David M wrote: ....along with warmer weather hopefully, Guy.

padfield wrote: He looks a bit of a fat cat!
Guy

I'm generally against the idea of "Fat Cats"...
.....but in Aurelian's case, I make an exception.....

Great to see so many butterflies, Guy. I love the Sooty Copper shots. Aurelian looks happy :) Like you I do hope that the first broods and Spring butterflies fare better than it would appear; I was worried about the lack of water in East Anglia.... :lol: Now, shivering in maximum temperatures of 10C...

I know what you mean....
ssp. britannicus..... Strumpshaw May 2011

Nice ones, Jack!

Whilst you are getting used to a new piece of kit, are you sure you don't want a medium-format camera, Jack?
This No.1A Pocket Kodak should be right up your street...

Good luck mate....
(Just caught-up with your Photostream...Fantastic stuff - and some truely stunning images...)

It was good to see how these seemingly fragile creatures are immediately back in business as soon as the weather permits! Mike Yes - the first dry and warm day for days, and so many butterflies by the end of the day. The Grizzlie pair I saw had wasted no time at all..... I guess their ancestors hav...

Hooray - a sunny day at last! Visited some local Grizzlie sites, one new to me. Amidst the OT, Large and GV White, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone and first Small Copper of the season, I found my Grizzlies :) Initially just a couple, but later saw at least 5 at one site. Also found a beautif...

Rogerdodge wrote:Nick
Roadside verge just up from where I work. Full of cuckoo flower.
At least until yesterday - then in came the mowers.
R.I.P. Orange Tip.

Interesting thought - they can afford to send out people to mow the verges, but can't send out people to pick up the litter!!!!

Before the rain, I nipped-out to the Cemetery.....two Small White (looking rather sorry for themselves)... Maybe they were thinking what I was thinking as the mowers and strimmers moved-in for the first time this year.... :( Sm_W_1_low_MRC_26th_April_2012.jpg What_is_mown_1_low_MRC_26th_April_2012.j...

Lovely shots - as we have come to expect, Neil - to brighten up our day....
(As I watch the rain from my window......)

Mikhail wrote:In 1999 Butterfly Conservation published a booklet on the Holly Blue by Ken Willmott that's well worth reading if it's still available.
Misha

It may be available second-hand somewhere; it is out-of-print, unfortunately...

Yep - not content with all our water, you've got our Red Kites as well

Well, you have ended-up in Birder's Dream Land.......

In my experience in my local Cemetery, the males set-up territory close to where they emerge; I often see competing males spiralling up above the same bushes year after year. They also seem to do circuits over a few tens of metres as they search for females, returning to the same places. Watching th...

Yep - the Butterflies are out there, somewhere.......

In Cambridge, only 22.7mm of rain so far this month; average temp has been only 6.7C with max of 15C only....
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/research/dtg/we ... gi?2012-04
Cold and damp...

essexbuzzard wrote:All those people who prayed for rain-i blame them!

..but I stopped doing the rain-dance once it started.....

Nice to see Wall Brown pupae; we have only just re-discovered them along the banks of some of the larger inland Fenland drains..... Took advantage of the unexpected sun and trolled the Cemetery for a couple of hours. My first 2 or 3 male Holly Blue of the year, plus several GVW including this female...