I Love Arnside and Silverdale: Dinghy Skippers, Meadow Browns and lots and lots of Orchids (19th June 2017)

Monday, 19 June 2017

Dinghy Skippers, Meadow Browns and lots and lots of Orchids (19th June 2017)

Looking over to Warton Crag and the Bay (click over to enlarge)

Monday 19th June 2017 - Hutton Roof 0900hrs to 1100hrs

A new Chiffchaff to book. Manage to get a good bite from a "Cleg" fly, he did not come again! I saw a beautiful "light lemon coloured hawker dragonfly", lovely colouring but too flitty to get a photo - seemed to be enjoying the tops of the bracken. A regular Garden Warbler was singing away having moved his territory some 100 yards further East. Found another Common Spotted Orchid (not that Common on Hutton Roof less than 50). Again another day with Small Heaths everywhere. Had my first Meadow Brown's today (x2) also had one of the larger bronze fritillaries (1st of the year) but its still a little early for Dark Green but spot on for High Brown so I am left wondering......had a Dinghy Skipper and also marked two places off with Common Blues (males). Lots of Fairy Flux flowers showing. The nationally rare (but locally common) Limestone Bedstraw is opened up everywhere you go. In fact it is so common you will struggle to find any Heath Bedstraw!

Also I have Robert Ashworth (Kendal) report from: 14th June 2017:
Cuckoo - at least one bird still present, no calling and more elusive. Crossbill - One calling as it flew north over Burton Fell. Recorded a new fly orchid and also a Common Spotted. Increase in Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries. (Thanks Robert)

Checked on Specimen 70 (Schmal 70) which is coming through very well and as usual a very light green. This year also it has come through with a new specimen at the side of it which for now is labelled 70a and which so far does look very much like a positive offspring of 70 which you can see in the following photograph.

Specimen 70 and the new 70a (Schmal 70) - Click over to enlarge

Here below is a photograph of how Specimen 70 looked last year. It is a striking plant which first of all hits you by the very light green throughout. Also as you can see from the following photo it shows lovely red/magenta flowers which contrast so well with the green.

Specimen 70 (Schmal 70) LAST YEAR 13th July 2016 (Click over to enlarge)

Such a beautiful plant which in my opinion does have similarities to Schmal 8 (2014) and also Schmal 11 and 12 (2014). see old photos below. The position of Specimen 70 from the other plants (8,11 and 12) is approx 200 yards to their direct West.

Specimen 8 (Schmal) from 7th July 2014)

Specimen 11 (Schmal) from 7th July 2014)

Also decided to check out Specimen 14 (Schmal No.14) which sadly has been predated by Mr. Hare. He is up to his old tricks again and although we love him dearly I just wish he would eat what he chomps! If you look closely on the photo you will see a little minced pile of the flowerhead which he has made. Also shown below this photo is a photo of how Schmal 14 looked on the 12th July 2016

Spec 14 (Schmal No.14) Click over to enlarge

and here below I have put a photo on of how Schmal No.14 was last year on 12th July 2016. I noticed that around this plant are another two nice atrorubens, but obviously they must not have been so tempting. If you look at this photo also you can see that this plant may well have qualified for the "Lemon Petalled" status.

Spec 14 (Schmal No.14) in better days - 12th July 2016 (Click over to enlarge)

I was really pleased to see that var: Westmorlandii is alive and well and just starting its growth....

And here is showing 9a which is doing well. In fact all that family seem to be doing well 9,9b,11,12 etc etc.