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Saturday and Sunday were funny days here ,it rained in the Morning on Saturday but in the afternoon it was sunny and warm but windy, we'd decided the front and back gardens needed doing again so we started off in the front garden, and moved round to the Back garden on Sunday which was a cloudy day but warm and again Sunny at times, we were visited once again by the Peacock's but this time they were less pristine with pieces taken out of their wings,
Large Whites and Red Admiral's were on the Butterfly bushes at regular intervals and I discovered I was being watched at one point A Holly Blue flew passed us a few times and passed into the next garden, that's two days on a trot it's done that so I'm now on the look out for it. Goldie

You'll have to get some tips from The Holly Blue Whisperer Dave Miller Goldie

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, I've still not got a shot of that Holly Blue I did get a rather nice Peacock shot yesterday though before the rain arrived also another RA shot both out of reach, one in the shade all the time, the other at the top of the Butterfly bush, both were pristine which is good, meaning they've not been affected too much by the weather. Goldie

Great shot of the Red Admiral - it's like I'm peering through the vegetation to get a glimpse of it

Have a goodun
Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, that's just the way I saw it

Today I ventured to Hall-Lee-Brook, the butterflies in my garden had kept me entertained for a few days now but it was time to venture forth once more , stitches and all,
When we got there i was amazed how the vegetation had taken over it was like walking through a jungle, no wonder the Butterflies were in the Garden's, needless to say, no Peacocks or RA there, we did see Gate Keeper's whites and Speckie's but that was all , still we'd had a walk before the rain arrived and it was warm and Sunny at times.Goldie

I really like those shots of the Gatekeeper from underneath, Goldie! And whatever Wurzel says, getting Holly Blues to settle down is all luck - I saw several near me today and none of them came down close by at all. However, if you have any bramble with pink flowers out at the moment, it's worth looking at first thing in the morning as Holly Blues seem very partial to this blossom.

Dave

Hi! Dave thank you, I like the Gate keeper shots too, I took them from a distance and didn't think they'd be much good
Unfortunately we've no Bramble near us Dave and it seems to rain here more in the mornings than any other time but I'm not giving up, I inspect the garden each day , it wouldn't be so bad if when I saw it , it wouldn't hover over ever thing get my hopes up , then hop over the fence just as I get it in my sights!! THE JOYS OF BUTTERFLYING Goldie

I agree with Dave, those are great Hedge Brown shots Goldie You're doing the right thing WRT the Holly Blues, it's all about perseverance

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, glad you liked my shots, yesterday turned out to be a lovely day after thunder storms the night before but due to family arrangements I wasn't out with my camera this morning we're back into the Sunshine and showers so it looks like things are on hold again and tomorrow's forecast, the same. Even the HB is hiding
I was hoping to pop up to GB but we'd better wait I think for better weather, hope fully the BHS will still be there Goldie

Good luck with those Brostreaks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Chin up, Goldie. The forecast's looking better from Tuesday so hopefully your chance will come.

Thanks Wurzel and David for your posts, sad to say we went to Gait Barrow at the Weekend but saw no Bosstreaks


It was a cloudy day on Sunday but supposedly the best day of the week so we decided to go to GB, when we arrived we found a few people who were also looking for BHS, after trudging round various paths for a couple of hours and visiting various Ash Trees that had Black Thorn growing near them and seeing nothing we called it a day, the Sun did shine through high cloud in the end but we'd had enough and at least we'd found the tree or tree's where the BHS were supposed to be for next year, that satisfied me, I felt i'd had a good year seeing another lifer (WLH) so I could wait to see another lifer or two next year.

We left some people there still hope full of seeing them but I was already planning in my head my journey for next year

I did take some shots of Red Admiral, Peacock and a rather pale looking Speckled Wood together with a much darker Speckie
and on a wood pile we saw a small Lizard sunning himself, we didn't see many Gate Keeper's except one or two that were rather worn but still enjoying the flowers which were waist high, I'm not sure what the flowers are called but they covered a large area and it was fantastic just to walk amongst them it was a great closing to probably my last visit to GB for this season, I'm already looking forward to next Spring and the Dukes Goldie

Nice photos, Goldie. I am sure you will get better luck with the Brown Hairstreaks next year at Gait Barrows.

I believe the flowers are Hemp Agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum.

ATB

Peter

Thanks for that Peter, the flowers were every where it was a lovely day , some times when we're out you come a cross a scene that you remember all through the Winter and this was one.
I couldn't resist posting another couple of shots, Goldie

And why not, Goldie - you can never have too many Red Admiral photos in my book!

Dave

I agree Dave, we still seem to be getting them in the garden so I may have even more. Goldie

Yesterday we went to Southport, I'd to make quick look in the Dunes because I'd my cousin with me who wanted to look at the shop's, after what I'd seen at GB, ( not too many Butterflies) I didn't really think I'd see any thing much so I was surprised to find Common Blue, Small Heath and even one rather tatty Meadow Brown still there.
Also there was a Moth which I just managed a quick shot of, ( not too good i'm afraid) and I'm not too well up on moth's but I don't think it's a Silver Y
We took a look near the pond for Natter Jack Toads we didn't see any but we spotted a Dragon Fly which landed briefly for yet another quick shot
This morning the Sun's shining again so it's quick with the chores and out again Goldie

Hi Goldie, is anyone going to try a BH egg count at GB? Eggs are probably easier to find than the adults and, if successful, it would tell you which bushes the females are laying on and, therefore, which bushes give the best chance of adult sightings.

Sorry you didn't have much luck with the Brostreaks Goldie but Essex is definitely onto something for next year Great Red Admirals though which must have been some conpensation

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! essex and Wurzel, yes there's people checking for eggs at GB and I believe some have been found already, I found when we were up there that quite a few tree's where the BHS have been located have Blackthorn bush's some where near them so it looks good for next year. The people I met there say they think the Hair Streaks have been introduced to the area but I don't know and they didn't know for sure if this was so.
When I was a way in Kent Lanc's BF did have a lecture talking about the HS's and showing where they were, Gait Barrow is, has you'll know in Lancashire and the map showed them not too far from the road, however the man we spoke to and had attended the lecture took us to where he thought they were on the map he saw but we saw nothing, it was only when we met some one who'd actually seen them the week before that we got a good indiction of their whereabouts , but again nothing, we did have a bad storm the week before which I think could have damaged them. Any way we'll see what next year brings!

I received another photo of a Butterfly from my nephew in Hong Kong, he admits it's not a good a shot, he was on his lunch break at the time and just spotted it, he described it has very large and black with white and red markings on it's back,( I should think he means wings) any way I've posted it just incase some one knows what it's called, or could it be a moth Goldie

Starting on Saturday with the warm and Sunny weather the Butterflies finally visited my garden, not just the Red Admiral and Peacock but Painted Lady, Comma and Large / Small Whites all over the weekend, we didn't need to travel any where

Today though we took another ride to Southport but in the Dunes we saw a few Common Blue and only one Small Heath, there was quite a lot of Speckled Wood, I'd not seen them on flowers too much before so I couldn't help taking a few shots, I'm glad now we stayed home over the weekend Goldie