Janet Turnbull

[Pauline]

What an interesting and pretty looking moth Janet. I'm glad Allan was able to ID it cos I have never seen anything like it. Well spotted.

[bugboy]

Hi Janet, that Blue Damselfly looks like an Azure Damselfly. The two red ones (Large Red Damselflies), are indeed attached. The males of many dragonflies and Damselflies stay attached to the female whilst she goes about egg laying to ensure the eggs are his, defending her against rival males. He's clasping her behind her head.

Edit: Also I've just checked (because it rang a bell) I photographed a Silver Hook at Glen Loy when we were there 3 years ago chasing Chequered Skippers !

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots Janet especially the Silver Hook - I've not seen one of those before

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice range of insect life again, Janet, especially the Silver Hook moth which is a new one on me.

[Janet Turnbull]

Thank you for the moth ID, Allan!

Edit: Also I've just checked (because it rang a bell) I photographed a Silver Hook at Glen Loy when we were there 3 years ago chasing Chequered Skippers !

You're right, Bugboy - it rang a bell with me too when Allan called it a Silver Hook - I also have a photo from then! BTW have you noticed that since then, there have been some 'Chequered Skipper' holidays at Glen Loy advertised? We must have popularised it. Hard to believe it's 3 years!

[Neil Freeman]

Edit: Also I've just checked (because it rang a bell) I photographed a Silver Hook at Glen Loy when we were there 3 years ago chasing Chequered Skippers !

Snap, I did too when I was there in 2016. Still the only place I have seen this attractive little moth.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Janet Turnbull]

Wednesday 27th May
A short car journey to Flixton hoping to spot the kingfisher, but the pond was surrounded by fishermen and the kingfisher had made himself scarce so I set off up the lane to the nature reserve. Reed warblers were making a terrific racket and I managed some passable shots.

Wandering by a sunny corner I startled a Red Admiral - my first of the year - but it did not settle again and so no photo.
In the afternoon I went along to Sale Water Park and found crowds of people there, paying scant attention to social distancing. Near the car park is Taylor's Field which for a few years now has been a wild flower meadow, so I went in to see if there were any butterflies, but there were none at all. The path down to the river goes through woodland and then crosses a brook via a wooden footbridge, leading to grassland meadows. A bright male Brimstone flew along the brook and dozens of damselflies helicoptered up from the grass. I searched for the small brown fluttery thing I had glimpsed a few days previously and eventually was rewarded with a Large Skipper nectaring on campion in a secluded sunny glade. It seemed to be a solo and it was another first of the season for me. A battered Large White and a tiny blue lacewing moth were also enjoying the campion.

On my way back along the main path towards the car park I found another Large Skipper and a male Brimstone among the brambles. Nearly every shot caught him in flight!

Yesterday I went along to the river and spotted a Snout moth in the undergrowth but again very few butterflies other than a couple of Whites which did not settle.

Today has been very hot again and everywhere is looking very parched. Could it be that the winter floods and the exceptionally dry spring and early summer have put paid to our butterflies this year?

[trevor]

Well done for capturing that Large Skipper ' in a classic Butterfly pose '.
The image is very sharp too, for an action shot.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of shots Janet especially the second Large Skipper shot - that is a cracking shot - I can't recall seeing a Large Skipper in that pose before

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Janet Turnbull]

.
The image is very sharp too, for an action shot.
Trevor.

I can't recall seeing a Large Skipper in that pose before
Wurzel

Thank you both, Trevor and Wurzel - it was really a very lucky shot. The critter took off just as I pressed the shutter!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet , that's a great shot of the Skipper, I've been looking for them but no luck yet Goldie

[Janet Turnbull]

It was the first for me, Goldie. Hope it won't be too long before they're out your way! Janet

[Janet Turnbull]

There really does seem to be a dearth of butterflies here but this afternoon a Red Admiral flew round me a couple of times before zooming away, and this lovely fresh Small Tortoiseshell enjoyed a long drink on some hogweed.

Chorlton Water Park was crowded this afternoon with mainly younger people gathering to have picnic parties and barbecues. These two damselflies were entering into the spirit of things too.

[Wurzel]

Love the Damselflies amid amour making a heart shape Janet - brilliantly caught shot

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

There really does seem to be a dearth of butterflies here but this afternoon a Red Admiral flew round me a couple of times before zooming away, and this lovely fresh Small Tortoiseshell enjoyed a long drink on some hogweed.

Butterfly numbers seem to have declined almost everywhere, Janet. I'm certainly not seeing the amount I would expect at this time of year in my neck of the woods. That said, a healthy injection of summer brood Small Tortoiseshells has recently bucked that trend, and given the rain we've had today, I hope things will now start to recover.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet, I chanced to see a Skipper yesterday but no shots, it was seeing yours that encouraged me to go Hall-Lee-Brook Goldie

[Chris L]

Brimstone in flight photos. That must be a rarity. I have a much treasured photo of a Brimstone at rest with its wings closed which is the one and only time I have ever got close to one in my short butterfly career. Always busying themselves.

Snout Moth ! That made me laugh. I have never heard of one of them 'I wonder why they are called that' I said that to myself...and then I saw why !

[Janet Turnbull]

Took my two friends to Fly Ash Hill at Flixton; it was a tip for the old coal-fired power station and is now a pleasant green space which only dog walkers knew about until lockdown forced everyone out for exercise
On the edge of the woodland was a single Speckled Wood. Several Meadow Browns were flying and a single Large Skipper basked on a willowherb. Also seen were two Burnet moths. The photos aren't brilliant - in my haste to get the pictures I didn't notice the camera was set at 800 ISO..

[Wurzel]

I hate it when you've got the wrong settings and you don;t realise until after - though for me that's a case of having 'mountain' or 'running man' instead of 'flower' Yours still came out well though especially the Meadow Brown

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Not a disaster if you get your camera settings wrong when you're photographing common species, Janet. Mind you, they've turned out okay. The Meadow Brown is posing nicely with the full forewing underside on display, which is probably the most attractive part.