Morning all: Late checking tonight. Back later...
Afternoon all,
Thanks for all the earlier chat.
The weather today has been showery especially this morning but not enough to make any real difference to the extremely dry ground.
This morning we went shopping at Asda in Corby for a change. Ok so it is miles away but there was an ulterior motive as on the way back we pass Glapthorn Cow Pasture which is one of the places where you can see the rare Black Hairstreak butterfly. They only appear for about 2 weeks in June.
"The Black Hairstreak (satyrium pruni) is very elusive in its habits and is not easy to spot, flying only in bright sunshine and making only short sorties among the blackthorn thickets, from which it seldom strays. It is a sedentary species and often secrets itself high in the canopy of a neighbouring oak or ash tree. Furthermore it is single brooded and its flight period lasts little more than a fortnight, from the second week in June until the end of the month, though there is a recent trend towards earlier emergence."
These butterflies are only found in certain woods in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. As we entered the wood a couple told us that there were 7 feeding on the nectar of some bramble flowers only 100 yards away. Unfortunately when we reached the brambles they had gone so once more the Black Hairstreak had eluded us. It is a lovely wood inhabited by many nightingales and recently a fox with 5 cubs has been seen there. Also according to the reserve diary as many as 12 Hairstreaks have been seen in one day already this month.
Hi, all. Just stopped in to check for news on Rothes. This is what Richard had to say in the comments on the main blog (in case any of you don't read the comments there -- I usually don't).
"Up-date on Rothes’ whereabouts: Latest point was 5am this morning (9th). She’s right near the coast in Western Sahara about 244miles / 400km N of where she was previously. She’s zig-zagged up the country a bit, travelling about 411 miles / 672 km. She’s now close to Provincia de Bojador."
Looks like she's moving north. I'll be back later to check in with everyone. I have to go get some food before the predicted thunderstorms hit this afternoon. Hope you all are having a nice day!!!
Stay safe Diane and hope you get back well before thunderstorms arrive.
Margobird
Good afternoon everyone, managed to catch up with the messages, lovely.
Much better day today, plus I am now off work until Monday :-)
I was wondering if anyone knew much about Blackbirds, I have one that comes regularly into the garden, collecting food, but its a sorry state, it appears bald to the front and one eye doesn't look right, slightly swollen...Due to the softy I am, I have taken a real shine to him..
Yes I know you are all thinking 'sad' lol
Annette, I did see the Google home page earlier, yes very clever.
No, bettyboo - don't think you are sad - I would be looking out for him, too. He's probably moulting a bit and will look better later on when he gets his new feathers. Bad eye is worrying, though.
Diane: Hope the thunderstorms are not too bad - here is a link for you, The International Space Station according to the latest pictures, very clear, and how dramatic!
http://bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13691608
at present, on the same news page, there is a pic of our Olympic Torch which I did not like when I 1st saw it, it's very like a cheese grater! - or something made from offcuts of metal....
Bettyboo blackbirds are extremely territorial at this time of the year and may have been in a bit of a fight. Thnk we are all softies in this respect. rEnjoy your days off.
Bettyboo, It sounds like feather or bird mite, from which your blackbird can recover. It is more prevalent in Spring/ Summer. There is nothing you can do. Only very severe cases die.
Trichomonosis is the illness from which many finches have been dying but there have been tit cases.. They do not lose their feathers but you will see saliva around the beak and what appear to be wet feathers.
Hi everyone just back from meeting Rosiemac...lunch good and deli very tempting, as a veggie I picked up some really nice cheeses and locally made bread. Confession time as I walked in I cut the end off of the bread ate it naked (bread not ME) it was gorgeous...so will delay dinner tonight.
OH back ib to Aberdeen tomorrow but I still cook a meal even if I am on my own, oh sit at the table.
Just had a nice pm from SheilaFe, I caught up with her a couple of weeks ago at LG before she went up to the west coast for a week and it sounds as though she had a good time with mixed weather..well that's Scotland for you.
I love good bread, too, Wendy - with or without butter or even cheese, on it!
Nice to hear that Sheila has had a good break - our neighbours have just come back from Oban and they had very mixed weather, too.
I have had so much pleasure from these - and they were such a bargain - I bought this Orchid from M & S months ago, for only 5 pounds, and it flowered then, but now it is flowering again, and even more so - I snapped it in the mirror, as I have had it on the mantelpiece so that we can see all of the flowers all around...
Lindybird Beautiful orchid and beautiful pic as well. What a good idea to take it with mirror in the background.