Lake District, August 2019. Day 4 and 5

We enjoyed a lazy start both days as the plan was to bask in the atmosphere of Stavely Folk Festival.  It was warm and sunny all Saturday.  Although it continued warm  Sunday was cloudy.  We walked over to Stavely on both days and enjoyed great bands and beer, particularly enjoying the  Mather Robinson Band and Accoustic blues at Elec.

Lake District, August 2019. Day 3

A good forecast again today so, after our usual lazy start, we set off for Arnside.  The plan was for Heather to wander down the estuary and draw I while went up the Knott looking for butterflies.  The sun came out and there were hundreds of butterflies on the wing:
Speckled wood
Grayling
Gatekeeper
Meadow brown
Scotch Argus
Ringlet
Painted Lady
Mother Shipton's moth.
Gatekeepers were the most numerous with numbers in three figures.  It was good to finally capture images of grayling I am pleased with.  Usually they settle on the limestone gravel and immediately drop their fore wings behind the back ones and totally fold up.  Today they were nectaring on Heather and allowed good opportunities.  The influx of painted ladies has arrived and there were good numbers, particularly on knapweed.  I was delighted, too, to see and make images of Scotch argus for the first time.
In the evening we walked across to Stavely for the folk festival to go to an excellent concert.

Lake District, August 2019. Day 1 and 2

After the recent horrendous weather and flooding in Swaledale we were somewhat anxious about the journey today as we were travelling up the A1 and A66 close to Leyburn and Grinton.  Our trepidation wasn't helped by the heavy rain as we were packing.  Our climate now is one of extremes brought about by climate change.  As it happened to travelling went well and the weather improved as we went.  The only hiccup was traffic chaos in Kendal, Victoria Bridge being closed.  It had been damaged in Storm Desmond and weakened further during yesterday's deluge.  A month's rain had fallen in four hours.
Once at the site we were soon set up and enjoying a cup of tea.  A walk out to The Tree was obligatory.
On our second day we pottered around the site in the sun and busied ourselves washing the caravan.  In the evening we met friends Anna and Gordon for a lovely meal and catchup.

Painted Ladies in Butterfly Conservation Count on the Horsefield

It had been a warm and sunny morning and I had completed a Butterfly Conservation count in the garden in the morning.  As the weather seemed set fair I decided to do one in the Horsefield and hoped for some painted ladies.  Typically, as I reached my count area, the sun went in.  Fortunately it came out again on and off until it finally gave up the fight with the cloud.  Despite this there were large numbers of butterflies on the wing including 3 painted ladies and I found 4 more on a buddleia with several peacocks by the crematorium on my way back.  We are lucky this year as there is a large influx of these migratory insects.

Garden Count:
Large White 4
Gatekeeper 2
Peacock 1
Holly Blue 2
Small Skipper 1

Horsefield Count:
Large White 13
Tortoiseshel 1
Gatekeeper (including a mating pair) 15
Ringlet 7
Green Veined White  1
Small Skipper 6
Meadow Brown 8
Small Copper 1
Painted Lady 3
Comma 1
Mother Shipton's Moth 2

As I spent some of the time doing the count I did not photograph as many as I would normally have done.

Large White

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Peacock

Peacock

Small Skipper

Butterflies in the Garden Just Get Better this Year.

Butterflies in the garden just get better this year.  Another gatekeeper and a holly blue today.  I'm still waiting for the painted ladies to arrive.  Although it is a wonderful year for butterflies, as was last year, we should remember that this is the effect of climate change.  Many butterflies seem to be winners, but there will be losers too.

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper

Holly Blue

Holly Blue

Holly Blue

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper