1988 June and July
June 4th
Breezy sunny day. David took me round Calf Hey Trail at
Haslingden. White Clover was flowering there. In the afternoon
we went to the old grenade range past Big Oller. We also went to
the Farm nearby, and got stuck in a bog. On the way back we saw
loads of Red Clover on the overgrown pavement and I found a
sprig of Spring Squill which I first discovered there many years
ago. Swifts were darting over the moor and Swallows too.
June 5th
A very warm and sunny day. David and I took the dogs round the
island. We found three Goose nests with egg shells and I counted
22 Goslings - three families - on the reservoir. On the
shoreline I saw three Dunlin feeding, with purple breasts and
curved bills. There was a pair of Oystercatchers flying about
and for the first time I saw a pair of birds with creamy brown
backs and white breasts with black bibs.
June 6th
David and I went round Wayoh. We saw two Rabbits, one was jet
black. David says they are called ‘Parson Rabbits’ when they are
that colour. On the hillside loads of purple Lupins were
flowering and on the bank to my delight, I found a few pale
spikes of the Common Speedwell.
June 7th
I heard an Owl hoot today so I went across to the barn and
looking down at us from a beam was a Tawny Owl. I think it must
live there and be the parent of the young one we saw recently.
On June 5th I saw a Little Owl at Edgeworth and
another in the Ash Tree on the Lane Field.
June 8th
Yesterday David took me and the dogs round Wayoh. I picked
a beautiful piece of Water Avens. Stood on a mud flat at the
very far end of the reservoir were no less than seven Heron;
never have I seen so many. We saw the little black rabbit again
and two female Mallard, each with five ducklings.
June 11th
A warm, windy and sunny day. David, Cindy and I went round
Angelzarke Reservoir. In the grass Bird’s Foot Trefoil was
flowering. Pinky-purple Foxgloves were in flower amongst the
tall green bracken. Walking past the reservoir we saw a slender
white and grey bird with black cap and forked tail. I saw it
dive below the water. It was without doubt a Tern.
In the
river flowing into the reservoir, and swimming with their heads
facing the oncoming currant were six young Trout, each about
seven inches long. When I saw them I had just been thinking
‘wouldn’t it be lovely to see some fish in the river’ and there
they were.
June 13th
The most beautiful day this year, glorious blue sky, hot
sunshine and a warm breeze. We went round Tockholes Reservoir
with Cindy. Whilst walking along the bank, there gliding along
in the sunlight waters, we saw several large Trout. They must
have been just under a foot long. Their smooth streamlined
bodies turning effortlessly to catch flies on the surface, their
small fins continually moving and rippling in waves. I have
never seen fish like that before, it was a delight.
In a dying
tree we saw thousands of caterpillars, eating the leaves. I saw
them several weeks ago and then they were tiny, about forty
together in a sort of nest just like a spiders web but joined
together to support them. These “cobweb like nests” were
covering the tree all over and making it look white and ghostly
in appearance. I think they are some sort of moth caterpillars.
June 15th
Today at work there was a beautiful Ermine Moth on the
Carpet. It had a fury white head black eyes, orange stripes on
its body, black legs and its white back was peppered with black
dots, and dots on its legs. I released it on some Ivy outside.
June 26th
On Friday 24th of June, David and I moved into
our new home. It is a lovely sunny mid terrace, overlooking a
valley with trees, long grass and a Goyht. There are hundreds of
black and brown Slugs and not surprisingly yesterday morning
David saw a Hedgehog which feeds on them. Amongst the grass,
yellow Buttercups, White and Red Clovers, and purple Self Heal
are flowering. The trees include Mountain Ash, Hawthorn, Oak,
Elm and some small ones with lovely shaped leaves which I think
are Maple. Sycamore and Pussy Willow grow, as well as Wild
Roses, now covered in lovely pink blossom. You may well imagine
it is like home from home.
June 27th
A very humid, close day, with
overcast skies and occasional sun. Walking down the valley I saw
four Large Skipper Butterflies with orange and brown markings.
There was also a large Meadow Brown Butterfly with orange wing
patches lazily flying about. On a roof were two Magpies.
June 29th
The sky has been grey all day
but it is very warm with a slight breeze and occasionally the
sun shows through the clouds. This morning I saw a Hedge Sparrow
in the bushes. Locally Rosebay and Great Willow Herbs are
beginning to flower, besides smaller Willow herbs. By the river
in Bolton, Giant Hogweed is blooming.
In the rockery several types of “Pinks”,
Cranesbills and Stonecrops are flowering. Yesterday I saw a
large Bumble Bee next door, an inch long and
half an inch wide. The day
before there was a Seven-spot Ladybird crawling up a plant.
Ladybirds are a rare sight these days.
1st
July
In the toilets a
little Silverfish was running about on the floor: I have seen
them there before. Walking to work I found Woody Nightshade or
Bittersweet flowering in the hedge. Its exotic purple flowers,
with yellow centres and clusters of unripe green berries, were a
surprise find.
2nd
July
This afternoon I
saw five Thrushes flying about in the valley: they must feed on
the abundant slugs. It has been thundery all day with heavy rain
showers, intermittent with blue sky and sunshine. We have paid
our first instalment on the mortgage.
Recently I found a dead Ghost Moth at
work, it had yellowish ginger wings. Yesterday I saw lots of
tiny Toads on Longworth Lane, leading up to work. You could fit
one on a
½p piece, they
are so small. Even so, their tiny limbs are still capable of
allowing them to jump along.
3rd
July
David and I went
round Wayoh tonight with Cindy. We saw a pair of Heron fly over
the water. There were plenty of Mallard about. The Elders were
covered in discs of little cream flowers with a heavy smell. It
was late, about ten o’clock, and cool mist was swirling over the
waters.
8th
July
Yesterday, and
again today, I found a beautiful “mint green,” Common Emerald
Moth, on the wall at work. There was another very similar Moth
on the wall, delicate but much smaller, and white instead of
pale green. I think it may have been a Little Emerald!
One day
about a fortnight ago, in one of the bedrooms, a dark Moth, was
hanging from a lampshade. It had a very characteristic shape and
from my book I believe it to have been a Poplar Hawk-moth. One
of the girls described it as looking like a bat with
outstretched wings.
10th July
A very rainy day. Outside the
front, there was a flock of House and Tree Sparrows with little
blue and brown caps respectively. I also saw a pair of
creamy-brown Collared Doves in the Ash tree.
11th July
We walked round Wayoh where we
saw nine beautiful Herons stood on the mud flats. There were two
Great Crested Grebes sat on nests, very near to the footpath,
which surprised me. Some yellow Ragwort flowers were out, and by
the waterside pink Valerian was flowering. A special surprise
was an early bunch of purple Heather that David gave me.
16th July
At work today I rescued a brown
Mottled Beauty Moth, with a distinct ziz-zag pattern on its
wings. Later just below the house I found a Toad, and saw a pair
of Magpies. One had a distinctive blue sheen to its wings.
A Clouded Border Moth was
found drowned in a bowl of milk.
18th July
I found a small lovely brown streaked Antler Moth at work today,
and a large Orange Underwing which was about 1½
inch long. A few days ago I visited the hedge above Nancy’s,
where I picked some Wild Pea flowers and Honeysuckle. The
Guelder Rose has berries on now, which are gradually turning
red.
July 21st
Tonight it rained from a cloudy
sky, but unperturbed David and I went picking Bilberries for an
hour. We picked enough for two pies and a small crumble, and
there was still a few left over. In the hedges round about,
there are large white blooms of the Bindweed.
23rd July
At the Holmes’s today I saw a
brown triangular shaped Moth with a long ugly “nose”: it was a
Snout Moth. The name comes from the large upturned palpi
projecting from the head.
July 25th
Today I saw a black Common Pug
Moth on the door at work. Yesterday I found another Moth like
the one in the milk, and a brown-black Hebrew Character. But the
most gorgeous moth was a dark green Large Emerald, with zigzag
white pattern on its wings.
July 27th
Went round Jumbles tonight. At
the Cinder Tip there were a lot of tiny yellow flowers on
slender stalks about two inches high. The flowers were single
and very similar to those of St. John’s Wort. In the wood I
found a gigantic Horsetail plant, and on marshy ground by the
reservoir, I picked a beautiful sprig of Yellow Loosestrife.