Goldie M

[MikeOxon]

Hi Goldie,

I can confirm that it has worked for me, too. I once photographed a PH on the ground, towards the end of a day's butterflying in Bernwood Forest, as recorded in my Diary from 2015.

We were returning to the car-park and, as I recall, I had already put my camera away, when I spotted a small dark butterfly on the surface of the ride.

Never found the same for Brown Hairstreak, though.

Mike

[Goldie M]

Hi! Mike, looks like I'll have to go to Sussex again but this time in August if I do it'll be Kent first for a couple of weeks then carry on and have a week-end in Sussex looking for BH's, that should give me time to look in the evening and the day time, can't do the evening at Gait Barrow, we usually go there Morning time and return afternoon. what ever happens it's the Brown Hair streak on my to get list for next year Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Goldie, unlike Purple Hairstreak, which peak in activity in the evenings, Brown Hairstreaks are Britains laziest butterflies, and are usually inactive after 3pm, even on warm days!

[Goldie M]

Thanks for that essex, it will save me loads of time and may be Gait Barrow will be the place to visit in the mornings after all to find them I'll still try for that week-end in the South though but now I know not to bother after 3pm Goldie

[David M]

At my local site, Goldie, I find the bulk of females between 11.30am and 2pm, with a particular preference for midday to 1pm. The earliest I've ever seen one is 9.45am and I don't think I've ever seen one after 3pm!!

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, it looks like Morning is definitely the best time then, I'm very glad to find this out from you and essex, it helps to to know the habits of the Butterflies your looking for.
I've usually arrived at Gait Barrow about 11am some times a bit later, I'll have to try to get there for about 10am, it all depends on the traffic has well, the M61 which I start out on goes to two lanes only when going onto the the M6 this causes a bottle neck in the Summer, fingers crossed I see them next year. I'll still try the South though as well Goldie

[Goldie M]

It's been quite a while since I posted in my Diary but a lot of things have been happening some good some not so good
But I'd just like to say A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL IN UKB and add a couple of shots I took from my Garden this Summer,
When I look outside now it's an UGH! DAY! but we're off to Kent tomorrow for Christmas, I'm looking forward to Marsh mellows and Hot Chocolate, So has Wurzel says HAVE A GOODUN! GOLDIE

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie Happy Solstice and have a fantastic Christmas

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Merry Christmas to you too, Goldie, and keep the images coming. We need all the visual 'dopamine' we can get in these bereft winter months!

[Neil Freeman]

Merry Christmas to you too Goldie, here's looking forward to a fruitful season next year

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

It's quite a while since I posted in my diary, ( still getting over Christmas and New Year )
We had a very happy time with our family and on our way back home we managed to miss the bad weather by staying an extra day, thank goodness we did, we passed through the day after and in the Midlands it was still piled up there.
We arrived home to a lovely Sunset which I just managed to get a shot of. So far we seem to have been on the edge of any snow falls missing the worst of the weather here with just the scattering of snow which soon melted but we''ve certainly had the storms of rain and sleet not being able to get out much for walks etc, hence not many shots, even the birds seem to have been sheltering it's been so wet for them.
These last couple of days have been cold so hope fully a journey out should be on the cards.
I heard the weather forecast yesterday for here and Cumbria which said the weather was the coldest since 2012, up in Cumbria especially ( lots of snow there ) I picked my ears up at this because it was in 2012 that I saw the SPBF ab at Gait Barrow at the beginning of June,( I'll be up there again hunting a round for sure this June )
I've just put some shots in my posts of the weather we drove through on our way home from Kent, including an unexpected one of a plane in a field on the edge of the motorway Maybe father Christmas was using it Goldie

[trevor]

Happy new year to you too Goldie.
Glad you liked the storm images, I could hardly stand up, and my ears hurt with the cold wind !.

Roll on Spring,
Trevor.

[Andrew555]

Hi Goldie, glad you had nice time with your family, same here.
All the best for 2018.

[Goldie M]

Thanks for your post Trevor and Andrew, lets hope we have a good Spring we've certainly had a rough Winter up to now. Goldie

[Goldie M]

This afternoon we finally got out for a walk, we went to Penn Flash, it was foggy and cold but nothing like it had been over the last few day's when Temps here got no higher than -2 because of the bitter wind.
I've started my year off well, I finally got some shots of a Wren I've tried for years to pin this little bird down and today I did it The first hide we went in had put loads of things out for the Birds and they were taking full advantage, hence the shots!

The second Hide we went to had mostly Ducks , I think one's a Shovel Duck, but I'm not sure of the group shot, ( could they be Pintail ) I've checked my bird book and one looks like a Pintail the other one has a very pointed beak, hooked shape, I'd be glad if any one knows has I like to put names to my shots Goldie

[Allan.W.]

Hello Goldie,
Some nice shots there Goldie ! Reckon you,ve got Shoveller ,group shot of Goosanders and Willow Tit (Wow !!) the lasts a real rarity in Kent ,extinct down here as a breeding bird ! think the last I saw were 30 years ago ! nice find !
Regards Allan.W.

[Wurzel]

Andrews right on the IDs; Shoveler, Goosanders (great shots BTW ) and a Willow Tit, I was a bit unsure about that one to start with but the paler area on the wings sold it to me as a Willow Tit, an ID feature I'd not been aware of before Great Bullfinch as well
Glad you had a good New Year, fingers crossed that it turns into a cracking one!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks very much Allan and Wurzel for the ID's, I didn't think I'd got a Willow Tit shot, I thought it was a Coal Tit I took another shot of it which I've now posted, I thought the other shot seemed better I was more pleased with my shots of the Wren
Has soon as I can I'll be going back there to see what else I can catch a shot of I just missed a Water Rail I believe, come Spring
Penn Flash gets loads of Spring birds. Goldie

[MikeOxon]

Very nice bird shots, Goldie. Those Goosanders are part of a group known as 'Sawbills'. If you look at their beaks, you can see that they are a different shape from Ducks, with serrated edges to hold a fish well.

Willow and Marsh Tits are very similar, but Willow Tits are now thriving much better in the North and becoming scarce in the South. I was at a ringing session, a few years ago, when we caught both species and a friend took the attached photo.

Willow/Marsh Tits Compared

Mike

[Goldie M]

Thanks for your post Mike, but i shall probably still get mixed up with them
I've looked closely at the photo and the only difference I see is the Willow slightly smaller than the Marsh Tit
I've seen them in the Garden and was convinced they were Coal Tits, I'm going to see if I can sort them out by taking what shots I can, when the opportunity arrises, they're so quick ,I was lucky really to catch those shots when I did, I just happened to have my sights on the array of Blue Tit's when suddenly this one flew into the cage.
I noticed the beaks on the the Goosander's were slightly hooked but they were too far a way to see any thing else, I won't for get their names next time I see them. Thanks for the photo, I can use it for comparison next time I manage a shot of either Goldie