Hoggers

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 11:47 pm

It looks like another bumper year for Small Torts - I've seen more this year at Five Rivers than last so here's hoping

Great shots of the Small Torts and the final shot of the he/she frog is fantastic and enters the 'I wish I'd taken that' category

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 4:50 pm

A bumper year indeed, Wurzel: I counted 28 Small Tortoiseshells at Dungeness today (and there were certainly many more)!

On a beautiful, sunny warm day

I saw only one other butterfly, a Peacock

It was certainly a Small Tortoiseshell Day

Paul Harfield · Post by **Paul Harfield** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:08 am

Hi Hoggers

Great to see so many Small Tortoiseshells in your patch. That last one is fantastic

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 4:35 pm

Thanks Jack much appreciated. I can't remember seeing so many Small Tortoiseshells in March before. It's very promising. Let's hope the weather holds!

Best wishes

Hoggers

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:34 pm

I managed to get out over the fields today. The sight of my first Cuckoo Flower of the year got my hopes up for an Orange Tip and now and again it was certainly warm enough for a butterfly but unfortunately there was so much cloud around that most of the time it was cold with some heavy showers of hail.

Still, I had some luck during a sunny spell finding a lone Small Tortoiseshell by the river

It was the only butterfly that I saw today. There were quite a few bumblebees despite the cool conditions. This one might be a White-tailed but possibly a Garden Bumblebee

(I'm trying to learn how to identify bumblebees but seem to end up by just confusing myself!)

I've noticed that a good deal of my Borage has started to sprout up in the garden. It's the bumblebee's firm favourite so hopefully by the end of the year I'll have got in more practice identifying them!

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:17 pm

I love the proboscis shot Hoggers

If you have an iPod or similar device you can get some pretty useful Apps or free downloads to help with Bee ID, check out BWARS as well as that covers pretty much everything Bee wise

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 3:00 pm

The weather has been absolutely fabulous today. I did a bit of gardening and then thought I'd take a stroll along the river and up to the wood. It was so warm I felt perfectly comfortable wearing just a T-Shirt. I was very quickly seeing Small Tortoiseshells

And Peacocks

The woodland floor was white with Wood Anemones

The Bluebells have yet to flower but there were lots of Primroses, Celandines, Ground Ivy and Dog Violets

Chiffchaffs were loudly ringing the changes in the still bare tree-tops and three Brimstones restlessly patrolled along the glades.

In total I saw 24 Small Tortoiseshells (far more than I'm used to finding here at any time of year!), 4 Peacocks and 3 Brimstones.

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:58 pm

I was a great day indeed Hoggers - great shots especially the Peacocks, and the rise and rise of the Small Tort continues

Have a goodun

Wurezl

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 1:52 pm

A second very warm and sunny morning in a row: we're being spoilt!

Spoilt for butterflies too: a walk along the riverbank again produced high numbers of Small Tortoiseshells ( long may this bonanza continue, Wurzel! ), but in addition I came across this Comma too

I also saw another Brimstone and this time I had fun trying to get a fly-past photo

There he goes!

Not a very successful effort on my part I'm afraid!

I had my eyes peeled for a White, but no luck.

But there was more in store for me when I got home: not only this Small Tortoiseshell on the Wallflowers

And a gorgeous Peacock on the Celandines

But then as luck would have it, a Small White, my first of the year, flew into the garden and away.

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:25 pm

What a day in the garden!

All of a sudden I had my first Holly Blue of the year

And my first Orange Tip

Marvellous!

William · Post by **William** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:44 pm

Lovely Holly Blues Hoggers, the striking contrast between the pearly blue and yellow/green of the leaves is fantastic

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:53 pm

Wonderful garden 'ticks' for early April, Hoggers. You really are a fortunate fellow!

jasonbirder · Post by **jasonbirder** » Sun Apr 06, 2014 11:29 am

Very jealous of the Holly Blue! Great pics...of quite a mobile and tricky target!

Goldie M · Post by **Goldie M** » Sun Apr 06, 2014 1:57 pm

Jealous, of your OT's abd HB Hoggers,

nothing like them here yet Goldie

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:09 pm

What a stroke of luck it was and thanks for your comments guys!

There I was, mooching about in the garden when all of a sudden I had my first Orange Tip AND Holly Blue all at the same time!
Being only too aware of what HBs are like (they lead me a merry dance every year) I was amazed to see it settle on the lovely golden yellow bush (I can't remember what it's called I'm afraid) within easy reach so I went running indoors to fetch my camera.

I was more astounded when I got back in the garden and BOTH butterflies were still there!

I managed to get a few snaps of the HB before it went bustling off. The OT was flitting up and down the flower bed where I've got Wallflowers, Honesty and Garlic Mustard but then the sun went behind a cloud and it went to roost on top of my pear tree and well out of my reach!

So I went and got my ladder and all of the photos of the Orange Tip were taken with me perched on top of it!

Great fun!!

No sign of any butterflies today as it's been cloudy and wet but here's hoping for some sunshine during the coming week.

Best wishes

Hoggers.

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:57 pm

Great shots Hoggers, I've still to see both of those species this year

So now I need to invest in a step ladder as well as a camera, expensive lens etc etc

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hoggers · Post by **Hoggers** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 3:48 pm

Plenty of cloud about today but nonetheless warm and with some sunshine at times. I took a walk along the river and found myself in good company

I saw four Orange Tips, all males, and it was great fun to watch them patrolling up and down and chasing about after one another

In amongst the OTs were several Green-veined Whites (my first of the year)

Such delicate flyers

very dainty.

Still a few Small Tortoiseshells about

And Peacocks too

I also saw a Comma.

Walking along the riverbank I heard my first Nightingale of Spring and talking of birds, on the walk back as I crossed a field I nearly stood on this egg (I put my car key there to give you an idea of its size)

On its own, a very pale blue, not in a nest of any kind, warm to the touch and no bird anywhere near it! Any idea what bird it is?

But my abiding memory of today will be the Orange Tips

Welcome back!

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 9:11 pm

Welcome back indeed

I'm starting to regret house renovation now as it's taking me away from my butterflying so seeing those cracking shots of your OT's has cheered me up, I need to get me some of those bad boys

Have a goodun

Wurzel

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 10:51 pm

You've excelled yourself today, Hoggers.

How I wish conditions in S. Wales had been similar (cloudy and cool all day here).

maverick · Post by **maverick** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 8:43 am

Just seen the pictures of your mistary egg,I wouldn't like to say how it got there but if it pale blue and looking at its size I would guess at the thrush family
So depending on the size if its small it could be a robin,but looking at the picture again my money is on a black bird
Hope this helps

Hoggers

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