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trevor wrote:Primroses putting on a brave face this morning.

LOL! There are loads of primroses in bloom on the Gower right now, but I'm betting they wish they'd have left it a couple of weeks! At the moment, even the daffodils are waving the white flag. It's not just the cold and the snow, it's the strength of the wind that's causing chaos.

Let's hope things take a turn for the better very soon.

I hope this is the final ' arctic blast ' David, this weather is getting very tedious.
I can't really complain too much, we've had very little snow compared to other areas.

Almost perfect weather this morning was enough to tempt a visit to the old railway.
The air was rather cool on arrival,so I decided on a breakfast, and shopping, to give
things time to warm up.
First on the scene was a patrolling male Brimstone ( the first of two seen ). Unfortunately
neither landed, too busy searching for females.
The find of the morning was an immaculate Peacock, taking moisture in a ditch, this allowed
my third Butterfly image of the year.

Trevor.

After lunch I went out again, this time to Abbots wood. It was a bit of a squelch fest
over there so my wellies were essential. Having picked my way through the mud I was
rewarded with two more Peacocks and my first Comma of the year.
Around here I think we had the finest weather of the year so far.

Trevor.

You too made the most of this mornings sun. lovely pristine Peacock, Trevor.

Mike

Good result Trevor , a pristine Peacock and that Comma is non too shabby either.

Nice Peacocks there Trevor. Just the beginning of good things to come I hope.

Dave

Great to see Trevor.

You're well up and running now Trevor, lovely pristine Peacocks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lovely Peacocks Trevor, nothing in Blean Woods yet Goldie

Great start to the season for you, Trevor. Actually, I'm quite envious as I have seen two Peacocks thus far in 2018 but neither have settled for an image so you have trumped me on that!

If anyone cares to look a page 25 of my diary, they will see how well Good Friday can perform.

Fat chance of that today !.

Trevor.

I checked out page 25 but that was from December Found your 'very Good Friday' on page 29 - and I definitely see what you mean I also recall a March one year with OTs, Grizzlies and Greenstreaks all emerged This year I reckon we'll be lucky to see anything much before May
Have a goodun

Wurzel

trevor wrote:If anyone cares to look a page 25 of my diary, they will see how well Good Friday can perform.

Fat chance of that today !.

Trevor.

Yes, Trevor, it's been grey and miserable by me too, and things look set to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

Last year, we had glorious weather at the end of March and there were all kinds of early emergees. I suppose the upside will be that August doesn't wither on the vine prematurely like it did in 2017.

Shows what a difference a year can make. March is normally actually one of the drier months of the year, incredible as it seems at the moment! Although this miserable, cold weather is very frustrating, it’s not actually a disaster. A few sunny days in April would soon get things going, as the sun is now quite strong. We are just going to have to be a bit more patient this year.

Many thanks everyone.
I found yesterday particularly frustrating. Instead of going out with the camera,
I was at home nursing a toothache with the rain pouring down outside.
Unfortunately my dentist can't find anything wrong with the offending tooth.

Looking forward to the next fine day!.
Trevor.

That next 'fine day' will come, Trevor. We're all eagerly awaiting it, and it is very much overdue.

In many ways, this will make it so much more enjoyable.

A fairly successful day today.
The promised sunshine duly materialised but was tempered by very cool air.
As in previous visits to the old railway this year, it was necessary to go in to town
for a bacon roll and coffee to give things time to warm up, before a serious Butterfly hunt.
First on the scene was the unmistakeable flight of a Comma, which later landed high up in a Sallow.
The prize of the morning was a newly emerged Small White, which I initially mistook for GVW,
which are usually more common along the old line.
The day's final total was three Commas, the White, and two flyby Peacocks. I had the feeling that
today would have been brilliant if the air had been warmer.

Trevor.

Great find Trevor, should be warmer tomorrow Goldie

Good stuff, Trevor. It's been painfully slow going so far this year but the emergence of Pierids is definitely something to look forward to. Maybe Orange Tips are only a week or so away?