RSPB South Stack, Anglesey

Six Silver-studded Blues and one Grayling on show today, along with a few more commoner species.

At nearby RSPB Valley Wetlands there were four more Graylings and three or four Dark Green Fritillaries. Single Small Heath was the best of the rest...

It is great news indeed Goldie ! Lancashire Wildlife Trust own and manage a great "suite" of lowland raised bogs. The mosses southeast of Wigan, in particular Astley Moss, Bedford Moss and Little Woolden Moss are currently being restored by the Trust. How good would it be to have the "...

Thought forum members would be interested in this; plans to reintroduce the Large Heath to Heysham Moss in Lancashire:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22833443

Gait Barrows NNR, Lancashire

A (rare) beautiful sunny day produced:

2 Duke of Burgundy
3 Pearl-bordered Fritillary
5 Dingy Skipper
2 Green Hairstreak
8 Brimstone
3 Large White
8 Speckled Wood
6 Orange-tip
10 Green-veined White
9 Peacock

Strangely, not a single Small White to be seen.....

Yet another instance of the damaging effects of imported non-native species... :evil: , in this case carried on/in imported Oaks. Genarally speaking, as with the imported Ash debacle, why on earth are these trees imported by organizations (Woodland Trust especially) to be planted up when they occur ...

6/5/13 Hutton Roof Crags NNR , Westmorland A total of 5 Green Hairstreaks on show today at this wonderful Cumbria Wildlife Trust reserve. Overcast start but by 12:30 the sun was fully out. Large White, Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock bringing the rear up, as were a male Cuckoo and 3 disp...

Hi Boo, Many thanks for your reply. Since my original post I had searched Yorkshire WT website and Brockadale had come up as a suitable site, so I`m glad that you concur. I shall be crossing the Pennines come July and hopefully enjoying Marbled Whites in lovely tranquility (and sunshine :) ). Cheers.

Hi everybody. The days are short, and the nights are still long so I am busy planning (and day-dreaming about :) ) this years butterflying trips. I was wondering if anybody, in particular Yorkshire Branch BC members, could help me with some good sites to see Marbled Whites, especially at Yorkshire W...

Hi Pete, I have calmed down somewhat now :D , and to reiterate, I do fully understand the Watsonian system; Your example of Yorkshire making perfect sense. Something that has always irked me though is the fact that the official method of bird recording (BOU) nationally uses the current governmental ...

Hi Pete. A particular "bee in my bonnet" is the widespread misconception (fuelled incessantly by the media), that we have lost our "old" Counties, and that they were "abolished" in 1974. No such thing happened ! New administrative boundaries were created yes - but that ...

That, Millerd, is a Little Egret. It shows greyish legs and bill.

Good morning UK b'ers, I have always had a bug-bear about the weather and forecasts and consequently pay little to no attention. I know it sounds facetious, but I simply wake up and look out of the window, like the quote from Good Morning Vietnam 'You got a window? Open it!' Flutter on! CJB This is...

Many many thanks gentlemen, that is very helpful. Dilettante, that is just about where Howe Ridding Wood begins, so CWT literature is not out of date .
I shall certainly enjoy looking for them in what is a beautiful part of the country. Cheers guys

Could any kind soul possibly supply me with information as to where Silver-washed Fritillaries may be found at this site (if at all ?). Cumbria Wildlife Trust, (who manage two areas of the site) mention Howe Ridding Wood as a good place. Has anybody been recently and can confirm this, or know of oth...

Ask a local dog-walker, they usually know ........seriously !

Hi Lee, Did you see the said bird feeding ? If it was swaying its head side-to-side, Avocet style, it is a Greenshank :) . I do not know where you took the photograph but if it was not on an estuary (local gravel pit for example ?) a godwit would invariably just be resting up, not feeding (and usual...

The godwit looks to be a Bar-tailed Godwit, due to the slightly up-curved bill. However - Greenshank cannot be ruled out - the light is bad. A Bar-tailed Godwit should show some hint of a supercillium...

Thanks Mike. As I am approaching my mid-forties my near-vision ain`t what it used to be either :) . I will definitely be ordering some Papilios - carrying them holster-style on my belt will allow me to still wear my Nikons around my neck :) . I really appreciate all your kind advice everybody. Cheers.

Many thanks gentlemen for your swift replies and advice. Like I said, I only started noticing butterflies last year, so I am what can only be regarded as a rank beginner :? . Hence I didn`t know about how close certain species will let you get near them before flushing..Thanks Dave M :) Trev, I had ...

First of all I would like to say "Hi" to everybody........this is my first post :) I am a birder of many years. Last year I really became interested in butterflies, invariably whilst out birding, and I managed to watch some common species well with binoculars (8x42). What I really want to ...