1982 June

June 1^st
The sunshine was hot today, and in the exam it was unbearably stifling. Today has been a great day for bird watching. I saw about four Dunlin. One was busily pecking along the shore and two raced each other with quick, split second, steps down to the water and back. I was surprised to see a pair of Tufted Ducks, the first I’ve seen this year and for ages. I thought they would have left yonks ago.

Best of all I saw two lovely male Dabchicks; I’ve never seen any before. They looked like little fluffy toys. I identified them by their distinctive shape and small cheek patches which looked to be light blue in colour. The neck was a rich russet brown colour, the colour of shiny new conkers almost. The other feathers were brown with a light coloured bill and patch of white tail feathers.

The two seemed to be displaying, they swam quickly, the quickest I’ve ever seen ducks swim. One of the males swam quickly like a torpedo, towards the other one which stayed stationary but they did not collide. When they met necks were raised and lowered in a bobbing ceremony. One of them fluffed up its feathers to make it look twice as big. They might have been competing for a female.

From the overgrown patch of pavement I gathered some Red Clover, purple-pink Bush Vetch, some grasses, and light-blue flowered, dark-blue anthered Spring Squill. I have never seen this flower before, usually found on coasts I think it is quite rare in this part of the countryside.

June 2^nd
It has been sweltering hot, but the sky has been blue. At six o’clock this morning I went up the Croft. There was a black fly like a blue bottle only it had orange patches on its wings on a stump in the Croft. I saw one like it on the top shed door.

The two geese were honking on the lodge. A female duck and her two ducklings skittered into the water from the rushes. Dusty got hold of one of them. I held it, it was beautiful. A small brown eye, yellowish brown down on its head and adult brown wing feathers growing on its body and white feathers under its tail. It was gorgeous.

I swam holding it to an island. It went straight back into the water. Dusty was restrained before the two ducklings swam out together, and then disappeared. I thought the current had pulled them down, but they had swum under water to the shore, clever little luvs. I saw them do it several times and could not believe my eyes. Where did they learn that trick? I’ve never seen any do it before.

I saw one of the little male Dabchicks on the reservoir. I was very pleased to see it again. I wonder if it chased the other away? There were about four or six Common Sandpipers trilling and skipping over the water with their quick wing beats. They are delightful little birds.

June 7^th
This morning started off very cold but by afternoon it was quite warm, no longer grey skies, but blue with white clouds. There are massive dangling flowers on the Sycamore, some of which have formed tiny green keys. I love walking through wet grass covered in dew in the Summer at dawn or evening. The Charlock, brought to Pump House Wood by workmen, has thick green leaves and small, lemon yellow flowers on it. A very nice new coloniser.

I saw a young female Chaffinch; a pretty little bird with mainly brown feathers. It had not learned to fear men. I was no more than a meter from where it sat.

June 9^th
It’s been very warm today but there is a cool wind this evening. The sky has been overcast all day. The Main Meadow is covered with buttercups and daisies. There was a flock of juvenile brown and adult speckled, starlings amongst them.

At the bottom of Hill Sixty I saw the most beautiful butterfly on the wall. It was of slender build with wings of orangey red, brown tipped wings dotted with specks of white. I knew at once that it was a lovely Painted Lady. I’ve never seen one before and I am delighted to see one around here. There are now Tortoiseshells, Peacocks and Painted Lady butterflies visiting the farm.

June 10^th
A very cold blustery wind as been blowing all day. This evening I saw three Woodpigeons in the same place as yesterday. A grey Stock Dove flew across the field below them. I haven’t seen a Stock Dove for ages. A friend brought me a seven spot Ladybird this evening. They have been a rare sight this year.

June 11^th
It was very misty and damp this morning but by afternoon there was a blue sky, white cotton clouds with a strong blustery wind. When I walked along the canal at Adlington I saw some Bittersweet plants. I picked some in a tissue. The flowers are deep purple and star shaped, with fused yellow anthers in the middle. The leaves were long, dark green and slender.

June 12^th
The weather started off fine this morning but by evening it became grey and overcast. The grass was very wet in the evening. It might have rained.

I walked up the path towards Mouse Hole. There is a lovely place I called ‘Little Scotland’, because of its resemblance to Scotland, in the Plantation. It was very much like another Pump House. There was a rectangular green of short grass with a very old rotting wooden gypsy caravan stood on it. In the Scots Pine trees a small brick building with windows stood. Steps led to it and it looked like a real deserted house. Very scary, so I didn’t go nearer for a closer look.

All around there were red and pink hawthorns in blossom, purple rhododendrons and a brown leaved tree. A rectangle had been cut out of the ground about two feet deep. It looked as though it might have been a filter pool. There were others with stone walls but they were filled in with only the top stones showing. There was also a stone built water-course with funny shaped walls that lead to a hole where the stream disappeared.

At Mouse Hole mauve and light purple rhododendrons were flowering but they were past their best. On the pond there were loads of water lily leaves. The stone posts at Hill Top are very similar to those at the end of Bromiley Farm’s drive but they have strange carvings in them. I think there was a letter J. Across the road from the pub I picked some Tuberous Comfrey to press. I hope to introduce that and the purple flowered variety to the farm sometime.

June 13^th
I have discovered that the young six foot tall tree at the top of the back garden - with segmented edges on its oak shaped leaves, and on the underside of the leaves a thin woolly white hair, is a Whitebeam. I am very pleased because the Whitebeam is a pretty tree with large flowered white blossom and large scarlet berries shaped like hips.

June 14^th
The day began quite cool but by evening it was warm enough to wear just a summer dress. I did. In Radcliffe’s Hay Meadow the Ragged Robin is flowering. This morning I saw a Water Vole eating like a Hamster on the side of the lodge. Then it plopped into the water and swam along the surface to its burrow. Underneath one of its burrows there is a small, scree slope of soil. A couple of Sand Martins were flying over the lodge.

Snakeweed Bistort and yellow Meadow Vetchling were flowering on the overgrown pavement. There are lots of deep blue Speedwell flowers in the Willows Den. The Ivy-Leaved Toadflax has mauve and yellow flowers with leaves like a pentagon crossed with an ivy leaf. It has several flowers on it at the moment in its little nook on the well.

On the inside of the kitchen was a very delicate small brown and white moth. The white was really buff, and its two back wings made a perfect heart shape. Saw another moth of the same kind latter on. They look most like the male March Moth. At School by the bushes there are loads of orange beetles.

June 17^th
Went to the Spread Eagle tonight. The pub has been done up and the food was delicious. The day has been hazy with warm sunshine and a beautiful fresh wind that billowed my cotton skirt and felt lovely on my legs. At twelve o’clock at night there was a strong cold wind blowing. At the Spread Eagle I had garlic bread + pate, and fish pizza; with chocolate ice cream for sweet. We had frothy coffees, martini splat and lemonade, and Sangria to drink. Elizabeth could only have two glasses. I scoffed the lot.

There were lots of small Earth-balls in Tockholes Wood, and slimy orange Mold on dying Scott’s Pine logs.

June 18^th
It has poured with rain all day. Today my Dad moved a pile of wood from the shed. Underneath was a shiny brown Beetle, a large Woodlouse and some smaller ones of different sizes. There was also a Moth like those found in the house. It had down folded wings like an Alderfly and was black and gold in colour. I’ve never seen one before.

June 20^th
When I started walking to Tockholes the sky was cloudy, mainly light grey ones, white ones and patches of little blue sky. The sun was quite warm and I felt the walk would turn out to be quite an adventure. It did! I saw many lovely things.

On the ground in the wood there were some light brown Puffballs, about one cm, 1” or 2” wide. Some had cracked but no spores were visible. On a Silver Birch there were black cups of a Fungus which looked just like the colour of bladder-wrack seaweed, and they had a similar texture like dried-out seaweed. They looked like if you bent them they would crack.

On a wooden Scots Pine log was a pair of beetles. They were black with chestnut brown backs and legs, and tawny stripes down their backs. One was much smaller than the other: 2cm and 3cm. The small one mounted the larger. In the wood there were some Wood Pimpernel flowers out. Their bright star-shaped flowers cluster on the woodland floor.

There was a beautiful silvery green Moth with pure white, large, body, tan feelers, olive eyes, a tawny mouth patch and silvery lines on the wings next to grey green lines. It was one of the most beautiful moths I have ever seen, a Common Emerald. Rare in the north say the books! I found the moth on Horsetails in the water, so I rescued it and took it to the wall.

There was an enormous Caddis Fly on grasses overhanging the wall. It must have been 1½” long with ½” feelers. On each wing was a black spot, with a white spot next to it. In the water were some little brown fish, 2” long. I think they were Minnows. I was very pleased to see them and hope to catch some in the future.

On top of the well in the wood were some Water Spiders. In the small pond behind it were several very large Tadpoles, some 2” long. The pond was surrounded by grass with sandstones in the bottom and very clear water. I shall go back tomorrow to collect some of the Tadpoles.

I also saw two unusual Ladybirds. One was red with eleven black spots and a creamy white head. The other was slightly bigger than a six spot Ladybird, with red coat, creamy white head and 14 black spots. The two black spots on its back were fused together when it closed its wings.

On the overgrown roadside near Tockholes there was some - I think - Creeping Yellow Cress, with dark reddish green ‘water cress like’ leaves and tiny light yellow flowers. On the overgrown pavement alongside Belmont Road there were some Sneezewort plants in bud, and a Yarrow plant with ‘fern like’ leaves in flower. It had a pinkish tinge. Two Rosebay Willow Herb flowers were out, and others in bud. The flowers are four petalled and deep pink. Near the steps, two yellow and red ‘pea flowered’ Eggs and Bacon (Bird’s Foot Trefoil) flowers with small oval green leaves were out.

Near the reservoir bridge, I think there is a Curlew nesting. I will see whether I can find it tomorrow. On the island there were some Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, and a female Moorhen with two black downy chicks. She led them straight past the gulls who I expected at any moment to rip them to shreds.

On the overgrown pavement there were plenty of bright yellow Meadow Vetchlings, and near the bridge lots of Eyebright with tiny white flowers. On my walk I saw several sedges. On the landing window sill I put a chestnut coloured moth that I found in my room. It trembled in the daylight and flew away.

June 21^st
Lady Diana and Prince Charles are now parents. Diana gave birth to a baby boy with blue eyes. He cried a lot. Congratulations, the world is rejoicing for them tonight. May he live to be a good King, and always a happy person. Amen.

The rain has made the reservoir water level rise so the island is nearly cut off again. Three black faced sheep a cheviot and lamb waded across to land from the island. They reminded me of wild highland sheep who often need to wade across Loch shallows.

It has rained almost all day with grey skies. Redshank are one of the commonest waders to visit the reservoir. There numbers seem to be on the increase but they are still far from common. On the overgrown pavement past the gate a Heath Spotted Orchid is out. The Foxgloves were flowering in Tockholes. They are in bud in Radcliffe’s Field.

June 26^th
The day started off fine but after dinner there was heavy thunder and it poured with rain. The lightening seemed never to hit earth though it struck downwards. I bent-walked along Radcliffe’s wall for fear of being struck. An aeroplane travelling quickly through the storm made a very queer noise.

After the storm it was really fresh with blotches of clouds and blue sky. There was a gentle refreshing breeze and the meadows looked beautiful with rain drops clinging to the grass and flowers. Heath Spotted Orchid is flowering in perfusion in the Willows Den and there are plenty of Red Clover flowers in the meadow, on which several lazy Square-spot Rustic Moths were feasting.

At the bottom corner of the field near the gate I saw a Stoat. The first I’ve seen for ages. It moved with long bounding leaps. It was gingery brown with white belly, quite large (as big as a medium sized rabbit), with a black tipped tail that distinguished it from a Weasel. It disappeared into the wall.

All along the hedge tall grasses were displaying their feathery seed heads. In many places tall spiked purple Foxgloves could be seen. Sentinels of the hedgerow. There was a patch of dark leaved green-flowered Wood Sage in the hedge.

In many places the hedge became red with the long stalked flowers of the Long-leaved Dock. There were a few Dog Rose bushes in the hedge with varying shades of pink flowers. I also saw plenty of Lady’s Mantle; whose leaves, I think, fit to the word perfection.

There was a white, delicate moth in the Willows Den with a brown bar across its wings. In my book it looks most like a Silver Ground Carpet but was shaped more like a Lime-speck Pug. Possibly a Mottled Umber male. But I think it was most likely to have been a Lime Speck Pug. I believe the moth I saw recently on the landing window sill was a Broom Moth.

June 27^th
The weather is miserable, wet, grey and chilly. By evening though it cleared up, with blue sky purple, grey and pale pink clouds. I went a walk on the moor to look for the fox but saw nothing. The grass on the moor is tall, fresh and bright green. Everywhere it was over my knees and in some places up to my waist.

At the bottom of Hill Sixty behind the gate was a very tall nettle. It was covered in long black caterpillars. I have decided to try and raise three.

June 28^th
It has been overcast and miserable weather all day. In town there was a heavy thunderstorm with claps of thunder and streaks of lightening. It poured with rain, at Old Trafford; cricket was postponed by the weather. Loads of House Martins and Swallows have been flying over where the old barn used to be doing their acrobatics. I wonder where they have all nested?

I have decided to try and raise some caterpillars. I’ve got seven Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars and they are about an inch, to an inch and a half long. Their bellies are pale but their backs are black and covered with tufts of spines.

The container I’m keeping them in is a cardboard box, with holes in it, covered on the outside with tissue paper, punctured to let air in properly. The Perspex lid of the record player is on top of the cardboard to a form see-through roof and sides. I will feed them with fresh nettles everyday and clean them out daily. Also in order to give them a drink I dipped one nettle in the well before placing it in the caterpillarie.

At half nine pm it poured with rain and I walked alongside Radcliffe’s Hay Meadow to avoid the bull (which turned out to be a calf) on my way to the pub. My skirt was soaked wet through. I saw a very large frog hopping in the wet grass alongside the stream.

June 29^th
I stayed in bed till one o’clock because the weather was lousy, but after I got up it became much better. I was going to pick Whinberries below the reservoir but the Water Authority man was there so I couldn’t. I couldn’t wait though, so I decided to go to another valley. By this time (four o’clock) the weather had picked up considerably.

On the moor there are loads of white blobs of Cotton grass, and dark brown Swifts glided over the grass and up into the blue, I wonder where they nest? There are loads of House Martins darting about the barn. I hardly saw any Swallows I’m sad to say.

When I reached the far valley I decided to explore downstream. To my great surprise I discovered some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. The stream became deeper and wider until it was a river. I have always longed for a river. Now I have found one. The bed was worn smooth in most places into solid, smooth, sheets of rock. There were many deep turbulent pools.

Further downstream the path began to twist and wind. The right hand side slope was covered in bright green bracken. Then the river began to topple over large boulders and broken pieces of rock. It passed through a small glen where the grass was bright, light green, and so short it looked just like a lawn. On either side the slopes were covered in rocky outcrops with enormous boulders that looked as though they could topple at any moment. Next these turned into straight sandy hillsides.

Round the corner there was a small square opening, about 50 cm high. It was pitch black inside and the floor was strewn with stones of about equal size. I thought it must be a cave and then I realised it was an old disused lead mine shaft! I didn’t like it; it was very spooky and dangerous. I wandered further, as the valley became much narrower and steeper but decided it was best to turn back. I could kick myself for not exploring this beautiful land before. Ferns seen in the Far Valley include Common Polypody, Hard Fern and Bracken.

Near the end of the Far Valley there is a Horse Chestnut Tree. Below it, alongside the river is a White Willow, with lovely silver grey leaves, next to a Weeping Willow with green leaves. The White Willow is the only one I know of, and a very beautiful tree. Most of the Bilberries weren’t ripe and I only managed to gather a handful but there were loads of purple-black, Crowberries out everywhere. On the way there, I think I saw a small orangey-brown speckled Heath Fritillary, but it flew away so quickly I couldn’t be sure.

Before you arrive at the Valley the land is all peat and streams have eroded “gorge like”, valleys in the peat. Some are 10-15 feet deep with stony bottoms, and they range from two feet to ten feet wide. The sides are prone to collapse due to weathering and undercutting.

Cindy chased a pair of Red Grouse and pursued the female for quite a long way over the ground because the bird seemed unable to fly above it. I didn’t arrive home till eight o’clock.

June 30^th
The sunshine has been very warm today with a cooling breeze, deep blue sky and grey and white cotton clouds. Me and Philip went picking Bilberries by the waterfall and then I visited the pool below it. There was the most fantastic Beetle I have ever seen. It was an enormous female Great Diving Beetle, 3½ cm long! The back wing case was dark brown with a light greenish tinge, with light tan coloured under parts, legs, and border marks. The eyes were a purple-mauve colour. It was fantastic, I couldn’t believe my eyes, I never realised they were so big! I also saw a baby one about one cm long. I hope to catch one next time.

We also caught six Newts “water lizards”, and kept four. One was dark almost black, there was a male Palmate Newt, a female Smooth Newt and a female Palmate Newt. The male Palmate Newt had an orange belly and orange strip along the bottom of his tail. His back was green-brown and the whole body was covered with black spots. The female Palmate Newt was similar but much paler; her skin was yellowy green brown (?). The Common Newt had an olive green back and pale, orange tinged, belly with less definite spots. They all had webbed toes like ducks feet and moved their legs in lizard fashion, a back leg moves when the other front leg moves, and so on. The greedy black newt gobbled a worm.

On the waterfall pond I saw a red Damselfly. In the water I saw several Froglets but they still had long tails. There were plenty of slim black Beetles with white stripes down their backs, black heads and tawny brown legs. They were about ¾cm long. The black ones were around 1½ cm. There were a few Water Spiders, Water Flies and Pond-skaters. I found the case of a Dragonfly larva. I found plenty of Heath Spotted Orchids in the field above the pond. The Water Avens are flowering with their dark red, mysterious flowers, by the steps.

In the larches I saw a flock of about twelve, twittering, Coal Tits. Their faces were a lemony yellow colour. On the embankment Eyebright was flowering and I saw some straight leaved purple Bitter Vetch. A new Vetch! I picked a piece of the unusual Water Figwort by the wall near the lower reservoir.

I picked some more zigzag clover from the overgrown pavement. It smells sweater that either Red or White clover. Across the road from the White Deer Wood I found the small yellow flowers of the Yellow Trefoil were out. By the Bus Stop I picked some Marsh Birdsfoot Trefoil with yellow flowers tinted with red.

In the evening I went to Philip’s to collect some books. Dad dropped me at the Zebra crossing at quarter past seven. The bus never came and it was nine o’clock when I got home, but it was a lovely walk.