philm63

[philm63]

Sun 15 July

Bingley Bog North
Managed to get out in the afternoon, much brighter but the sunny spells were brief and it was far too windy.
I saw a Blue-tailed Damselfly near the three-rise locks and later had two more immatures near the open water so this area is starting to get better for sightings, no shots worth posting,
The bog held around 25 - 30 Ringlets, 1 male and 1 female Large Skipper, 10 - 15 Meadow Brown and a single Small Tortoiseshell. The Ringlets varied from fresh specimens to some quite faded and well damaged, but included my first females for the year; most of the Meadow Browns were similar. The female Large Skipper was a luck view as it was stock still and I nearly missed it, the male on bramble was about to be a super shot till it took off and disappeared just as I was about to press the button. The Small Tortoiseshell was the first for a few weeks and was another lucky find as it was static and hidden, I was following a Ringlet when I found it.
I must admit to not having seen a toad this colour before.

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Phil,

From what I can see I'm fairly sure your pair of Ringlets are two males. The 'Ringlet' below is in fact a worn male Meadow Brown.

I hope this helps?

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[philm63]

Mark

Thanks for that, I have amended accordingly. I presume then that the right hand Ringlet is just a well-marked male. Of course the other is a Meadow Brown, amateurish mistake by me, I can only put it down to my advancing years. Live and learn!!!

[philm63]

Sat 21 July

Started in Myrtle Park which held a few butterflies and damselflies plus a nice group of Goosanders and a Kingfisher
The walk down to Cottingley produced little, then got onto the riverside footpath to Dowley Gap. Where the bridge carries the by-pass over the river valley is a slope that gave me my first Small Skippers of the year and a nice second-brood Green-veined White, A bit further on where the path narrows a 100m stretch held around 60 Ringlets including a patch of bramble with 13 Ringlets and a few Meadow Browns. Dowley gap was quiet but did photograph the web that appears here every summer; I do not know what moth caterpillar is responsible
Walked back to Bingley on the canal and did a quick circuit of Bingley Bog North which held a few more Small Skippers and my first Comma for the year. Also photographed what I think are Burnet moths?, have seen quite a few the past couple of weeks

Seen today –
Ringlet c100
Common Blue Damselfly 3
Meadow Brown 12
Banded Demoiselle 7
Small Tortoiseshell 2
Green-veined White 1
Small Skipper 10
Large White 1
Speckled Wood 1 (suprisingly low number)
Peacock 1
Comma 1

[philm63]

Sun 22 July

The weather was sunny virtually all day, but with a stiff breeze at times that whisked away any butterfly higher than the surrounding vegetation, hence for long stretches the butterflies were there but staying deep in the vegetation. This issue subsided with my arrival in Prince of Wales’ Park as the trees created a wind-break and the time here was hot and humid.

Local patch circuit

One of my local Little Owls has succumbed to traffic; I found it at the road-side along Heights Lane. The family about half a mile from the house are extremely photogenic, they use a wall in a field that is close to the road and hence I have lots of shots of them. Usually one but a maximum so far of three can be seen, two other families of Little Owls are within another mile but are seen less frequently. The Lapwings have now all moved down into the valleys and today I saw none but the odd Curlew still lingers. Once again at excatly the same spot I saw a Southern Hawker in the park, and once again this same spot held Red Admirals, photos below. The park held a good number of Speckled Wood, and I found a Large Skipper in the glade, the first I have seen in the park. Ringlet was again the predominate butterfly today even considering the wind restricting sightings.

Seen –

Speckled Wood 10
Meadow Brown 7
Ringlet 35
Small Tortoiseshell 2
Large White 1
Southern Hawker 1
Red Admiral 2
Large Skipper 1 or 2

[philm63]

Sat 28 July

Prince of Wales’ Park and Heights Lane

A day of two halves, the decent weather of the morning was already deteriorating as I set out early afternoon. Once again the periods of sunshine were spoilt by the strong wind and this got worse as the afternoon progressed, the sky clouded over completely and it started to rain.
I cannot get over how few butterflies are around, no whites at all today and a single Small Tortoiseshell. A few browns and a single Small Skipper that was clinging to a thistle head for all it was worth as the thistle blew back and forth in the wind, getting the shot I have posted took some effort.
Unless August brings some decent weather and some more butterflies this year will have been the worst I can remember, Luckily, from the other diaries I have read, not everyone is having it so bad and the year may not be a total loss. In the valley the buddleia are in full bloom and all the verges locally abound in blooming thistles, but no butterflies.
On the other side of the scales the glade in Prince of Wales’ Park was playing host to the Southern Hawker, now 100% identified as an immature male. I took over 30 shots in total some of which are below, really pleased with the results and at this time it was primarily sunny and quite sheltered so an enjoyable time. I ran into the hawker again later in its usual space but it would not land so I left it to its own devices.
A walk around the old barn area on Heights Lane produced no Small Coppers, maybe a bit too early yet here. Did see the caterpillar below which was quite striking, any one putting a name to it would be a great help!! {Informed this is a Cinnabar Moth larva}

Seen today –

Speckled Wood 3
Southern Hawker imm male
Ringlet 12
Meadow Brown 2
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Small Skipper 1

[Nick Broomer]

Looks like the larva of a Cinnabar Moth.
All the best, Nick.

[Neil Freeman]

Yep, Cinnabar Moth Larva, usually found on Ragwort, I have seen loads of these just this afternoon at one of my local spots

Neil F.

[philm63]

Nick, Neil

Thanks for the id, I will remember that one as it is very striking

Phil

[philm63]

Sat 4 Aug

A family affair today as we visited relations in the Wakefield area. Weather was reasonable veering from sunny spells to some heavy showers. Whilst there we had a nice spell and they have a reasonably large butterfly-friendly garden. Spent 10 minutes out there with my brother-in-law and saw 20 fresh whites (mostly Large), a Small Tortoiseshell and a Comma. On the way home we visited a family grave in a Bradford cemetery and once again a reasonable number of fresh whites around.
After finishing the day's activities I managed to get out to stretch my legs around 6.40, still warm but overcast, and decided to do a quick local circuit. Kept to the main paths in Prince of Wales' Park as the vegetation was soaked and a brush against it resulted in soaked clothing. I was hoping to see if the Southern Hawker was gaining his adult blue and yellow colouration but he failed to show where I was. Passing a line of oaks I have had high hopes on, I saw a flash of silver going between two trees at height and managed to get a 15 second view through the binos of my first Purple Hairstreak. I spent another 15 minutes eagerly awaiting a repeat but it was not too be, still I have got my target trees now, when the undergrowth dries off a bit there are a few good vantage points, and if I take my scope, at least one higher point that may give reasonable views of the canopy around that area.
The rest of the trip was a bit of a glow, from my own satisfaction at a first and from the setting sun. Found two roosting Ringlets and a single roosting Meadow Brown. Added to the Sparrowhawk in the park, three Curlews and a Tawny Owl on the final stretch, an enjoyable if short walk.

[philm63]

Sun 5 Aug

A reasonable morning, weather-wise, as I did the weekly shop, including some more local whites and a single Large White passing through the garden. Early afternoon my time to go out coincided nicely with the skies clouding over completely and peels of thunder. Still I went anyway, down Greenhill Lane, along the canal to Bingley Bog North and back through Greenhill Woods. Apart from a few monthly ticks I saw light rain, medium rain and, twice, heavy rain. Did manage to see 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Ringlets and 1 Meadow Brown. The one compensation was the approximate 100 Cinnabar Moth caterpillars I found. Most plants (type not known) had one, some smallish groups; all were smaller than the one I saw just over a week ago.

[Wurzel]

That is an absolutely cracking shot of the Small Tortoiseshell Phil, the background really compliments it

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[philm63]

Wurzel
Thank you for the very kind comment.
It is on the wooden screen that hides the by-pass in this part of the area. When I got back to the path after taking the shot I looked like I had been paddling as my boots and pant bottoms were soaked from the grass. As it happens the Small Tortoiseshell moved soon after and landed on the wall right next to the path where I got a few more shots (one below) but I didn't post them. I have been following other diaries such as yours, Pauline's, Sussx Kipper's, nfreem's etc and I must admit I am getting a bit self-conscious about posting images now, not that I am unhappy with my efforts, especially as I am using a compact camera; more I am becoming aware of the limited spread of species to hand here and worry about boring people to death with shots of Ringlets and Speckled Woods

[Pauline]

Phil, your diary is definitely NOT boring (otherwise I wouldn't keep reading it ) and please keep posting the photos. I particularly like that last Small Tort as I haven't seen one for about 2 years now. It is a really good shot, sharp and shows the colours splendidly.

[Neil Hulme]

I agree with Pauline. It's a case of 'horses for courses' and despite living in one of the best parts of the UK (for butterflies) I'm always interested in reading what others are seeing on their own patch. Ringlets and Speckled Woods ... love 'em.
Neil

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Phil,

I totally agree with the comments above, carry on posting.
I live in the West Midlands and there is only a limited number of species around me locally, I have to travel a bit to see some of the rarer ones. You will see in my diary that two of my favourites are Green-veined White and Speckled Wood and I will always post these, especially when I see them in my garden

Seconded on the photo of the Small Tortoiseshell on the fence, the pattern of the wood really sets it off nicely. I also am not seeing many of these this year.

Oh, and by the way, the plant the Cinnabar larvae are on with the yellow flowers is their normal foodplant, Ragwort.

All the best,

Neil F.

[philm63]

Pauline, Neil, Neil F
I thank you all for the kind words of encouragement.
I think the weather this year is getting to me, every time I manage to get the time to go out it seems to cloud over or rain, and this is not a rich area at the best of times, but I still love it. Alas though, summer appears to be slipping away without really arriving; hoping there will be something worth seeing when I have my hols later in the month.
On top of that my trusty old Fuji is starting to play up, I think after 5 years of loyal service it is starting to suffer a terminal illness; have been using the new Nikon a lot more trying to master the differences. I have to take the shots on a much lower zoom and then crop up but as it is 12 mp compared to 5 mp it doesn’t suffer too much; have only posted one from it so far the last of the Southern Hawker shots.
I heard again today from Bradford Envoronmental Action Trust and it seems good news is coming. The company I work for owns a reasonably sized piece of woodland next to the main site which is a relict of the old forest that covered this part of the world. The company acts in association with the BEAT to make the area accessible to local schools and so on for environmental studies, but to all intents and purposes it is closed to the public and there are no paths or trails within. From our canteen area there is a outside boardwalk that looks into the wood and I always fancied a trip around. To cut a long story short I volunteered to do a regular survey and make the logs available; and also to produce some illustrated information boards for my company and the trust to use. In return I would get access maybe twice a month to what would be almost a private domain. Today I heard it looks like a done deal, and I will get a definite yes/no on Thursday – fingers crossed.

Neil F / Pauline

I thought it might be Ragwort but wasn’t sure, I noticed you had mentioned that plant after my other post, and so many were on it, it must have been a primary foodplant. I usually have about a dozen Small Tortoiseshells on a day out around this time through to Sept / Oct but the odd one seems about it at the moment; and I have only seen two worn and faded Peacocks over the last month or so and they are reasonably a gauranteed sighting for me in summer. Strange that you see so many fantastic butterflies but struggle for a species I have no trouble with finding usually. Small Copper are worrying me at the moment since the one in May I have seen none in their usual haunts, hopefully there is still time. The prime site locally went under the dozers in spring, and trucks are ripping up the next best site as they prepare to start converting the old barn site for conversion to housing. Hopefully it will be after the season finishes before the site is ruined forever. Now if only Comma was a bit more regular!!

[Wurzel]

Keep trying for the Small Coppers Phil. I was pretty worried too but since doing a post about them I've found them at four different sites so the second brood will be on their way to you soon!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[philm63]

What actually is the standard look of a Speckled Wood upperwing in the area of the spot?
I have four field guides (two excellent ones) and none seem to totally agree, and three were done by the same individual.
Looking through my photos I tend to see three main varieties -
1. The spot completely surrounded by a large patch
2. Patches above and below with a distinct area also to the outside edge of the spot, almost a crescent
3. Distinct patches above and below with the spot almost sitting on the main wing colour as opposed to being within a patch
No doubt some of this is down to sexual variation with the females having larger and brighter patches, is it also just a very variable feature on this species
I have tried to illustrate some of the variation I mention below

[philm63]

Looking back – Regrets, I’ve had a few - The whites

As previously mentioned I got into birding proper during my latter years in the army, and on return to the UK I jumped into it in a bigger way. In 1987 I was part of the group that started the Bradford Ornithological Group, and I was recorder for its first two years. Then in the early 90’s I started feelijng the pressures of work, I usually worked Saturdays also and it was family matters on Sundays, I found myself going out less and less, then around September 1994 I went on an RSPB cruise off Flamborough Head with a friend, excellent day out; but it was to be my last. For some reason I just packed away my binos and scope, sold my book collection and gave it all up. I would still look at birds as I went about my daily life but not in the same way. The final bit came during one of our house moves, when I dumped all my yearly logs and my entire collection of photos. In 2007 I sensibly realised what I was missing and started out again, kicking myself for all the memories I had dumped along the way. Funnily enough in the earlier active years I had no transport of my own, and I bussed all over the place in West Yorkshire, then walked miles just to get to places like Fairburn, Lindley Woods Reservoir and Timble Ings, I would even take a train to visit the coast for the day at Filey or Scarborough. I now have my own transport and invariably I do all my outings locally and hardly travel at all.
As my interest widened to butterflies I started visiting a number of sites on the web, one thing that became apparent from the photos I viewed from around Europe and beyond were the number of butterflies photographed “puddling”, it is not something I notice locally and I am not sure if it occurs elsewhere in the UK in a big way even though I do see the occasional photo. Then looking back through my images I noticed one I had taken in 2009 above Ravenroyd where I had seen 3 Green-veined Whites on the ground at a field edge. These appear to be taking either moisture or minerals, one of the images is shown below, so maybe it occurs more often than I believe. The whites to me are a frustrating group, common enough (except this year), seen all over and pretty obvious; but I cannot seem to get many good photos; except perhaps for Green-veined White. Invariably they will not settle, and when they do the images taken always seem to be poor, I have least images on file for these and they are among my most frequently encountered butterflies. I had hoped to put this right during this year’s season, but the weather continues to frustrate my efforts, so will have to wait and see what the time left brings.