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Cracking shots Dave, the Small Copper is brill and how did you get the "now don't" with the shadow so sharp?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

The shadow photo was a complete fluke, Wurzel - I took the GVW photo, moved a fraction for another shot, and as I pressed the shutter, off went the butterfly. Somehow, it must have returned its wings to the same position as they were at rest and held them there at the exact same moment the shutter opened. Now, if you could do that with a Brimstone or a Clouded Yellow...

I was very pleased to see the Small Copper: the 23rd species of the year on my local patch, with only Clouded Yellow being a no-show from the overall list for the last five years.

Dave

20th October

Bright and mild today - Worth a look for Red Admirals if nothing else. I set off at midday and walked around my local route - sure enough I found three different individuals enjoying the very hazy sunshine. One was very bright and new, and looked relatively small to my eyes. A marked change to the weather is predicted by the Met Office for about a week's time, with a change of wind and frosty nights, so maybe the Red Admirals will start heading south and/or tucking themselves away.

I also found the entrance to the BAA-owned and newly renamed Colne Valley Heathrow Biodiversity Site had a acquired a more friendly gate. Now the season is pretty well at an end, I plan to write to BAA and see how aware they are of the diversity of butterflies found in this area, and find out what they know about what else there is that lives here.

Dave

Great stuff Dave but you made me feel bad about not getting out today Still hopefully the start of next week should be good

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Happy Christmas to everyone, and may the weather smile on all of us - and the butterflies - in 2013.

Dave

Happy Christmas to you too, Dave, and yes, I think 2013 owes us big style!

Well, no butterflies for me yet. The first likely day round here, last Tuesday, had me condemned to the office while 17 degree sunshine beamed down outside. Now winter is again upon us.

However, while the weather was still mild, I had heard that there was a migration of toads along a residential street in Staines which needed assistance because of high kerbs and unsympathetic traffic. I took my eight-year-old son along and we spent a jolly half hour in the drizzle assisting around 30 toads (and frogs) in their journey to the pond to mate. I just hope the sudden descent of temperatures to below freezing doesn't have a detrimental effect.

Dave

Good for you, Dave! I hope people saw you helping the toads and were inspired to help too.

Squashed toads and hedgehogs are so familiar a lot of people don't see them for the individual tragedies they represent.

Guy

No substitute for butterflies, but an interesting sighting nonetheless.

Sadly, I fear that toads (as well as every other spring-loving creature) will be forced to retreat over the next few days as the a**e end of winter gives us one last lashing.

Comfort yourselves with the fact that this will be its final punishment. Thereon in, spring will be unconquerable!

I wish that were true but they're been having some bad weather in America again lately so in roughly a fortnight we'll have another cold spell. Spring proper may be a tad late this year.

I saw my first butterflies of 2013 on 3rd April, up in Yorkshire (the village of Wilberfoss to be precise). The sun was shining and the easterly wind had dropped out at last, though warm is probably not the right word, strictly speaking. The honours were taken by a Brimstone, no doubt woken from its slumbers in the copious ivy adorning the trees in my sister's garden. Soon afterwards, a Tortoseshell appeared, and was to make repeat visits over the next few days, though never stopping long enough for a photo. The Brimstone obliged, however.

Dave

Great to see you're up and running Dave! That Brimstone is lush

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks, Wurzel!

Despite four days now looking around my local patch, and some brief spells of warm sunshine, nothing to report yet...

However, I did see the little egret that has been around throughout the winter, and it has been joined by a second bird. Here they are in the company of a a standard grey heron.

Today was also marked by heavy showers, and a splendid rainbow. A second bow can be seen too, and immediately inside the main bow, you can just make out the colours repeating to form a very faint third one. This was much clearer to the naked eye.

Dave

Well, as promised by the weather forecast the sun shone, and the temperature here at Heathrow reached the dizzy heights of 19.5 degrees. A stroll around my local patch was in order, and I covered a fair part of it in two hours this morning.

The butterflies were out at long last. In all, I counted 21 individuals along the route, with little chance of there being any “repeats”. Four species were out and about, and the overall tally was five Brimstones, four Peacocks, four Small Tortoiseshells and no less than eight Commas.

A couple of the Commas were indulging in what I took to be courting behaviour, one following the other through the branches of a flowering pussy willow, alighting regularly: one would sidle up close behind the other before the other flew on to another twig where they would repeat the exercise. Eventually, the chasing male (I assume) gave up and went to bask in the sun, whilst the female disappeared into the trees.

I was pleased to see so many Small Tortoiseshells (especially as two were at the end of the walk on the grass outside my house!). In recent years, to see one before the summer months around here has been unusual.
A long-awaited start to the season here, but a good one.

Dave

Great stuff Dave, I know what you mean about the Tortoiseshells - they seem to be all I'm photogrpahing at the moment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

millerd wrote:...the temperature here at Heathrow reached the dizzy heights of 19.5 degrees.

How envious of you I am. It's 15th April tomorrow and I've still not even seen 13c thus far this year!!!

More normal today, David - a high of only 15.5 and not a lot of sun.

However, there were still a few butterflies about in the brighter intervals: I saw a Small Tortoiseshell, three Commas and a Peacock. It seems the sun has to be fully out for the Brimstones to venture forth, but the others were prepared to chance it in bright overcast.

This particular Comma seemed completely intact after its winter sleep - the underside is amazing camouflage for the dead leaves of early spring, noticeably paler that it would have been last Autumn when the need would have been for dark shades to facilitate hiding away in shady places.

The Peacock was in excellent condition too.

Dave

Lush under-side shot Dave I'm jealous of the Peacock shot too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

You should have seen the grovelling on the ground required to get that Comma shot, Wurzel. Not to mention the creaking of knees endured to resume a standing postion afterwards...

But I was pleased with the result too. Thank you!

Dave

Well done, great shots. I understand the pain of resuming a normal position!