7th July 2018
Greatham Creek; Bishop Middleham; Staveley YWT
Preamble...
A couple of garden occurrences. One of our hedgehogs is squatting in one of our greenhouses. Here he is.
This common green grasshopper hopped into the house yesterday. Exoskeleton looks mighty impressive!
1: Greatham Creek/Greenabella
Distant curlew sandpiper. No scope with me. Excitingly energetic grayling butterflies, common darter dragonfly and some orchids - probably fragrant.
Small heath, meadow brown and small skipper
2:Bishop Middleham quarry.
Went the wrong way at first and ended up on the top level of the quarry. There were even a few dark red helleborines up there. This was my first.
Descending the steps to the quarry floor. Knapweed with six-spot burnet; robin's pincushion on wild rose.
The dark-reds...
Fragrants and twayblades and a white common spotted, I presume.
Martians!! Lots of little green men!
...and a pyramidal. Top beetle!
3: Stavelely YWT
Marsh helleborines a bit past their best.
