www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I hope so, Rex, and cool temperatures CAN be a bonus with this species. They tend to be far, far easier to approach when it's colder than 14c.

Indeed they can David, I just wish it hadn't been so windy!

Today I managed to get out for a couple of hours on my home patch near the coast where the Orange Tips have yet to reach. I went out hoping to see my first Holly Blue of the year and perhaps get my first Speckled Wood photo of the season. Of course with such grand plans in mind I dually failed to achieve both these goals.

But I did see loads of other butterflies The now ubiquitous Small Tortoiseshell's were still out in force, with any luck this trend will continue...... Seeing so many Small torts around brings back many a fond childhood memory when a sight such as this was commonplace.

AT LAST! I finally managed to grab a poor record shot of my first Green Veined White of the year. I witnessed very good numbers of GVW's today chasing each other around the dazzling yellow fields of oilseed rape never seeming to settle even for a second. I'm sure there were some small whites among them but they far were too distant for a confident ID
Today felt like an archetypal spring day, warm but with a slight chilly breeze. As I strolled amongst the rides I could hear nestling's crying out for their next meal. The parents could be seen busily trying to accommodate their young families. The most numerous of these were Chaffinches, they were so engrossed in their business that I got close enough to grab a half decent shot with my Macro lens!
Reaching a spot where I normally see the first Orange Tips arrive locally I saw more Bee Flies than I've ever seen in one place before.
I had a go at getting a photo of one in flight, at least one or two of them came out reasonably sharp. Charming little fellows
It's looking like the Brimstones had a really good year in 2013, In my locality Brimstones are not a common sight however this spring I'm seeing more of them here than ever before. I've yet to see a single one of them land making me resort to "desperate measures"
I'm very pleased to see there has been a big increase in Peacock numbers. They have been steadily rising over the past few weeks. Locally at least - they are nearly matching the Small Torts in numbers! Most have seen better days and were too flighty to photograph in the warm sunshine. As I headed for home I thoroughly enjoyed watching them spiralling high into the air tempting me into trying for this rather ambitious photo.
Just before I put my camera away something caught my eye. It looked for all the world like a wasp having a snooze in a leaf shaped hammock! I don't know if it was dead or diseased but I'd never seen a wasp behave in this way before
well even though I didn't manage to find myself a Holly Blue or get that Speckled wood photo today I still had a marvellous two hours not too far away from my front door.

B'saurus

Fantastic OT's and now a Green Veined White (I'll believe you on the Specklie - thousands wouldn't ). I'd like to get out tomorrow to look for them but the ceilings thingy continues My main hope now is the Welsh hedgerows around Aberearon.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:Fantastic OT's and now a Green Veined White (I'll believe you on the Specklie - thousands wouldn't ). I'd like to get out tomorrow to look for them but the ceilings thingy continues My main hope now is the Welsh hedgerows around Aberearon.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Ta very much Wurzel, most kind of you Surely there's a better way to get plastered Those Welsh hedgerows won't know what hit em!

After learning that a morning appointment had been cancelled I thought I'd grab the opportunity to go in search of my first Green Hairstreak of the year. On the way I finally managed to get my first photo of a Speckled Wood (three days after seeing my first one of 2014 fly twice around my head and over a hedge) Soon after that I saw a second one but it didn't stop for a portrait.
When I arrived at the GHS site it was still cool and breezy, I didn't see anything else for about half an hour then suddenly on the path ahead I saw my first Green Hairstreak of the year. A very distant and poor record shot was all I could manage. There must be more around 'I thought' so I started a wider search of the area. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a familiar flurry of movement. I ran over only to find that it wasn't a GHS at all but a moth that I have been unable to identify. Hopefully one of the brains on UKB will be able to let me know what it is?
By now the breeze had dropped away and it started to get nice and warm. As if on cue - when the temperature was goldilocks porridge (just right) I saw my second GHS of the year only this time it came to rest on one of it's territorial perches.
After that things just got better, I saw another three until some thick cloud quickly rolled in so I had to take the last few photos in very poor light.
The last two I saw briefly posed together, probably exhausted after one of the longest GHS dogfights I have ever witnessed!
This is by far the earliest I have seen Green Hairstreaks. All of them had some signs ware so they must have been out for a couple of days at least. I hope that these will be the first of many.

B'saurus

Well done on the Greenies. The moth is a Common Heath. I saw several there yesterday, it is a very good site for them. The male has a fab antennae! After the last 2 years being poor for Green Hairstreak on our patch it all looks a bit brighter this year.

Indeed it does Bob I didn't expect to find as many as I did to be honest! Thanks for the Moth ID, all of the photos that I found of the Common Heath didn't appear to be the same colour, hence the confusion

Superb shots Rex, the penultimate one is a lovely shade of pale green under the cloud - fantastic

Thanks William I had some fun taking that shot, thankfully the GHS settled close to the ground. With some stealthy manoeuvring I managed to lay on my side trying hard not to roll down the steep scarp while using my elbows as a makeshift tripod

I'm glad no one else was around to witness such an undignified sight!

B'saurus

Excellent pictures of the Green Hairstreaks Rex I also like your Bee Fly shots.

Maximus wrote:Excellent pictures of the Green Hairstreaks Rex I also like your Bee Fly shots.

Thanks for the kind comments Mike I'm glad your Orange Tips emerged successfully, those photos in your diary were fantastic

Nice Green Hairstreaks, especially the second photo. Looks like things could be shaping up nicely for over Easter

Cheers,

Neil

Easter Green Hairstreaks.

What a bonus!

That is great stuff Rex - I thought I was having a good day with my first Orange-tips (no photos as they were on patrol) and Large White (again no photos - young daughter still not fully trained) - and then you go and get shots like those of my previous nemesis

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great photo's and jealous of the Green Hairstreak...hopefully a few more warm days and we'll have some new species out in Notts

Great shots of the Green Hairstreak - one of my favourite species and a very difficult one to take such good photos of - your undignified pose was clearly worth it

Thanks Neil and David, if the good weather holds out I think many more Green Hairstreaks will be seen over Easter

HURRAH Wurzel! You got your first Orange Tip I knew it wouldn't be long before you found some, the first of many. Next on your hit list - it has to be the green nemisis

Thanks Jason, I'm certain you'll be finding fresh greenies in Notts soon, we do seem to be starting a bit earlier than most down here in the southeast.

Thank you Pauline they are a big favourite of mine too. I would willingly get into an even sillier position to photograph a freshly emerged one like a certain Mr Hulme just posted in his diary

Best wishes to you all, your very kind comments are most appreciated.

B'saurus

If tomorrow is sunny and mild I'll be searching for two things on Welshmoor on the Gower: Green Hairstreaks and Marsh Fritillary larval webs.

Many thanks for the inspiration.

David M wrote:If tomorrow is sunny and mild I'll be searching for two things on Welshmoor on the Gower: Green Hairstreaks and Marsh Fritillary larval webs.

Many thanks for the inspiration.

Keep on checking your local hotspots David, where I am some places are producing the goods and some aren't. Thank you very much indeed for your very kind comment



While out in the garden this morning hoping to see my first Holly Blue of the year my attention was drawn by something much smaller on the garden fence.
Seeing as I had my camera with me "just in case" I thought I'd try and have a go at photographing the mini drama unfolding before me.

One of my favourite species of spider, the Zebra Jumping Spider was hunting these little nymph like creatures. Trying to take photos of something so tiny hand held was a big ask but to my surprise a few of the images came out OK!

Predator
Prey
I never did see that Holly Blue!

After that bit of excitement I went further afield and saw that even more Orange Tips have emerged.
Overall I had a rather enjoyable day

B'saurus

Fantastic shots of the OT and Jumping spiders - they're brill to watch I know what you mean about some places delivering and others not - Salisbury seems to be in it's own time zone - about a week and a half behind everyone else

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Yes indeed Wurzel it's really spotty at the moment, even on a local level things appear to have got going in some places and not in others. With any luck it will just make the season last longer as other places start up over the coming weeks.

I certainly didn't think the duke of Burgundies would be out this early! There I was planning on making a trip in early May to see them! Might be all over by then

All the best to ya

B'saurus