A few days away.

We have just returned from a few nights away staying at Challan Hall in Silverdale which is just a few minutes from Leighton Moss.  We visited Gaitbarrows Nature Reserve which is a wonderful place to walk but just wish we had visited a few weeks earlier as a lot of the summer butterflies were no longer around.  We did however still manage to see what was probably one of the last High Brown Fritillary left this year.  The Green Woodpeckers around Challan Hall were very nosiy!!

Some views around Arnside

 

 

Green Woodpecker

Lesser Whitethroat

 

 

Buzzard

Spotted Redshank

 

Lapwing

Bullfinch

 Nuthatch

 Purple Hairstreak

 High Brown Fritillary

 

 

 

A selection of butterflies.

Not much happening birdwise at the moment so we have been concentrating on the butterflies when weather and time off allow.

We visited Smardale Gill on the 7th August and what a fantastic day that was.  We have never seen so many Scotch Argus as we did that day, to the point one was landing on our feet and another on the camera!  As soon as the sun got out and the heat went up then they came out but later in the day when it clouded over then they disappeared  quickly as though they had never been there.

Dark Green Fritillary

 

 

Scotch Argus

 

 

Small Skipper

Meadow Brown

Peacock

Tortoiseshell

Common Blue

Common Blue

 

Brown Argus

Small Heath

Large White

Green Veined White

Silver Y

And this moth which was also flying through the day

And this little fellow who kept running in and out of his nest.

 

Beautiful Summer Meadow.

Went over to the Stang and Reeth then on to Leyburn yesterday.  Could not believe how quiet it was, very few birds or butterflies.  Flowers too seem few and far between along the verges but we were amazed when we came across this meadow by a stream in one of the villages between Leyburn and Bedale.  It was amazing and a pleasure to see.  Why can't we have more meadows like this around?

 

 

Another lifer out of the blue.

Sunday looked like being another quiet day when we got the call that a Bridled Tern had turned up at Saltholme. We drove down and arrived as an expectant crowd had gathered on the main road outside.

I dashed over to manage a quick couple of glimpses of the bird before it flew off to the N.E. and wasn't seen again, unfortunately Sylvia had missed it while she was getting the scope out of the car!!!!

 

We drove on down into Yorkshire calling in to Woodlands Fishery for Corn Bunting, which are more elusive this year and a trek from here to Wykeham forest to see Turtle Dove which are also keeping distant.

A good day but the Birding is still a struggle these days.................roll on better times.

 

Corn Bunting

Turtle Dove

 

Flowery Times.

Not many bird photos of late but thought I would post some of the flowers we have taken over the past few weeks.  My favourite being the cotton grass which has been excellent this year.

 

Cotton Grass

Marsh Marigolds

 Bog Iris - Catterick

 Ragged Robin - Smardale Gill

 Rock Rose - Smardale Gill

 Tree Pipit - Smardale Gill

 Green Woodpecker - Smardale Gill

 Juvenile Redstart - Smardale Gill