South Lakes Wild Animal Park

I`m not a big fan of wildlife parks, but as this one was only 30 mins drive from our base at Flookburgh and the kids were pestering to go ( well, it was their holiday too ), i thought i`d give it a try.
I was pleasantly surprised, all the animals had plenty of room to roam ( some of them were`nt even penned in ) and offered close up views for easy photography. Both Storm & Rudi ( my kids, for those of you who did`nt know ) were over the moon when they found out that they could hand feed the Giraffes.
Don`t want to fill the blog up with images of captive animals, so here`s just a small selection ;

Rhino`s




Giraffe`s




Kangaroo


Cheetah`s






Spoonbill`s






This white ( wild ) Moorhen was the best of the day for me ;



Right, time to sort some more ( natural ) pics out.

I`m back .....

.... but not by choice.
I hate coming back off holiday especially when you`ve had such a great time. We had a week in the very picturesque county of Cumbria. It was my first time holidaying in the Lake District and i thoroughly recommend it as a holiday destination.
The weather was`nt too bad, with equal amounts of both cloud & sun, and we did`nt get the rainfall that people had to endure elsewhere in the country. In fact the bit of rain we did get seemed to fall during the hours of darkness.
Now to get some pics sorted out. So PLEASE!!! check back later, hope there`s something to interest you lot out there.

PS - i`d like to thank the few people that emailed me to ask if the lack of updates was down to the recent flooding ( if that was the reason ) & that we were all ok. So thanks again.

Friday 22nd June 2007

Rain for most of the day, Light E
Did`nt let the weather put us off today. Me and Mike ( Richardson ) went to look for Broad-leaved Helleborine. This plant was found at an un-disclosed site by John Coldwell barnsleywildlife
To our knowledge this is the first record for the area and also a first for both me & Mike. Unfortunately it was`nt in flower, but we hope to go back when it is ;





Also found my first Common Stinkhorn of the year ;





Thanks John, and by the way your directions were spot on.

Copyright Dean Stables

Thursday 21st June 2007

Sunny, Patchy Cloud, Showers ( pm ), Light S
Had a couple of hours around Cortonwood this morning, where the main highlights were, my first Emerald Damselfly of the year and another Longhorn Beetle " Strangalia maculata ". I was about to photograph the Damsel when i got distracted by a male Emperor and ended up without a pic of either.
Here`s a selection of the pics i managed to get ;

Strangalia maculata




Comma






Meadow Brown


Greater Knapweed


Common Centaury


Fungi sp


and a couple of digiscoped pics from my garden this evening ;


Blackbird


Starling


Greenfinch

Copyright Dean Stables

Wednesday 20th June 2007

Sunny, Patchy Cloud, Breezy S/SW
The Wombwell garden security lights produced 2 moth year ticks this morning, with singles of Small Magpie & Riband Wave ;


Small Magpie


Riband Wave

The only other Inverts of interest from this garden were a female Banded Demoiselle & a Painted Lady.
The walk home along the western edge of Cortonwood produced another moth year tick, with a single Common Wave. Nothing else noted apart from Large Skippers & Meadow Browns ;


Common Wave

My garden continues to provide " not a lot ". I`ll be glad when the Buddleia`s start flowering.


Woodpig ( nothing to do with Buddleia`s )

Moth Year List - 127

Copyright Dean Stables

Tuesday 19th June 2007

Sunny, Light > Breezy SE
A fantastic day for me, but it did`nt start off that well. Went through to the Wombwell garden this morning, where the only highlight was a single Red Admiral ;



However, things picked up during the afternoon, with a trip out to nearby Cadeby with Mike & Claire Richardson. Claire had found a Marbled White butterfly here yesterday, so i blagged a lift off Mike. I have seen this species before, but never in Yorkshire. Did`nt take us long to find the aforementioned specimen and after a few minutes of chasing & stalking, i managed to get a couple of pics. No matter what other species i see this year, this for me is the butterfly of 2007. What a beauty !!! ;







Also saw my first Ringlets of the year. While we were in this area Mike showed me a couple of "new to me" plant species : Dwarf Elder ( not in flower yet ), Wild Liquorice & Lucerne ;

Wild Liquorice


Lucerne




Orchid sp


Geranium sp


There were also quite a few Banded Demoiselle`s about but they would`nt allow close approach, so we headed off to try our luck for them at nearby Denaby Ings. Quite a few males , but these also gave me the run around. Finally got a stationary female ;



The only flower of note here, was my first Field Scabious of the year ;



And last but not least, i`d like to thank Mike & Claire for another productive trip out. Cheers both :)

Butterfly Year List - 22

Copyright Dean Stables

Monday 18th June 2007

Cloudy, Sunny Spells, Light E
The Wombwell garden produced 5 moth year ticks this morning. All of which had been attracted to the security lights : Crambus pascuella, Small Dusty Wave, Lime-speck Pug, Dark Arches & Brown Rustic ;


Lime-speck Pug


Brown Rustic

Also here were ;


Spruce Carpet


Red Admiral

The walk home along the western edge of Cortonwood produced my first Banded Demoiselle of the year, but i could`nt get with in camera shot of it. Apart from the usual butterfly species, i found another Agapanthia villosoviridescens ;





and this parasitic ? growth on a Willow ;



Moth Year List - 124

Copyright Dean Stables

Songster

Song Thrush - this evening on a TV ariel about 4 houses away from ours. Reeled about 20 digiscoped shots off, but these were the only 2 worth saving and that`s questionable ;





Copyright Dean Stables

Sunday 17th June 2007

Cloudy, Sunny Spells, Light SW
The trip to Anglesey turned to a trip to Teesdale, which then turned to a trip to Potteric Carr, and then the latter was cancelled at the last minute. So by this time i could`nt be arsed to go anywhere. Well that`s not exactly true, as i took the kids down to Broomhill Park. On the way i had a quick look on the Gypsy Marsh. The main highlight from here was my first Emperor dragonfly of the year, but it just would`nt settle. Plenty of Common Spotted Orchids here, including a few white forms ;



Storm enjoyed herself at Broomhill Park, but i think she needs a bigger bike ;

Saturday 16th June 2007

Cloudy, Sunny Spells, Light W/SW
After 3 days of torrential rain it was good to get out today, well this evening. Had a walk around the Stubbin area of Rawmarsh, where the only highlights were 2 moth year ticks : Agapeta hamana & Shaded Broad-bar. Did`nt get a pic of either, but here`s some other stuff ;

Meadow Brown








Common Toad


Bellflower


Moth Year List - 119

The proposed trip to Anglesey this weekend never materialised. Oh well !! see what tomorrow brings.

Copyright Dean Stables

Rain Stopped Play

Our ( me, Mike Richardson & John Law ) proposed wildflower trip to Anglesey today was cancelled, due to the rain, rain & more rain. Typical british summer weather.
It`s now been re-scheduled for the weekend ( hopefully Saturday ). Should be plenty of lifers for me. Watch this space for the results.

Mish - Mash Gallery

Scorpion Fly - Wombwell 13th June




Weevil sp - ( Otiorhynchus sulcatus ) Wombwell 13th June

Thanks to John Coldwell at Barnsleywildlife for the id.

Fungi sp - Wombwell 13th June


Scotch Thistle - West Melton 12th June


Rudi & Merrylegs - Ecclesfield Riding Club 12th June


Another proud moment. Storm ( my eldest ) got placed 1st in the Working Hunter class. Nothing to do with hunting. They have to jump a course and if they go clear, they then go onto doing a display of walk, trot & canter. Well done girl !!!!!

Copyright Dean Stables

Tuesday 12th June 2007

Overcast, Light W





Had a walk along the canal and back, from Brampton Bierlow > Hemingfield. Did`nt see anything of interest at all. Pretty pointless really, a bit like this update.

Got something planned for this coming Thursday. I will reveal more when i know more.

Monday 11th June 2007

Low Cloud, quickly burning off to leave a hot sunny day, Light E
2 moth year ticks from the Wombwell garden this morning ;

Buff Ermine




Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix


Common Marbled Carpet ( not a year tick )


The walk home along the western edge of Cortonwood produced my first photographable Painted Lady of the year, along with another moth year tick, in the shape of a Vapourer larva. ( you can count caterpillars as year ticks, can`t you!!! ) ;





Nothing new or special on the plant front, but i did have a go at the Chickweed now it`s in flower ;



Nothing to report from this afternoon, too hot for walking, so i just dossed at home. Now`t wrong with that, is there :)

Copyright Dean Stables

Sunday 10th June 2007

Low Cloud, Light E/NE
Another good day. Started off with a walk to Manvers Lake but i never got there, as i got distracted by chasing a Painted Lady ( the butterfly, not a tattoed woman ). Did`nt actually get to photograph the butterfly in question but in the process i found a decent clump of my first ever Grass Vetchling. Not a spectacular plant by any means but i believe it`s quite/very scarce this far north ;



Apart from the P Lady, the only other butterflies seen were, Large Skipper, Common Blue & Meadow Brown ;


Large Skipper


Common Blue

Later on, i blagged a lift off Mike Richardson to go and see another first for me, a Birds-nest Orchid that was in flower at nearby Sprotborough. Very difficult to get a decent shot as it was in the dense shade of a wood. On the way back to the car, i added another first to my wildflower list, with White Bryony. By heck!! 3 plant ticks in one day and all local ;


Birds-nest Orchid


White Bryony

And finally to finish off another good day. My 2 daughters returned home after a Pony Club team jumping event at Scunthorpe, where the team they were in got 2nd place. Well done girls!!!, another proud fatherly moment.



Copyright Dean Stables

Common

Just a couple of digiscoped shots from yesterday afternoon. Practice makes perfect or so they say. Some way to go yet!!!

Woodpig " do not disturb "


Starlings






Greenfinch


Copyright Dean Stables

Stunned!!!!

I was sat in the house this afternoon, when i heard an almighty bang. I went to the back door to see where the noise had come from and found this young Starling on the floor beneath the kitchen window. Although it had stunned itself, it soon came round and happily flew off none the worse for its mishap.








You can see the reflection of my fingers & camera in its eye.

Copyright Dean Stables

Saturday ( am ) 9th June 2007

Hazy Sunshine, Light N
Had a fantastic couple of hours around the Gypsy Marsh/Knollbeck area this morning. First off, the Gypsy Marsh provided me with my first Grasshopper Warbler of the year, a singing bird that was reeling on & off for about 5 mins.
Then onto the Knollbeck site, which produced 2 more firsts of the year with a female Black-tailed Skimmer & a female Common Darter. There were also a few Four-spotted Chasers about, as well as several Common Blue, Large Skipper & Meadow Brown butterflies.

Black-tailed Skimmer








Four-spotted Chaser




Large Skipper




Foxglove


All in all it was an excellent morning ( by my standards ). Very pleased to get a few shots of the Skimmer as these dragons are notorious for not allowing close approach :)

Local Area Bird Year List - 105

Copyright Dean Stables

Friday 8th June 2007

Low Cloud am, Brightening pm, Light N
As it`s been over a week since the Tawny Owls fledged, i thought i`d clean the nest box out. I was hoping to collect a few pellets, to see what they had been feeding on. To my surprise i could`nt find any pellets or Rodent remains, but astonishingly i did find 5 bird corpses in the box ;



Judging by the leftovers, the parent birds must have been feeding the owlets on fledgings. As you can see from the pic below, the primary feathers are still sheathed ;



Not a lot else here, but i did happen on a Robins nest, in the wall of the sunken garden. I imagine by the date, this must be a second brood ;



Could`nt be bothered to venture out this afternoon. So i practised my digiscoping skills on a couple of commonal garden birds ;

Collared Dove


Blackbird ( painted. pretty obvious, is`nt it )




Starling




Copyright Dean Stables

Thursday 7th June 2007

Low Cloud ( all day ), Light N/NE
Not a lot today folks, but that`s down to the cloud not clearing. Anyway a visit to Cortonwood produced a couple of year ticks. First off were 2 moth ticks, with Thistle Ermine & Brown China-mark ( 2 variants ) ;

Thistle Ermine


Brown China-mark`s




Then on my way back home i had my first site Reed Warbler of the year, with a bird singing by Morrisons Pond. The only other birds of note were the usual Warblers, quite a few Reed Buntings & 1 or 2 Willow Tit.
BRING BACK THE SUN!!!

Year Lists update ;
Moths - 114
Cortonwood Birds - 67

Copyright Dean Stables

Wednesday 6th June 2007

Low Cloud, Light NE
Not a lot from the Wombwell garden this morning, apart from a couple of pics ;

Geometrid sp




Yellow Pimpernel


Fungi sp


At dinnertime i got a phonecall from Mike Richardson offering me a lift to go and see a White-tailed Plover at Caerlaverock ( Dumfries & Galloway ), but due to other commitments i had to decline. Typical !!!, it would have been a lifer for me.

After finally getting over on missing out on the Plover, i had an hour around the Gypsy Marsh/Knollbeck area this evening. The highlights from here were, my first Meadow Brown & Yellow Shell of the year. The latter was much quicker than i was & i only managed a single shot of the Meadow Brown. Typical behaviour for this butterfly, it kept landing at the base of the vegetation ;



The other highlight from this area, was finding my first ever Bee Orchid for the Knollbeck site ;



Year Lists update ;
Butterflies - 20
Moths - 112

Copyright Dean Stables

Tuesday 5th June 2007

Sunny, Light NE
Been busy around the house today ( why do children never want to throw anything away ), but i still managed a visit to the western edge of Cortonwood late morning. It was great to see my first Painted Lady of the year, but it was too quick for me & my camera.
Other Inverts seen here were, Large Skipper, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Speckled Wood. Broad-bodied Chaser 2 female.
The best of the birds were, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Tit.

Common Blue




Speckled Wood




Broad-bodied Chaser




Judging by the pic below, it looks like my local patch was possibly visited by an Hobby ;

Swift ( wing )


Butterfly year list - 19

Copyright Dean Stables

Monday 4th June 2007

Low Cloud, Sunny Spells, Light > Blustery E/NE
Decided to run my Actinic trap overnight, which provided 4 year ticks - Celypha striana, Epiblema cynosbatella, Large Yellow Underwing & Yellow-tail. Only the latter would pose long enough for a pic ;





Then at the Wombwell garden, i found another addition to the moth year list with this Small Angle Shades ;



This garden also produced my first Wasp Beetle of the year ;





The walk home along the western edge of Cortonwood did`nt reveal much, with the best of the birds being a singing Lesser Whitethroat. The best of the Inverts were a cracking blue male Broad-bodied Chaser and this Helophilus sp. It appeared to be a lot smaller than the H. pendulus i usually see here. C`mon John ( barnsleywildlife ), do your stuff. please. ;



During the afternoon, i joined Mike & Claire Richardson on a visit to Sprotbrough, to see and photograph my first ever Common Twayblades. A very difficult plant to photograph. These are the best i could manage ;





Also added Common Gromwell & Heath Speedwell to my ever growing plant life list. The best of the rest were Common Spotted Orchids ( in abundance ) & several Bee Orchids ;







Moth Year List - 111

Copyright Dean Stables

Sunday 3rd June 2007

Hazy Sunshine, Light SSE
Pony Club today, so while we were at the farm getting the ponies ready for travelling, i had a look round for any nesting Swallows. Plenty of nests about but they were too high up to get any pics, but i did find this Wrens nest next to a boarded up window ;



Not a lot else here, but Common Mallow was found in flower ;



On the way to the Pony Club field i got dropped off for walk around the Stubbin area of Rawmarsh. Found my target species ( Bee Orchid ) here with no trouble, but there was only one flower. Bit early yet, but i`m sure there will be many more to follow ;





A few other plants were photographed ;

Orange Hawkweed - aka Fox & Cubs




Hedge Bindweed


Creeping Cinquefoil


Nothing new on the Invert front, but plenty of Common Blue & Small Heath. A few Dingy Skipper were also seen.

( Rudi & Merrylegs got placed 3rd in Lead Rein Gymkhana and Storm & Saffie got eliminated ( again ) in the 10 & unders jumping. Don`t know what`s up with Storm this season. Think the nerves have crept in )

Copyright Dean Stables

Saturday 2nd June 2007

Low Cloud clearing, Sunny, Light S
Had an hour on the Gypsy Marsh this morning. Nothing new from here. Plenty of Marsh Orchids of various shades, including this pale form ( looks more like Common Spotted to me, but without the spotted leaves ) ;







During the afternoon, i had walk around Cortonwood. Where there was plenty of lep activity, Common Blue, Small Heath, Speckled Wood & Large Skipper were the most numerous. Also had a single Brown Argus + my first Straw Dot ( moth ) of the year. No pics of any of these, but a few wildflowers did`nt get away ;


Field Mouse-ear


Water Cress