Trevor

[Katrina]

Glorious photos. Congratulations to you and Neil.

[millerd]

Great shots, Trevor. Hopefully I'll be able to join in later in the week!

Dave

[bugboy]

My train ticket is already booked for Wednesday !

[essexbuzzard]

Great, Trevor! Now I know where I’m headed on Wednesday, provided the weather forecast is correct.

[David M]

Marvellous, trevor. Neil has a habit of pulling rabbits from a hat....and what a 'rabbit' that was; positively radiant.

[trevor]

I had planned to end up at Tidemills today, but as I pulled into the car park at High and Over
I could see from there that Tidemills would be out of the question.
With the weather deteriorating I didn't hold out much hope for any butterfly sightings, that was
until I unexpectedly found upwards of twenty fresh Red Admirals nectaring on Ivy Blossom.
As the strong wind was blowing from the west, the thick vegetation made an excellent wind break,
and along the hedge in the meadow the wind could hardly be felt.
Three Wall Browns were found on the steps, and in the meadow, but understandably all were worn.
A fresh, lively, Peacock eventually settled in the meadow for several shots, as did a reasonable
Speckled Wood found on the way back to the car park.

Trevor.

Many thanks everyone for your kind comments on the LTB, it was an unforgettable experience !.

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Trevor - but that Peacock seems a little out of place - they're normally well tucked up by now Nice find

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

So that's where all the Red Admirals stop off on their journey south, Trevor! You were lucky to have a bit of sunshine today. That may well be a second brood Peacock - one or two have been appearing in my neck of the woods as well, but the last ones were seen round here nearly two months ago now. It looks like a last fling for the Walls, though...

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

You made the right decision, Trevor. No point heading out somewhere if conditions look to be marginal (or worse) and you have better prospects nearby.

Find a patch of flowering ivy in a sheltered spot at this time of year and you can almost guarantee Red Admirals.

The Wall Browns are a nice bonus too. Is it me or do they seem to have had a particularly strong September/early October this year?

[trevor]

Many thanks Dave, Wurzel and David. Those Red Admirals were a sight for sore eyes!.

Seasons greetings to you all!
The image below was taken today, and apparently the display was opened
in the last week of September, a full three months before the day itself!.
They were obviously hoping to catch people just back from their summer hols,
or those who like to skip Autumn altogether.

To put it another way, the images in my last posting ( above ) were taken a week
after we're told Christmas is coming.

Personally I think this sort of commercialism so early is obscene.

Not a happy Bunny.
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Tell me about it Trevor Last year Waitrose were taking down the Christmas decorations and displays on the 27th December (they could at least wait until 12th night) and replacing them with Easter Eggs

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

That's appalling, Trevor - though I noticed that the Christmas lights went up in Staines last week... They had better not turn them on yet, mind. I never quite understand why supermarkets start selling mince pies in September with sell-by dates well in advance of Christmas. How does that work? At the moment the emphasis in these places is on Hallowe'en though, but once that is out the way we will no doubt be clobbered by Yuletide with a vengeance...

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

...Seasons greetings to you all!

...To put it another way, the images in my last posting ( above ) were taken a week
after we're told Christmas is coming.

Personally I think this sort of commercialism so early is obscene.

Grrr!

They could at least leave it until after Hallowe'en like they used to.

How can you think about Christmas when there are still Long Tailed Blues about?

[trevor]

A look back on the 2019 season 1.

Every season produces some memorable moments, and one this year was the February ' heatwave '.
Rowland Wood was alive with awakened Commas, Brimstones and Peacocks.

Trevor.

[trevor]

Memorable moments of 2019. 2

On two Sundays, 24th and 31st of March, the Small Tortoiseshells at Halnaker, emerged from hibernation.
This has become an annual event, usually towards the end of March, when the Sun produces enough heat
to warm up the roof spaces in the farm outbuildings.
What makes this particularly memorable?. Only a small number were seen this year, and worse, those two
Sundays produced the highest number of Small Tortoiseshells that I've seen in one place for the whole year.

[Wurzel]

Lovely images Trevor Small Torts are still doing well over this way, the footpath at my workplace can easily turn up double figures in a lunch break so if you;re over this way from late Feb give it a go Cheers for the postcode by the way, I've banked that and started the Brownie Point colelction

Have a goodun

[David M]

..Every season produces some memorable moments, and one this year was the February ' heatwave '.
Rowland Wood was alive with awakened Commas, Brimstones and Peacocks.

Now you're causing me pain, Trevor!

It was indeed a glorious February, yet we have 4 months to wait until it returns.

Right now, that seems a long way off.

[trevor]

Many thanks Wurzel & David.

An interruption to my memorable moments of 2019, for some LIVE butterflies found today.

After a weekend of hell with a stomach problem, which the professionals have failed to diagnose,
I was almost back to top form this morning. So I fancied going out for a decent meal in the rare sunshine
of today. While in the restaurant I saw a Red Admiral flying out side, and walking back to the car afterwards,
a Comma flew past me.
So early this afternoon I thought that Herstmonceux Castle gardens might be the place to look for some
late season butterflies. After a quiet start I was later entertained by at least two Peacocks,
one of the freshest Red Admirals possible and a couple of Small Coppers. A real surprise was a very quick,
darting, Hummingbird Hawk Moth, no images of that, unsurprisingly.

What a rare treat the weather was today!!.

Trevor.

[millerd]

That Copper looks quite fresh, Trevor. Very good to see along with the others. Today was a glorious day for once, but it could easily be the last one like that we'll see this year, unfortunately.

Cheers,

Dave

[trevor]

My thoughts about the weather exactly, Dave.
I think the last couple of Autumns have spoiled us with good weather,
this year it's been something of a rude awakening.
I have doubts about any November butterflies for this year.