Mike's Nature Diary

Beach Walk 1st Oct

2007-10-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

The Sea Holly is withering where it grew...

...the Viper's Bugloss has been reduced to a pale skeleton...

...flowers & hips can be found together...

...it must be Autumn!!!

More Spider Stuff...

2007-09-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever seen a bigger Garden Spider than this one which was in the greenhouse this afternoon!

It was very active - shinning down a silken thread and up again in the blink of an eye!

This raggedy Speckled Wood was also sheltering/trapped in the greenhouse.

A Spider

2007-09-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

There have been an awful lot of these small spiders in the garden lately, notably on the catmint.THey hang upside down so could be a little tricky to identify. Much smaller than the Garden Spider.

Shield Bug

2007-09-03T04:06:00.000-07:00

I saw this on my top box as I set out to walk to Squires Gate in preparaton for the lads walk on Saturday (shudder...) The nearest I have come to identifying it so far is Hawthorn Shield Bug but this doesn't have such extensive darker areas on the wings & abdomen as that seems to. Update later...

Sour Grapes?

2007-09-01T03:30:00.000-07:00

This caterpillar took no notice at all of the grapes Ivan gave me from his vine in the soon-to-be-mine greenhouse. It just carried straight on in the direction of my brassicas! (It didn't make it...)

Caravan (1)

2007-08-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

This yellow boulder was lying amongst the Limestone pebbles on the beach at Far Arnside.

A closer look reveals a fascinating landscape of minute perfections! I know very little about lichens so this rock will provide me with a good starting point.

There look to me to be two types (species?) here but what do I know? Will report back later.

Caravan (2)

2007-08-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

These two lichen were on limestone bedrock nearby. This one has a distinct ring around it. Perhaps it is different to those posted above?

And this is a pale grey like discarded spearmint chewing gum.

Caravan (3)

2007-08-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

This remaining fragment of vegetation shows the layered structure of the disappearing shore very clearly.

Caravan (4)

2007-08-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

I don't know what this is but it is small, beautiful, perfectly formed and abundant above the tid line at the moment.

Reciprocity

2007-08-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Tom likes dragonflies - dagonflies like Tom...

More from Norfolk...

2007-08-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

The whole area was fringed with unspoilt beaches such as this one at Horsey Gap. Grey Seals were often in evidence a few metres out.

This is Great Ormesby Broad taken from the Eel's Foot Hotel the evening before Lisa and my fruitess day's pike fishing. (Well fruitless in terms of catching pike but we did see dragonflies, warblers, a kingfisher and a juvenile Great Crested Grebe fishing close to the boat... fruitless did I say? Sue in the other boat also saw a Marsh harrier)

This adult Grebe was near the excellent visitor centre on Ranworth Broad.

Dragonflies!

2007-08-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

There were dragonflies everywhere we went in Norfolk. This picture is of a kneeler in Ranworth Church, the 'Cathedral of the Broads' and indicates local pride in the Norfolk Hawker dragonfly. We did see 2 Norfolk Hawkers on Horsey Mere (identified by local guide 'Ross' from his boat) a few weeks after they should have finished for the year. I was hoping to see this species but wasn't very optimistic.

That other great Norfolk speciality, the Swallowtail Butterfly, had last been seen by Ross two weeks before our trip. He did however point out the Milk Parsley which is the sole food of the Swallowtail larvae.

This is a Black-Tailed Skimmer just outside the visitor centre at Ranworth Broad. This is well worth a visit for a very clear illustration of the local habitats, and how managed broads decline to Alder carr (with Alder and Willow sinking under their own weight as they grow in muddy water.) We also saw Black-Tailed Skimmers from our (rented) rowing boat on Great Ormesby Broad.

I will have to look this one up but I assume it is a female Common or Ruddy Darter.

This one is a Migrant hawker hanging from a slender branch on a sunny afternoon. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you can see the diagnostic golf-tee shaped mark on the second segment after the thorax.

The full list of dragonflies and damselflies for the holiday was:

*Norfolk Hawker
*Brown Hawker
*Migrant hawker
*Southern Hawker
*Emperor Dragonfly

*Common Darter
*Ruddy Darter

*Black-Tailed Skimmer

*Common Blue Damselfly
*Azure Damselfly
*Blue-Tailed Damselfly
*Red-Eyed Damselfly

*Banded Damoiselle

I have to admit I didn't distinguish between Common and Azure Damselflies in the field but had it on good information that both were present and saw a lot of blue damselflies!

At How Hill we were told of a stretch of bank for Small Red-Eyed Damselfly but sadly didn't have time to investigate.

We're Back!!!

2007-08-14T03:24:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful Norfolk holiday free from the internet we are back and buzzing with tales of ...er...dragonflies mainly. GMTV had a special report on mosquitos in Norfolk the day before we arrived but they left us well alone I'm pleased to report.

I will try and fill in the holiday Nature Diary over the next few days but this female Common Darter (???) seen in Horsey Churchyard will have to do to be going on with.

I was thrilled by the sheer number and variety of dragonflies in Norfolk. I am reasonably confident that we identified 11 different species during our 10 day stay. Oh and Marsh Harriers, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker galore.....

Fairhaven Lake I

2007-07-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

I went to Fairhaven lake last week to see if I could find a Puss Moth caterpillar on the Poplars. I couldn't, but I think I saw (bit feeble I know but when I looked a second time it had gone) a Poplar Hawk Moth caterpillar.

There were loads of these bright orange eggs on the Poplar leaves. Shouldn't be too hard to identify!

As I was going across the Moss Road yesterday a predominantly blue hawker flew up to the windscreen I also saw one Corn Bunting and a small mouse like creature. The other evening there was a horde of Rooks feeding on the field. I am intending to watch them some time to see where they roost.

Fairhaven Lake II

2007-07-24T02:38:00.000-07:00

No Puss Moth caterpillars but this Soldier Beetle Cantharis pellucida

Spider Update

2007-07-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

This shows the pattern on the spider's back a bit better (see below). I am hoping this will aid identification.

Spider Update etc

2007-07-23T04:27:00.000-07:00

This spider was after the tiny caterpillers abseiling from the crab-apple tree in the front garden. It has a broken cross pattern across the abdomen.

I noticed some grasshoppers (or crickets - update to follow) in the rough patch of grass the other side of the road by the garage where we keep the cars occasionally. I am not sure if these two specimens are of the same species or not. The top one seems to have more prominant pale-edged folds on the shoulders and the eyes look to be a different colour and angle. Update: This is a Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus.

Red Lily Beetle (Doh)

2007-07-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

This Red Lily Beetle Lilioceris lilii was doing what it does best on our lilies yeaterday morning during a brief respite from the torrential rain we have been 'enjoying' recently. Lily beetles 'squeek' when distressed. If you are a very sad person or simply very fond of lilies you can hear a lily beetle squeek here. There is more interesting info about them here. For an interesting description of research into Lily Beetle control have a look here.

Mould 'Experiment'

2007-07-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

Lisa's 'experiment' with mould on her drink finally came to an end yesterday when I poured it down the sink (except for the crust which was solid and had to be taken out and chucked in the bin - lovely.)

I'm sure you will agree the experiment was a great success. I think she was really testing how long she could get away with it before I got rid of it.

I don't think it will be easy to identify the mould. Maybe we might have evolved a new life form given a little bit longer - we'll never know.

It was surprisingly solid by the end. Lisa had been upturning it with a spoon every day or so.

A Moth & a Spider

2007-07-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

This moth appeared on the outside of the front room window just as I was about to clean the inside (as you can see it needed it). Its wingspan was around the diameter of a 5 pence piece. Update: This is a Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyl sometimes known as the Twenty-Plumed Moth. It feeds mainly on Honeysuckle flowers.

This tiny spider crawled accross the sill a few moments later.

Ansdell Station 11.7.07

2007-07-13T06:06:00.000-07:00

This Cinnabar Moth caterpillar was feeding on Ragwort as is its wont as we set off for Manchester on Wednesday.

The station has some great habitat. This is just a small scruffy part of it. There is some really interesting Cinnabar info here.

Froghopper?

2007-07-08T15:35:00.000-07:00

This creature looking very like some sort of froghopper was lurking amongst the daisies this morning.

Compost Bin Visitors

2007-07-08T04:35:00.000-07:00

These three characters were crawling around our compost bin this morning.

I'm pretty sure this is a fruit fly, Drosophila.

And this looks like a baby Rose Aphid. I promise there will be something here apart from creepie-crawlies soon (probably).

Fly

2007-07-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

This fly (not a house fly I don't think) and many others like it flocked to the compost material from the kitchen I left on the table outside the back door...

...and this is what attracted it - mould on a banana. There's no accounting for taste!

2 bugs to identify...

2007-07-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

Hoverfly aerobics...

2007-07-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

This hoverfly had a jolly good workout on the convolvulus this morning!

Testing, testing....

2007-07-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

I had a look at a guide to close-up photography a couple of days ago and decided to do some test shots in the garden this morning, adapting the info to make it easier to start with. I actually really like hand-holding in available light but results are really hit and miss and virtually never really sharp (see pics below). Anyway this shot was my first fly using this technique and i was gobsmacked - it worked!!! (This shot is full frame - the others on this page have mostly been cropped.

This fly dusted itself with pollen on a campanula before alighting on this red flower.

This and the shot below are of the same very obliging hoverfly who didn't seem to be at all bothered by my close approach!

So I don't forget I used the flash on Auto hand held in the other hand to the hand held camera. I set the lens to the approx extension I wanted and then swayed in and out to get the focus. The flash was set to F11 and the camera to F22 to start with and I altered things as I went along depending on how the exposure looked on the preview. I tried to regulate the flash to subject distance in relation to the lens by resting the flash against the camera plate. (Or I just altered the distance and direction as and when.) The good news it it seems to work ok, but it is very fiddly and is by no stretch of the imagination a standardised and reliable system. Will try to get that sorted soon...(but don't hold your breath as it's not playing to my strengths, really!)

Testing II

2007-07-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

Two flies and a bee to identify...

2 Bugs

2007-07-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

The creature on the Borage the other day was in all probability a Common Green Capsid. This one is resting at the top of a furry Verbascum.

Aphid?

Testing IV

2007-07-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

Public enemy no 1....

Garden Insects 1st July '07

2007-07-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Will post on these & hopefully identify them asap. Today was overcast & windy in the garden with the occasional ray of sunshine. It has been torrential lately at times. Far too wet to do anything worthwhile at the allotment!

Borage & a Bug 1st July '07

2007-07-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

Caught this after a rain shower this afternoon whilst Lisa was doing her guitar exam.

Earlier before we went out I noticed this bug of some kind on the Borage. I wonder if it is a shield bug of some sort or a Longhorn beetle. The opercula don't seem to fully cover the wings, which may help with identification.

White Rabbits (1st July 2007)

2007-07-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

As it is so wet and I haven't been out much lately I thought I'd post this print which is on our back room wall. I got it from a second hand bookshop for a couple of quid years ago and it gives me pleasure every time I look at it. We haven't seen Burnets lately but there have been one or two Cinnabar Moths at Fairhaven Dunes and Bank Lane (this one on clover). We did have a beach walk in the wind aon Friday, but I mainly photographed the dogs!

Bank Lane Wander 26 June 2007

2007-06-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

'Popped in' to Bank Lane for a quick look on the way to the allotment this afternoon and didn't make it to the allotment. Looking back toward Lytham from the parking space you can see Lytham Windmill from a rather different angle to usual.

This is the view straight out from the parking space. I have seen Hen Harriers and Short Eared Owls here in the past.

Another view of the Bank Lane habitat. Basically scrubby salt marsh.

I walked down this path to acess the grassy banks which border the farmland and the marshland. There is an ancient orchard on the left past the remaining fragment of brick wall.

Flies & a Wasp?

2007-06-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

This hoverfly appears to be very common. I was looking at a Hoverfly book on Ebay today and I think I saw this one on the example page. Will go and have another look. Update: from looking on Google for hoverfly pics I think this is Eristalis lineata. Seems clear that it is named after the series of lines accross the abdomen. The eyes should be 'without a conspicuous pattern of dark spots'. I will look for things on Google and then try to confirm from other sources.

Will look this one up as well in the fulness of time. Update: It now seems this updating might become a continuous process. In my innocence I thought a clear picture of the backmarkings would be enough...oh dear, oh dear... in my copy of Hoverflies, Gilbert & Falk, Cambridge University Press, 1986, this looks to be Helophilus pendulus. However, other members of the species Helophilus lack the black facial stripe and are yellow on only the basal third of the hind tibiea rather than two thirds as in pendulus. So it looks like I need to get a mug shot as well!

This looks like some sort of wasp. Very striking and it was hassling the bees from their blossoms. Update: this seems to be a Mason wasp. More info. to follow. Update 2: Is definately of the Ancistrocerus tribe and the most widespread of these is trifasciatus but the pics I've seen so far of this don't look quite right. I'll have a look at some others. (could also be parietinus).

This looks to me like a hoverfly masquerading as some sort of bee. That looks like a 'proper' bee making a sharp exit to the bottom left of the picture. Update: Am pretty confident this is a drone fly Eristalsis tenax, larvae of which are the so-called 'rat tailed maggots'. Update 2: However this specimen could be Eristalsis pertinax which does'nt have eye stripes or a feathery arista (spike growing from the antennae - ref for myself).

Assorted Insects

2007-06-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

I saw a butterfly today for the first time in ages - a meadow Brown flitting around the brambles at the edge of the path.

I am assuming this is a Buff-Tailed Bumble Bee until I learn otherwise.... Update:OK now I've learnt otherwise...don't know what it is yet, though....

....and I was intrigued by this dear little (or rather disgusting depending on your point of view) black fly. I wonder if I will ever be able to identify it.

Greater Plantain

2007-06-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

This Greater Plantain was growing out of the stony/muddy path.

According to Collins The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe Fitter etc 1974 the anthers are pale purple to begin with and then yellowish brown.

Blue Tit Behaviour

2007-06-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

I saw this Blue Tit on the front garden feeder on Sunday clearly holding a sunflower seed between both its feet to keep it steady for pecking. I don't know why this surprised me but it did. I wonder if they always do it like this.
I like to keep an eye open for regional and archaic bird names. There is a wonderful book called British Nesting Birds by W. Percival Westall, Dent & Sons, 1922 which gives a variety of 'local names' for each bird. Some names commonly in use then are now archaic themselves. Robin, for instance, is listed as a 'local name' for Redbreast.
Anyway my point is that in our household the favourite name for the Blue Tit is 'Billy Biter'.

Beach Walk Update 22.6.2007 V

2007-06-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that a very striking feature of the beach walk Sue & I did on Friday Evening was a green ribbon of what appeared to be newly-colonised embryonic dune. We have just looked it up and it wasn't Good King Henry as I speculated at the time but Common Orache (Atriplex patula) which Sue suggested when we got home (curses - Ed.).

There is an strip of shingle to either side of the Orache. As you can see below it is growing directly out of the shingle.

The leaves were triangular to lanceolate with two basal lobes pointing downward (The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe: Fitter, Fitter & Blamey, Collins 1974).

Burdock Conundrum

2007-06-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

This Burdock was growing near the footbridge by no 25. I think it is probably 'Greater' as the flowers seem globular not ovate as in the 'Lesser' variety. I will have to break a leaf off to see if it has a solid basal stalk. Those of the Lesser Burdock are hollow. Update: Having snapped off a basal leaf I am reasonably confident it could be described as hollow and therefore this is Lesser Burdock.

I'm having second thoughts now as these flowers are very like those in the book for Lesser. Watch this space...

The very broad leaves are heart-shaped at the base.

Fairhaven/Fairlawn walk (habitat) 24 6 2007

2007-06-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

This area is to the left of the sea wall and path looking toward Fairlawn. It is very rich in plant life. As you will see we have quite a steep learning curve ahead regarding plant identification (me more than Sue, of course). I initially wasn't going to include much about plants on this blog but really there isn't much choice as they are all over the place.

This is looking back from the start of the Fairhaven walk across Granny's Bay toward Fairhaven Lake.

This is the esturine habitat to the left of the previous picture and across toward Southport. This whole area is of national importance for wading birds. Despite appearances it is an incredibly rich habitat teeming with life.

Some Sort of Dandelion???

2007-06-24T05:23:00.000-07:00

From what I remember these two pictures were of the same plant. A really beautiful flower both fresh and dried, which is mainly why it is here. Sue has found it in the book!!! It's Goat's Beard, (Tragopogon pratensis) with a folk name of 'Jack-go-to-bed-at -noon' at it closes when the sun goes in. Sue is delighted it is next to Salsify in the book as she suggested it while we were out and I informed her that Salsify has purple flowers.

How exquisite this is. According to Mabey in Flora Brittanica Goat's-beard is 'most notable for its spherical seed 'clock' which is as elaborate as an astrolabe.'(p362) Find out all about the Astrolabe here.

Sea Wall Survivors

2007-06-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

This is some sort of Dock braving the sea wall habitat. Will get back to you if there is any more info. Update - could be Common Sorrel.

Although in what looks to be an identical habitat this specimen seems to be doing rather better than the previous one.

Sedum

2007-06-24T05:19:00.000-07:00

We think this is White Stonecrop (Sedum Album).

And we think this is English Stonecrop (Sedum Anglicum).

More Flowers

2007-06-24T04:35:00.000-07:00

Sue informs me that this is Lady's Bedstraw. It cut a colourful swathe through this area of scrubby dune. It was (says Mabey) used in mattresses especially for women before labour, its honey scent drying to that of new-mown hay. Sometimes used in cheesemaking as a substitute for rennet as it is a coagulant.

This is Yarrow ( Achillea millefolium). Mabey: '..believed to cause nosebleeds or at least sneezing if a leaf was put up the nose.' Well quite. How best to avoid that I wonder....

This is Bladder Campion. According to Mabey they are a favourite food-plant of the Froghopper.

Scenic Interlude

2007-06-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

Not really nature but I wanted to post this anyway. It is the view straight out from toward the Fairlawn end of the walk.

Jackdaw in the Rain

2007-06-24T03:15:00.000-07:00

This fellow and a few of his chums were hanging around in the road when we got back from our Fairhaven/Witchwood walk (see above, hopefully). They hopped on to the wall when I drew up and then flapped lazily off. We get loads of Jackdaws near us a lot of the time whereas round at no 25 half an hour or so away Mum hardly sees any! (Mum says there were two in the garden today and they see quite a lot.)We often see hordes of them wheeling around the local church roof in the evening, and they adorn the ariels and rooves all along our terrace on a regular basis.

Hoverfly

2007-06-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

In the garden this afternoon we saw this rather nice hoverfly bothering the Catmint. It is smaller or at least more slender and more delicate than the usual run of hoverflies we see in the garden. I will try and identify it but if there are any hoverfly enthusiasts out there could you let me know what it is? Thanks.

It seemed to be doing something with its rear end. I wondered if it was ovipositing or something. This hunched position was characteristic, in contrast to its generally slender form.

Various bees were very very busy on the catmint and lavenders, but we didn't see a single butterfly in the garden all afternoon.

Beach Walk Bunny Update

2007-06-23T02:51:00.000-07:00

Beach Walk Update I - Sea Pinks

2007-06-23T02:42:00.000-07:00

The Sea Pink is a very delicate flower which somehow manages to survive everything that the elements can throw at it.

Each head comprises a mass of tiny flowers.

Here it is growing on grassy, scrubby ground on the edge of the mudflats.

Beach Walk Update II - Sea Holly

2007-06-23T02:34:00.000-07:00

The Sea Holly (Eryngium) is a remarkable plant. It grows straight out of bare sand and appears to have been sculpted out of some sort of metal.

Beach Walk Update III - Glasswort

2007-06-23T02:32:00.000-07:00

Glasswort is a plant of the marshes. It is also known as Marsh Samphire. You can occasionally see people collecting bundles for the pot, as it is considered a delicacy in the kitchen. I believe the main commercial centre for Glasswort is East Anglia.

Beach Walk Update IV - Campion

2007-06-23T02:22:00.000-07:00

The White and Pink Campion are delicate and lovely. They were growing on scrubby land away from the beach proper.

Beach Walk 22 6 2007 I

2007-06-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

We walked from the head of Fairhaven Lake to Pleasure Island in St Annes this evening. Here is the view looking back from Pleasure Island. The habitat is dune, shingle marsh & mudflats. Cora loves it!

This Stonechat was very much in evidence on the return leg of the walk. It allowed quite a close approach before fluttering off a few yards. (Sue has asked me to point out that she saw the Stonechats first and called me over to see them - Ed.)

This (Lesser? will check) Whitethroat was skulking in the same plant as the Stonechat but lower down and partially concealed by the foliage. Update: It isn't a lesser Whitethroat. It has a clear white eye ring, which is one way of distinguishing between the two. If its legs were visible they would be paler rather than dark, and the primaries have darkish brown edges.

Here is the Stonechat again with I believe his mate. In the distance Southport is a hazy blur.

Beach Walk 22 6 2007 II

2007-06-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

The Viper's Bugloss was beautiful in the evening sunshine.

The backlighting here reveals a very distinctive profile.

I was surprised at how orange the dying flowers of the Evening Primrose had become.

I came accross some kind of Alium which looked more like a wierd plant-bee hybrid.

We saw a Cinnabar moth skulking in the undergrowth, Glasswort on the marshes seems to be ever on the increase, and a Skylark flew up from almost under my feet toward the end of the walk. A really super evening. Oh and there are two black rabbits amongst the wild ones on Stanner's Bank.

We saw White and Pink Campion and Sea Holly on the dunes, a small puffball and another nondescript fungus.

Blue Tailed Damselflies 'in cop'

2007-06-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

These Blue Tailed Damselflies were mating in the border of Grandma's pond this afternoon - 'in cop' as the naturalist would have it. Apparently during copulation the sperm of rival males is removed. This also occurs with the Dunnock, a mouselike bird of the hedgerow.
I used A Guide to the Dragonflies of Great Britain: Powell (ed Twist), Arlequin Press, 1999 to identify these damselflies and for further information.

Froggin'

2007-06-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

Cora found this very interesting frog in the garden this afternoon. It had a rather attractive rufus aspect and was uncommonly docile, even for a frog. Dad would have liked it as he was extremely good at communicationg with frogs.

Barn Owl 16th June 2007

2007-06-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

I had some breathtaking views of a Barn Owl this afternoon as I was coming across the Moss. It flew over the field to the far side and then quartered the land looking for prey, very low and acrobatic. They really are wonderful to watch. It didn't come close enough for a decent photo but you can make it out toward the bottom right of the picture. This one had a lovely coppery glow across the wings contrasting with the pale body.

Oh Dear!

2007-06-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

One of the cats kindly left this on the doormat for us. Off the top of my head I'd say a Wood Mouse but will look it up and update later. I have caught a couple in the garden shed recently with a humane trap and released them elsewhere. They have been eating my seeds out of the packets, chewing holes in things and generally doing what mice do...

Blackbird singing in the afternoon...

2007-06-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

This young Blackbird hopped into view at the allotment yesterday to see if there was anything tasty to eat where I had just finished weeding. It is still very very hot. We had a small tortoiseshell in the garden yesterday but it is still generally quiet for butterflies.

Canal Walk 9 6 2007

2007-06-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

We walked from the Hand & Dagger pub near Treales to Catforth along the Lancaster Canal this afternoon. It was lovely to see the canal glowing in the afternoon sunshine. The banks were wreathed with Cow parsley and we saw a family of Mute Swans floating serenely along (at least until Cora the reckless Spaniel got too close for comfort and the adults let her know their views on the matter!)

These Canada Geese were out in the fields with their young too. (cont. below)

Canal Walk 9 6 2007 (2)

2007-06-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

I love ferns and I love the way they grab a root-hold wherever thay can. These were growing on bridge ...er...31.

Irene is training for the 'Moonwalk' in Glasgow next weekend (all 26 miles of it) and Kevin is looking forward to fish and chips at Whelans.

I found this moth on the steps up from the canal on the way back. I will identify it later & post the results. Update: It's a White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda). Lubricipeda means 'slippery foot' and refers to the caterpillar's habit of running about looking for a place to pupate. Food plants include dandelion & plantain. It is unpalatable to birds. ( This information is adapted from A Handguide to the Butterflies & Moths of Britain & Europe Wilkinson & Tweedie Treasure Press 1980 p93)

We also saw a Heron hunting frogs in a field and the odd Painted Lady butterfly adorning the Cow Parsley. There were hordes of delicate blue Damselflies but not a single dragonfly to be seen. It may be a little early but as we had Summer in April this year I thought there might be some around.

1st Painted lady 8 6 2007

2007-06-09T02:02:00.000-07:00

The first Painted Lady of the year drifted aimlessly accross the garden and back yesterday morning as I was waiting to go for my interview. It seemed to be associating itself as far as I could tell with the valerian which is in full flower.

I also saw a large number of medium grey spiders on the slate chippings by the Buddlia. One of my fellow candidates (the successful one) had an interest in photographing spiders and identified them from my description as female Wolf Spiders. I will check later and try and get a picture.

Lime Street Station Hawk Moth (4.6.2007)

2007-06-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

A funny thing happened on the way to the station... we were almost back to Lime Street Railway Station in Liverpool when I noticed an apparently inebriated elderly gentleman (EG) stoop to pick something from the pavement. Whatever it was had obviously been trodden on a time or two and was in rather a sorry state. A heated discussion then took place between him and a young woman (YW) as to whether it was a butterfly or a moth. The conversation went as follows:

YW: It's a butterfly
EG: It's a moth
YW: No it's a butterfly that
Me : It's a Lime Hawk Moth
YW: It's a butterfly
Me: (a bit louder) It's a Lime Hawk Moth
YW: It's a butterfly
EG: I think it's a moth

At this point I left not really wanting to be involved in an altercation about a moth. Things could have turned nasty.

Still as Harry Hill would say "A Lime Hawk Moth outside Lime Street Station....what are the chances of that happening?"

On the train on the way home we saw a Buzzard just outside Moss side station.

Lime Hawk Moth (19.4.2007)

2007-06-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

This Lime Hawk Moth turned up outside our kitchen door on the 19th of April this year.

Heronautics (6.5.2007)

2007-06-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

These young herons at the nest were taken on the 6th May at the heronry in Stanley Park, Blackpool. They are actually pretty well camouflaged for such large birds. The nests stood out like a sore thumb earlier in the season, though.

Caravan Outing 1.6.2007 (2)

2007-06-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Here are the missing pics from below.

Caravan Outing 1.6.2007

2007-06-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

On Friday 1st of June Sue, Mum and I went to do some sorting out at the caravan. We called in at Pilling Lane Ends nature reserve, Ashton Hall Garden Centre in Lancaster and the Morecambe and Allen hides at Leighton Moss on the way. Sue and Cora (el doggo) walked accross Quaker's Stang to the caravan.

At Lane Ends (pic 1) (map)we saw two Speckled Wood dancing in the sunlight. There were Shelduck and several gulls (including Greater Black Backed)on the beach. Blackbirds seem to be singing constantly wherever we go at the moment.

At Ashton Hall Garden Centre there were some stunning Chaffinches hanging around the cafe area. (Speaking of which at the Beach Cafe in St Annes on Thursday ravenous young Starlings were devouring the left-over food from the plates as soon as the tables were vacated.) There was a Swallow's nest in the entrance to the Gent's toilets at the garden centre with the parents feeding their young every couple of minutes or so.

At the Morecambe and Allen hides Mum & I saw mainly Black-Headed Gulls. There was a party of beautiful baby Robins in the car park as we were leaving (see above). Sue saw an Orange Tip butterfly and a Five Spot Burnett (prob. narrow bordered as the habitat & foodstuffs all match) moth on Quaker's Stang.

At the caravan (Far Arnside) Sue saw Green and Greater Spotted Woodpeckers. There was a Brimstone butterfly in the garden, and a Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis) was clinging to the curtains in the caravan itself (see above).

We didn't see any butterflies at all other than those mentioned. There was a very pretty pink Rose in flower at several places we visited.
Swifts were in flight during the evening and there were Swallows in evidence throughout the day. The hedgerows are still prettily laced with Cow Parsley, although not so fresh as throughout May.

All in all a very pleasant day.