Is It A Bird!....

Painted Lady Jan Larsson 

....no, it was a butterfly which took the award above all the birds on Friday when I found a Painted Lady on the coastal path south of Aldcliffe. 

The Painted Lady is a migrant to our shores and originates from North Africa. Unfortunately it is unable to survive our winter which is a great pity, not only does the Painted Lady often arrive in large numbers, but is a welcome sight as it nectars in gardens throughout the British Isles in late summer. This butterfly has a strong flight and can be found anywhere in the British Isles including Orkney and Shetland, and has the distinction of being the only butterfly species ever to have been recorded from Iceland.

Other butterflies, a Comma and 7 Peacock on the trek from St Georges Quay in Lancaster to Conder Green.

Blackcap Warren Baker 

Also of note as I passed through the Aldcliffe area, 2 Little Grebe appeared undeterred - whilst just about everything else had been - by the disturbance of work being carried out around Freeman's Pools. The apparently resident Greenshank was on the marsh looking pretty smart in it's breeding plumage, and 3 Little Ringed Plover were on one of the best floods in the area at the bottom end of Aldcliffe Hall Lane.

On the route along the length of the coastal path to Conder Green, 13 Blackbird, 12 Willow Warbler, 7 Blackcap included two female, 7 Chiffchaff, 6 Wheatear, 3 Long-tailed Tit included a pair nest building, 3 Dunnock, a Song Thrush, a notable number of uncounted Chaffinch and Robin, a Treecreeper and Kestrel, 2 Little Egret, and 2 Red-breasted Merganser on the river off Nansbuck Cottage.   

And Finally....

An Osprey reported - RBA - over Harrisend Fell yesterday afternoon.