Katrina

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Really good examples of the Red Admirals wonderful camouflage at work there Katrina. They 'along with the Clouded Yellows' have really made for an enjoyable end to the year.

ATB

James

[Katrina]

Thank you James, they certainly have improved the year!

[Wurzel]

That is impressive camouflage You must have had eagle eyes to see that!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Love that last image, Katrina.

Take away the antennae and absolutely no-one would know there's a butterfly lurking.

[Katrina]

Thanks Wurzel but I have to confess I saw it first open winged on the ground and then flying among the trees rather than spotting it camouflaged.
Thanks David, I was impressed that it knew to land in a dip in the trunk beneath an overhanging bit of bark. It sometimes looked like bark and sometimes like a bracket fungus.

[Katrina]

Today I joined Garry Philpott and the Murray Downland Trust volunteers to clear scrub at Heyshott for the benefit of Duke of Burgundys. It is a bit of a climb but worth it for the views, company and butterflies.

[Katrina]

It was a day of sun and ice at Heyshott. I arrived at tea break time to join Mike, John, Garry, Nick and Gregg. We continues scrub clearance.

[trevor]

Well done for braving the cold.

[David M]

Tea break time? Looks more like dawn. What time of day were these images taken, Katrina?

It was obviously pretty cold irrespective of the time of day!

[Katrina]

Thanks Trevor but wasn't too cold as sunny.
David, photos were taken about 11 - not sure why they look so dark, were taken on a mobile.

[Wurzel]

Excellent - keep up the great work Katrina

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

There was a visibility problem in some windows in the hides today. No butterflies today but I saw a weasel.

[Katrina]

At last my first butterflies of the year 3 Brimstones at Pulborough Brooks this afternoon.

[David M]

Good to see that you too are off the mark, Katrina. Plenty more to come hopefully.

[Wurzel]

Sorry I missed this somehow Katrina - congrats on getting your first (of many I'm sure) butterflies of 2017

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

I went to Mill Hill this evening. By co-incidence John arrived in the car park just ahead of me. It was a pleasure to meet Bryan and to meet Michael again. We had quite a few sightings of Grizzlies initially but it took quite some time for them to decide to roost. I eventually found a very obliging one. It seems to have a love heart on its left wing.

[David M]

Great images, Katrina. I think I must pay a late afternoon visit to my own Grizzled Skipper site to see if I can observe them similarly co-operative.

[Katrina]

Thanks David, I was glad I persuaded myself to go out - good luck with your Grizzlies.

[Wurzel]

Great set of Grizzlie shots Katrina - they are also quite amenable first thing in the morning as well. I can see the love heart too, it's great when things like that turn up on butterfly wings

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Butterflysaurus rex]

You're off to a great start with those lovely Grizzlies Katrina. Hopefully this is the beginning of a much better year than the last. Although we didn't do too badly considering it wasn't a very good year for many of our butterflies. I hope to see my first Grizzled Skipper of the year soon.

Best wishes,

James