Hi Michael , The weather has gone haywire, I had the best of it yesterday up to 3 pm and then it went over really dark, by now I was following up your information on Bernwood Meadows and thoroughly enjoying the reserve...but you can't guess what happened next...yep! you got it in one, just managed t...

For the past week I've been frustrated by the poor weather conditions, my aim being to visit Oxfordshire and get a first glimpse of Black Hairstreak . Like many of you, I kept checking and then re-checking the Met Office and the BBC for the latest update on the weekends weather and when Oxford showe...

As you know, I sat on the hillside above watching you run up and down in the heat (which was in the mid 70's) and your quest for new information about the Large Blue left me full of admiration, if you go to such lengths for every species you invest time in (which I'm sure you do) then Jack may have ...

That's exactly what I said to my wife yesterday morning, after yet another soaking...I'm emigrating, rant, moan, bloody British weather etc, etc. I had to use my umbrella on a search for Bird-nest Orchids in a Beech Woods yesterday :shock: Do I like sunshine, warm, melt me slowly sunshine :lol: Bil...

:mrgreen: I'm green-as-a-Green-Hairstreak with envy! Or empathic joy. 200 Heath Frits?! Wonderful photos. Report from the magical land of Nornia (Northern Ireland) - somebody saw a Brimstone last month (very rare here), and the Large Heaths are coming out. Orange tips and Small Heaths exploded ever...

Hi Bill, I visited Ewenny last Sunday, unfortunately the weather rather petered out as soon as we arrived, and the most we saw was about 4 SPBF and some Small Tortoiseshells. I found a nice spot with plenty of Brambles and a good path around it, though I'm still not sure where David has gone and wh...

We didn't have hot weather in cheshire during May. It seemed more autumnul to me. Wasn't much in Wales either. In fact, since the warm spell around Easter, the only truly hot days have been last Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Three days in a whole calendar month. Makes you want to emigrate. That's ...

I'd heard they were out, Bill, and may pay a visit there myself very soon. Were you on the south facing side of the valley or on the Down itself? South facing side David, on bracken clearings/slopes, down below the top fence (barley field). Check out the bramble flowers, they seemed to favour these...

Unbelievably no one has yet commented how nice an image it is!!!

Bill

It's a Cinnabar (macro moth) Daniel.

Bill

First High Brown Fritillary of the year at the Alun Valley, Near Bridgend, South Wales, today. Surprisingly pleasant day, even with a bit of an edge still on the wind, the temperature hit 17c mid afternoon and I saw 6 or 7 in the two hours I spent there, as is usual with this species they were prett...

What a difference, here in South Wales we've experienced some persistent heavy showers for the last four days and the BBC (Wales) long range forecast for the rest of June is not at all promising :shock: Can we do a swap with you guys in the drought hit areas of the south-east...just a little balance...

Just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed our day on Collard Hil last Friday - along with Neil (Sussex Kipper), Bill (wilrow) et al. Shame we couldn't get an open wing shot of the Large Blues but it wasn't the day for it I guess. We went back to Priddy Minories in the afternoon as I wanted to ge...

Last Friday evening I sat quietly on Collards Hill, Somerset (after a day with the Large Blue ) taking in the wonderful view, it was a beautiful summers evening, the farmland below was a patchwork quilt of fields, some were still being mowed for silage as I watched, many other meadows had already be...

A trick which works with many blues (I can't remember if I've done it with large blues) is to move a shadow slowly over the nectaring butterfly while its wings are closed and then after a short while to move the shadow off again. If it is hot, the blue will remain wings closed when the 'cloud' come...

Smashing Collard Hill write up Neil, I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent in your company, it was so nice to meet George and his wife too, and also spend a little time chatting to Matthew again. I'm so pleased you managed that hard earned open wing shot on Saturday, I just knew your patience would pa...

Now you've done it Michael...another 'must visit' location to add to my ever lengthening list!!! Simply lovely images, thanks for sharing them.

Bill

My last two counts of Marsh Fritillary on the main pasture both produced figures reaching the 200 mark, and both counts were done in very windy conditions, yesterday it was frustratingly breezy but I still counted approximately 160 in less than two hours. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary were also in...

It may seem contrary, but what you need for them to open up is warm bright overcast - definitely not hot sunshine. Dave Interesting Dave, contrary could be the right description, last year I managed several open wing shots on what was almost a cloudless hot day, I guess there could be a little more...

Great day at Collard Hill yesterday spent mainly in the company of Neil (Sussex Skipper) and a short time with Matthew Oates (National Trust's Conservation Officer) talking and studying all things Large Blue. The temperature hit over 27c and the dry drought like conditions are of some concern, the W...