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Having a cream tea is never the wrong thing to do Goldie

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I'm glad you had a great time, Goldie, and I hope all will be well on the the health front.

Like you, I get frustrated in that I have to travel such distances to see many of the UK's downland species. Still, you have a handful on your doorstep that those in southern England have to travel great distances for - Mountain Ringlet, Large Heath, Northern Brown Argus, High Brown Fritillary, Scotch Argus.

It's not all one way traffic!

I agree Wurzel, I'd rather have seen a Clouded Yellow though Goldie

I agree David, out of the five you've mentioned though, this year I've seen two of them, no shots though, wrong time and bad weather for the LH and a bit too early for the HBF, the MR I've yet to see and although I looked for the NBA I never saw it this year, the Scotch A will have to wait for next year as well, so you could say we didn't manage the Northern species too well this year.

That's how the cookie crumbles they say , what with one thing and another this year we've had the health problems but we've nearly got that sorted hope fully,

We arrived home yesterday and although the weather was warm it started to rain and it's still raining, My neighbour told me they've had a couple of nice day's so it looks like we timed our visit South at the right time.
The garden in two weeks looks wild so before any thing else we'll slowly have to get stuck in there, I emphasise Slowly Goldie

Yes,the north is not so bad! As David says, you have some species accessible to you up there that us southerners can only dream of. Glad you had a nice time down here...

Can I just say Peter, your contact was right, I've just had word from the Manager at Gait Barrow and he says " Yes" it's a fact, there are Brown Hair Streaks at GB and he's seen one himself , he didn't say where so I'm assuming they're at the coordinates I sent sent him which you gave me Their eggs have also been found.

So essex it looks like we can add Brown Hair Streaks to that list now,

This is great new's and if I'm not too late for them I'll try to get up there post haste Goldie

The best of luck in your quest for a Brownie, Goldie. I am confident you will find one

ATB

Peter

In spite of the lovely hot weather yesterday the only Butterflies I saw in the garden were Large Whites and a single Painted Lady, no
Peacocks yet or Small Tortoiseshell's.
We were busy doing the garden yesterday so going to HLB wasn't an option, hope fully I'll see some there today if not fingers crossed they'll arrive in September. Goldie

Nice Painted Lady Goldie, nice to see a slightly different angle, it really brings out the blue circles

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Goldie...I see the Brown Hairstreaks have been confirmed at Gait Barrows, must say I was surprised at that. Is there any news on how they got there...an introduction or release?

I like the Painted Lady photo, the background compliments the butterfly nicely

Cheers,

Neil.

Thank you Wurzel, I've not seen one since in-fact there's not been many Butterflies at all except for Whites and Speckled Wood, I'm still hoping for the Peacock and Small Tort to appear.

Hi! Neil, glad you like my Painted Lady, she was a one off,
I've heard from Gait Barrow again Neil because I asked the Manager if it was worth the journey up there to see
them, he said although he'd seen one hisself the week before( also confirmed eggs had been found) he didn't think it was worth the trip because on Wednesday the weather was good and there was a round 40 people there and none was seen!!!!! Word soon get's out
I've contacted him again but he won't be in his office until Monday because I'm also wondering about how they arrived there has well, has for going up there, I'd love to but the way things have been lately here health wise with my Husband, I think they'll keep ( if there ) until next year. I'll let you know if I learn any thing else

The only Butterflies in the my Garden at present have been White's and they'll all beginning to look rather worn.I took these shots in the garden yesterday.
I looked at some photo's I'd taken last year and there were loads of ST's , Peacock's in September and October so I'm hoping to see some then other wise I'll be rather worried. Goldie

Those are great shots of the Small White Goldie. You have managed to capture all of the detail which is great. Well done Lovely Painted Lady too.

I agree with Pauline, I think the purple flowers really complement the whites.

Those Whites on the lavender are splendid, Goldie. They really love this plant at this time of year, so you may get loads there if the sun shines. And they are not easy to photograph at all either!

Dave

Thank you Pauline, katrina and Dave, It's always good to see the Small White's they look so delicate, I've got three Lavender plants in my garden so I see lot's.

Yesterday in the garden I saw a Red Admiral, I'm only getting the odd butterfly now , one Painted Lady, one Red Admiral, exception being the White's.

The Red Admiral was a bit of an acrobat and never stayed still very long, it was still good to see it though, I'd been to HLB over the week-end and I saw one GVW a few SW's, two or three really poor RA's, not too good for this time of year.

Let's hope we see more in September my garden is usually full of ST's and RA's and Peacocks then, so I've got my fingers crossed for September.Goldie

Here's hoping September produces the vanessids we're all looking forward to Goldie

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, so far no sightings yet of the S Tort, or the Peacock, considering how plentiful they were last year at this time of year I can't help but feel apprehensive .

We decided today to take a trip to Fleetwood, it's only about 3/4 of an hour a way, if that, with the weather having been better but still rather cloudy, ( at least we've seen the Sun ) I thought I may see some Small Tort's or Peacocks there, so we headed for the Wyre Country Park .

I was wrong, the only Butterflies we saw were the Speckled Wood's, loads of them and a couple of White's which didn't settle, it was still a pleasant change and those Speckies seem to have had a good year.

We went into Fleetwood and had a short walk on the sea front, I took a shot of a ship because it showed how rough the sea was even with the weather not too cold ( a coat was still needed ) it was windy though. I also took a shot of the lakes in the distance and the Bay. We had a nice lunch and returned home, I checked the flowers and bushes in the garden, still no Butterflies.

At least you saw and got a photo of one butterfly Goldie - on my last visit I didn't get any of well there's still a little bit of the season remaining

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Keep perservering, Goldie. These butterflies can't go on hiding forever up in northern England.

Hi! Wurzel and Dave, sounds like we might be getting some good weather next week, hope fully more Butterflies will appear Goldie

Yesterday the weather was very warm and Sunny in the morning and I got a lovely surprise, when drawing the curtains back in the bedroom there on my Buddleia were two lovely Tortoiseshells, At Last!!!!!
I can't describe how happy I felt The Tortoiseshell is the first butterfly I see every year in my garden and the thought that may be they were disappearing was upsetting but better late than never

I keep my Buddleia's ( I have three ) small so that after the first flush of flower's I cut the old flowers off and cut to the nearest bud which gives me a second flush of flower's, I'm so glad I did this because at least the Tort's will get a start by using them has a stopping place because most people these day's especially round where I live just have grass or pebbles.
I'm off now into the garden with the camera hope fully I'll see more today Goldie