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 Moth Quiz 39

Does it tie Romeo and Juliet together

True Lover's Knot

Moth Quiz 40/40

It stands out on a Little Red Rooster's head 

Wednesday, August 12

I was longing to see some waders,.maybe I should stop believing the forecasters. No sign of the forecast thunderstorms all day. 22C when we set off at 8.15. 28C at Snettisham, which is usually on the cold side, whatever the season. We still enjoyed it though.The highest recorded temperature on the car thermometer was 29C as we entered North Walsham.

The sky, hedgerows and fields were largely devoid of anything flying. A few white butterflies, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Collared Dove and Jackdaws in the first hour. Quality. Two Red Kites at Flitcham, always a delight. 

We decided that watching the tide come in at Snettisham was our preferred option, it was due soon after mid-day, but only 5 metres. Machinery and a large caged area took up a lot of the space where we usually stop to view - soon after the top of the entrance track. Pam did some reversing and manoevering until I had a good scope position. Two enormous congregations of gulls and terns, in the middle distance, took some working through. All three usually found terns were present. The vast majority were Common,  a few, moulting forehead Sandwich and three Little. One delightful Little Tern spent a lot of time hovering and diving for food at the edge of the slow, incoming tide. It didn't catch a thing whilst I was watching. A few returning Common Gulls, a dozen Great Ringed Plovers, fifty Golden Plovers in small, scattered groups, a smattering of Dunlin busily probing at the water's edge, and an even smaller one  of scurrying Sanderling .The Redshank and Oystercatchers were too numerous to count.
One Bar-tailed Godwit stood in isolation, on one leg. All the birds seemed to be preening. Moulting season, the Shelducks notable by their, almost total, absence, in order to moult in safety in the Weddell Sea area. After winkling out a group of Turnstone and a cloud of Knot, we drove on to view the last pit. I'd had good intentions of walking as far as the Shore Hide, the better to see the roosting birds on the islands. Rolly was ready in the boot - there's only one bench en route. The temperature encouraged us to change our minds about exposing ourselves to the mid-day sun. We sat and lunched in the car, all the windows open in order to catch whatever slight breeze there was.

I could write my usual rant about all the swimsuit wearers, dog walkers, beach samphire gleaners, kayakers etc.,  but I'm not going to. The RSPB need to sort it out.

We even avoided Hunstanton, Brancaster Staithe and Wells to-day. The reason? A combination of the traffic congestion, full car parks, high tide and sailing, people everywhere.

The only other stop was at North Point, where we added Wood Sandpiper, 8 Spoonbills, 1 Great White Egret, Egyptian Geese and even more Greylag. Snettisham held hundreds and there must have been 200 more here.

I had cameras with me, memory cards in place and a full battery. For the first time ever, I didn't take any photos at all.

Home to open the moth traps.

Best moths were our third Coronet

 

and our third Dotted Footman. 

New for the year were: Scorched Carpet,

 

and Marbled Beauty

The last two were taken in pots so not the best.

Just for a change....a shy Alpine Gladioli

 

Barden Moor

Friday, August 7 

 This is where we ended up late lunchtime.

We had another late morning as the trap was full of moths, midges and beetles again. Our plan to put the trap out again to-night for the final night, has been shelved, too much mess to clear up before packing the car and driving home.

Again, over a hundred moths, our third Muslin Footman, another beautiful Lempkes, with the usual preponderance of Blunders (LYU), and Antlers. New for the cottage were Yellowtail, Riband Wave, September Thorn, and Dingy Footman. One macro and one micro still to be identified. Amazing really, for rough pasture in the middle of nowhere.

Very undecided as to what to do, we settled on the Bolton Abbey area, and a raptor watchpoint on the way to Barden Moor. 

Making our leisurely way down our lane, three Red-legged Partridges scuttled across the track. We stopped at the far gate to put our rubbish in the bins. As we set off again, a Little Owl sitting on the nearby wall flew into one of the sparse trees lining the lane. I had to photograph it through the windscreen, a pet hate.

A passerine flitted into another tree, black head we thought. I binned it to find the shivering tail of a handsome male Common Redstart. Great. Another windscreen shot.

What next? Hard to believe, but, our first Willow Warbler of the year.

What a lovely start. It kept us going through the Gargrave traffic jam - 12 minutes to-day.

Having thought we'd pay a short visit to Bolton Abbey for nostalgic reasons, that plan was stymied by a pre-booked only entry policy. I should have known better. No problem, we drove on past the other two car parks, all heaving with cars and people. The river bank was really crowded with groups of young people and families. Social distancing? West Yorkshire in lockdown?

We drove on to Barden Moor, where there were a few parking spots overlooking reservoirs and hills. Cyclists kept appearing amongst the heather and hills. Lone men and small family groups. Good for them.

Pam had seen a distant Red Grouse. I had to scope through the narrow gaps in a wide-barred wooden gate but eventually found two birds.  Moving position to where we could overlook the reservoir, a flock of 200 Lapwings rose into the air before landing out of sight in a sheep field. Three spiralling Buzzards and a Kestrel raised the spirits, nothing else materialised.

Having enjoyed the views and its wildlife, it was time to return via the Gargrave queue - a quick one this time, the opposite tailback was very long indeed. 

The week has been frustrating at times, the weather pretty ordinary and the wildlife sparse. The cottage, moth-ing and view, very enjoyable. My disability becomes increasingly frustrating.

 

 

 

 

An Almost Dry Day

Thursday, August 6

The moth trap was heaving this morning, after a warm night. Not necessarily with moths. The centre egg box was full of black midges

The bottom of the trap was a scurry of small black beetles. This potful (17) was a quarter of the ones I caught, so that they could be released in the garden.

Many of those giant Caddis flies too.

The moths included three of  our first of the year Lempke's Gold Spot,

Gold Spot, 40 Large Yellow Underwings, 20 Antler Moths, 14 Common Footmen, 17 Dark Arches, 1 Muslin Footman, 1 Rosy Footman. 2 Dun-bars, Straw Dot, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Burnished Brass, 1 Poplar Hawkmoth, 1 Scalloped Oak, 1 Silver Y, Smoky and Common Wainscot.

3 Ear moths, 2 of the white variety, 1 brown.

Over a hundred moths of  22 macro species.

We explored the Dales to-day. North on the A65 as far as Ingleton

 Ingleton nestles in the foothills of Ingleborough, one of Yorkshire's famous Three Peaks. The village is surrounded by magnificent limestone countryside with deep caves, spectacular waterfalls and important geological and archaeological sites. Above ground, glaciation has produced scars, erratics, limestone pavement, high cliffs and deep dry gorges. Below ground, the limestone is riddled with dramatic underground rivers and stunning potholes.

We enjoyed the scenery on the drive through Ribblesdale to Hawes in Wensleydale, before taking the Askrigg road to Muker.in Swaledale.

Barren moors, tumbling brown-water rivers, drystone walls and splendid barns.

The occasional corvid and Kestrel, otherwise birdless. We did take a narrow lane down towards the Ribble, with a small patch of deciduous woodland where we heard a family of Nuthatches.

All possible stopping places - there were few - held empty parked cars. Walkers we assume. The two large villages through which we passed, were heaving with people and parked cars. Full cafes and pubs, meandering tourists and lycra clad cyclists. Only to be expected in high season, and good for local trade.

We turned off the main path towards Muker and found somewhere to stop and have a late lunch. Earlier a camo clad man, rifle strapped to the handlebars of his  quad bike, had roared past in the opposite direction. He returned, drove up behind us - and skidded off. Gamekeeper? Couldn't find any harriers to shoot in this area known for prosecution of raptors?

On the way home, we were able to stop and view the Ribble Viaduct.

NENTA (North East Norfolk Train Association) used to organise steam train trips beginning in North Walsham. We did seveal with Pam's aged mother, for whom it was ideal. On one trip to Edinburgh, we crossed the Ribble viaduct on a specially arranged steam train.

Further along the road, we realised that there was a better view from the other side - and a largish potholed pull off where we could park. Pam turned round and we parked. As luck would have it, a goods train appeared.

We pass a horse field on the way up to our cottage. A pony with a tremendously long tail, and a Shetland, are never far from each other.

There is also a bank of Whinberries along a drystone wall. Unfortunately, the berries are still red. Mam always had to make Dad one Whinberry tart every year. Not nice raw, not as tart as Blackcurrants, but more astringent.

I'm longing to photograph the swathes of Meadowsweet, banks of Rosebay Willowherb, patches of sungold Golden Rod species and the deep yellow, and rich looking, patches of Ragwort, which adorn the roadside. There's never anywhere to stop.

I did manage a head of Yarrow to-day. Pam had noticed the insect on it. It was only when I edited the photo to-night that we noticed the little hopper type insect also present.

Another Wet Day

Wednesday, August 5

Still raining when we got up, as it did on and off all day, we were not in a hurry to go out, Nor did we really know where to go. Pam then spent some time net-wafting at escapee moths in the living room. Because of the rain, we empty the trap in the porch, living area door firmly closed. Despite this, ghostly shadows flit about every evening, mostly grass veneers. Some of the micros like the underfloor heating sections.

Not many moths this morning. The usual 20 Antlers, a battered Drinker, Straw Dot, Lesser Common Rustic (probably), an Ear species, Barred Straw, Flame Carpet, Silver Y amongst them.

Decision made, west coast. Only 27 miles to Carnforth.The latter is nostalgic for me as a stopping place at the 'best fish and chip shop in England', on the way for a climbing weekend in the Lakes. My fishcake was a novel slice of cod sandwiched between two fat slices of potato, dipped in batter.

Soon after turning west off the A65 we found a road closed sign without previous warning. The flooded dip below held a marooned car, a police car guarding the road beyond. It was only a short way back to a road which rejoined our route beyond the flood.

Waw, it did rain last night. Gawping at the floodplain below the road, we came to a bridge over the river Lune with a parking aarea beyond. I got out to take a few photos.

Frustratingly, Carnforth is at the moth of an estuary but we couldn't get down to it, nor park overlooking the water. We drove on to Silverdale, surprisingly passing Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. Pam had investigated the website a day or so ago as we'd enjoyed our previous visit with Carl in February 2016. Shop and centre closed, the trails not accessible to us. We investigated to make sure, before driving on to Silverdale, near the mouth of the river Kent. We eventually found a parking place, sitting riverside to enjoy a late lunch.

The tide was fully in. As it started to race out, I scoped the far mud finding at least 30 Curlew. A Cormorant flew by, Oystercatchers kleeped overhead and a damp Jackdaw looked for crumbs beside the car.

The river is crossed by an extensive railway bridge, this goods train was irresistible.

The SatNav took us a much shorter way back to the A65, beside the Kent, with much better parking and viewing possibilities - if we'd only known.

Our cottage is three and a half miles off the A65 west of Settle.Making the final approach along a rough, grass-centred track through a cattle field, we spotted a Brown Hare feeding beside the track. It lolloped to the driver's side of the car where I was able to photograph its front half. Remarkably confiding for a, usually, very wary and shy animal.

The cattle can be a pain. Young bullocks and heifers, it's not unusual to find them on the track, They don't move when we approach. Yesterday, one of them stood gazing into the car , almost touching the bonnet. They don't belong to our farm but the sheep surrounding us do. This is our cottage from the approach road. You'll have to imagine the vista beyond, now veiled by mist, rain and cloud.

One Wet Day

Tuesday, August 4

Another late start after continuous morning rain. A leisurely moth trap opening first, with yet more - handsome - Antler Moths, Rosy Rustic, Smoky Wainscot, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Ear Moth, Green Carpet, Dark Arches, Lesser Yellow Underwing and Common Footman.

We identified this worn Muslin Footman later.

Being animal lovers, we have read all of the Yorkshire Shepherdess, Amanda Owen's books.

Shepherdess, hill farmer, writer, photographer, public speaker and mother of 9 – Amanda lives with her husband Clive and their family at Ravenseat in Swaledale, one of the highest, remotest hill farms in England. 

After being featured in the popular ITV Series The Dales, Amanda began documenting the story of her farming life, before publishing three bestselling books The Yorkshire Shepherdess in 2014, A Year in the Life of The Yorkshire Shepherdess in 2016, and The Adventures of the Yorkshire Shepherdess in 2019. 

Amanda and her family also currently feature in Channel 5's documentary series Our Yorkshire Farm (series 3 launched in July 2020), we watched the last episode last week.

I put the postcode into the SatNav and off we went. We passed through Cumbria and Lancashire via a very circuitous route to Ravenseat. The last ten miles or so was through high moorland, often with steep drops on one side of the single track, climbing, twisting, road. And it was raining.

We may have glimpsed a female Merlin.....the only other birds seen were Corvids and a glimpse of a brown backed Chat which could have been either Whin or Stone.

The Dales sign is lovely. This one is the first we have seen which is not partially hidden. It is wonky though, the plinth has sunk on one side.

We arrived at the farm entrance to find this, not unexpected, sign.

Two rather wet and foot weary walkers kept us waiting whilst they came down the Pennine Way path and entered the gates. No cream tea in the barn for them to-day.

The familiar farmhouse is nestled into the hillside below, its many outbuildings clustered around. Being a wuss in my old age, I didn't want to get wet  - that never used to bother me - so I took this photo through the front screen.

We enjoyed the experience but not the conditions.

Not According to Plan

Monday, August 3

After opening cards and presents, emptying the moth trap, breakfast, and a phone conversation with daughter Sara in Australia, it was late morning when we set off for Staveley. It's a reserve based on some old gravel pits, details of which I found in Neil Glenn's excellent where to watch birds in Yorkshire book. I was really looking forward to some birds, especially passage waders, unusual wildflowers, dragonflies and the best place in Yorkshire to see otters. I feel starved of wildlife watching.

The SatNav found it easily, the small main car park that is. Pam went off to reconnoitre the area, especially to find the promised blue badge parking. She returned having met a man who told her that the blue badge parking was several hundred yards back down the road, only accessible using a radar key. We looked at the map, seeing that the badge entry took us a good way onto the reserve, whilst it was a long haul from the car park. I wish that Glenn's book had informed us of that.

 We returned to Skipton via a short stop at a lake in front of a stately home from which we saw Grey Heron, Little Egret, Sand Martins, and an assortment of grotty Mallard and Greylag Geese. 

We lunched in a gateway overlooking a sheep field where Swallows were hawking for insects. 

Shortly afterwards, I noticed a spectacular array of geodesic domes which put Mundesley's to shame.

This was RAF Menwith

Royal Air Force (RAF) Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, England. The 421st Air Base Group provides the majority of support services but the base is commanded by an officer of the RAF. The main mission on base is to monitor communications and provide intelligence support services to the UK and the US.

 The things that go on.....

We needed petrol, having not passed a fuel station in the last two days. We found one via a short detour through Skipton. Cheap fuel, newspapers and an icecream is Pam's idea of bliss.

We're becoming familiar with a road we call Ian's. It's lined on both sides by a healthy growth of Ragwort. He should be there removing it, as he does at Cley reserve. No danger to cattle here though.

 About a mile from our final turnoff to the cottage, a young man waved us down, preventing us from entering the lane as a large flock of sheep was being moved to a new pasture. Not a sheep in sight, Pam was able to ask him a few questions. The flock consisted of Texels, Mules, and a few Swaledale. He helped his father out at his farm in the summertime.

The flock of several hundred animals. herded by a small vehicle, sheepdog sat in the back, gradually appeared. I took a few photos through the front screen.

 

Another plan which went awry was that Pam left her camera at the cottage, and I forgot the new battery for my main camera. That left us with one bridge camera and two memory cards to juggle.

The moth trap was wet again after heavy showers during the night. A few new species for the year. Green and Flame Carpet, 

Orange Swift, 

Muslin Footman, Ear Moth and Cloaked Pug. Plenty more Antlers which I photographed this time.

Yesterday's escapee has been identified as Grey Mountain Carpet.

 I had a wonderful array of cards this morning, all thoughtfully sent before leaving for Yorkshire. Much appreciated.

Arrival

Sunday, August 2

An uneventful but tedious journey yesterday. The journey through Norfolk averaged 30mph behind a procession of cars and caravans - only surpassed by those coming the other way. The A47 was no better as was the tedious hours through the industrial conurbations of the Midlands and South Yorkshire. Nearing Settle, a huge holdup at lights in Gargrave, where an ancient Inn, The Swan, roadside on a corner, had recently burnt down. Pedestrians and traffic were being protected from an unsafe structure.

There was an even longer queue when we passed through this morning.

Turning off the A62 to Kendal, the traffic stopped completely. We drove for some miles along a single track road, lovely views of rolling hills and dales, drystone wall boundaries, shorn sheep dotting the pastures. Where on earth was Routster Cottage?

The last climb was enhanced by two Wheatears silhouetted on walls and fence wire, 

 

a Carrion Crow cawing a welcome from a nearby post.

Through a gateway, our delightful cottage immediately right, the main - and very extensive - farm buildings ahead of us.

We were very impressed by the facilities and furnishings, all high class. The car was soon unpacked, and the moth trap placed in a field at the back of the cottage, up against the wall. Out of sight and under a window which had an electricity socket conveniently below.

Just in time to watch most of the FA Cup Final which Arsenal won 2-1 against Chelsea. With some regret (not a lot) Aubamayang's tremendous goal-scoring skill brought me a last-minute win in this Year's Fantasy Football friends' group. Only 7 points more than the season-long leader, Pam.

After a comfortable night, we approached the moth trap with apprehension and some excitement. Would there be any macros at all up here. Yes, enough to whet the appetite. Best was two lovely Gold Spot,

a surprising 20 Antler moths, 2 Lesser Swallow Prominent, 2 Silver Y, 12 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Dark Arches, 7 Common Footman, 3 Common Rustic, 3 Smoky Wainscot, 1 Scalloped Oak, 1 Barred Straw, 1 Flame Shoulder, 1 Six-striped Rustic, 1 Common Wainscot, 2 Burnished Brass, 1 Nutmeg, 1 Least Yellow Underwing, a carpet type moth, unknown to us, escaped !! Bother. 50+ micros were - all but two - Grass Veneer type.

The rest of the morning was spent travelling to and shopping in a Skipton supermarket. We'd intended shopping en route, but didn't pass any of the M and S outlets. nor indeed any roadside services. We are set up for the week now.

From the supermarket, we went on to Grassington hoping for somewhere to stop. It was a lovely road with no pull-offs, plenty of traffic, each small village had hordes of appropriately clad walkers. Groups of cyclists and bikers also enjoyed the area. That's the problem with an August birthday, hordes of other tourists - if we go to attractive areas. Being out on a Sunday doesn't help either. 

I was longing to take photographs of the narrowboats and locks on the 127 miles long Liverpool - Leeds canal,.which we passed on several occasions.I've always loved canals, their history and traditions, since a group of us hired a boat on the Oxford Canal in August when Sara was due at the end of September. My then husband, three other male teachers and I. As Mick grounded the boat on canalside pilings almost as soon as we set off, I became the designated driver. We had to wait for the wash from a passing boat to lift us off. The men then did all the lock gate opening and shutting, mooring and daily upkeep. If we didn't eat out at a waterside pub, I cooked. All very traditional.

As was the narrow boat  I made and painted for a school project. Balsa Wood with small glittering pieces of anthracite coal from my parents' coal hole as cargo. It even floated evenly. Painting roses on tiny buckets and ewers was a challenge for me - I am not artistically gifted.

Stoke Poges with its canal museum was a short journey away from Borehamwood, where I taught for 15 years before moving to Norfolk.

It rained overnight and we've had some sharp showers to-day but the sun is shining and we have wonderful rolling views from the cottage. Can you see the building cluster?