A terrific count of 8 Wall along Werneth Low Rd and in grounds of nearby stables. Fairly certain I've never recorded even one in this area before, so a major expansion. Also hereabouts: 1 painted lady, 1 red admiral, 2-3 gatekeeper, 1-2 meadow brown, with 8 speckled woods being more widely scattered. 1 common darter also seen.
On a very cool, blustery walk from Greave to Werneth Low Country Park, not many insects were braving it, so it was a surprise to see a female Ghost moth on the kerb by the roadside near the car park at the top of Joel Ln. Moths 1 Butterflies 0 for the afternoon. Summer in the UK!
A fairly uneventful nosey around had produced only 4 small heath, 3 green hairstreak, 2 red admiral, 1 speckled wood, 1 common blue (not usual here), and a common heath moth in the insect stakes. But right at the end of the walk I found a very attractive click beetle which I do not believe I have seen before; Ctenicera cuprea. An inhabitant of upland heath and moorland, its at times like this that it is handy to live near the hills.
A close encounter with a fox this afternoon at the Greave end of the 'Low'. I was making squeaking sounds to try and entice birds from within a thick hedge and was amazed to see a beautifully clean, healthy fox appear in the field below me at about 7/8 meters. It's eyes were fixed to the ground looking for whatever had been making the sound, so it did not have a clue I was above its eyeline. It moved stealthily, panning ahead before pushing through the hedgerow 3/4 meters to my right when it finally saw me and eventually (after having a good look at me) fled. I haven't seen many around these parts in recent times, so this made it all the more special.
Re-found Wall after a very long absence here (20+ years). As it was in the area (track/road leading down steeply from Windy Harbour) that I'd seen it in the past, I suppose it has hung on in very small numbers (I haven't looked every year and the weather is not always right).
An interesting p.m. in the sunshine turned up a good variety of insects, the best of which was corizus hyoscyami, a personal first and perhaps only the second recorded for Greater Manchester (according to the NBN atlas). 7 species of butterfly included no less than 20 green hairstreaks and my first small copper of the year. 4 species of moth included Mother Shipton, 3 common heath, zillions of green longhorns and another longhorn species yet to be determined. Also sloe and green shieldbugs.
Brilliant to be amongst green hairstreaks again (even though it does make the years seem like they go nowhere). No less than six seen, which was a good job as other species were not in good numbers (holly blue, orange tip, peacock, green-veined white, comma). Also one common heath moth seen. Grey-haired mining bees have really taken hold in the county in recent times - there were about 40 here. I do not recall them being present until the last couple of years and I don't think I would have overlooked them.
Cheers,
Andy
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Saturday 5th of May 2018 09:04:40 PM
The Wild Daffodils are now at their peak and make a great sight once you go through the 2nd gate from the car park towards the War Memorial. They have been there for donkeys years but I feel they were probably planted originally. Are there any other sites in Gtr Mcr?
Unfortunately a few of the garden variety have been planted near the main path by the gate and there are a handful of hybrids established. Although it would be many years before they become a threat to the main colony. However it would be wise to dig out the garden and hybrid ones.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 1st of April 2016 05:56:21 PM
