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The Sun started to shine this afternoon so I went to Hall-Lee-Wood, nothing was flying except a small moth, i got a real shock though when I saw what They'd done to the field there. Last year it was left for the butterflies and there was loads of them. It was full of wild flowers the BF were laying eggs, it was full of May flowers, Buttercups,Dandelions etc. Now It looked like a Barbers Nightmare it wasn't even cut well. To make matters worse, the big area that was left for the children to play on Hadn't been touched the grass was has High as the goal post (slight Exert) Needless to say when I got home I needed a strong drink, Goldie

I went up to Gaits Barrow again yesterday with my Husband the weather was perfect so we took a picnic. I went to the same place where I'd seen the SWPBF and took some more Photo's. I didn't see any more whites but the SPBF were there, some looked differant but it could be they were slightly faded, one was for sure.
I also took photo's of the Large Skipper, a Burnett moth and a Damsal Fly, one or two bigger BF flew over our heads, one was a Brimstone and the other I'm not sure, it didn't look like the HBF or the DGF were out yet (if they were we didn't see them) One of the Large Skippers was mating. We also saw a Buzzard and looks like someone had been observing it they'd
taken their own chair Goldie

Hi Goldie,

Your Burnet Moth is a Cinnabar Moth, nice photo too, they always settle down in amongst the grass for me.

Cheers,

Neil F.

Thanks Neil, I never was any good at Moths Goldie

I must enter into my diary today about the Small White Pearl Bordered Frit's I saw at Gaits Barrow on the 4th June because I'm so pleased, also because it probably won't happen to me again Butterfly conservation (Lancashire) have checked with the experts and the experts say they are called "Boloria selene ab Pallida" rare aberrations which of course Vince said they were. I reported seeing them to Lancs B and before they were recorded they wanted to make sure just what they were I'd seen.

Now back to earth I went to Southport on weds 20th nothing much to report. We saw lots of Small Heath, they seem to be having a good year inspite of the weather, also Speckled Wood. Other wise considering it was so hot nothing else.
We had a great day though and ended it in Mac Donalds with a fillet of fish Goldie

Tuesday 26th June we went to Yarrow Valley Park Chorley, after all the heavy rain the conditions were very soggy underfoot, so when we got to the field adjacent to the park we didn't really expect to see much. The field is quite big and so are the thistles, it's a known favorite with Peacock Butterflies, I've seen dozen's of them there at once, sadly not that day. No Large Skipper's either which is unusal. We were just about to give up when we spotted a Small Tortoiseshell. It was in perfact condition so we came home happy because we really thought all the rain may have done some damage. Where there's one there's usually more, is a happy thought I also saw this tiny moth never seen it before and the photo 's not too clear, I thought it unusual because it was black with white tips to it's wings, there were quite a few of those flying but trying to take a Photo was also,( trying )! Goldie

Great shots of the Small Tort - the first is nicely positioned and the second gives a great view of the hairiness

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Your moth is a Chimney Sweeper (Odezia atrata). Unlike many moths, it flies in bright sunshine. They are very striking when fresh but tend to become browner with age.

Mike

Thanks Wurzal and Mike, I'm glad you like my shots Wurzal, I must amit I get abit frustrated at times with my shots, I know it's me and not the camera , but the photo's seem too bright even if I use the exposure compensation button, I seem to have to do this when the light is really bright even on the set menu's. Still learning I suppose I must admit though people have been a great help in the first place telling me that digital camera's tend to over compensate with the light when taking shots.
Thanks Mike for naming the Moth, it really suits it's name, thats another day moth I can add to my list, I'm getting more interested in Moths this year than i was before. When I go to my daughter's school, there's a teacher there who sett's a moth trap overnight, then he shows the children the morning after and tells them all about the moths before letting them go. I think this is great and the children love it .Goldie

I've just had two weeks in Kent and although the weather was still wet at times, we did manage to miss the rain.
I found East Blean woods and the the Heath Fritilary are there in large numbers, too many to count , the ranger said he'd not seen has many as this ever. We'd to be careful not to stand on them, they were every where and mating like mad
I was lucky also to see White Admiral's, but with going down so late missed out on the Chalk Hill Blue and Adonis, I may go again in Sept so you never know maybe if their still around I'll see them then.
We also went to Temple Ewell nature reserve, there we found Marble White's, it was abit ,hit and miss really. When the sun shone out they'd pop and disapear again when it clouded over which of course happened alot. It wasn't too bad though if they stayed put because they were much easier to shoot. We also saw Small Skipper, Meadow Browns and Ringlet. I must say though I only saw one Red Admiral which is very unusual for kent.
The forcast for the weekend seems good so we plan to go to Gaits Barrow and hope fully I'll see some High BF and DGF fingers crossed. I've put a photo in my diary of a real mad frenzy, it gives an idea to just what the HF were like.
I put the 1st one in because I Just loved to see the the Heath Fritilary in amongst all the thistles, and I was really on cloud nine when it went onto to my finger Goldie

Cracking shots Goldie- I better start saving the pennies and earning some brownie points with my wife so I can get to see them next year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzal, it does help if you've got relatives living in Kent.Goldie

I went to Gaits Barrow last sat 21st and i was lucky. We decided we'd go to the same place we saw the WPBF or Alba. When we got there the Thistles had grown very high and we could see the Butterflies were enjoying them. On the path up the hill we were stopping in case we trod on the Meadow Brown's, I've never seen so many . We saw Small Skippers and Ringlets a Huge Dragon Fly, I've no idea about them but they were bigger than the Dark Green Fritilaries that were there. I kept taking shots at every thing that landed near me, it's only when I got home and it's taken me ages to sort them out that I discovered I'd also got the High Brown Fritilary. I must admit I've had to go and check for which was which and that's taken me ages so I hope I'm correct
On the way back we went via the the Lime stones and we found the Grayling, so we had a pretty good afternoon Goldie
I think the one on the thistle is DGF and the other one HBF, we all know the Graying

Hi Goldie

You're quite correct with the ID's. The High Brown has the spots on the upper forewing forming a slightly sigmoid shape as the third smaller spot from the costa (front edge) is displaced inwards. The hind edge of the forewings on the HBF shows a slightly concave edge.
With the DGF on the thistle the spots are in more of a straight line and the hind edge of the wing is more of a straight line and can be slightly convex in some individuals.

Great shots and Gait Barrows is a wonderful spot. Well done on finding the SWPBF's as well, never seen them before.

Thanks Paul, i'm learning at last also feel more at ease wth the camera.Goldie

I went To Hall-Lee-Brook this last week, I've been concerned for the lack of Butterflies there. Again there were only a few Meadow Browns, I counted about six Whites, no large Whites, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells or Red Admirals, last year we had loads. The Speckled Woods seemed to be doing ok, but I only counted one Comma and two skippers nothing really like we had last year and no sign of any Gate Keepers. This all seems very strange when I saw all these in large numbers, except
the PC, RA, STs, at Gaits Barrow
I wonder if my fears of them cutting the grass and the shrubs at the beginning of the year at HLB had some thing to do with it.
Peacocks, Red AD, Small Tor shells, may come later in August, although I did see a Sts before earlier in the month, nothing since. Dissapointing really because I started my diary with the Waste land, now HLB and had such high hopes for it, I suppose time will tell Anyway i've put a few shots in Goldie

Well I've been enjoying the hot weather it's been great, so have the birds in my garden all kinds have paid us a visit , including a Great Spotted Woodpecker, I think it was a Juvenile though because of it's red head.
We've also had Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies ,at last ! I was beginning to think they were a write off in my garden.
On Friday we went to Sefton Dunes, what a change there, Small Coppers, Common Blues, Grayling all were there even Brown Argus which I've not seen there before. I took a shot of a butterfly thats not very good i'm afraid but it looked so much like an Adonis I have to show it even though I know it's probaby a CB. It was so quick but very very blue, but like I said the photo is not too good.
I found one thing out for sure Butterflies love white. When I was in Kent I'd put a white blouse on to go to East Blean Woods
and to my alarm a White Admiral landed on me, I did'nt realise it was a WA or I'd have kept still it flew right onto my shoulder,i don't know who was more suprised me or it Then when I was up at Gaits Barrow A Dark Green Frit did the same on my white Fleece I didn't get Pics of them ,too slow, but on Friday white Blouse again and a Grayling landed on me this time my husband got a shot of it, so forget all else and just wear White Goldie M

We went up to Gaits Barrow on Tuesday the 14th Aug this week and once again it didn't dissapoint us. My Husband and I decided we'd take a picnic the weather was so nice. When we arrived we decided to take the Purple pathway for a change instead of the White and take a look where the Duke-of-Burgandy was early in the Spring.

What a transformation! where all the Primroses had been the area was covered in wild Flowers and very tall grass. we had to come off the path slightly to get there but it was well worth it. Brimstone Butterflies were every where.
After that the first thing we saw was of course a Speckled Wood Then as if from no where this Large Dragon Fly landed right in front of us, I don't know anything at all about Dragon Flies but this one really looked like a dragon. It had a large Blue head that didn't seem to be part of it's body and it was watching us Then I saw my first Peacock of the new season it had very bright colours.
The next thing we saw was yet another Dragon Fly, this one was Brown and very big. It was actually the perfact day for anyone interested in Dragon Flies. I thought they looked great abit frightening though when up close.I would like to Know their namesI must look them up .
Our next encounter after we returned to the purple path way was very differant. On the slate Path were two Graylings and one was doing his courtship ritual. I'd read about this but not actually seen it. so we were fascinated has the male opened his wings to the Female and then suddenly hopped this way and that. It was great watching his wings open then close a real show off he was.
We finally arrived where the White path crosses the Purple and has we walked this Dark Green Fritilary who had seen much better days landed on a flower in front of us, of course I had to take his picture , he reminded me of the SPBF in the Spring
two colours, of course his were just wear and tear,we'd had a great day Goldie

Hi Goldie,

That second Grayling image is spectacular

I believe it to actually be the female carrying out a rejection display to the male. Could you add it to the Species-Specific Album when you get time please.

Many thanks,

Vince

Thanks Vince will do, I seem to be very lucky this year on my adventures Goldie
I've added it to the species list , hope i've put it in the right one. It's in the Grayling part any way . I've also added what you said hope thats not wrong Goldie