Green-veined White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshells, & Speckled Woods at Turton Golf Course
John Williams said
Wed May 4 11:38 PM, 2016
Neumanns Flash
Early Evening
1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly by Neumanns Flash.
1 "Pipistrelle" sized bat giving close views in the NE corner of Neumanns at dusk.
David Lumb said
Thu Apr 28 5:59 PM, 2016
Weasel on Turton Golf Course yesterday
Doc Brewster said
Sun Apr 24 10:18 PM, 2016
The last week at Newchucrh Common has seen me add two new mammal species to my site list here, Bank Vole & Common Shrew. These are additions to sightings of Grey Squirrel and Rabbit and evidence of Mole, Fox and Mink.
Doc Brewster said
Fri Apr 22 1:37 PM, 2016
At Newchurch Common yesterday (21st) I recorded a few Small Tortoiseshells, a Peacock butterfly and my first Large White of the year, easily IDed as it was a large, well-marked male. Seven-spot Ladybird seen this week too as well as a Red Admiral here. I photographed a cracking Yellow Slug (Limax flavus) as well as several 'flat-backed millipedes' (Polydesmus species).
The sunny weather is certainly bringing out wildlife other than birds for our interest
Mike Chorley said
Sun Apr 17 11:36 PM, 2016
A good selection of Butterflies around Haydn's Pool this afternoon, with Brimstone, Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and what appeared to be a very small Large White.
Doc Brewster said
Mon Mar 14 9:41 AM, 2016
Others will have had earlier, but, had my first butterfly of the year yesterday, just at the edge of my Newchurch Common Patch by Sandy Lane, a male Brimstone. Then got home & a 7-Spot Ladybird was on Carys's car, great to be back into insect recording again
steven burke said
Sun Mar 13 10:49 PM, 2016
whilst at old colwyn, wales, when searching through the scoter flock I picked up a grey seal close in & it had a fish in its mouth I first thought it was a plaice as it was flat but it turned out to be a ray as it had a long thin tail, the seal was struggling with it & also had to deal with the gulls that were hanging around but it did manage to rip a piece of it & eat it then the gulls tried to get the rest of it but the seal grabbed it back & disappeared under water, I didn't see it again & was great to watch
David Lumb said
Mon Oct 19 6:32 PM, 2015
Speckled Wood on Turton Golf Course this morning.
Also a couple of patches of Sneezewort in flower on the course + a Red Clover.
David Lumb said
Tue Oct 13 7:12 PM, 2015
Broadhead Valley :- 1 Common Darter 1 Silver Y
David Lumb said
Thu Oct 8 8:12 PM, 2015
1 Common Darter & 1 Red Admiral at Wickenlow Hill Farm pond, Edgworth.
David Lumb said
Tue Oct 6 7:34 PM, 2015
1 Common Darter at Entwistle Reservoir
1 Small Tortoiseshell + 1 Red Admiral between King Bill on Chapeltown Road and Turton Golf Course
John Williams said
Sun Oct 4 6:31 PM, 2015
Risley Moss (13.00-15.00)
Black Darter dragonflies in abundance, landing on people as well as vegetation etc. Plenty of Common Darters around too.
3 Red Admiral and 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.
The brambles were teeming with ladybirds, wasps, bluebottles etc, but with seemingly few small birds around to feed on them.
David Lumb said
Fri Oct 2 7:55 PM, 2015
Turton Golf Course :- 3 Red Admirals 3 Speckled Woods
1 Common Hawker
John Williams said
Wed Sep 30 10:15 PM, 2015
Hilbre 14.30-18.00
A steady passage of Red Admiral butterflies throughout.
Rob Creek said
Wed Sep 30 2:46 PM, 2015
Spurn Sunday 27th and Monday 28th September
4 Mammal species seen including... -numerous Grey seal -numerous Harbour Porpoise including possible small pod as 3 or 4 dorsal fins seen together. -also of note Chris may have spotted a spray from a Whale's blowhole but I didn't see it myself. -1 Common Lizard ran across canal path -lots of Dragonfly about, surprised we didn't see a late Hobby taking advantage of the bounty
Mike Chorley said
Wed Sep 30 12:04 PM, 2015
Spurn 27/09/2015
Red Admiral 1 Brimstone 1 Large White 2 Speckled Wood several
but mainly
Migrant Hawker - lots. There were a dozen in the air together around the Crown and Anchor car park as we passed by on the way to the Arctic Warbler. Also good numbers of teneral darters - probably Common
Grey Seal very close in near the Bluebell Cafe
David Lumb said
Fri Sep 25 6:04 PM, 2015
A black Rabbit with a couple of other Rabbits in Broadhead Valley. Also a couple of Grey Squirrels. Last week I saw a Fox up here.
Silver Y on Turton Golf Course.
steven burke said
Sat Sep 12 11:16 PM, 2015
Leighton moss.
2 otters seen today from the new causeway hide
David Lumb said
Fri Sep 11 7:48 PM, 2015
Red Admiral at Wayoh Small White at Entwistle Peacock at Crowthorn Speckled Wood at Sandy Bank (Plantation Road) Painted Lady on field as I headed for Edgworth village
David Lumb said
Thu Sep 10 7:28 PM, 2015
Only a Peacock, a Gatekeeper, a few Black Darters, & a Brown Hawker seen up the Broadhead Valley in the strong wind.
Finally managed to get through the Himalayan Balsam, now it is dying, to the lodge at the top end of Little Wayoh. 2 Common Hawkers 2 Common Darters A pair of not sure dragonflies. Photo e-mailed to Steve White for identification.
1 Red Admiral on the way up to Wayoh Fold, and another by the reservoir.
2 Green-veined Whites & a Wall at the reservoir.
David Lumb said
Mon Sep 7 7:13 PM, 2015
Excellent morning around Broadhead Valley :- 44 Black Darters seen along the tracks, must be many more on the fields 5 Common Darters 1 Common Hawker 24 Green-veined Whites 1 very fresh looking Painted Lady 4 Small Tortoiseshells 2 Small Coppers 3 Gatekeepers 1 Wall 1 Large Yellow Underwing
Elsewhere only a few butterflies seen including :- 2 Peacocks (with a Common Hawker) close to Turton Tower 1 Speckled Wood in Hazelhurst Wood
David Lumb said
Tue Sep 1 8:01 PM, 2015
Only a couple of Butterflies seen around Wayoh, Green-veined White & Gatekeeper.
Small Copper was seen as I headed up the hill towards Wayoh Fold.
Broadhead Valley much better :- 50+ Green-veined Whites 1 Large White 1 Small Tortoiseshell 2 Meadow Browns 1 Gatekeeper
1 Common Hawker 17 Black Darters 4 Common Darters A blood-red darter flew past me looking like a Ruddy Darter, but probably one of the darker, richer versions of Common Darter. It did not land so unable to be sure which one.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Aug 30 3:57 PM, 2015
Went on a bat walk at Leighton Moss yesterday; great fun, with soprano pipistrelle the most common, quite a few common pipistrelle, too, and also one or two Brandt's/whiskered. Stoat giving great views near the visitor centre.
Not many butterflies, with peacock the most obvious, of those about, with a couple of speckled wood, too.
A few common darter and brown hawkers, and a single common blue damselfly.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 30th of August 2015 03:58:32 PM
David Lumb said
Mon Aug 24 6:51 PM, 2015
Broadhead Valley :- 70+ Green-veined Whites 1 Small Tortoiseshell 7 Gatekeepers 6 Meadow Browns
1 Common Hawker 1 Brown Hawker 4 Common Darters 2 Black Darters
Wayoh :- A few Gatekeepers only around the reservoir Almost finished today's trip when an Emperor dragonfly flew past me. A first for me at Wayoh, although I have seen them on ponds nearby.
Mike Chorley said
Sun Aug 23 9:27 PM, 2015
Brampton. Common Hawker at least 1 - identified as Bee-eater prey item Common Darter - 3 pairs mating on pool on the route to the viewpoint, several other singletons. Peacock Butterfly Small Tortoiseshell Small Skipper Large White White-letter Hairstreak (1)
Foulshaw Moss Black Darter -lots Common Darter - slightly fewer Blue-tailed Damselfly Emerald Damselfly Common Lizard - at least 4 adults (including one sloughing its' skin) and around 30 younger ones all enjoying the warmth of the boardwalks Probable Hornet
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri Aug 14 8:50 PM, 2015
Anglesey; Rhosneigr and South Stack:
Butterflies:
Large white Small white Meadow brown Gatekeeper Wall brown (the first I've seen in years) Common blue Peacock Small tortoiseshell
Common blue damselfly (only a couple, and other than an unidentified dragonfly - a darter of some stripe, I think - the only odonata I saw)
Common lizard
Rabbit Common pipistrelle Soprano pipistrelle Harbour porpoise
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 14th of August 2015 08:52:23 PM
David Lumb said
Wed Aug 12 6:24 PM, 2015
Wayoh & Broadhead Valley.
Lots of butterflies but not many species. Small Skippers, Green-veined Whites, just one Large White, Small Tortoiseshells, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers.
Brown Hawkers, Common Darters. Broadhead Valley normally a good area for Black Darters but none today.
Azure, Common Blue, & Blue-tailed damselflies.
David Lumb said
Fri Aug 7 6:03 PM, 2015
Turton Golf Course this morning :-
60+ Gatekeeper 15 Meadow Brown 9 Small Skipper 1 Large Skipper 4 Green-veined White 8 Small Tortoiseshell
2 Brown Hawker A few Blue-tailed damselflies
Silver Y Straw Dot
1 Grey Squirrel
Same species of butterflies (except Large Skipper) around Clough House farmland
1 - Red Fox patrolling perimeter of reedbeds Few Common Rabbit around ...and a Grey Squirrel trying to climb a bus shelter near Steve's house (technically in-county)
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 27th of July 2015 07:02:19 PM
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri Jul 17 10:52 PM, 2015
Leighton Moss, Myer Allotments butterfly reserve and surrounds:
Common blue damselfly (Myer Allotments) Blue-tailed damselfly (saltmarshes area) Brown hawker (several, at Myer Allotments) Broad-bodied chaser (Myer allotment) Black-tailed skimmer (Leighton Moss) One of the hawker species; migrant, I think.
Meadow brown (loads) Speckled wood Gatekeeper Large white Ringlet Comma Large skipper Small skipper Red admiral
Some nice hoverflies and solitary bees, too, but I couldn't identify them to species
Weasel scampered across the path in front of me by the level crossing Brown rat at the feeders A very flat mole
Froglet
John Williams said
Tue Jun 9 3:08 PM, 2015
Appleton Reservoir
Numerous Common Blue Damselflies & 2 Blue Tailed Damselflies along the overgrown West bank, also 1 Silver Ground Carpet Moth.
1 Four Spotted Chaser Dragonfly along the "Delamere Way" footpath just South of the reservoir.
Rob Creek said
Sat Jun 6 7:19 PM, 2015
Cornwall from Saturday 30th May to Friday 5th June
-Red Fox - few seen crossing country lanes, 1 assumed cub (fairly small) just sat upright in the road near The Lizard and just watched me drive passed, and another seen at Jericho Farm probably thinking it had a chance of taking a large Gull.
-Eurasian Otter - 1 seen briefly at Long Rock Pool near Marazion as it emerged right near a surprised Mute Swan.
-Grey Seal - singles seen at Porthgwarra 3x, Sennon Cove and Cot Valley.
-Harbour Porpoise - 1 seen briefly from the Scillonian III crossing
-Common Dolphin (Short-beaked Common Dolphin) - 1 seen from Scillonian just relaxing upright with head and beak out of the water as we sailed by
-Common Rabbit - lots seen in a variety of places
-Bats - plenty seen mainly on walking down for a pint and on way back up the country lane. Not 100% on species but we saw a few Pipistrelle which quite easily could've been Soprano's, and we saw a few slightly larger Bats which again I can only speculate are most likely to be one of the Horseshoe Bats as the local disused tin mines now provide one of the country's stronghold areas for both the Lesser and Greater.
Cheers Rob
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri May 29 2:40 PM, 2015
Other wildlife from my Scotland trip:
Possil Marsh
Female common blue damselfly, the first damselfly I've seen this year. Orange tip, small white, green-veined white (I'm sure I saw green veins on the under-wings of one, but it's hard to tell, sometimes!), peacock, small tortoiseshell butterflies.
Insh Marshes / Kingussie
Rabbit Red squirrel Stoat (being seen off by the combined efforts of three lapwing)
Four-spotted chaser (first dragonfly of the year) Common blue damselfly Dor beetle Red velvet mite Orange tip, small white butterflies Various bees and solitary wasps.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 29th of May 2015 02:50:00 PM
Simon Gough said
Tue May 26 1:02 AM, 2015
Hi Rob
The quotation you've taken explains the lower number of nests by saying "due to falling stocks of mussels and particularly predation by foxes". Seems clear to me, resident foxes have affected Eider breeding numbers, in concert with depleted mussel stocks in Morecambe Bay. Should have said foxes were partly responsible? Mainly responsible?
My main point was that according to this article Foxes aren't apparently regarded as rare on the island any more and as a result they have impacted the Eiders.
It is interesting that a Gull will either eat or incubate Eider eggs depending on their instinct at a point in their own breeding cycle. Amazing the way these species co-exist, even accepting the lower numbers, there were still hundreds of pairs of birds all jumbled together, it's an amazing place
Rob Creek said
Mon May 25 11:57 PM, 2015
Simon Gough wrote:
Foxes are resident according to the internet, they are responsible for the population of breeding Eiders having fallen by 80% in the last 20 years:
http://www.cumbria-wildlife.org.uk/eider.html
It states "it is thought" that the recent decline in Eider "NESTS" on Walney is due falling Mussel stocks (Eiders preferring younger Mussels) and by Fox predation. It also states that if feeding conditions are poor, which it sounds they are, then they just don't attempt to breed or fail to complete the breeding cycle. The large Gull species are all predatory so will always take eggs and ducklings if readily available, and I suspect they have had an effect on the situation too! That article also mentions what I said in my post about the Gulls sometimes incubating Eider eggs. Cheers
Simon Gough said
Mon May 25 11:06 PM, 2015
Foxes are resident according to the internet, they are responsible for the population of breeding Eiders having fallen by 80% in the last 20 years:
http://www.cumbria-wildlife.org.uk/eider.html
Rob Creek said
Mon May 25 10:54 PM, 2015
24/05/15 South Walney (Walney Island)
Grey Seal - 4 swimming in the high tide as it came in Harbour/Common Seal - 1 lay on the beach at low tide Harbour Porpoise - 2 Common Rabbit - a few around
One local birder reported he'd seen a Red Fox recently (a rare sighting for South Walney so we were told), and a Badger was reported on the latest sightings board
Tony Darby said
Fri May 8 5:00 PM, 2015
Woolsten Eyes: Common Solomon's-seal, prefers calcareous soil and scarce in Cheshire (or maybe Lancs. not quite sure where the botanical border is in this area).
-- Edited by Tony Darby on Friday 8th of May 2015 07:12:46 PM
Rob Creek said
Tue Mar 10 8:49 PM, 2015
Permalink
Rob Creek wrote:
Jonathan Platt wrote:
Worth keeping an eye out by Tim Jackson hide, there was a Stoat in partial ermine pelage when I was up there last week.
...a good sighting that Jonathan, I've seen one myself in that state (although not at L.Moss) and it is simply because the moult from full Ermine to familiar brown is alot slower in Spring than the reverse moult in Autumn due to the longer Photoperiod at this time of year.
I think it may be a little more complicated than that Rob. As I understand it temperature at the time of moult determines the extent of white in a Stoat's coat. Cool temps = less melanin produced = white coat. Fur is replaced unevenly during autumn moult, therefore varying temps can result in piedball individuals. White winter coats are also thought to be hereditary, and females are more likely to moult to ermine than males.
May be better to PM on this issue Rob, my fault for mentioning mammals on a birding forum!
...thanks for your reply Jonathan and I may as well comment seeing as though Mike Chorley has also shown some interest. Yeah the Photoperiodism is the trigger for a lot of changes in wildlife behaviour, including heavy influences in Birds and Mammals, and the temperature factor you mentioned is one of the big ones that is linked in with the Photoperiod. May have something to do with the increased daylight hours allowing for more influence from the Sun's heat. Photoperiod combined with temperature changes as well as affecting changes in fur colour, also triggers Bird plumage changes, Bird song frequency, sexual behaviour and organs, migratiion, hibernation and a whole host of things.
And the hereditary factor you mentioned...well I didn't know about the higher likelihood of females to turn Ermine. How interesting. But I do know there have been studies that showed Stoats from a warmer climate when put in a colder climate or freezing conditions tended to stay in the brown fur state, whereas localised native Stoats turned white. The same (but in reverse) was true for colder climate Stoats put into warmer climes. One other thing that may be of interest is that those populations in Northern colder climates tend to have high survival rates due to them changing to Ermine (better camouflage makes for less predation and makes it easier hunting prey) and those genes are passed on increasing that factor. I don't know if the same is true in the reverse situation? Many thanks Rob
__________________
Tony Darby said
Sun Aug 24 5:31 PM, 2014
Burton Mere RSPB
Since the RSPB opened up the far side (east) of the reserve, it's been worth the long walk round just to see if any interesting plants turn up. I've not managed to find anything too exciting so far apart from Greater Burnet-saxifrage, but Bristly Oxtongue was a decent find today. It's been recorded before on the Wirral, but still a first for me.
-- Edited by Tony Darby on Sunday 24th of August 2014 06:13:42 PM
Dave Tennant said
Thu May 2 1:58 AM, 2013
visited an old badger sett on monday that i have watched for a few years , a family of foxes have moved into part of the sett and are feeding well. the remains of 3 pheasants scattered about the entrance.
Roger Baker 3 said
Thu Aug 16 7:56 AM, 2012
Rodent ??? Come on now Ian ...... since when did we have meat eating rodents ?
I like the "pointed hooter" description though ....... never read that one in the id guide books !
Water Shrews are unusual amongst mammals in the fact that they have poisonous saliva which assists in subduing its prey. The poison is strong enough to bring a human out in a nasty little rash. Ouch !!
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 16th of August 2012 07:57:54 AM
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 16th of August 2012 02:09:35 PM
Ian Boote said
Thu Aug 16 7:28 AM, 2012
Had a trip to Windskill Stones and Malham Cove in Yorkshire. This is a curious terrian of limestone pavement, bare rocks with lots of crevices or Grykes. Theories state it was created by glacier movement scraping any soil away, and historical deforesting. Much was destroyed for gardens (at least half of Windskill) but much remains .
Some nice sights wodland plants that survive deforesting- Herb Robert, Dogs Mercury seen in the grykes, ferns such as spleenwort hart tongue fern, lime loving plants small scabious eyebright, limestone bedstraw, sandwort, horseshoe vetch, kidney vetch carlene thistle and alpine type plants several of which are unique and difficult to iD but also include biting stonecrop.
Long walk up Malham Cove 400 steps is worth the climb. Peregrines are on the cliffs and RSPB are in attendance with scopes. In the stream beds of watercress, betony, and meadow sweet.
Best sighting was a water shrew bold as brass black rodent, white belly, pointed hooter walking past 5 metres away before going for a dip into the stream. They apparentky like running water and water cress beds where they feed on small invertebrates.
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Aug 10 6:59 AM, 2012
Originally posted by Ian Boote today:
160 species at plant at ainsdale which forms part of the Sefton Coast.
meadow sweet Yarrow Sea storks bill Yellow rattle Carlene thistle intermediate winter green Wild asparagus Wild parsnip Rest harrow Milkwort Sea mayweed Sea spurge Harebell Sea centuary Common centuary Rose bay willowherb Large flowerd evening primrose Grass of Panasis Ladies bedstraw Lesser spearwort Water Mint Purple Lossestrife Creeping buttercup Blue fleabane Commom fleabane Eyebright Pennywort Birds foot trefoil Wood sage gone over Great mullion 8 ft tall Portland spurge Kidney vetch Red clover White clover Alsike clover Sea rocket Sand Pansy Field gentian Honey suckle
vic chatterton said
Wed Aug 8 7:44 PM, 2012
Not been in the quarries for a few years but Bee Orchids used to be in decent numbers in both quarries and Autumn Gentian in considerable numbers in Miller's Dale.
Ian Boote said
Wed Aug 8 6:48 AM, 2012
Derbyshire dales-Millers Dale above the trail and accessed from it up near vertical paths are two SSSIs Millers Dale Quarry and Preistcliffe Lees. The size of three football pitches. Calcerous as in the white peak one in unimproved grass land with old leadworkings and the other the floor of an old quarry. Both sites are a breathtaking carpet of colour and some rare things Frog Orchid Tway Blade Bee and Fragrent Orchids are reported in good number. I only found Fragrent but a little late. Grass of Parnasus lovely big white flowers just comming through. Leadwort one of few plants that can live and flower on lead mine spoil tips. Moonwort Wild Thyme Marjoram and much more. Lots of Butterflies though seen more species in the past and lots of bugs. One of the best spots in Derbyshire for plants 52 seen today but many more reported. Sightings.
Birds Green woodpecker heard Kestrel Willowwarbler Meadow pipits Perregrine Swallows House matins Nuthatch Pheasant
Butterflies Small Heath Preistcliffe Gatekeeper Meadow Brown Large white Small TT Shell Green Veined White Ringlet everywhere large skipper Preistcliffe Common blue Preistcliffe Five spot burnet Preistcliffe Poss riband wave moth Preistcliffe Speckled wood trackbed
beetles Silpha atrata black snail beetle Millers Dale Rove beetle Platydracus stercorarius Preistcliffe Red soldier beetle everywhere Oedemera lurida
Hoveflies All Trackbed Rhingia campestris Helophilus pendulus Eristalis pertinax Eristalis arbustorum Leucozona glaucia Syrphus ribesii Leucozona later aria Plagiognathus arbustorum
Tenthredo species sawfly Common Carder Bee
Slender-footed Robberfly - Leptarthrus brevirostris pretty sure track bed Scorpion Fly - Panorpa communis
Tim Wilcox said
Sun Aug 5 11:05 AM, 2012
Hi Joe
Re. Arnside Knott
Get the OS Explorer map for the S Lakes. Just keep walking up and up from the station and I presume there are signs. When you reach the track to the NT car park there is a big open area w Highland Cattle to the left. At the top area of bracken by the stone wall is the best place for High Brown. Further up on the left beyond the cattle grid the stony slope has Dark Green Fritillary (tatty now) and Grayling. The very top in long grass S of the trig point for Scotch Argus. Woods apparently hold Purple Hairstreak in the oaks. Loads of other sps. all over
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 5th of August 2012 11:06:49 AM
Steve Christmas said
Sat Aug 4 4:08 PM, 2012
Recorded the hoverfly Leucozona laternaria at White Coppice on 21st July, a first for me.
Peacock at Entwistle Reservoir
Orange Tip at Wayoh
Green-veined White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshells, & Speckled Woods at Turton Golf Course
Early Evening
1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly by Neumanns Flash.
1 "Pipistrelle" sized bat giving close views in the NE corner of Neumanns at dusk.
The last week at Newchucrh Common has seen me add two new mammal species to my site list here, Bank Vole & Common Shrew. These are additions to sightings of Grey Squirrel and Rabbit and evidence of Mole, Fox and Mink.
At Newchurch Common yesterday (21st) I recorded a few Small Tortoiseshells, a Peacock butterfly and my first Large White of the year, easily IDed as it was a large, well-marked male. Seven-spot Ladybird seen this week too as well as a Red Admiral here. I photographed a cracking Yellow Slug (Limax flavus) as well as several 'flat-backed millipedes' (Polydesmus species).
The sunny weather is certainly bringing out wildlife other than birds for our interest
Others will have had earlier, but, had my first butterfly of the year yesterday, just at the edge of my Newchurch Common Patch by Sandy Lane, a male Brimstone. Then got home & a 7-Spot Ladybird was on Carys's car, great to be back into insect recording again
Also a couple of patches of Sneezewort in flower on the course + a Red Clover.
1 Common Darter
1 Silver Y
1 Small Tortoiseshell + 1 Red Admiral between King Bill on Chapeltown Road and Turton Golf Course
Black Darter dragonflies in abundance, landing on people as well as vegetation etc. Plenty of Common Darters around too.
3 Red Admiral and 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.
The brambles were teeming with ladybirds, wasps, bluebottles etc, but with seemingly few small birds around to feed on them.
3 Red Admirals
3 Speckled Woods
1 Common Hawker
A steady passage of Red Admiral butterflies throughout.
Sunday 27th and Monday 28th September
4 Mammal species seen including...
-numerous Grey seal
-numerous Harbour Porpoise including possible small pod as 3 or 4 dorsal fins seen together.
-also of note Chris may have spotted a spray from a Whale's blowhole but I didn't see it myself.
-1 Common Lizard ran across canal path
-lots of Dragonfly about, surprised we didn't see a late Hobby taking advantage of the bounty
Red Admiral 1
Brimstone 1
Large White 2
Speckled Wood several
but mainly
Migrant Hawker - lots. There were a dozen in the air together around the Crown and Anchor car park as we passed by on the way to the Arctic Warbler.
Also good numbers of teneral darters - probably Common
Grey Seal very close in near the Bluebell Cafe
Silver Y on Turton Golf Course.
2 otters seen today from the new causeway hide
Small White at Entwistle
Peacock at Crowthorn
Speckled Wood at Sandy Bank (Plantation Road)
Painted Lady on field as I headed for Edgworth village
Finally managed to get through the Himalayan Balsam, now it is dying, to the lodge at the top end of Little Wayoh.
2 Common Hawkers
2 Common Darters
A pair of not sure dragonflies. Photo e-mailed to Steve White for identification.
1 Red Admiral on the way up to Wayoh Fold, and another by the reservoir.
2 Green-veined Whites & a Wall at the reservoir.
44 Black Darters seen along the tracks, must be many more on the fields
5 Common Darters
1 Common Hawker
24 Green-veined Whites
1 very fresh looking Painted Lady
4 Small Tortoiseshells
2 Small Coppers
3 Gatekeepers
1 Wall
1 Large Yellow Underwing
Elsewhere only a few butterflies seen including :-
2 Peacocks (with a Common Hawker) close to Turton Tower
1 Speckled Wood in Hazelhurst Wood
Small Copper was seen as I headed up the hill towards Wayoh Fold.
Broadhead Valley much better :-
50+ Green-veined Whites
1 Large White
1 Small Tortoiseshell
2 Meadow Browns
1 Gatekeeper
1 Common Hawker
17 Black Darters
4 Common Darters
A blood-red darter flew past me looking like a Ruddy Darter, but probably one of the darker, richer versions of Common Darter. It did not land so unable to be sure which one.
Stoat giving great views near the visitor centre.
Not many butterflies, with peacock the most obvious, of those about, with a couple of speckled wood, too.
A few common darter and brown hawkers, and a single common blue damselfly.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 30th of August 2015 03:58:32 PM
70+ Green-veined Whites
1 Small Tortoiseshell
7 Gatekeepers
6 Meadow Browns
1 Common Hawker
1 Brown Hawker
4 Common Darters
2 Black Darters
Wayoh :-
A few Gatekeepers only around the reservoir
Almost finished today's trip when an Emperor dragonfly flew past me. A first for me at Wayoh, although I have seen them on ponds nearby.
Common Hawker at least 1 - identified as Bee-eater prey item
Common Darter - 3 pairs mating on pool on the route to the viewpoint, several other singletons.
Peacock Butterfly
Small Tortoiseshell
Small Skipper
Large White
White-letter Hairstreak (1)
Foulshaw Moss
Black Darter -lots
Common Darter - slightly fewer
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Emerald Damselfly
Common Lizard - at least 4 adults (including one sloughing its' skin) and around 30 younger ones all enjoying the warmth of the boardwalks
Probable Hornet
Butterflies:
Large white
Small white
Meadow brown
Gatekeeper
Wall brown (the first I've seen in years)
Common blue
Peacock
Small tortoiseshell
Common blue damselfly (only a couple, and other than an unidentified dragonfly - a darter of some stripe, I think - the only odonata I saw)
Common lizard
Rabbit
Common pipistrelle
Soprano pipistrelle
Harbour porpoise
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 14th of August 2015 08:52:23 PM
Lots of butterflies but not many species.
Small Skippers, Green-veined Whites, just one Large White, Small Tortoiseshells, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers.
Brown Hawkers, Common Darters.
Broadhead Valley normally a good area for Black Darters but none today.
Azure, Common Blue, & Blue-tailed damselflies.
60+ Gatekeeper
15 Meadow Brown
9 Small Skipper
1 Large Skipper
4 Green-veined White
8 Small Tortoiseshell
2 Brown Hawker
A few Blue-tailed damselflies
Silver Y
Straw Dot
1 Grey Squirrel
Same species of butterflies (except Large Skipper) around Clough House farmland
-Harbour Porpoise - 2 swam by, quite distant
-Grey Seal - plenty around, mainly floating, relaxing
1 - Red Fox patrolling perimeter of reedbeds
Few Common Rabbit around
...and a Grey Squirrel trying to climb a bus shelter near Steve's house (technically in-county)
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 27th of July 2015 07:02:19 PM
Common blue damselfly (Myer Allotments)
Blue-tailed damselfly (saltmarshes area)
Brown hawker (several, at Myer Allotments)
Broad-bodied chaser (Myer allotment)
Black-tailed skimmer (Leighton Moss)
One of the hawker species; migrant, I think.
Meadow brown (loads)
Speckled wood
Gatekeeper
Large white
Ringlet
Comma
Large skipper
Small skipper
Red admiral
Some nice hoverflies and solitary bees, too, but I couldn't identify them to species
Weasel scampered across the path in front of me by the level crossing
Brown rat at the feeders
A very flat mole
Froglet
Numerous Common Blue Damselflies & 2 Blue Tailed Damselflies along the overgrown West bank, also 1 Silver Ground Carpet Moth.
1 Four Spotted Chaser Dragonfly along the "Delamere Way" footpath just South of the reservoir.
-Red Fox - few seen crossing country lanes, 1 assumed cub (fairly small) just sat upright in the road near The Lizard and just watched me drive passed, and another seen at Jericho Farm probably thinking it had a chance of taking a large Gull.
-Eurasian Otter - 1 seen briefly at Long Rock Pool near Marazion as it emerged right near a surprised Mute Swan.
-Grey Seal - singles seen at Porthgwarra 3x, Sennon Cove and Cot Valley.
-Harbour Porpoise - 1 seen briefly from the Scillonian III crossing
-Common Dolphin (Short-beaked Common Dolphin) - 1 seen from Scillonian just relaxing upright with head and beak out of the water as we sailed by
-Common Rabbit - lots seen in a variety of places
-Bats - plenty seen mainly on walking down for a pint and on way back up the country lane. Not 100% on species but we saw a few Pipistrelle which quite easily could've been Soprano's, and we saw a few slightly larger Bats which again I can only speculate are most likely to be one of the Horseshoe Bats as the local disused tin mines now provide one of the country's stronghold areas for both the Lesser and Greater.
Cheers
Rob
Possil Marsh
Female common blue damselfly, the first damselfly I've seen this year.
Orange tip, small white, green-veined white (I'm sure I saw green veins on the under-wings of one, but it's hard to tell, sometimes!), peacock, small tortoiseshell butterflies.
Insh Marshes / Kingussie
Rabbit
Red squirrel
Stoat (being seen off by the combined efforts of three lapwing)
Four-spotted chaser (first dragonfly of the year)
Common blue damselfly
Dor beetle
Red velvet mite
Orange tip, small white butterflies
Various bees and solitary wasps.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 29th of May 2015 02:50:00 PM
The quotation you've taken explains the lower number of nests by saying "due to falling stocks of mussels and particularly predation by foxes". Seems clear to me, resident foxes have affected Eider breeding numbers, in concert with depleted mussel stocks in Morecambe Bay. Should have said foxes were partly responsible? Mainly responsible?
My main point was that according to this article Foxes aren't apparently regarded as rare on the island any more and as a result they have impacted the Eiders.
It is interesting that a Gull will either eat or incubate Eider eggs depending on their instinct at a point in their own breeding cycle. Amazing the way these species co-exist, even accepting the lower numbers, there were still hundreds of pairs of birds all jumbled together, it's an amazing place
It states "it is thought" that the recent decline in Eider "NESTS" on Walney is due falling Mussel stocks (Eiders preferring younger Mussels) and by Fox predation.
It also states that if feeding conditions are poor, which it sounds they are, then they just don't attempt to breed or fail to complete the breeding cycle.
The large Gull species are all predatory so will always take eggs and ducklings if readily available, and I suspect they have had an effect on the situation too!
That article also mentions what I said in my post about the Gulls sometimes incubating Eider eggs.
Cheers
http://www.cumbria-wildlife.org.uk/eider.html
South Walney (Walney Island)
Grey Seal - 4 swimming in the high tide as it came in
Harbour/Common Seal - 1 lay on the beach at low tide
Harbour Porpoise - 2
Common Rabbit - a few around
One local birder reported he'd seen a Red Fox recently (a rare sighting for South Walney so we were told), and a Badger was reported on the latest sightings board
Common Solomon's-seal, prefers calcareous soil and scarce in Cheshire (or maybe Lancs. not quite sure where
the botanical border is in this area).
-- Edited by Tony Darby on Friday 8th of May 2015 07:12:46 PM
Permalink
Rob Creek wrote:
Jonathan Platt wrote:
Worth keeping an eye out by Tim Jackson hide, there was a Stoat in partial ermine pelage when I was up there last week.
...a good sighting that Jonathan, I've seen one myself in that state (although not at L.Moss) and it is simply because the moult from full Ermine to familiar brown is alot slower in Spring than the reverse moult in Autumn due to the longer Photoperiod at this time of year.
I think it may be a little more complicated than that Rob. As I understand it temperature at the time of moult determines the extent of white in a Stoat's coat. Cool temps = less melanin produced = white coat. Fur is replaced unevenly during autumn moult, therefore varying temps can result in piedball individuals. White winter coats are also thought to be hereditary, and females are more likely to moult to ermine than males.
May be better to PM on this issue Rob, my fault for mentioning mammals on a birding forum!
...thanks for your reply Jonathan and I may as well comment seeing as though Mike Chorley has also shown some interest.
Yeah the Photoperiodism is the trigger for a lot of changes in wildlife behaviour, including heavy influences in Birds and Mammals, and the temperature factor you mentioned is one of the big ones that is linked in with the Photoperiod. May have something to do with the increased daylight hours allowing for more influence from the Sun's heat.
Photoperiod combined with temperature changes as well as affecting changes in fur colour, also triggers Bird plumage changes, Bird song frequency, sexual behaviour and organs, migratiion, hibernation and a whole host of things.
And the hereditary factor you mentioned...well I didn't know about the higher likelihood of females to turn Ermine. How interesting. But I do know there have been studies that showed Stoats from a warmer climate when put in a colder climate or freezing conditions tended to stay in the brown fur state, whereas localised native Stoats turned white. The same (but in reverse) was true for colder climate Stoats put into warmer climes.
One other thing that may be of interest is that those populations in Northern colder climates tend to have high survival rates due to them changing to Ermine (better camouflage makes for less predation and makes it easier hunting prey) and those genes are passed on increasing that factor. I don't know if the same is true in the reverse situation?
Many thanks
Rob
__________________
Since the RSPB opened up the far side (east) of the reserve, it's been worth the long walk round just to see if any interesting plants turn up. I've not managed
to find anything too exciting so far apart from Greater Burnet-saxifrage, but Bristly Oxtongue was a decent find today. It's been recorded before on the Wirral,
but still a first for me.
-- Edited by Tony Darby on Sunday 24th of August 2014 06:13:42 PM
I like the "pointed hooter" description though ....... never read that one in the id guide books !
Water Shrews are unusual amongst mammals in the fact that they have poisonous saliva which assists in subduing its prey. The poison is strong enough to bring a human out in a nasty little rash.
Ouch !!
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 16th of August 2012 07:57:54 AM
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 16th of August 2012 02:09:35 PM
Theories state it was created by glacier movement scraping any soil away, and historical deforesting. Much was destroyed for gardens (at least half of Windskill) but much remains .
Some nice sights wodland plants that survive deforesting- Herb Robert, Dogs Mercury seen in the grykes, ferns such as spleenwort hart tongue fern, lime loving plants small scabious eyebright, limestone bedstraw, sandwort, horseshoe vetch, kidney vetch carlene thistle and alpine type plants several of which are unique and difficult to iD but also include biting stonecrop.
Long walk up Malham Cove 400 steps is worth the climb. Peregrines are on the cliffs and RSPB are in attendance with scopes. In the stream beds of watercress, betony, and meadow sweet.
Best sighting was a water shrew bold as brass black rodent, white belly, pointed hooter walking past 5 metres away before going for a dip into the stream. They apparentky like running water and water cress beds where they feed on small invertebrates.
160 species at plant at ainsdale which forms part of the Sefton Coast.
meadow sweet
Yarrow
Sea storks bill
Yellow rattle
Carlene thistle
intermediate winter green
Wild asparagus
Wild parsnip
Rest harrow
Milkwort
Sea mayweed
Sea spurge
Harebell
Sea centuary
Common centuary
Rose bay willowherb
Large flowerd evening primrose
Grass of Panasis
Ladies bedstraw
Lesser spearwort
Water Mint
Purple Lossestrife
Creeping buttercup
Blue fleabane
Commom fleabane
Eyebright
Pennywort
Birds foot trefoil
Wood sage gone over
Great mullion 8 ft tall
Portland spurge
Kidney vetch
Red clover
White clover
Alsike clover
Sea rocket
Sand Pansy
Field gentian
Honey suckle
Plants
Wild marjoram, millers dale preistcliff
Toadflax trackbed
Harebell everywhere
Fragrent orchid millers dale
Eyebright millers dale preistcliff
Lesser knapweed everywhere
Perforate st johnwort trackbed
Valerian trackbed
Meadow sweet everywhere
Nipplewort millers dale
Goldenrod miller dale
Selfheal everywhere
Red clover everywhere
White clover everywhere
Yarrow everywhere
Yellow rattle millers dale preistcliffe
Mousse eared hawkweed millers dale preistcliffe
Bush vetch tackbed
Tufted vetch trackbed
Fairy flax millers dale preistcliffe
Tormentil millers dale preistcliffe
Ladies bedstraw millers dale preistcliffe
Birds foot trefoil millers dale preistcliffe
Greater burnet millers dale preistcliffe
Small scabious millers dale preistcliffe
Field scabious millers dale preistcliffe
Devils bit scabious millers dale preistcliffe
Grass of parnascuis millers dale preistcliffe
Ox eye daisy millers dale preistcliffe
Wild strawberry millers dale
Wild thyme millers dale preistcliffe
Upright hedge parsley millers dale preistcliffe
Marsh thistle preistcliffe
Spear thistle millers dale preistcliffe
Creeping thistle millers dale preistcliffe
Pignut
Wood speedwell preistcliffe
Wood aven preistcliffe
Hemp nettlel trackbed
Dogs mercury preistcliffe
Kidney vetch preistcliffe
Cowslip preistcliffe
hares foot clover preistcliffe
Meadow cranesbill preistcliffe
Wood sorrel preistcliffe
Leadwort preistcliffe
Alsike clover poss preistcliffe
Mountain pansy preistcliffe
Milkwort preistcliffe
Common sorrel preistcliffe
Ladies mantel preistcliffe
Dark mullian track bed
Birds
Green woodpecker heard
Kestrel
Willowwarbler
Meadow pipits
Perregrine
Swallows
House matins
Nuthatch
Pheasant
Butterflies
Small Heath Preistcliffe
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Large white
Small TT Shell
Green Veined White
Ringlet everywhere
large skipper Preistcliffe
Common blue Preistcliffe
Five spot burnet Preistcliffe
Poss riband wave moth Preistcliffe
Speckled wood trackbed
beetles
Silpha atrata black snail beetle Millers Dale
Rove beetle Platydracus stercorarius Preistcliffe
Red soldier beetle everywhere
Oedemera lurida
Hoveflies All Trackbed
Rhingia campestris
Helophilus pendulus
Eristalis pertinax
Eristalis arbustorum
Leucozona glaucia
Syrphus ribesii
Leucozona later aria
Plagiognathus arbustorum
Tenthredo species sawfly
Common Carder Bee
Slender-footed Robberfly - Leptarthrus brevirostris pretty sure track bed
Scorpion Fly - Panorpa communis
Re. Arnside Knott
Get the OS Explorer map for the S Lakes. Just keep walking up and up from the station and I presume there are signs. When you reach the track to the NT car park there is a big open area w Highland Cattle to the left. At the top area of bracken by the stone wall is the best place for High Brown. Further up on the left beyond the cattle grid the stony slope has Dark Green Fritillary (tatty now) and Grayling. The very top in long grass S of the trig point for Scotch Argus. Woods apparently hold Purple Hairstreak in the oaks. Loads of other sps. all over
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 5th of August 2012 11:06:49 AM