Eaves Wood, Silverdale.

 Another megahot day yet again, although more humid. 28C. We decided to visit Eaves Wood, partly because there would be shade, but also, because it had been recommended as a good site for butterflies. Both correct; the mistake we made

Dryads Saddle

Speckled Wood

Comma

Comma

Common darter, female.

Common darter, female

Small Skipper

Small Skipper

Dark-green fritillary

Silver-washed fritillary

Silver-washed fritillary

Silver-washed fritillary

Silver-washed fritillary

was to follow the route in the Silverdales Walks guide, which, although exploring more of the wood took us along some of its less picturesque paths where a machette would have been useful. We eventually found the famous 'Pepperpot' and enjoyed the expansive views over Morecambe Bay. The route down (the proper one) was a delight and we found dark-green and silver-washed fritillaries and a comma, with plenty of large, small and green-veined whites.

The Pepperpot

As we were so close it would have been rude not to include a second visit to the Albion and then home for another BBQ.

Jack Scout and Arnside Knott

 Cheated by the weather today. The forecast predicted a warm and sunny afternoon. It was wrong.

We began the day with a visit to Silverdale and a walk along Jack Scout, a cliff top area of calcareous grassland important for its plant diversity. It also has a small area of limestone pavement. It was beautiful with views across Morecambe Bay to Morcambe one way and Grange-over-Sands the other. The flowers, set against white limestone outcrops were spectacular: wild thyme, rockrose, centaury, harebell, mallow and spiked speedwell.

Jack Scout

Looking towards Grange-over-Sands

Limestone rock garden

Limestone rock garden

Spike speedwell

Harebell

Lichen

Small skipper

Small skipper

Rockrose and thyme

Once we had negotiated all of the confusing road closure signs, I dropped Heather off in Arnside and went butterflying on The Knott. It was very quiet with not a lot about. It was warm but overcast so perhaps that was the reason. I did get grayling, ringlet, meadow brown and dark green fritillary and even a very worn humming bird hawkmoth that crash landed onto the scree. 

After an hour or two ( and sans ticks, thankfully) it was time to retreat to Arnside and The Albion for the ritual pint overlooking the Kent Estuary before heading home for a BBQ.

Dark green fritillary

Meadow Cranesbill

Ringlet

Very worn humming bird hawkmoth

Grayling

Ringlet

Lake District, May, Day 7

A splendid morning greeted us for our last day, although it was to become very humid and finish with a storm again later.  Tired after our recent days of exertion, we had a lazy morning and lunch at the van before heading off to Silverdale, yet again, and a very pleasant walk along the beach that Heather had discovered with Linda the day before.  We then continued on to Warton Crags that we had been told about as a good site for butterflies.  The old quarry was impressive with vertiginous limestone walls, alive with the sociable calls of jackdaws.  I also heard ravens cronking but couldn't see them; apparently they breed here.  In the short time at our disposal I wandered up the path to the top of the quarry.  Although only here for a short time, there were quite a few butterflies about.  Sadly pearly bordered fritillaries were not in evidence but I did see orange tip, brimstone, red admiral, dingy skipper and common blue.  Early purple orchids were growing well and I was pleased to see plenty of birds foot trefoil and some rockrose.  This site certainly calls for more exploration.  A quick call in to the hide at Condor Green on the way to Thomas's for a last fish and chips before he moves to Sheffield, rewarded me with avocet with chicks and common terns already on nests.  Both canada geese and greylags had large goslings.  By now it was grey and beginning to rain.  When we got back to the site there had been a drenching storm but we were rewarded with a sudden and brief stunning sunset painting the lowering storm clouds a vivid orange.  An excellent final day.  Tomorrow is all about packing and getting off, never a favourite occupation, although we only have to drive to Blackpool to stay with friends for a couple of nights. 

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Silverdale, Post Office Lots behind the cottages

Thrift or sea pink, Silverdale

Brimstone

Rockrose

Sunset Ashes Lane

Sunset Ashes Lane

Lake District, May, Day 6

The weather forecast was correct this morning, we awoke to grey skies and rain.  It was to be hoped that it would continue to be correct and clear up later.  We drove to the Eric Morecambe car park at Leighton Moss through continuing rain to meet up with my brother and his wife.  While Peter and I headed for the hides Heather and Linda set out to walk across the marsh to Silverdale.  We began in the Tim Allen Hide before moving on to the Eric Morecambe Hide.  Things could hardly be described as quiet but the number of species present was low.  The number of birds was high, though, as the 1000+ black-headed gulls were busy with nesting and the noise from the colony was deafeningly raucous.  Most were sitting on eggs but some had young chicks.  Avocet were nesting amongst them and were gamely sitting on eggs.  Sadly when the chicks hatch they make a handy snack for the adult gulls.  We were delighted to find a lone mediterranean gull among the black-headed.  What a handsome bird it was with its black head coming down the neck rather than the chocolate brown cap of the black-headed.  It had a startling white eye ring and a heavier more crimson coloured bill.  We were surprised to meet Heather and Linda when we returned to the Tim Allen Hide; their walk to Silverdale was thwarted by the high tide.  They were drenched from the rain, though.  Sheltering in the hide, we had lunch and drove round to Silverdale to walk to the Lots to see the green-winged orchids.  We then walked down to Jenny Brown's Point checking out Jack Scout for more orchids on the way.  By now the clouds had cleared and temperatures soared to 18C becoming very humid in the process.  Returning to the cars we drove back down to the main reserve for a final bit of bird watching, amused by the potted ladies slipper in the garden.  We enjoyed excellent views of marsh harrier and were amused by the great black-backed gull that seems to have taken up residence on the platform recently constructed for osprey..  A rumble of thunder heralded threatening clouds and the beginning of the promised storm.  We made a tactical withdrawal managing not to get too wet and then headed for the excellent Strickland Arms for our evening meal.  A great end to a smashing day.

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Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Ladies Slipper Orchid

Ladies Slipper Orchid

Ladies Slipper Orchid

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Lake District, May, Day 2

Barely light, I lay in bed listening to blackbirds singing to each other around the site.  The liquid, bubbling notes of the nearest came the tree near the van.  This early, the many rabbits on the site were out feeding and were confiding.  It was cold out, though, with a chill wind, grey skies and 'spitting in the wind'!  Hopefully the day will improve.  Plans are to check out the green-winged orchids at Silverdale, lunch at Leighton Moss so we could buy some bird seed for the bird table.  Lastly we needed to go to Kendal for some essential shopping.

In the event the weather was so cold and gloomy that we decided to be lazy, have lunch and then go out.  In the fullness of time, full winter gear donned, we pulled up outside the new post office in the centre of Silverdale, gathered together camera and drawing equipment and set out.  We walked down the slope, past the old post office and through the narrow gate stile into Post Office Lots.  The first meadow was being grazed by cattle so contained no orchids.  Squeezing through another gate stile set in the limestone wall we were immediately among orchids.  The first swarm comprised mainly green-winged with some early purples well past their best, but it was blowing a hooley which made photography difficult.  Further down the field we could see another couple, also intent on orchids, disappear into a hollow so we decided to investigate.  Here were more orchids, this time all green-winged. Despite being cold and windy it was surprisingly bright so low ISO and high shutter speed were no problem.  This orchid, rare in the UK, is very similar to the more common early purple, the main difference being the lateral sepals (wings) marked with parallel greenish brown wings.  The leaves also have no purple blotches unlike the majority of early purple.  To find these beautiful flowers numbering in their hundreds, was a delight and so, job done, it was time to move.  Having had lunch at 'the unit' we just called in at Leighton Moss for bird seed and then called in at Booths in Milnthorpe rather than go into Kendal before retreating to the warmth of the van.  As the evening progressed the weather became increasingly gloomy until it was very definitely raining.  Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

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