Butterflysaurus rex
Re: Butterflysaurus rex
It's not so much the extended season with regard to the migrants, James, it's the extension of the calendar by way of certain species fitting in additional broods!
I don't think I've ever known so many. Maybe it's in response to the hot summer but one wonders whether the instinctive shifts (good and bad) within certain UK butterfly species were in anticipation of warm years like this becoming progressively the norm?
I don't think I've ever known so many. Maybe it's in response to the hot summer but one wonders whether the instinctive shifts (good and bad) within certain UK butterfly species were in anticipation of warm years like this becoming progressively the norm?
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Ah sorry David I miss-understood you thereDavid M wrote:It's not so much the extended season with regard to the migrants, James, it's the extension of the calendar by way of certain species fitting in additional broods!
I don't think I've ever known so many. Maybe it's in response to the hot summer but one wonders whether the instinctive shifts (good and bad) within certain UK butterfly species were in anticipation of warm years like this becoming progressively the norm?
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Autumn 2018 part 3
Well this is probably the last of my highlights form 2018, and considering that I did not stray from the confines of Sussex I had an excellent year. Easily the most notable surprise of 2018 was the Black Hairstreak colony in Sussex discovered by Dave Cook! Other than that the scorching hot weather saw many species thrive. It certainly didn't make photography easy at times, but who cares when our woodlands, heathlands, and the south downs are full of butterflies!
Thanks to a bad back I went out with my little camera last week to see what I could find close to home. I was surprised to find some very fresh Meadow Browns even a mating pair - being bothered by a second male. I also saw a perfectly fresh Brown Argus but unfortunately it flew before I pressed the shutter. Other than that there were good numbers of Red Admirals, Commas and Speckled Woods. In all a very enjoyable couple of hours to finish off my year.
Thanks for looking,
James.
Last edited by Butterflysaurus rex on Sun May 23, 2021 2:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
A fantastic set of photos Rex
those Meadow Browns are ridiculously fresh looking for this late in the season
Looking forward to your reports in 2019 - have a great rest of the year and who knows perhaps in 2019 we might meet up somewhere in the field
Saying this, there might be some LTB action still to come - you've pulled it out the bag before
Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Fabulous to see mating Meadow Browns at this time of year, James. Perhaps even better is that you have provided us with all these wonderful images/commentaries from Sussex alone!!
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
The open wing Brown Hairstreak and backlit Clouded Yellow are my faves James.
But they are all really good!
Cheers
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Cheers
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Cheers Wurzel, some of the female Meadow Browns looked brand new! Yes it would be great to meet up at lastWurzel wrote:A fantastic set of photos Rexthose Meadow Browns are ridiculously fresh looking for this late in the season
![]()
Looking forward to your reports in 2019 - have a great rest of the year and who knows perhaps in 2019 we might meet up somewhere in the field
Saying this, there might be some LTB action still to come - you've pulled it out the bag before
![]()
![]()
![]()
Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Seeing as the weather was so warm this week I did manage to get out for a while on Wednesday. I took what is almost certainly my last Butterfly photo of 2018 - see below. No sign of any LTB’s I’m afraid, most of the pea shrivelled up a long time ago, maybe that’s the reason? Only a few green shoots and flowers are now emerging. With this cold snap arriving over the weekend I think it’s very unlikely we’ll see any LTB’s here. Hopefully next year will be better for them. Likewise, I hope you have a great winter and an even better spring.
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Thanks DavidDavid M wrote:Fabulous to find mating Meadow Browns at this time of year, James. Perhaps even better is that you have provided us with all these wonderful images/commentaries from Sussex alone!!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Very kind of you Andrew,Andrew555 wrote:The open wing Brown Hairstreak and backlit Clouded Yellow are my faves James.![]()
But they are all really good!
![]()
Cheers
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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Once again, thank you all for commenting - see you all again soon for my traditional Christmas post.
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Best wishes,
James.
Last edited by Butterflysaurus rex on Sun May 23, 2021 2:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Butterflysaurus rex wrote:...see you all again soon for my traditional Christmas post.
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Many thanks for what you've posted on here this year, James. Along with Peter (Art Frames) I think you have produced consistently the best images.....with much interesting behaviour as well!
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Lovely images to complete your seasons posts, James
I agree with David about the quality of the images posted by both yourself and Peter during the year.
Mike
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I agree with David about the quality of the images posted by both yourself and Peter during the year.
Mike
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Less than two months until Christmas now David! I wish the years wouldn’t roll by so fast. As ever you are extremely kind and very generous, your comments are always hugely appreciated. The wonderful summer we’ve had was a great help - and a bit of good luck too. 2018 was quite a year! I don’t recall ever seeing so many mating pairs before. I was most pleased to finally see mating Graylings, a sight I’d been hoping to see for a very long time. The photo was a fantastic bonus!! Our only Sussex colony of Grayling has dwindled in range and distribution in recent years. Thankfully Sussex BC are now working hard to reverse the trend. If successful my hope is that the sight of mating Graylings will be a more common sight in the future.David M wrote:Butterflysaurus rex wrote:...see you all again soon for my traditional Christmas post.Are we really that close!!
Many thanks for what you've posted on here this year, James. Along with Peter (Art Frames) I think you have produced consistently the best images.....with much interesting behaviour as well!
Thank you very much indeed MikeMaximus wrote:Lovely images to complete your seasons posts, James![]()
I agree with David about the quality of the images posted by both yourself and Peter during the year.
Mike
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My very best wishes to you both,
James.
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
I hope so too, James. Perhaps it's now time to concentrate on species that have hitherto gone under the radar?Butterflysaurus rex wrote:...If successful my hope is that the sight of mating Graylings will be a more common sight in the future.
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
Well here we are at the end of yet another year, and what a fantastic year it's been! Today is the shortest day, so it's all uphill from here
. In a few months time we'll be feeling the warm spring sunshine on our backs, witnessing the joys of new growth and life all around us.
Every year I try and remember to hold a couple of photos back for my Christmas / mid winter entry. Last year it was Emperor Moths, not sure I can top that! However while out searching for Brown Hairstreaks at Stayning this year I came across this impressive beast. One of our largest Caterpillars right out in the open! It would have made a nice meal for any predator/scavenger. So after I'd taken a few photos I decided to repay it by moving some bits of vegetation to obscure it from view. I was really delighted to find another Privet Hawnk Moth Caterpillar and I believe these are my best photos of one to date. I love that it was resting in that classic rearing pose, if it was trying to look like a part of that surrounding flora it was doing a very bad job!
Here's to a fantastic 2019.
A very merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all.
Best wishes,
James.
Well here we are at the end of yet another year, and what a fantastic year it's been! Today is the shortest day, so it's all uphill from here
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Every year I try and remember to hold a couple of photos back for my Christmas / mid winter entry. Last year it was Emperor Moths, not sure I can top that! However while out searching for Brown Hairstreaks at Stayning this year I came across this impressive beast. One of our largest Caterpillars right out in the open! It would have made a nice meal for any predator/scavenger. So after I'd taken a few photos I decided to repay it by moving some bits of vegetation to obscure it from view. I was really delighted to find another Privet Hawnk Moth Caterpillar and I believe these are my best photos of one to date. I love that it was resting in that classic rearing pose, if it was trying to look like a part of that surrounding flora it was doing a very bad job!
Here's to a fantastic 2019.
A very merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all.
Best wishes,
James.
Last edited by Butterflysaurus rex on Sun May 23, 2021 2:41 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Fantastic shots Rex - I've only got shots of the adult and not the cat
I hope you and your family have a Merry Solstice and a Happy Christmas and New Year!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Thank you WurzelWurzel wrote:Fantastic shots Rex - I've only got shots of the adult and not the cat![]()
I hope you and your family have a Merry Solstice and a Happy Christmas and New Year!
![]()
Have a goodun
Wurzel
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Best wishes,
James
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Thanks for sharing your traditional Christmas post, James. That is one very special moth larva!
All the best for the festive season and beyond. I look forward to seeing more delightful images on your PD in 2019.![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
All the best for the festive season and beyond. I look forward to seeing more delightful images on your PD in 2019.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
And thank you for being so kind DavidDavid M wrote:Thanks for sharing your traditional Christmas post, James. That is one very special moth larva!
All the best for the festive season and beyond. I look forward to seeing more delightful images on your PD in 2019.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I hope you're having a great Christmas.
Best Wishes
James
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
BLOOD MOON
Here's my best effort at trying to photograph this mornings SUPER HUGE BLOOD HAMSTER MOON or whatever they are calling Lunar Eclipses these days!![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
James
Here's my best effort at trying to photograph this mornings SUPER HUGE BLOOD HAMSTER MOON or whatever they are calling Lunar Eclipses these days!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
James
Last edited by Butterflysaurus rex on Sun May 23, 2021 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Great set of shots Rex
Didn't they decide to call it Moony McMoonface?
Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
I heard someone call it a ‘wolf’ moon. What does that mean? Anyone...
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Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Thanks Wurzel, I was quite pleased with my effort. I only have a 300mm lens but I still got quite good detail. I used a wide crop to keep the stars in the image, although many stars disappeared when I downsized the photos for postingWurzel wrote:Great set of shots RexDidn't they decide to call it Moony McMoonface?
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Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Hi Mark, a Wolf moon is another name for a January moon, other ‘moons’ include Hunters moon, Blue moon, Harvest Moon. My favourite has to be Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon.essexbuzzard wrote:I heard someone call it a ‘wolf’ moon. What does that mean? Anyone...
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Best Wishes,
James.
Re: Butterflysaurus rex
Great shots of the Moon, it really looks red, it wasn't too cold here, I didn't take my shots until morning though
Goldie ![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
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