Willow warbler in full song Strong sunlight at 6.00am and volleys of swifts swept low as I set out for Scout Scar.
Straying from the track to Helsington Barrows, we heard redstart and stopped to find him. Along our way there was mountain everlasting and dark red helleborine on a raft of limestone clitter. It should flower soon, although the weather is set to turn cooler by mid-week.
Hoping to find the linnet I'd heard singing two days ago, we settled down on a grassy slope overlooking gorse where I'd heard them, making sure the tall trees were outlined against the sky.
Straying from the track to Helsington Barrows, we heard redstart and stopped to find him. Along our way there was mountain everlasting and dark red helleborine on a raft of limestone clitter. It should flower soon, although the weather is set to turn cooler by mid-week.
Hoping to find the linnet I'd heard singing two days ago, we settled down on a grassy slope overlooking gorse where I'd heard them, making sure the tall trees were outlined against the sky.
A linnet settled briefly high in an ash, dropped down into cover and was seen no more. I heard soft contact calls but that was all. No matter, it was a beautiful morning. To the north, we looked toward the Langdale Pikes. To the south, was Morecambe Bay and all the summer pastures of the Lyth Valley lay below.
We had excellent views of a redstart that I'd been hearing for some weeks but had not seen. Our approach gave clear views in perfect light. He was well lit on his perch on a bare twig on the fringe of woodland canopy.
We had excellent views of a redstart that I'd been hearing for some weeks but had not seen. Our approach gave clear views in perfect light. He was well lit on his perch on a bare twig on the fringe of woodland canopy.
I came home with images of a striking moth I hope to identify. Zooming-in on the image I can now see its antennae are feathery.
We saw three dingy skipper aerial together above the grass. I saw one settle and I had time to take a sequence of photographs. Sometimes, images reveal interactions unseen at the time. For what was happening down in the grass amongst small butterflies I needed close-focus. Blades of grass give a sense of scale. I puzzled over numbers of antennae, legs, multiple pairs of wings and their disposition- this antenna doesn't fit with these wings! If they were mating how many butterflies were involved? See if you can work it out.
We saw three dingy skipper aerial together above the grass. I saw one settle and I had time to take a sequence of photographs. Sometimes, images reveal interactions unseen at the time. For what was happening down in the grass amongst small butterflies I needed close-focus. Blades of grass give a sense of scale. I puzzled over numbers of antennae, legs, multiple pairs of wings and their disposition- this antenna doesn't fit with these wings! If they were mating how many butterflies were involved? See if you can work it out.
Moth ID. It is a Clouded Buff.....quite a large handsome day flying moth that seems to be doing well at the moment. The male is similar but can be much more orange than yellow......looking a little like a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. With thanks to Chris of Butterfly Conservation
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