Wurzel - Thanks for the moth ID confirmation
David - I know, I am amazed as you are re the Small Copper. I guess I just haven't yet found the best spots for them here yet
ernie f
Re: ernie f
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
Gloria and I have bought some new plants for our back garden and before planting we put them on the patio.
That's nice for them I hear you say. I am so glad I know that piece of information.
But wait! Look a bit closer...
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth dived down and started nectaring from a little Buddleia while it was still in its pot!
And it stayed awhile - long enough for me to get my camera to take pics.
I was behind my patio doors inside the house taking these pictures.
Deer Diary,
Today a very fine Roe Deer came into the garden. It ate our grass which is getting a bit long (I need to mow it) but it also munched on leaf cuttings that lay on the ground that were the remains of a pruning session Gloria did the previous day. It's nice to have help clearing up in the garden isn't it?
But wait! Look a bit closer...
Deer Diary,
Today a very fine Roe Deer came into the garden. It ate our grass which is getting a bit long (I need to mow it) but it also munched on leaf cuttings that lay on the ground that were the remains of a pruning session Gloria did the previous day. It's nice to have help clearing up in the garden isn't it?
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
A definite seal of approval for the Buddleia!
Re: ernie f
Hopefully that HHM will be the vanguard of a butterfly/moth advance Ernie 
Just goes to show "if you plant it they will come" to misqoute
Kevin Costner film
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Just goes to show "if you plant it they will come" to misqoute Kevin Costner film
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
Swells Hill
Where shall we three meet again?
On Carline Thistles at half past ten.
(Well it was half past eleven really but that doesn't rhyme)
Back Garden
We moved all the plants we recently bought for the border from the patio and into places in the border. They were still in their pots when a Small White came down onto the one that had a Hummingbird Hawkmoth on it recently and then, moments later, a Comma did the same. This is the first Comma I have seen in our garden. This Buddleia is barely 8 inches tall and already it is attracting a fine selection of butterflies and moths.
Within the same hour a Silver-Washed Frit flew through our back garden. It flitted about the plants in the back border but didn't stop and then it went off - so no pics. Again, that is a first for the garden - in fact a first for any garden we have owned.
Also a Holly Blue hung around for some time but rarely stopped and when it did it was fleeting.
Also a dragonfly seems to be a regular at the moment but again I haven't seen it stop. It looked like a Hawker of some kind but until I can get close while it perches I haven't a hope to ID it any better.
This moth was perched on our Kitchen Window. I took it's pic from inside the house so this is it's underside. When I went outside to get a picture of it's upperside it clocked me on my approach and flew off. It think it may be a Small Dusty Wave, but I'm not sure.
Oh yes and the Tawny Owls were hooting for some time last evening. They seem to like the woods behind our garden. One was very close so I looked out but of course didn't actually see it.
On Carline Thistles at half past ten.
(Well it was half past eleven really but that doesn't rhyme)
Back Garden
We moved all the plants we recently bought for the border from the patio and into places in the border. They were still in their pots when a Small White came down onto the one that had a Hummingbird Hawkmoth on it recently and then, moments later, a Comma did the same. This is the first Comma I have seen in our garden. This Buddleia is barely 8 inches tall and already it is attracting a fine selection of butterflies and moths.
Also a Holly Blue hung around for some time but rarely stopped and when it did it was fleeting.
Also a dragonfly seems to be a regular at the moment but again I haven't seen it stop. It looked like a Hawker of some kind but until I can get close while it perches I haven't a hope to ID it any better.
This moth was perched on our Kitchen Window. I took it's pic from inside the house so this is it's underside. When I went outside to get a picture of it's upperside it clocked me on my approach and flew off. It think it may be a Small Dusty Wave, but I'm not sure.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
"(Well it was half past eleven really but that doesn't rhyme)" I'm glad it's not just me that finds butterflies lack of the narrative slightly annoying Ernie 
Great to see the border plants are producing the goods
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Great to see the border plants are producing the goods
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
Look like your garden is almost a match for your local Commons, ernie. 
Prepare yourself for Adonis Blues during the next week or two!
Prepare yourself for Adonis Blues during the next week or two!
Re: ernie f
Are you feeling a bit blue today?
Well cheer-up! Remember, these guys I found at Selsley Hill today feel blue all of the time!
Plus - on the Bank Holiday Monday I espied a very rare bird flying over Minch Common. I had never seen this bird species before...
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It was lucky it didn't get caught up in all those kite strings!!!
Well cheer-up! Remember, these guys I found at Selsley Hill today feel blue all of the time!
Plus - on the Bank Holiday Monday I espied a very rare bird flying over Minch Common. I had never seen this bird species before...
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Ernie F
Re: ernie f
That bird sighting definitely needs reporting Ernie 
they're supposed to be flightless
Have a goodun
Wurzel
they're supposed to be flightless Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
That's quite an eclectic mix of flying objects, ernie!
Good to see the wild, resident ones are still flying together on the cusp of September. Wish we had Adonis and Chalkhill near where I live. There's only Brown Hairstreak keeping me going at the moment.
Re: ernie f
David
Ah, yes but I don't have Brown Hairstreak around my way now. I wish I had. My nearest I think is over near Andover which I won't be going to for some while yet.
Ah, yes but I don't have Brown Hairstreak around my way now. I wish I had. My nearest I think is over near Andover which I won't be going to for some while yet.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
Selsley Common
The usual stuff for this site. Red Ad, Meadow Brown, quite a lot of Small Heaths, Whites, Common, Chalkhill and Adonis Blue are still out too. But today was my first Clouded Yellow for this region.
And perhaps my best ever open-wing shot...
It only took me three tries using 'burst' sequence shots to get this, but quite a lot of chasing around too.
Keeps you fit doesn't it?
The usual stuff for this site. Red Ad, Meadow Brown, quite a lot of Small Heaths, Whites, Common, Chalkhill and Adonis Blue are still out too. But today was my first Clouded Yellow for this region.
Keeps you fit doesn't it?
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
Cracking Cloudy Ernie 
I really need to find of those as my personal target this year was to get to 50 species (I don't know if I can count the ones in Corfu 
). I'm wondering if the Brostreaks at Shipton Bellinger might be easier to get to than those near Andover? There have also been increasing records in North Wiltshire which would only be a short hop over the border If you contact the Wiltshire branch you might be able to get hold of the annual report that will give you a heads up
Have a goodun
Wurzel
I really need to find of those as my personal target this year was to get to 50 species (I don't know if I can count the ones in Corfu ). I'm wondering if the Brostreaks at Shipton Bellinger might be easier to get to than those near Andover? There have also been increasing records in North Wiltshire which would only be a short hop over the border If you contact the Wiltshire branch you might be able to get hold of the annual report that will give you a heads up Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
Thanks for the heads-up regarding the Brostreaks, Wurzel.
I was lucky with the open-wing shot David, particularly as I haven't seen another Cloudy since!
I was lucky with the open-wing shot David, particularly as I haven't seen another Cloudy since!
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
I haven't posted for a month or so as there hasn't been all that much on the butterfly front, except to say there are a remarkable number of Red Admirals flying about. They seem to be just about everywhere.
This one was I think feasting on sap at Uley Bury Iron Age Hillfort.
A highlight of the month for me was this Roman Snail I found at Chedworth Roman Villa
Back Garden
Deer Diary
Some days...
... no matter how hard you try...
... you just can't get to that itch!
This one was I think feasting on sap at Uley Bury Iron Age Hillfort.
Back Garden
Deer Diary
Some days...
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
There has been a bit of a Red Admiral bonanza this year Ernie - not sure why but still great to see Nice to know we’re not the only mammals can’t reach every itch
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Nice to know we’re not the only mammals can’t reach every itch Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
They're certainly about in numbers round my way, ernie.
Love the deer sequence. There are plenty of them round Rodborough. I see some every time I visit.
Re: ernie f
At this time of year with no butterflies around, my attention shifts to birds which was my first love in Natural History.
So, with Slimbridge just down the road from us, me and Gloria spent a lovely day looking at wild and penned birds. What I didn't realise until I went was that they have a Wild Crane reintroduction scheme. They have a rearing centre and once they have successfully brought up the chicks, they release them. They did this on the Somerset Levels and wonder of wonders, some found their way back to Slimbridge and live there instead! The first I knew about it is when I saw them in the wild here. I have seen them in Europe before but this was my first time seeing them in Britain.
At home, winter hit hard and overnight. We have started to feed the birds with a number of food types and a variety of feeders and they are beginning to get used to it, gradually.
On Dec 1st we had Crow, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon and even a Herring Gull on the ground in our back garden.
The Treecreeper and Nuthatch were on our Ash at the same time.
The Jay and Green Woodpecker came down together too, but one was in the front garden while the other was in the back. Unfortunately for the Jay, the Squirrels (we have four of them) had knocked over the peanut feeder tray and absconded with most of the nuts. They eat them in situ normally and the ones they don't want right away they take and bury in our garden.
Foxy Feature
And so to the foxes. They are a daily (and nightly) feature in our garden. There have been many reports of them stealing stuff from people's gardens. For example, shoes left outside, kiddies toys, clothing, etc. One of our neighbours reported finding a small camera in a copse in his garden which another resident had lost the year before from his own garden some way away. Gloria left her sunglasses in the garden recently and they can now not be found. I hope the fox that took them looks fetching in them though. I was busy raking leaves in our garden late in November and had filled a bag. I dragged it away and collected another empty one. On my return I found a fox tugging at the tines of my rake trying to steal it. I walked up to the fox and stood not 10 foot away. He saw me but did not flinch. He just continued to try and pull away at the rake. I put my hands on my hips to look authoritive and said to him "Stop trying to steal my rake". Only then he stopped and sheepishly moved away, reluctant at first because he really liked my rake but finally he gave up and mooched off.
We have had some marvellous sunrises up here on the hill. It is worth getting up early just to see them.
It must be over a decade since I had been out in freezing fog but I just couldn't resist spending an hour with my camera on Minch Common in the one we got here on Dec 2nd.
And what about this huge clump of Mistletoe? Very festive looking.
So, with Slimbridge just down the road from us, me and Gloria spent a lovely day looking at wild and penned birds. What I didn't realise until I went was that they have a Wild Crane reintroduction scheme. They have a rearing centre and once they have successfully brought up the chicks, they release them. They did this on the Somerset Levels and wonder of wonders, some found their way back to Slimbridge and live there instead! The first I knew about it is when I saw them in the wild here. I have seen them in Europe before but this was my first time seeing them in Britain.
On Dec 1st we had Crow, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon and even a Herring Gull on the ground in our back garden.
The Treecreeper and Nuthatch were on our Ash at the same time.
The Jay and Green Woodpecker came down together too, but one was in the front garden while the other was in the back. Unfortunately for the Jay, the Squirrels (we have four of them) had knocked over the peanut feeder tray and absconded with most of the nuts. They eat them in situ normally and the ones they don't want right away they take and bury in our garden.
And so to the foxes. They are a daily (and nightly) feature in our garden. There have been many reports of them stealing stuff from people's gardens. For example, shoes left outside, kiddies toys, clothing, etc. One of our neighbours reported finding a small camera in a copse in his garden which another resident had lost the year before from his own garden some way away. Gloria left her sunglasses in the garden recently and they can now not be found. I hope the fox that took them looks fetching in them though. I was busy raking leaves in our garden late in November and had filled a bag. I dragged it away and collected another empty one. On my return I found a fox tugging at the tines of my rake trying to steal it. I walked up to the fox and stood not 10 foot away. He saw me but did not flinch. He just continued to try and pull away at the rake. I put my hands on my hips to look authoritive and said to him "Stop trying to steal my rake". Only then he stopped and sheepishly moved away, reluctant at first because he really liked my rake but finally he gave up and mooched off.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
Great to see those Cranes Ernie I had to go to Poland to see mine - though to be fair there were some other attractions there as well
Have a goodun
Wurzel
I had to go to Poland to see mine - though to be fair there were some other attractions there as well Have a goodun
Wurzel