Yes - the first fascination remains with those fabulous, multi-coloured, childhood memories, full of sunlit days. butterflies and flowers.....
And they say nostalgia isn't what it was.....

Spotted my first on 8th - an ST had been disturbed, by the warm weather or people out walking, and went back under the foot-bridge I had just crossed, presumably to tuck-up again. Looking at the PL debate and the picture, my first impression is that it hatched in a drier and warmer climate than I-o-...

essexbuzzard wrote:I saw this programme,i thought it was a Marbled Frit,but it was only on for a few seconds!

Yep - I had a look on the Play Again - could be a Marbled......

About 45 mins into the program there was a butterfly featured, as they left the Alpes Maritime in Italy and drove through to Monaco in France.
The question is: Was it a High Brown or Niobe Fritillary? (Or something else...?). It was only on for a few seconds...

N

Matsukaze wrote: For an adult Speckled Wood, feeding is going to be a problem. I rarely see them nectaring so suppose they typically use honeydew, but I cannot imagine there is much of that about at this time of year.

Ivy is one of the few sources that I have seen them on late in the year...

The odd Small White, Red Admiral and Comma today....

Nothing like BH over here; still a few Red Admiral (3+), Comma (4) and single Large and Small White flying yesterday in the Cemetery. The RA like to bask on gravestones at this time of year; presumably, the stones retain solar energy as heat, making them warmer and more attractive perches....? RA_1_...

Jack Harrison wrote: - there is some serious work ahead (well, I'm pretending it will be serious!)
Jack

Surely, as Capt'n Jack in CBBC's Balamory, your time will be limited?

N

A lovely sunny day - until it clouded over and started raining later. At least a dozen Red Admiral, 5 or 6 Comma, 3+ Small White, with 2 Large White and a single Speckled Wood.

Your diary is most certainly about butterflies; and it is your personal diary! (Many people over in the UK are also looking for work; many more are self-employed, or on short-term or part-time contracts which leave them struggling to pay for just the basics of life. Perversely, many also have more t...

Nothing so exotic here; despite being sunny, the chill in the air has reduced the number of butterflies compared to last week, when it was heaving with RA and Comma. Still a few around.... Out on the bike this lunchtime saw just one ST and a few Small White...

David M wrote: By the way, why don't we ever see Swiss wine in UK supermarkets?

They drink it all; what would you do - sell it to the Brits?
(Only when as Guy says, very expensive compared to French plonk! It can be very good, as one would expect; it is Switzerland!)
N

Not often you see all these species together....
(Not sure about the dwarf tho' .... )
N

Copy in Species Album, Vince.
I suppose, with so many around, there are bound to be some abs. out there at the moment; a first for me!

In amongst the RA pictures from today, I spotted this one... Not seen an RA abs before....

BC Scotland posted a great pic of what to expect from those cats.....
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater
Good luck...
N

One other that no one has mentioned is the Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro, a non-IS lens; it is not quite as sharp as the other brands, but nearly so and does cost a lot less than the others, if budget is an issue. You should be able to pick one up for around £250-£260 new. It is not as robust as the other ...

Cheers, guys. Hanging around in the Cemetery can be rewarding!
I was lucky enough to find a sunny, sheltered place with 30 or so butterflies nectaring on ivy.... N

Agree with David and Chris! Fantastic set of shots; the photographer is never entirely happy with their own work, being the most critical of all viewers. Macro is certainly about more than point-and-click, that is for sure. Even when you have perfect light and a perfect specimen, it is usually sitti...

Yep - end of season feel to things. Certainly the Comma and RA are stoking-up for hibernation (or return to the Continent). I had at least 16 RA and 4/5 Comma on one sheltered ivy bush this morning.... Not often you get the chance to get this many in one frame! Commas_1_low_MRC_11th_Sept_.jpg A bit ...