Autumn Gentian - 31st August 2011

Autumn Gentian (31st August 2011)

You’ve lost the flower since last seen,
Though more white flowers are on show today,
And you still have more to open.
Normally you would be showing purple flowers.

You are almost solitary, high up here,
But today I found you had another friend,
Growing within about 20ft but not yet flowered.
You also have more friends some 150 feet away.

All three of you, have set on grassy anthills,
I hope the Badgers don’t get at you!
You’re also close to where I saw squinancywort,
And the most beautiful of carpeted thyme.

Gud Morning Mi Lady- Tresses (26th Aug 2011)

Gud Morning Mi Lady…..Tresses (26th Aug 2011)

Everybody says the same thing!
When I show them the Autumn Lady’s Tresses..
“Well we would never have noticed them unless you had showed us”,
their so small and difficult to see,
Even to the trained eye, they can be easily missed.
And if you count them today there might be 40 spikes,
But probably if I counted them again tomorrow there would be 35 or even 45.

They always are so special a little flower how they,
Twist, or wind or spiral,
Like climbing a Helter-Skelter.
With greyish, silverish green coloured platted stalks,
They look West across the bay,
Huddled beneath those nearby limestone outcrops,
Yet forever trying to dodge the marauding munching sheep”

A couple of weeks and you will have gone,
You’ve been so patient to hang on,
You are the last in the Orchid queue,
And thanks for providing another close view…..

Hutton Roof - Wryneck & Autumn Gentian (25th Aug 2011)

I suppose a big incentive today was the recent reports I had earlier in the week of a definate Wryneck sighting, and a possible Icterine Warbler seen to the East of the Trig Point area on Monday last the 22nd August 2011, and the same observer went back the following morning Tuesday the 23rd, the Wryneck and Warbler had already moved on yet in this ever productive area, he did have 3 Greenland Wheatear and 5 Whitethroats.

So Another visit by me to that most wonderful of places Hutton Roof Trig point and beyond, became an absolute necessity today.

Whilst climbing up through Dalton Crags, it seemed so peaceful and you could almost hear a pin drop! but this was not to last long before I could hear the droning sound of distant aircraft, like the sound you would hear at airshows of when planes do circles and it sounds like their engines cut out and then restart up again. Later the culprits of the droning where to show with a rather close up flypast. I recognised them, they were two planes which come through here on a almost daily basis, they always fly low and carry the air force emblem on the side. A little like the shape of "Spitfires" or that sort of profile, I think perhaps they could be a sort of training plane.

Just on reaching the low summit of the climb through the Crags and before proceeding through the upper deforested area. I could not help but notice in the vale below almost opposite to where the recent now removed charcoal burners were, a Spotted Flycatcher regularly flying off its branch and doing its hover flycatching, I think there could well have been more of them, I could see odd flashes of similar birds in trees just below the bird I witnessed.

I had a couple of Small Heath Butterflies whilst heading up and through the deforested area.

High in the sky perhaps almost over the Park Wood area there was a group of five soaring Buzzards, and high over the Trig where a party of four Ravens continually honking as they moved across.

There were lots of hirundines feeding over the Crags deforested area along with the summit of the Trig Area on Hutton Roof, probably hundreds, but difficult to establish which were local birds, and which where birds of passage. One party of approximately 20 Sand Martins headed straight through to the South along with lots of determined Swallows and several House Martins, but a very large party of hundred plus seemed quite happy just to hunt and circulate the area. Did also have a pair of Tree Pipits which I think may have been passage birds.

All the local stuff seemed to have moved on, with no calling birds of Mipits or Warblers.

It was a great delight to find a new flower for me, which on checking was a "Autumn Gentian", and to my best knowledge a solitary specimen, I checked all over but could not find anymore. This particular specimen is probably of special interest in that it has white flowers.

St Thomas Church, Milnthorpe (23rd August 2011)

What a lovely day it was yesterday whilst in Milnthorpe.
The sun was shining down, and I was sat on the benches besides the green.
Taking in the vitamin D whilst watching the World go by,
With time to spare, I could not resist but sketch the beautiful Church.

Helm Crag - Grasmere - 17th August 2011

“Lion and the Lamb” - Helm Crag.

Up there so grand, you lie and watch,
Sentinel, paired eternal friends.
Like guardians to this fair vale, you look upon,
We listen to your roars, so loud at times,
Or suffer your bleating cries, with rushing tears.

Climb we will, your rugged plinth,
For intimacy some shall seek and cherish,
And touch and feel your toughened body,
Warm, cold, wet or dry, your silvery mane,
Such is the welcome of your high domain.


Here are a few photos of todays views: Top) Photo taken on the top of Helm Crag showing the rear of the magnificent "Lion and the Lamb" which stand like guardians looking over Grasmere. The 2nd photo is of "The Howitzer", which is the highest point on Helm Crag. The 3rd photo is looking down from the higher sections of Helm Crag towards "The Swan". The 4th photo is yet another one from the higher sections looking South and you can just see the Mere on the right hand side. The 5th photo is looking down on the beautiful "Dunmail Raise" pass. And the 6th and final photo is of "Helm Crag" taken from Easedale at the base.

Many A Swallow leaves our Shore (16th August 2011)

It’s a few days now since the Swifts left,
Well most of them that is, odd ones still to go,
But go they will, just like the Swallows and Martins,
Who have also started to leave us.

It seems only yesterday, I counted the first,
Swallow, but that didn’t make a Summer!
A few on the wires today, far less than yesterday, but!
Still some about, maybe they’re triple brooders!

Bye bye for now Swallow, do your best,
We want you back, with all the rest,
I’m counting now 232 days, to go!
Before your back, and when I can shout!

Two Swallows do make a Summer!

Travellers Joy (27th July 2011)

Travellers Joy (27th July 2011)

Old man’s beard, white and spiky,
Lengthening, creeping, along the gryke,
Like arteries or veins, stretching out in silence,
As Clematis do.

Beasts have nibbled the Helliborines,
And they have also had part of you..
Still plenty of white balls, like mistletoe,
Ready to open and spawn the beard.
As Clematis do.

A joy to see by any Traveller, this day,
On this, Lancelot's crazed grey pavement,
Your born from old, so old – World,
So Ancient, as Clematis are….

Scotch Argus (25th July 2011)

Scotch Argus (25th July 2011)

In the glade, on the Knott, is where I saw you last,
This very spot as where you are today,
Dancing and flitting to dodge the cast,
Feels though I’ve never been away.

Twenty, but must be more, more, more,
Hiding, feeding, fighting, flapping and fluttering about,
From here you look black, but I know your not,
You’re a sight for sore eyes, without any doubt….

(Top Photo: taken 2009, Middle and Bottom photo: taken yesterday.) Click over photos once to enlarge and click again if you wish to supersize)

Squinancywort (22nd July 2011)

Squinancywort (22nd July 2011)

On Dalton Crags I looked for thee - Squinancywort,
Where all short grass exposed, I searched but not in sight.
I know you’ve been recorded past, but not here today.

To Trig, and further on the Roof, I found you yet again,
In thousands and thousands you stretched the scree,
By, seventy seven paces across, and Twenty down.

You and your friend, Thyme, have claimed this slope,
And now, Squinancywort you have given us all hope,
For such a rarity as thee, so privileged we are all to see.

(Please click over photos once to enlarge, or click yet again to supersize - Top two photos are Squinancywort and the bottom a Burnet Moth)

Sandside's Sand Leek (20th July 2011)

Sandside's Sandleek (20th July 2011)

Sandside’s Sandleek stands so tall,
Same as last year four to call,
Purply, bulbous, plant so rare,
Must receive the utmost care.

Down the road is Field Garlic,
Near a place which is idyllic,
Over a thousand heads will show,
Through the mixed hedgerow
In bonny Silver – Dale.

(Please click over photos once to enlarge and twice to supersize)

Albino "Wild Thyme" (15th July 2011)

Albino Wild Thyme (15th July 2011)

Time waits for no-man, so they say,
I have searched these limestone ledges for many a day,
And here today you are, staring me in the face,
You must be the rare albino of that race,
A special flower – The Wild Thyme.

A Orchid Feast or a Orchid Famine (12th July 2011)

A Orchid Feast or a Orchid Famine. (12th July 2011)

Last year a million smiling faces shone there on that spot,
All where different, I could get to know each of you with time,
You made it light, you make it cheerful, your pink or lilac, or even white,
It was to be the best you would give, before it became your “last post”.

I came again the following year, excited, can’t wait to see you all again,
But what’s this! How can this be? You have gone away and not returned,
A remnant of you, have managed to get through, to pass the message from all,
Of how this is not what you wanted, and you really did want to be here.
“And so you cry, we cannot see the tears you so cruelly have to bear!
Whilst your dark secrets are underground, strangulation beneath our very feet.

Your very ground, was so sacred and special to some, it now feels so lonely,
Darn the Willow and darn the horsetails, nature can be so cruel, for you,
I shall never forget the old days, of all your smiling delicate defined faces,

(And here are some photos of how it was on July 8th 2010, and also here are two photos of how it was yesterday July 12th 2011 - The Orchids are almost gone..... Click over photos to enlarge, and then click again to supersize)

Dark Green versus High Brown Fritillary

I like many others used to find it very difficult to distinguish between the two butterflies, but now after lots of practice it is not so bad. I tend to use the following guidelines (Please click over sketch to enlarge).

Also check out these photos to show examples side by side: (Click over to enlarge and click again to supersize)

The Dark Green Fritillary on the left of these photos, shows the first black spot on the right forewing, just slightly smaller than the others and dropped down just a little, the fourth spot is very small, but still in a reasonable alignment to the rest of the line. Also there is little in the way of a depletion to the centre edge of the forewing, (perhaps just the slightest).

Yet with the High Brown Fritillary on the right of these photos, you will note again the first dot is small and dropped very low and then you have two average size spots and then another small spot, which is out of alignment with the rest. Also you can probably note the depletion dip in the side of the forewing, whereby with the Dark Green, the forewing edge is more rounded.

The Dark Green underside of the hindwing, is far more dusty green in colour. And also you can see there is white/silver spots to the full trailing edge (7 prominent spots) of the hindwing underside.

The High Brown is far more of a general brown appearance, with far less of the dusty green. And it only has 3 prominent white/silver spots to the full trailing edge (3 prominent spots). Also the High Brown has a row of silver pupilled red spots which show vertical behind the 3 prominent white/silver spots.

Marsh Helliborine (6th July 2011)

Marsh Helliborine (6th July 2011)

Methodically counted One thousand and Fifty flowering spikes,
And more to come, last year it was Six hundred and Twenty Six.
Last year you were in six areas, this year you have Eighteen.
Some of you are tall this year, as tall as you do get,
A few of you have twenty five flowers, mostly down one side,
Far less than that for most of you, for your turn has to come.

Here below are a few photos taken today of the Marsh Helliborine. Please click over photos to enlarge, and click once more to supersize. I have lots more Marsh Helliborine photos plus others which I took today, have yet to sort them, but if you wish to check them out please, they will be available for about two weeks Click Here (131 photos).