Trevor

[essexbuzzard]

Great Orange Tips, Trevor. I too have had a great time with them this week, luckily they fly along a ditch behind my house.

[Wurzel]

Great shot of the Large White Trevor That's a hard thing to capture at this time of year when they're so flighty

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Must say I'm quite envious of that Large White shot, Trevor. By the end of April I've normally seen quite a few but so far this year it's two at best, with it very much more likely that the same male was seen twice, so it's only actually one.

[trevor]

Many thanks everyone, more whites today.

After yesterdays atrocious weather ( possibly the worst I've known for a Spring day ),
today was the calm after the storm.
I went out early this morning with a temperature of only 8c and the Holly Blues were already flying.
As time progressed all the usual whites came out to play, together with several male Orange tips,
which are beginning to show signs of wear. Still no females OT's appeared.
After yesterdays battering it was pleasing to see so many Butterflies out today.

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

The second Small White is particularly nice Trevor Won't be long until the Pearls are out - mind you still no Grizzlies in Wiltshire

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Your day resembled mine, Trevor - white, orange and blue! A very nice selection.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Lovely selection Trevor, still waiting for GVW's ,Speckies here hope fully next week Goldie

[trevor]

The Pearl Bordered Fritillary should be with us any day now,
if only the weather would settle down.
Still the bank holiday forecast doesn't look too bad ( at the moment ).

Here is an image from April last year, to cheer me up !.

[Wurzel]

I saw the image, my heart skipped a beat ...and then I read the text You got me

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Don't do that to us, Trevor!!

The brain translates images much quicker than it does text!

[trevor]

Sorry if I shocked you, Wurzel & David.
Hopefully I can furnish you both with some 2018 PBF images very soon.

[David M]

Hopefully I can furnish you both with some 2018 PBF images very soon.

I trust that will happen this Bank Holiday weekend, Trevor? They can't hold back much longer, surely?

Same goes for Dingy Skippers, Small Blues, Wall Browns and Small Heaths.

[trevor]

Considering the fine weather today, Butterflies were thin on the ground.
I started off at High and Over, probably too early, and all that was seen was a Red Admiral,
and a very fresh female Speckled Wood.
Next stop Abbots Wood, and here it was deathly quiet. I met Dave Cook during the morning
and all we saw was a few Speckle Yellow Moths, a Green Hairstreak and a few ' whites '.
The best encounter was to come when I arrived back at the car. I was ready to move off
when I spotted a female Orange Tip fluttering around some Cow Parsley. Passing traffic
sent her up several times until she finally settled on the flower head of a Garlic Mustard plant,
apparently just to rest, no sign of any attempt to deposit eggs.

A quiet, but rewarding day.
Trevor.

[bugboy]

I see you got your female OT at last, now you'll start seeing them everyday you can have a for the Hairstreak, still waiting to find one this year!

[Wurzel]

Lovely Greenstreak Trevor - I'm hoping for one this weekend The Hill has kicked into action - Greenstreaks and (finally) Grizzlies - a few more weeks and the Marshies will be out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

I went to two ' special ' sites today, both some distance from home, and both devoid of Butterflies.
I did see a couple of Brimstones, a male and female but little else.
Arrived home early afternoon and popped along to the old railway, here it was teeming with
supercharged Butterflies ( all the usual's ). I was lucky to obtain a ' stained glass ' image of
a Green veined White.

Have a fruitful Bank Holiday everyone.
Trevor.

[David M]

I went to two ' special ' sites today, both some distance from home, and both devoid of Butterflies.

That's worrying, Trevor. I'm just hoping this long weekend will see a major recovery. The last warm blast we had was followed by a spell of atrocious weather and this must have had an effect on butterfly numbers. There's no such problem this time, with conditions for the entire week looking fairly benign.

[Wurzel]

Hopefully that'll be a sign that things haven't quite caught up with the improvement in the weather Trevor

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Fingers crossed the "special" sites explode into life over the weekend, Trevor...

Dave

[trevor]

Thanks David, Wurzel & Dave,

I am sure it was me being a little over eager, and forgetting that last year was early.
This season is a bit behind, but having said that the first PBF was spotted in Abbots wood yesterday.

Sussex Dukes soon !
Trevor.