Work and home...
Yesterday was a golden day for me (although nowhere near as good as Dave's!). After over 3 months of searching, scanning the verges, visiting particular key sites and walking mile upon mile there were finally butterflies all around. My yearly tally went from a hard fought 5 to an easy 10 within the space of 9 hours!
It started with my first Red Admiral of the year on my drive to work. I pulled up at a set of traffic lights and looked out of my side window at the shops lining the pavement. There flitting along a window pane was a Red Admiral when it reached the corner it settled against the corner pane. It looked browner than a Peacock and once it settled I could see the red stripes. Then I realised why its identification had been so tricky – it was inside the shop trying to get out. That’s why it had appeared brown, I was seeing the underside and I wouldn’t have seen the usual view from above had it not been for the corner window. The lights changed and I drove on, tally up to 6!
Once at work I settled down to it but cringed every time I caught a glimpse of a distant white! At lunch I headed out, camera slung over my shoulder, to the wildlife area. Amongst the bees and the blessed Spider Wasp that I keep failing to get a shot off there were Masons, Mining, Ashy Mining, Tawny and Carder Bees but no butterflies. So I headed in and then a Large White flew over the fence from the railway embankment and landed on a Dandelion (tally up to 7). I tried to get as close as I could but it was fully charged so shot off with barely a chance for a record shot.
Further along behind the old sheds there were a couple of Small Whites and one decided to feed on a Dandelion that was more in the shade and this seemed to have a calming effect so I was able to make a much closer approach.
I then had to wait until after work to try for a few more butterflies. I pulled into a lay-by on one of the back roads that I’ve been sussing out for a few weeks now. It turned out to be a butterfly magnet. A couple of male Brimstones were knocking around as well as a couple of Small Whites and a Green Veined which refused to play nice and come out of the vegetation so I could get a clear shot of it (tally up to
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
!
Then what I was really hoping for arrived, a male Orange-tip shot by like a rocket, quickly followed by another. I set my camera to sport mode as grabbed flight shots seemed the only way to get anything as they weren’t stopping for anything or no-one! Still tally up to 9.
While I was messing around trying to get some shots of Brimstone a Speckled Wood put in a very brief appearance before deciding it was far too crowded and shot by (tally up to 10) so I went back to trying to get flight shots of Brimstone.
I then realised that I’d been here for a whole 8 minutes and I better head home before I was missed! However I called in at another stop off pint where I’ve seen this and that but missed photographing a Peacock on several occasions. As I pulled up I spotted some movement, got out camera in hand, got my shots and was back on the road in 2 minutes!
The photos are well below par
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
but that’s the thing with whites at this time of year – they are really flighty, seldom stopping for long enough to even make an approach. Still now they’re here and I’ve started seeing them the pressure is off effectively and I’m sure there will be other opportunities
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
. A few morning or early evening visits should find them more accommodating
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
.
Have a goodun
Wurzel