Trevor

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Good to see the old railway line is serving you well Trevor. I expect it's a bit of a heat trap and quite sheltered from the wind? You should see some Orange Tips there quite soon.

ATB

James

[trevor]

With a lousy weather forecast for the next few days, I thought I had better make the most of today.
So I paid a return visit to the old railway this afternoon. My first Speckled Wood of the season was
still there, as well as another Small White, which after posing for it's photo flew off and flushed
another from the vegetation. Both then danced away into the distance and out of sight.
A total of three Commas were found basking, as was a very down at heel Peacock.

Not a bad day.
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cracking stuff Trevor I can't seem to catch a break at the moment, when the weather is good I'm stuck sorting out something for the house and like tomorrow when the weather is bad I've got nowt to do

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Your Specklies and Small Whites are making me yearn to get out. Sadly, this weekend is not particularly butterfly friendly.

[trevor]

HI David and Wurzel,

Sorry to read that the weather is scuppering your Butterfly expeditions .
I made the most of Tuesday because of the weather forecast. But don't
despair, give it another three weeks and we should be into the
more exciting Spring species. .

Trevor.

[trevor]

A cloudless blue sky early this morning tempted a visit to the old railway.
Unfortunately the temperature there was much colder than on my sheltered patio.
So I walked into town for a breakfast, and allow the sun to do it's work. It was noticeable
that the earlier blue sky was giving way to increasing cloud, which meant fewer Butterflies
than hoped for.

My first sighting was an unfortunate Peacock caught up in a Spiders web, as this was on the other
side of a water filled ditch I could not intervene . My second Speckled Wood was found later,
along with a Small White. Not a bad morning, and not the best !.

[trevor]

How things can change in a few short weeks.
Today I returned to the site where there were many Small Tortoiseshells a few weeks back.
But today, in similar conditions, there were none at all. Later in the morning the wind got up
to near gale force which put paid to any Butterfly sightings.

But I was rewarded with a good view of a Red Kite, which at one point flew within yards of
where I was standing. The image below was taken a few seconds later.

[Wurzel]

I know how you feel Trevor - it's like we've rewound the clock and headed back into Autumn/winter, the strong wind was biting today and Five Rivers didn't yield a single butterfly Knowing my luck things will start getting much better about Wednesday and then deteriorate again by the weekend.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Quite right Wurzel. What we need are the sort of temperatures we had at Christmas.
If you are still on your hols. things don't look too bad forTuesday.

All the best,
Trevor.

[David M]

I share your frustration, Trevor. What's been particularly irritating lately has been the inaccuracy of weather forecasts local to me.

For once, I just wish they'd UNDERSTATE the potential for sunshine, so when we only get 10 minutes per hour we wouldn't get so angry.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Trevor, it's supposed to be 15c today here but the wind is so strong even the birds are struggling. Goldie

[trevor]

A morning of spectacular Spring sunshine certainly brought out the Butterflies.

First on the scene was a Speckled Wood, then two new species of the season for me,
a Green Veined White, and a Holly Blue flypast. Peacocks and Commas were plentiful
and were obliging enough to nectar in some photogenic poses.

Hope your day was as rewarding !
Trevor,

PS. Is the little Bird a Blackcap ?.

[Goldie M]

Trevor, your so lucky, Lovely shots as well, hope fully we'll see Spring eventually up our way. Goldie

[bugboy]

Nice selection of pictures Trever and yes that is indeed a Blackcap, a male, the females have a gingery brown cap. The males are extremely noisy at this time of year!

[trevor]

Many thanks Buggy, My gut feeling was for Blackcap. believe it or not
that was my first positive sighting of one, as you say it was quite noisy.
It was the song that made me look in it's direction. I've heard the song
many times in the past.

Trevor.

[millerd]

That's a great selection, Trevor. Stuck in the office all day today, I am very envious and just waiting for that first Holly Blue...

Cheers,

Dave

[trevor]

For a change of location today I travelled to Mill Hill, near Shoreham, West Sussex.
I didn't find any of the sites specialities but I did stumble upon a small group of
Small Tortoiseshells, all of which were in good condition. This species does seem
to have overwintered very successfully. I have yet to find a Red Admiral this year though.

[Wurzel]

Great photos Trevor especially the Blackcap and the watching Small Tort

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Glad that you saw several Tortoiseshells, Trevor. They seem to be seriously on the wane in my part of the world.

[trevor]

That is certainly not the case here in Sussex, David.
I have witnessed more Small Tortoiseshells this Spring, than in the whole of last year.
Having said that I have yet to see a single Red Admiral.