Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Is it a particular kind of Ivy Pawpawsauras I always thought Ivy was just very invasive. maybe I'll leave it and now I know what and where it is check it out each year Goldie

[Pawpawsaurus]

Is it a particular kind of Ivy Pawpawsauras

I don't think so. It could possibly be a cultivated variety which has escaped from a nearby garden, but it's more likely to be the plain old wild Hedera helix.

At least it looks as though it's still in full flower; most of the Ivy bushes I'm aware of around here are well past their best.

Paul

[Goldie M]

Oct 22nd, Thanks Paul for your information. I like to know the why's and wherefores of differant plant life, more so where Butterflies are concerned because it certainly helps you find them. Talking of which, i returned to the Ginnel today . The wind was cold although the sun was out and warmed every thing up. I took my camera ( I thought you never know) and I wasn't dissapointed the Red Amiral's were still there and a couple of Comma's has well so I took a few more Photo's, their a real delight to find, just when you think the season's over.Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Oct 29th, I've had a very good week, I've been back to the Ginnel quite a few times to watch the Butterflies; Red Admiral's and still the one Comma they were still there yesterday( Fri ) the weather has changed again today we're back into rain, still we've had a good week, it only rained on Thursday.
Monday we went to Pennington Flash CP and did abit of Bird watching. There were Cormorants, (i think thats the way you spell it) loads of Ducks, too far away to get good photo's and if I did I don't know half of them I did get some shots of Robins and Blue Tits also Great Tits. No Heron's yet !
We also called at Hall Lee Brook no Butterflies there at all. The Ginnel between the houses is popular only i suppose because of the flowering Ivy, the fact it's sheltered must also be a huge plus. If the weather goes milder again I'll have anther look, I'm curious just when the BF will move on, surely it can't be too long now we've had the heating on today
I don't know about other people but we've been struck by the lack of Birds in our Back Garden. We use to have loads of Black Birds but the've disapeared, my husband still keeps putting food out for them and we do get the smaller birds, not the Chaffinch's though, even at PF people were wondering about the lack of our common birds, we do seem to have a lot of Birds of prey around, I hope thats not the reason, I read in the Garden Mag that it may be an infection thats going around, time will tell i suppose. Goldie

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Goldie,

I think your juvenile Great Tit is in fact a Willow Tit, or the near identical Marsh Tit, but I think it's a Willow.

Best wishes,

Lee

[jenks]

I agree Lee`s identification of Willow Tit in 3rd photo-- an increasingly uncommon bird so a good sighting.

Jenks

[Goldie M]

Thanks Lee and Jenks, I was hoping it was differant but when I looked in my bird book, the discription fitted the young Tit
so I assumed thats what it was. I counted quite alot of them coming and going with the Tits, you've made my day now
I'll be draging my husband back there this week, weather permitting of course Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Nov 5th, I said in my diary acouple of days ago about the disapearance of birds from our garden, well, I think i've found the culprit, a Sparrow Hawk! I managed to get a photo of him before he flew off , this time unlucky, but the day before i saw him with a Starling in the garden. Question is now , do we stop feeding the birds.! This Hawk seems to have us pretty well taped you might say, he sat on the fence watching me in the kitchen. My husband says he's still going to feed them " let nature take it's course ," he says, I'm not too sure.
I went back to my favourite Ginnel but no Butterflies this time, I think thats it now until next year.
On Nov 1st we went to Mere Sands in the hope there were King Fishers, we didn't see any but the people bird watching had seen some, not has many has before but it's a start. Last Winter killed them all, so this was good news. Goldie M

[grumpy]

Hi Goldie, my mother in law was bemoaning the fact that all her Blackbirds have disappeared. I think the answer lies with the abundance of berries in the wild at the moment. Blackbirds, Redwings and Fieldfares are having a wild old time feeding up on the hawthorn berries they will end up fat as Tics.

We also have a Sparrowhawk frequenting the garden but our Sparrows are very canny and hide away in the middle of a large buddleia bush and privet hedge. By the way I think thats a female, the male has a redder/pinker chest.


best wishes

Dave (grumpy)

[Goldie M]

Sorry i've not answered sooner been busy Xmas Shopping Your right Dave about the Black birds, this morning I took these pic's through the kitchen window,we were really pleased to see them back. I didn't know I could miss seeing these birds so much, we've also got a Nut thief that's arrived uninvited Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Yesterday 16th Dec we got our first snow, it always brings it's own benefits photo wise. For instance, it feels more like Christmas and it brings more birds into the garden to feed, so I thought I'd just share a few photo's Goldie M

All the best everyone Goldie

[Susie]

It's lovely to see the photos of your garden birds, Goldie.

Still no snow here yet.

[Goldie M]

Thanks Susie, this is our 2nd lot, It's forcast rain for tomorrow so it looks like we're back to normal. All the best Susie, Goldie M

[Goldie M]

We've had terrible weather lately seems like every thing as been thrown at us. The Gales blew our fences down, my husband repaired one, I tried to help him put it back," Back "is the right word, I nearly did mine in, lucky for us we have good neighbours who helped. I hope to go up to Lancaster in the next 2 weeks, they have a Butterfly House in Williamson Park thats open all year round . I believe it's quite good, for anyone interested they open 10am to 4pm, Oct to April Goldie M

[David M]

I hope to go up to Lancaster in the next 2 weeks, they have a Butterfly House in Williamson Park thats open all year round . I believe it's quite good, for anyone interested they open 10am to 4pm, Oct to April Goldie M

I've been there once, though it was many years ago. There was a stairway which ascended into the tree canopy from where you could watch all the tropical species going about their business. It was fantastic though this was before I had laser surgery and my glasses kept steaming up which was irritating.

Now you've put the idea into my head, I may trek down to the Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo near Monmouth before January is out. I need a butterfly fix desperately!!

[Goldie M]

We went up to Lancaster on Monday, it was a lovely day for once. We went up the motor way going but came back through the Trough-of-Bowland. The moors were a sight to see, earlier it had rained and there were rainbows here and there
In Williamson's Park there were great views over Lancaster and the Lake District in the distance. The Butterfly House was a treat, it was just great to watch the Butterflies flying and feeding I've put some Photo's in to share I thought others might like to look. They have a Banana tree in BH it's full of fruit, I bet the BF have a great time when their ripe
One Butterfly in particular took my interest, i think it's called a" Glass Wing " I could see right through it's wings they were transparent. Another one was called "White Tree Nymph" it came from Indo- Austrilian . Some I'd not seen before and I don't know what their called.
Three glass cases were full of Chrysalis, Large ones in one case smaller chysalis in the other two, I was fascinated, I'd love to be there when they started to emerge.
It was a great day out , it helps to get out and about if you can, it makes January pass quicker
The 1st Photo is the Trough-of-Bowland
The 2nd a view of the LD and Lacaster
The 1st Butterfly I don't know, it looks abit like a White Admiral but I'm sure it's not
I don't know the 2nd and 3ard BF either
The 4th and 5th are the White Tree Nymph And I think the Glass Wings.Goldie M

[marmari]

The 1st butterfly pic looks like a Common Glider to me,from SE Europe.

[Vince Massimo]

Hi Goldie,

My best guesses are:-

1. Common Sergeant/Glider (Pantoporia perius)
2. Great Eggfly (Hypolimnus bolina)
3. Probably one of the many sub-species of Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)
4. One of the Tree Nymphs (Idea leuconoe)?
5. One of the many species of Glasswing (Greta oto)?

Vince

[Goldie M]

Only got back to the computer today, with the weather being reasonable we decided to tidy up abit.
Thanks Marmari and Vince, I knew the White Tree Nymph was from Australia I wasn't too sure about the other's. I just presumed the other was a Glass Wing I didn't realise there was so many differant ones. I like looking at tropical Butterflies, I must admit though I love the fact I have to go searching for Butterflies, this adds to the attraction for me.
The most annoying thing is, I've visited Tropilcal ccountries, I was'nt interested in Butterflies then, now I realise just what I've missed. Thanks again Goldie

[Goldie M]

I went back to Pennington Flash on Monday,it was a cold day but ideal for walking. The Hides around the lake were full of bird watchers, they were taking photo's of the Willow Tit I'd seen earlier in the month.
I didn't get a photo this time and the ones I did get , I'd to struggle for The list was long " Long Tailed Tit", Bull Finch, Black Cap, Dunnock, Blue&Great Tits, Green Finch, Robin's, etc,etc. Even saw a Phesant
It was another great day out Goldie M