Finally a Good Butterfly Day.

 We have enjoyed warm sunny weather now for a couple of weeks and at last I have managed to get a walk around the cemetery, woodland burial ground and the adjacent Horsefield or Gooseman's Field just a 5 minute walk from our suburban cul de sac. I was delighted to find good numbers of butterflies on the wing with 12 species in total. The best find was an essex skipper, very difficult to differentiate from the much more common small skipper, the best identifying difference being the tips of the antennae. In the essex they are all black and appear to have been dipped in black ink whereas the small has back/orange tips. This is very difficult to see except in a photograph so a problem when one the wing.

Comma

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper

Green-veined White

Meadow Brown

Peacock

Essex Skipper

Small Skipper

Small Skipper

Small Tortoiseshell

Speckled Wood

Speckled Wood

At Last Some Sun and Warmth Encourages the Insects.

 With the advent of some warm sunny weather at last, butterflies have started to appear, albeit in small numbers. I have begun to see butterflies in the garden now with Large and small whites appearing along with green-veined white, red admiral, peacock, speckled wood and holly blue. In the cemetery I have seen 1 large and 2 small white, 4 speckled woods and 3 gatekeepers. It's nice to be seeing them but worrying that early there were virtually none and now only small numbers. This is partly due to habitat and larval food plant loss and this year, particularly, climate change which has brought a very wet winter and spring with the weather only recently beginning to improve.

Gatekeeper, cemetery.

Gatekeeper, cemetery.

A Brief Visit to Winter's Pit, East Halton. (TA 15403 21212) and Killingholme Haven Pits (TA 16478 19906)

 Although it felt cool when we set out at Winter's it was surprisingly warm at 20C with very little wind. Viewing from the car park we could see quite a few black-tailed godwit on the adjacent grass field, most in superb summer plumage. They were with greylag and canada geese. On the water were mallared, mainly in eclipse plumage, with some gadwall, pochard and tufted duck. It was good to see a good number on little grebe and the large number of mute swan. A little egret was hunting on the far shore and there were 3 more on the marsh. Walking along the side of the pit we had excellent views of marsh harrier and when we reached to sea wall there were many more black-tailed godwit feeding on the tide line. Altogether we saw 33 species; pleasing for only an hour.

We decided to visit the hide at Killingholme Haven Pits as they are often productive. Today there was a very large (c500) flock of black-tailed godwit, again mainly in summer plumage. Through the scope I found on that was colour ringed. Only the right leg was clearly visible but it was yellow, red,yellow. A glimpse of the left leg revealed a yellow ring but no more were seen. It is probably part of the same project as the colour ringed bird I saw off Novartis Ings in February and ringed on the wash. As we were watching the godwit a movement in the corner of my eye mad me turn my head to see a female roe deer with two beautifully marked youngsters feeding right up to the hide. It was good to see both avocet and shelduck with large young, perhaps the had bred on the pits.

Curlew, Humber Bank

Curlew, Humber Bank

Lake District, June/July. Day 14

After a day starting to pack ready for leaving on Monday and sheltering from the occasional shower, the sky cleared and turned into a beautiful late afternoon. We took this opportunity to walk through the woods surrounding the site, someting we always try to do at least once each visit. In the spring bluebells carpet the woodland floor and during autumn it is always a good location for fungi. Today, though, the wood was in high summer raiment, the trees fully clothed with still fresh leaves providing dappled shade with patches of sunlight finding a way through. Returning down Ashes Lane the vies over Stevely and up to the head of Kentmere were spectacular. Our trip concluded with a meal in the Whistling Pig; fish and chips for me which was excellent.

 

Lake District, June/July. Day 13

 The river sparkled on this fine morning as we wandered down into the valley through fields purple with ripe meadow grasses. The plan was to walk along the River Kent from Staveley to the bridge replacing one that had been washed away in Storm Desmond and then return on the other side, first through beautiful Beckmickle Ing wood, owned by the Woodland Trust, and then through flat meadows back into Staveley. Normally we see few people along this stretch but today we met several groups many completing the Dales Way. On a flat stretch of the river we came across the female goosander that regularly frequents this stretch and later a couple of grey wagtails. As we sat and ate our lunch we were lucky enough to get two kingfisher sightings, presumably the same bird as it flew past, a streak of turquoise, first bound for Kendal and shortly after zipping back upriver towards Staveley.

Strangely the path path arrived back in Staveley at the Brewery Yard; it would have been rude not to stop for some refreshment. Rehydrated, we wandered back through the village  to the car and thence back to the site.

Common Valerian

Lake District, June/July. Day 12

A morning of election news and then an afternoon of domestication and BBQ in the evening.

Lake District, June/July. Day 11

Election Day and M'Lady's birthday. Heather had chosen to visit a garden and then the Langdale Chase Hotel for a late lunch. We had found a garden just above Windermere that we had not visited before: Holehird Gardens. We were amazed that we had not been here before as it the HQ of The Lakes Horticultural Society. Set on the hillside above Windermere it has fabulous views across the lake to the Langdales, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags and the Coniston fells. The weather was very showery with heavy squalls blowing through but once passed the views and light were spectacular. The gardens were excellent and hold the national astilbe collection and these were in their prime and looking magnificent.

At the appointed hour we drove down to the Langdale Chase. It has recently had a major refurbishment but it has been very well done. Lunch was splendid; we had a table in the lounge looking out over the lake to the Langdale hills. It was busy on the lake with larger ferries plying their trade and smaller boats buzzing busily around. There was a constant change of light and shade on the fells that was a joy to watch.

Back to base now to wait for election news and the exit polls.