A cold and partly cloudy June day at Collard Hill gave me my first ever view of a 'British' Large Blue. Special thanks to my old mate Martin who recently moved to the area and gave me lodging and sustenance for the weekend of my visit (now if only I could persuade him to flit again up to Argyll and ...

This female offered a few glimpses of open wings whilst ovipositing on the nondescript potted shrubs in my courtyard in June.

Not much to add. Scarce round these parts this year too...

These from a beautiful and reliable site just outside of Coalville in Leicestershire, where large numbers inhabit the wild bilberry bushes. Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) - Charnwood Lodge National Nature Reserve, Coalville, Leics. - 26th April, 2015 (2).jpg Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) - ...

I've been away for a couple of weeks grabbing some winter sun so I've a few species to catch up on... These from Risby Common in North Lincs, doing their very best to blend in with the background and remain inconspicuous. Grayling (Hipparchia semele) - Risby Common, Lincs. - 2nd August, 2015 (2).jpg...

Wow! She's a corker Dowland Boy. :) Here's a mating pair from a nice Grayling site in North Lincs... Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) - Risby Common, Lincs. - 2nd August, 2015.jpg ...and a male with extra spots from my own garden. Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) - Flintham, Notts. - 29th July, 2015.jpg c...

Great work there Goldie - a lovely dreamy quality to the first one. :) It's funny isn't it... a few years ago when I moved to a more rural location this was the one butterfly I was desperate to see in my own garden. I made the site more wildlife friendly and, slowly but surely, they started appearin...

Cracking shot that Mike! Here's one taking advantage of an early nectar source high in the cherry blossom of my back garden.
Orange and pink! Bit garish...

Barnack Hills and Holes is my nearest reliable site for Chalkhills - 40 minutes south down the A1. A compact and very undulating site (as the name suggests) which is also noted for its many types of UK-native orchids. A couple of shots: a male amongst the thistles in soft light and high winds, and a...

Seemed to be a quiet year for this species in my little part of the East Midlands. Had to wait till 13th September to see this rather worn specimen at Bingham Linear Park.

Late season second broods from Aston Rowant in September.

Tip-toeing among the twiglets at Glapthorn Cow Pastures in June.

WARNING! Extreme colour-clash!... chap from a visit to a plant nursery and gardens in Norfolk in August. Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) - Westacre Gardens, Norfolk. - 9th August, 2015.jpg This female, snapped a couple of weeks ago, is still active in my garden on sunny days during this indian summer ...

I was the person who made this year's initial recording of Purple Emperor at Cotgrave Forest in Notts on 12th July. I hadn't gone there expecting, or even hoping, to see Purple Emperor - I was hoping for White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks, or Dark Green and Silver-washed Frits (all of which are app...

Spent a nice couple of hours walking at Charnwood Lodge Nature Reserve, near Coalville, Leics. yesterday (Sunday 26th April). Intermittent cloud, but the sunny moments brought out a profusion of Green Hairstreaks amongst the bilberries. Some lovely individuals with well-marked brown-edged, spotted '...

First 'Blue' in the garden today...
Actually, it was...

April 24th - Holly Blue

...but I didn't get a picture of it so you'll have to make do with my Russian Blue instead.

Thanks Goldie ...still waiting for those Orange Tips to settle but at least I found something else sheltering in the geranium foliage today...

April 21st - Small White
A bit later than everywhere else perhaps, but hey-ho I ain't complainin'

Well... no sooner had I posted that last entry when I saw my next garden species... April 15th - Orange Tip I'd popped out into the garden to liberate the latest batch of Small Tortoiseshells that have been over-wintering in my potting shed/garage and are now seeking their freedom (a bonanza of 15 i...

Lots of quantity but no real variety in my garden at the moment. The only new butterfly species to add to the four above is... April 6th - Peacock 17113968851_43561229a8_k.jpg Still waiting for the first Orange Tips and Holly Blues to show up. Some other critters are stirring though... 16213490664_1...

Jack - I didn't say it was impossible to attach a macro lens to the FZ1000 - I said that Panasonic make no provision for it. If you trawl the internet you'll find very few images taken with the FZ1000 and an additional close-up lens. Most reviewers/owners/commentators seem to think that the camera m...