| |
| Image updates only refers to wildlife images. Some of the most recent additions will be posted on this page. Older images will ultimately drop off the page. Images presented here will not necessarily make it into the permanent pages. Again, this is not a diary. The absence of images for other days does not mean absence of visits on those days. |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| Wild or Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca): July 3rd. 2026. |
| |
 |
| |
| Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) photographed against a white background to emphasise the leaves for diagnostic purposes. Differs from the Cross-leaved Heath below: July 3rd. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Glorious day and the Goyt Valley is becoming busier (with insects) like this superb Narrow-bordered five-spot burnet Moth and these are turning up all over. The place is heaving with Ringlet Butterflies and more will be processed in the morning now. I have also been able to improve on the
Heather
images. Got in too late for today: July 3rd. 2026. |
| |
 |
| |
| July 3rd. 2026 |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| Now for the silly season sponsored by the extraordinary magnetic attraction of dozens of insects to Ragwort plants. Rapidly being consumed here by the Cinnabar Moth caterpillars, a species I am often asked about. The Moth itself spectacular: July 2nd. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Part of an A4 image folder on plants I am producing to help distinguish between the Cross-leaved Heath, Bell Heather and Ling. The next will be the Bell Heather, followed by Ling which does not flower until August. The ivory card placed behind the plant for contrast purposes to illustrate the leaf formation which is diagnostic at-a-glance: July 2nd. 2026 |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| The Small Heath Butterfly is now out and about: June 30th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| There is a gap in the images presented due to the extreme hot weather which far exceeded the upper threshold for Butterflies. Less often seen, the Ringlet with the wings opened: June 30th. 2026 |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| A new Butterfly, the Ringlet is one of the 'browns' as I call them. I also snapped another female Large Skipper. All in all I have again seen surprisingly few Butterflies all day: June 2oth. 2026 |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| Those who know me, know what I always wear, yet I picked up a tick today and noticed it on my leg when I showered later. Inside my right leg about 100mm below the knee. I thought it was a blob of blood but it did not wash off. Wearing my glasses I spotted the legs and using my proprietary tick remover carefully, removed it intact, alive and well. Photographed then stored in a plastic specimen vial, in the fridge overnight before despatching first class to the Government Porton Down Tick Surveillance Scheme (UK Health Security Agency). I judge it to be an adult female, as yet unfed on my DNA. It may or may not harbour Borrelia burgdorferi of Lyme Disease fame (or some other nasty). I will report back on this. For a small number of affected people, Lyme Disease can be devastating and life changing. They are definitely there. Why take the risk. Get yourself a small tick kit from the chemist. They cost pennies: June 19th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Very noisy aerial battles taking place between the indigenous Carrion Crows and what appear to me to be Herring Gulls along the old railway, where the Curlews (see below) are frequently seen (and heard) at the moment. The Goyt Valley has been generally surprisingly quiet at the moment (football?): June 19th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| An update on the Cross-leaved Heath with improved greenery: June 19th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Another large Skipper and this one the female wirth no scent glands: June 19th. 2026 |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| Delightful: June 15th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Skippers at last but I only saw one. Generally a bit of a stiff breeze today, except in this sheltered corner I keep returning to. Note very carefully the tiny but distinctive 'hook' on the end of the antennae. Usefully that is diagnostic. This is unmistakably the Large Skipper Butterfly (male) which is usually the same size as the Small Skipper: June 15th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
The Spotted Orchid
(Dactylorhiza fuchsii) now showing up here and there: June 15th. 2026
|
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| What I have been looking forward to. The Cross-leaved Heath invariably commingled with heathers and Bilberry, showing some of the leaves (whorls): June 14th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| A closer shot: June 14th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Leaves of the delightful Ribwort Plantain: June 14th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| The flowers: June 14th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Some context: June 14th. 2026 |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| This is the female Orange-tip Butterfly, which is obviously not orange like the male: June 5th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| If you take the rough road from Derbyshire Bridge which leads up and over to Buxton, there are vernal ponds on the left (SK 02023 71693 Elev: 437m). One of them has two large tree trunks over and contains a colony of Palmate Newts (Lissotriton helveticus) which I was able to prove by netting one, photographing and returning it to the deep. This one a juvenile: June 5th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Then back to my quest for Butterfly plants. Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus): June 5th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) : June 5th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) which is ready to flower: June 5th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Red Clover (Trifolium pratense): June 5th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile) : June 5th. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| On the left as you walk the old railway there is a long standing vernal pond (SK 02644 74773 Elev: 387) that never dries up. Even when it appears to have dried up, it has not. The pond extends well under the embankment there but is hidden from view. That pond plays host to a colony of Palmate Newts (Lissotriton helveticus) which I was today to be able to prove. Another juvenile Newt. I was too late to net a hefty Dragonfly larva which I saw. I will be after that on my next visit: June 5th. 2026 |
| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| I blew through the Goyt today, returning from an errand in Whaley and was priviledged to stumble on the ubiquitous (and noisy) Meadow Pippet and the equally noisy magnificent Curlew. Poor images but I snatched the best lens to hand (usually reserved for large Butterflies) and was shooting from the hip metaphorically speaking. Totally unexpected opportunity. No tripod, gimbal or long lens. A clear sky but minutes later it hammered down as per forecast which is why I was not there for the day. May try my luck tomorrow with my kit if there is a break in the rain: June 2nd. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| June 2nd. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| Good enough to prove the sighting: June 2nd. 2026 |
| |
 |
| |
| June 2nd. 2026 |
| |
| top |
| |
