ARNSIDE KNOTT

Last week was spent up north primarily at Arnside on the banks of the River Kent,but first the weekend was spent in Barrow in Furness to see Dovers opening game of this season.They took an early lead but eventually came second losing 2-1.
I had already booked four days in Arnside from the monday before the fixtures came out so Sunday was spent exploring the local area,Walney Island,Grange over Sands,Ulverston,Furness Abbey etc.

FURNESS ABBEY

 PIEL ISLAND from BARROW

BARROW LIFEBOAT.

 THE SOUTH WALNEY LIGHTHOUSE

 PIEL CASTLE FROM WALNEY

 RINGED PLOVER and CHICK-the chick was called to heel and snuggled under the adult for protection.

If you look closely you can just see the chicks legs.
On Monday morning the weather was even worse and en route to Arnside a visit was made to Ambleside in the Lake District,not a pleasant experience in the pouring rain,anyway eventually arrived at Arnside mid afternoon just as it brightened up, so I suggested a quick reccy of the Knott before going to the hotel, It paid dividends almost immediately when I saw my first ever Scotch Argus,but more of that later.
The trip here was to see, hopefully, two new butterflies,the first you know about the second the High Brown Fritillary would prove difficult and eventually hopeless but several Grayling were a small compensation .Four fritillaries were seen but not identified,so that one will have to wait until next year.Several shots of Scotch Argus now follow:-

There were lots of this northern butterfly here,one of its strongholds in England.
After this we went off to Morecambe to see Erics statue,it was very popular with the tourists of a certain age!

 MEADOW BROWN-I have never seen such irridecense on a meadow brown down south?

 GRAYLING-Very well camouflaged in the limestone scree.

GRAYLING

A visit to Meathop Moss and Foulshaw Moss later in the week gave up these BLACK DARTERS.

 FEMALE BLACK DARTER

 MALE BLACK DARTER

SUNDEW

CRANBERRIES

BRIMSTONE - AT MEATHOP MOSS

9 LITTLE EGRETS A GREAT WHITE EGRET AND A GREY HERON FROM BEDROOM WINDOW. Redshanks, curlews, lapwings,and oystercatchers were seen daily here and the Foulshaw Moss Osprey was seen from the bedroom one afternoon.

BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KENT.
Meanwhile back at the knott the Scotch Argus were still performing nicely.

SCOTCH ARGUS

Some views from Arnside Knott

 A BRIGHT MORNING

AND A CALM EVENING IN ARNSIDE