William

[William]

Thanks Guys - the Small Coppers were amazing, in large numbers for this time of year too. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up with some of the Skippers and Hairstreaks everyone has been seeing in the not too distant future

[William]

Rainy Ramble

Sadly the recent beautiful, settled weather of late has been replaced with the more typical rain, high winds and clouds in Somerset. Nevertheless, I was determined to make something of my Sunday so I headed out for a tramp around the lanes and fields near me. In the end I was fairly pleased with my tally of 8 roosting Green - Veined Whites and a solitary female Orange Tip.

Green - Veined White

Green - Veined White

Orange Tip

Orange Tip

Not only this, but the Early Purple Orchids were reaching their peak in the woods.

Early Purple Orchids

Early Purple Orchids

Early Purple Orchid

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Really nice work for such damp and dour day William. Makes me think I should have been a bit more adventurous and gone out myself today. we even had a little bit of sunshine this afternoon!

All the best

B'saurus

[Katrina]

I really like the raindrops in the first orange-tip image- excellent photo!

[David M]

Nice images and clearly from a cloudy day (which is sometimes not a bad thing).

[Neil Hulme]

Hi William,
I agree with the others. More beautiful images which are a little different from the norm. It's always a joy to look at your diary.
BWs, Neil

[William]

Thanks Butterfly Saurus, your kind comments are much appreciated, perhaps it wasn't the best idea to go out on such a drizzly day as my water proof trousers and bin-liner jacket were no match for the wet ditch I sat in for the OT photos

Thanks Katrina I had to do a lot of searching to find her - all worth it in the end

Thanks David for your kind words - you're quite right, if I can summon the willpower to go out on such a dreadful day there's normally something that'll sit and have its photo taken around.

Thank you Neil, your compliments mean a great deal with the brilliant photography you consistently produce - something for me to aspire to

[badgerbob]

Hi William, How right it is. Stay at home and you won't see anything. I also had a much better day than expected yesterday despite the weather!! Great GVW photos by the way.

[William]

Thanks Bob - they looked beautiful perched on the cuckoo flower

[Neil Freeman]

Hi William,

Lovely images of the Green-veined Whites from your 'Rainy Ramble'

I remember being out with my son on a drizzly day a couple of years ago when we were photographing roosting Marbled whites underneath an umbrella . It is very true that you never know what you will find unless you go out and look.

Cheers,

Neil.

[William]

Hi William,
photographing roosting Marbled whites underneath an umbrella .

Only Butterfly watchers - Thanks for your comments Neil - I've often found it to be the case that any day is worth a go, and even if you don't see anything, getting out and enjoying the scenery restores the energies - there's something wonderfully relaxing about a good rainy day

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi William

Just to add my agreement; such wonderful pictures from your rainy day that are different to most. Really beautiful images. I too had a cloudy and cool start on Sunday in Sussex but the sun did eventually come out.

Best wishes,

Lee

[William]

Thanks Lee - it's the best kind of weather for photographing butterflies though you do need to have a bit of time on your hands

[William]

Recent Doings

With the cloudy weather back and me busy things have been rather quiet recently, apart from a couple of brief butterflyless jaunts. Cow parsley is now in full swing - nothing is quite as Somerset as the magnificent displays we get of this plant and there are some nice Cowslips in flower in a lay-by near me.

Cow Parsley

Cowslips

The Bluebells in the garden have also been occupied by an interesting collection of Crab Spiders, mostly Misumenia Vatia I think, but this one seems different.

Crab Spider

Today was set to be another cloudy uneventful day until the sun came out at about midday and the butterflies with it. In the space of about 10 minutes I had courting Orange Tips and mating Green - Veined Whites, before I left for Haddon Hill (where I'll be doing the transects in late May and June - expect Heath Fritillary Photos, lots of them).

Orange Tip

Orange Tips

Orange Tips

Orange Tips

Green - Veined Whites

When I returned in the evening there was a nice Green - Veined White roosting in the garden, so photos to follow (hopefully with some Dukes and Skippers if tomorrow goes according to plan).

[David M]

Love that first photo of the male OT approaching the female - he's almost completely side-on!!

[Pauline]

You must be so pleased with those OT shots William. The one on the Bluebell is stunning but I particularly like the courtship shots as I think photos showing the butterfly's behaviour are more interesting. I have tried in the past to get photos like that and failed miserably so very well done.

[William]

Thanks David - The male did seem to try everything he had, banking and whirling and even landing on the female.

Thanks Pauline, I always just bump the shutter speed and frame rate up and hope for the best

[Wurzel]

Cracking behaviour shots William, especially the mating Green-veined

Have a goodun]
Wurzel

[William]

Thanks Wurzel - it was a privilege to witness , we've had several pairs of Green - Veined Whites in the garden this year.

[William]

Catching Up

Last weekend was a real mix butterfly wise, first off a nice Green - Veined White that stayed the night in the garden. I indulged myself with some really arty-farty photos - I couldn't resist the light of the sunset coming through the bushes behind

Green - Veined White

Green - Veined White

Green - Veined White

Green - Veined White

The next day I went out to my usual Duke site in beautiful sunny weather, as usual it delivered the goods and I saw c.12 Dingy Skipper, c.15 Grizzled Skipper, 3 Dukes and a surprise Green Hairstreak (I haven't seen one at this spot for a couple of years). The Dukes were unusually flighty, the first just bombed past, the second disappeared over a hedge after a couple of minutes and the third (a Duchess) was off after one photo. Nevertheless, a beautiful spring morning with equally beautiful butterflies (and the full Nightingale treatment) so what's not to like

Grizzled Skipper

Dingy Skipper

Duke of Burgundy

Grizzled Skipper

Duke of Burgundy

Grizzled Skipper

Peacocks

Duchess

The Garlic Mustard which I've grown is now littered with Orange Tip eggs (very satisfying ) all at varying stages of development.

Orange Tip - Fresh Ovum

Orange Tip Ovum - 1 Day before Hatching