photo, I hope you get some Marsh Frit's tomorrow our nearest site is top end of Cumberland just that bit to far a way for a days journey. Goldie

Hi! Wurzel, hope we don't have to start swopping we'll press on regardless Goldie

[Pauline]

Hi Goldie, I follow your diary closely but can't always reply when I should. I was interested in your Wood Pigeon injury; it was so good of you to try to help. I find usually that the RSPCA are stretched and do not have the resources to deal with such events (despite the TV programmes) and Wildlife hospitals are few and far between with limited resources too. The trouble is with birds they hide their illnesses well and because they can fly, sometimes it is only when they are 'on their last legs' so to speak that one is able to catch them, by which time it is usually too late. If it is a cat attack undoubtedly infection will set in and the bird will become weaker and debilitated which may enable you to catch it eventually but it may well be too late. If you can find a wildlife friendly vet in your area that would be an asset. Good luck.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Pauline, we had a wild life Vet all set to go when the bird flew off (there's a wild Bird hospital at Bury )but we can't catch the bird it's been back since with it's mate standing guard to eat in the garden but as soon as we appear they disappear so we're hope full that it will be okay, we're keeping a look out for it each day, if it lets it's guard down once we'll grab it
I can't bear to see animals in pain, I watch the wild life programs but if they show animals being attacked by other animals I switch off or, go in kitchen I'm hope less Goldie

[Goldie M]

Cracking day yesterday , We went to Southport Dunes the weather was fantastic, I didn't know what to expect, i'd been to Hall-Lee- Brook in the morning and all we saw were two GVW, 3 OT"S, ( no females) 1 Peacock, I've never known it so bad for Butterflies.

We decided to carry on to Southport and I'm certainly glad we did, I saw four first's of the year for me

Looks like if these four are out the PBF will soon follow so that's my next move Hope fully.

When we approached the Dunes a Common Blue flew past us, on entering I then immediately spotted a Small Heath which flew off straight a way , this I didn't bother about because I knew if one was present there 'd be others (hope fully), we carried on up the Dunes to a sheltered spot I knew they liked and there they were accompanied with Small Copper and Common Blue, for about 30 mins I'd a ball

We decided to move further down the coast past Birkdale to Ainsdale Dunes. I was surprised when we got there at the lack of Butterflies, these Dunes are separated in parts by wooden walkways because in the Winter Months it can get quite flooded.
On one side where it was still damp (No Butterflies) on the other side much drier I found one or two Blues nothing like where I'd been previously . I decided to look nearer to the Edge of the dune which acted as a steep wall separating the Dune from the coast rd
and that was my first sighting of a wall, two in fact, they'd obviously just mated ( i just missed that worse luck) but at least I got some shots of both even if the female was hiding in the grass

I also got a photo of a very Dark female Common Blue at the first site so all in all I was quite happy with my day Goldie

[Hoggers]

Hi Goldie I'm glad you had such a great day especially after the rotten weather you've had. I love the Small Copper on the sand - looks like he's on his holidays!

Best wishes

Hoggers

[David M]

Salvation at last!

It's been a long time coming, Goldie, but perhaps all the more satisfying as a consequence.

[Goldie M]

Thank you Hoggers, glad you like the SC I agree all he needed was a bucket and spade

Yes David, salvation at last I was certainly glad to see those Butterflies, now for the Pearls I hope Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great shots of the Common Blue and the Wall Goldie I got my Duke so I reckon you'll be on for the Pearls now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie, I am glad that the weather finally turned for you and you got to see some butterflies Hope you get your Pearls soon.

It has been my turn to be under miserable grey skies for the past few days but its looking a bit better for tomorrow so planning on going to the Wyre Forest for some Pearls myself.

Cheers,

Neil

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel I was thrilled to get them,( glad you got your Dukes)
Looks like we may be back into the bad weather again Neil for the next few days UGH! Goldie

[Goldie M]

I went to Hall-Lee-Brook this afternoon the weather was cold and cloudy but the Sun did come out about 3pm, I didn't want to give up on the Female OT"S so I hoped they'd be there, needless to say I saw two Butterflies only, a Speckled Wood and a Small White, the SW was in the distance quite a way over the Brambles but when it landed on the blossom I had to take a chance and take a shot

I also took a shot of a Bee I saw, I don't know much about Bee's but this one was a lovely honey colour and looked great on the flower I turned the photo of the flower so I could see the Bee better

We decided to go down to the stream for a walk and I was surprised at the amount of Garlic Flowers and Blue Bells that were down there, last time I went there it looked quite barren it's surprising what a few weeks rain can do, no Orange Tips there at all, I just hope next year we see them again because this year as been awful for them, I've not seen one Female, I took photos of the walk.Goldie

[Willrow]

Great stuff Goldie, your habitat photos add lots to your reports...hope you get lots more sunshine...and butterflies too

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[Goldie M]

Thanks Willrow for your comments I also think habitat photos are good too

Yesterday I went back to Gait Barrow hoping to see the Pearls, no luck, I spoke to lots of people who were visiting just to see the Slipper Orchards and no one had seen them. One person even said he'd been to see the Dukes and they'd gone no sign of them.

I was surprised at this and being as the last two years I'd seen the Pearls there we decided to go and take a look any way, at this point the Sun was fully out and the dark clouds had disappeared and knowing the Dukes (if there) come out when the Sun shines also the Pearls we decided to look there as a last resort, by this time we'd been a long the white trail and come back along the Purple trail and were feeling the fact in our legs

The Purple trail had been very fruitful for me because I saw a female Orange Tip my first of this year, and also three moths, ( I've yet to look up their names but I think last year I saw one of them and should have this some where.)

Back to the Dukes, I was right about them, we saw two and one came near enough for a photo, still no Pearls,

When we headed back home we decided to call at Warton Craig, I took a photo of the Dukes site before we left and though at Warton the story was the same, no Pearls ,I just had to take a Photo of the flowers there, a cold wind was blowing and the temperature was
only 14c so no Butterflies, it felt more like March than late May, any way looks like I may have to wait for the SPB now. I'm off for a week in the Broads next weekend and I've to get things ready for that Goldie

[MikeOxon]

It's good to see that the Lady's Slipper Orchids are thriving again. It's been the result of extensive work by Kew, to understand how to propagate these plants after the British population had dwindled to just one single specimen!

I never believe what other people say when visiting a site - it's important to understand the behaviour of the different butterfly species, in order to find some of the rarer ones. Your habitat shots are very useful in learning where to look.

A pity about the pearls - I hope that they are successfully lurking somewhere. They can be very elusive unless the weather conditions are right.

Mike

[Goldie M]

Hi! Mike, I'm getting things wrong today in a big way with my posting so hope this one is okay

Your right about the Slipper Orchids being so rare, loads of people come to see them at Gait Barrow each year, you'd think though that people would take more care when visiting them, one man yesterday had his dog off the lead whilst taking a photo of them, people were giving him strange looks, luckily the dog was well behaved, that's in spite of the posters saying dogs must be kept on a lead because of the wild life and rare plants, my Husband's comments ( " may be he can't read, or he's just a moron," ) Goldie

[Willrow]

Your having lots of fun Goldie regardless of the vagaries of the Great British weather, bet you'll bring loads of good images back from your hols

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"