Thursday 23 July 2015

Lots of "light phase" variants amongst the atrorubens

Without doubt! another variation (Click over to enlarge)
It was a dainty plant of some 10" high, very light in colouring with lots of burnt features which you do get with Palens and light varieties.  A close up is offered in the next photograph.

A fragile little plant with green stem.  
Certainly my favourite on the day. Though after saying that I had even more light pale variaties as you can see on the following photos.

Very pale looking flowers.
This is one taken from a trio of plants and almost all identical with that light phase epichile and bosses. Again I noticed these plants were within 5 yards of E. Helliborine

What a shame - this plant had potential and certainly recorded!
This one is a very light variant, although in the next photo you will see it closer up. And the photo below that is a plant growing within a metre of it.  How can there be so much variation in colour in such a short distance away from one another?
This is from that very pale plant shown above and yet right next to it is the one in the next photo

Such a contrast in colour, yet only one metre away.

Besides the above atroruben variants it was good for the butterflies, with Dark Green Frittilary, a well worn Small Pearl Bordered and Common Blues, Ringlets and Meadow Browns and a Grayling

Thursday 23rd July 2015 - Swift Observations off Main St, Burton In Kendal 200hrs to 2100hrs 

Swift sketch and Notes from yesterday evening (23rd July 2015) (Click over sketch to enlarge)


Saturday 25th July 2015 - Swift Observation - Main Street, Burton In Kendal. 1000hrs

A minimum of 20 Swifts in the sky from points West of Burton Memorial Hall.

Thursday 23rd July 2015 - Swift observations - Off Main Street, Burton In Kendal 2000hrs to 2100hrs.

It was clear and reasonably warm, the birds of which 8 was the maximum count and would be at a average altitude between 75 and 150ft. We just caught them twice doing the follow my leader screaming flight.  As usual we took it that the birds flew bias to their breeding areas and could be seen high in the sky.

Tonight there were two observers David Craig and Bryan Yorke.

We started at the Cottage near the Post Office and were lucky to actually see one fly into the nest, we did hang fire for a few minutes but never saw it leave.  Then on to Cocking Yard with no activity witnessed.  We moved further on to the Royal, observing all elevations.  But tonight the only activity here was on the Cottage front low elevation where we were fortunate to witness two birds coming back into their nest site.  One bird left again within minutes of landing.

We gave equal amounts of time to checking the large building behind the old bakery (from the back of the King's yard) and we then went on to observe the Coach House and the Manor House, with no further sightings of birds whilst observing.

Just to add I had a party of 8 birds on Monday last the 20th flying low in "follow my leader fashion" going at low levels in and out between the buildings at Clawthorpe Hall.