Here come the girls.....................

To quote from the TV advert - Painted Ladies everywhere. More than at the make-up counter of Boots. With record numbers on the move I scored with one in the garden Wednesday followed by 7 on an evening stroll the following day. Nothing could compare to the shock of seeing literally thousands on Hilbre Saturday morning. Literally clouds of Painted Ladies rising from around our feet. An awesome sight and to think they've migrated all the way from Africa is mind boggling.

Certainly more butterflies than birds with only flocks of Ringed Plover, Dunlin and a handful of Sanderling providing much interest although a Hobby blasted through early on and a dead Swift found on 'Buzzard Hill' looked to have fallen prey to the falcon.

Plenty of birds in the garden though with the juvenile House Sparrows all inquisitive and keen to get immortalised o nthe web. At one stage the bird bath was brimming with 5 baby Great Tits and even the male Bullfinch enjoyed a dip in the blistering heat.

More posing and preening than Christiano Ronaldo. Talking of which! Headline of the week:

Rumour has it the explosion heard at Old Trafford Friday wasn't Sir Alex giving his players the infamous 'hair dryer' treatment but the sound of a bubble bursting.............................

And whilst on the subject of news papers and bylines here's another one - all the hooligans are on Shetland. I know at least one Man City hooligan who's banished himself (only kidding Jase!)