Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, it's going to be a few days before we see Spring again up here, next week looks good though.Goldie

[David M]

Great to see things are moving up in the North West, Goldie. Like you say, next week looks like a totally different proposition....and not before time! Roll on real spring!

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, yes, it's time to look for the Orange Tips It's really Spring when they arrive Goldie

[Goldie M]

After a morning of mist and rain the afternoon turned out to be quite nice a few high clouds but mainly Sunny, with rain forecast for tomorrow we decided to pay a visit to Hall-Lee-Brook, it was really muddy but we managed to make our way through it and that's when we saw the Brimstone, I took a step towards it to get a shot and thats when this insect landed on top of the Brimstone, I expected the Butterfly to fly a way but it never moved and after a while the insect moved a way with a little help from me I then managed a shot of the Brimstone without a passenger
We moved a round the site after that and we saw another Tortoiseshell, it was in the same area we saw a couple in the other day and This one looked like the same Male but I could be wrong
We then went looking for the Comma and although I found it, again I couldn't get a full shot, it stuck to the stalk with the Sun behind it, not too good for photos, but at least it stayed still for a while so I could get a shot. hope fully next week we'll see more Butterflies. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Goldie The Comma shot came out well and the Drone fly and Brimstone is a cracker Looking forward to next week when things are expected to actually get better

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

It's always welcome when you get to see a grounded male Brimstone in the spring, Goldie, even more so when it is so rudely interrupted by another insect! Like you, I'm amazed it stayed put.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, I've never heard of a Drone Fly could it have done any harm to the Brimstone I really didn't fancy it when I saw it land on the Butterfly and not sure what it was I picked up a broken bit of dried stick and touched it so that it flew off

Hi! David, I was surprised myself when the Butterfly didn't fly off when the fly landed on it, I've watched them before when Bee's etc get too near and they usually flap their wings to move them, or, move on themselves, this one didn't move at all even when the fly flew off.
I've wondered since if it hadn't been out very long, although I did see a very slight bit of damage to the lower wing, It was a strange encounter and one I've not witnessed before but the Butterfly did fly off okay although it circled a round first and I thought it was landing back again, we decided because of the mornings rain and the heavy rain we've had recently that it was soaking up the Sun and renewing it's energy Goldie

[David M]

Hi! David, I was surprised myself when the Butterfly didn't fly off when the fly landed on it, I've watched them before when Bee's etc get too near and they usually flap their wings to move them, or, move on themselves, this one didn't move at all even when the fly flew off.
I've wondered since if it hadn't been out very long, although I did see a very slight bit of damage to the lower wing, It was a strange encounter and one I've not witnessed before but the Butterfly did fly off okay although it circled a round first and I thought it was landing back again, we decided because of the mornings rain and the heavy rain we've had recently that it was soaking up the Sun and renewing it's energy Goldie

You may be right, Goldie. I've seen smaller insects alight on butterflies without causing flight, but that one probably weighed heavier than the Brimstone itself, so the fact that it remained in situ was very surprising.

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, that's Butterflying for you, you never know what your going to come across next that's why it's so interesting and keeps you doing it. Goldie

[Andrew555]

Nice shots Goldie. I too am amazed there was no reaction from the Brimstome.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Andrew, I thought at first the Butterfly was stuck in a webb, especially when the fly landed on it and it didn't move, I was more amazed when I gave the fly a push that the Butterfly still didn't move, when it finally took off I was relieved. Goldie

[Goldie M]

This morning I was getting the garden furniture out when this Large White Butterfly suddenly flew into the garden, I'd just time to take some shots before it took off again. it never opened it's wings until it flew off so I'd to be satisfied with a closed wing shot. It was a surprise though. I'd expected may be a Small White certainly not a Large
Yesterday and today it was mostly Small Tort's, I saw about five at HLB yesterday and two in the garden today, hope fully tomorrow when we go for a drive we'll see more species. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Goldie Hopefully the good weather will last into the weekend so you can add to your tally

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

It may have been a surprise to see a Large White in your garden, Goldie, but what's more surprising is what it appears to be nectaring from. Is that an ornamental daffodil?

[millerd]

A very unusual choice of flower, certainly. You're one up on me there, Goldie - no Large Whites have appeared near me yet.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, I certainly added to my tally yesterday.

Hi! Dave, I keep having Large Whites visiting the Garden since I saw that one but I can't manage a shot before they fly off.

David , the flower is a type of Daffodil, I can't remember what it's called but there in the Garden Centre's, I like them because of their perfume and it seems, so do the Butterflies.

Yesterday was one of those days that you remember, not having gone any where the day before because the weather was so hot we decided Friday was perfect , temp's 19/20c so we set off for Brockholes CP near Preston.
The weather was decidedly cloudy and cool but with the promise of the clouds lifting in the afternoon we were optimistic
We made our way to Bolton Wood where last year I'd seen the White LHS, I didn't go into the woods last year because most of the Hair Streaks were on the Bramble at the entrance and this same Bramble proved to be a favourite also with the Orange Tips
Before we saw them (it was still very cloudy) we walked through the woods, I can't describe the beauty of those woods in words but if I say we saw a small Deer, a Weasel, and so many different kinds of birds all chattering a way, added to that carpets of Blue bells you'll get the picture
In the woods I got a shot of a Comma, this time a full shot, by this time the Sun was out and I saw my very first OT on a Blue Bell We left the Woods then and just at the entrance there were loads of OT's, plus a Peacock and Tortoiseshell, I caught sight of a Small White but my camera was in the Sun so the shot wasn't too good but I'll call it a first for the year Goldie

[David M]

Great sequence, Goldie! North and south have all but equalised themselves over the past week or so. You did far better than me with your Orange Tips. I must have seen 40+ but such was the heat that they were turbo-charged and impossible to photograph.

[millerd]

Lovely Orange Tip photos, Goldie. The weather's been a bit hot for them further south, but yours seem to be much happier!

Dave

[Janet Turnbull]

Lovely shots of the Orange-tips Goldie - you had a really good day! I'm impressed with your Blackcaps too - I spent ages today without success trying to photograph one, it was so shy.

[trevor]

You're having a lovely time, at last ,Goldie.
Great Orange Tips, and a mrgreen for the female OT.

All the best,
Trevor.