Hi All This week has seen an upturn in species visiting my Great Ashby, Stevenage garden, after a couple of weeks of Whites, with the odd Holly Blue, to watch. Several Red Admirals have come to visit the buddleia, also Comma has shown well. Hummingbird Hawkmoths have been buzzing around, one did pos...

Hi All Just returned from a relaxing week away in the northern, quieter, part of the New Forest. I missed one of targets from both my butterfly and dragonfly wish lists. The Forest in general was not at its best, due to the extreme weather we are having. Most of its wildlife seems to be finding life...

Hi All Waiting in the garden for the heating engineer :D I had my first, all but brief, visit from a Silver-washed Fritillary today, managed a couple of photos before it went after a Large White. It disappeared in the direction of Great Ashby District Park entrance. At least 2 Purple Hairtreaks agai...

Hi All Hope everyone had a good weekend and an enjoyable Big Butterfly Count. I couldn't make my mind up at what time to start, so I waited until something more interesting than a White turned up. Small Skipper arrived, so off I went, Brimstone, Comma, Small, Large and Green-veined Whites and finall...

What an entertaining Diary

Thanks for your comment and I too welcome you (as a fellow newbie)

Your Common Blue photo on your last post is wonderful

Look forward to reading more

cheers

Steve Lane

Hi Thanks to everyone for their kind comments and info on the New Forest. Wurzel, thanks both sites are close to where we will be staying. Not had much time for anything this last week, having to work 5 nights due to staff training and I'll have even less time this coming week having to work 5 days....

Thanks Johnd

Excellent site and blog. Hopefully Brown Hairstreak site which is on my route will get me a much needed photo. So hopefully catch up with some butterflies, dragonflies and birds, also a trip to Ringwood brewery to celebrate.

Cheers

Steve

I had a Holly Blue laying eggs on the Purple Loosestrife beside my garden pond, even though there was Ivy and Holly, which I thought were the preferred plants, just a few yards away. HollyBlue_04 - Great Ashby garden - 01July18.jpg HollyBlue_02 - Great Ashby garden - 01July18.jpg I'm quite lucky to ...

What an amazing number of Purple Hairstreaks

Love the SWF flight shot

Cheers

Steve

Hi Kev

Great set of Marbled Whites, and the Large Skipper photo bomber. This is a species that's on the increase in my area, there's something about a black and white creature.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks all

Hi Thank you all for your kind comment and welcome. Another local site, (which is in the site guide), I try to visit 4 or 5 times a year is Hexton Chalk Pit HMWT Reserve. Its quite challenging for me at the moment, but well worth the effort. First visit this year was on 22nd May. I was amazed to see...

Hi

Thanks all.

PeterC I think we have met a couple of times, Watery Grove foe SWF, but I missed the PE. Thanks for the Buckthorn info.

Thank you for your kind comments, if you would like a larger/higher res image, I am happy to supply one.

Cheers

Steve

My name is Steve Lane and I live in North Hertfordshire. My local patch is Great Ashby District Park, which is close to my home. I have recorded 27 species of butterfly there over the last 14 years - from hundreds of Meadow Browns, to a small colony of White-Letter Hairstreaks and Small Heaths. Some...

May I suggest you look at the Panasonic FZ20, if you can find one, or the newer Panasonic FZ30. I've been using my FZ20 for a couple of years and have had some excellent results, both from colour prints and from digital projectors, gets very good write-ups on most digital camera sites and has won a ...