Neil Freeman

[Wurzel]

They're still cracking images despite the snow/exposure difficulties Neil, especially the Long-tailed Tit shot - looks like it's burying it's head into a muffler

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Cracking bird shots again, Neil, especially those Goldcrests. There are plenty of these in my area but they dart around like bullets and I've never been able to get an image of them.

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks for the comments Goldie, Wurzel and David, very much appreciated

Monday 12th March.

After a very pleasant and spring like Sunday with the temperature getting up to the giddy heights of 12c in my back garden I was tempted to run the moth trap in the garden that night. The weather forecast said it would remain mild with lows of around 7c and some light rain showers heading in overnight which sounded like good conditions as many moths will happily fly in light rain.
Well, as it happened the forecast was right regarding the temperature but seriously underestimated the rain which began lashing down from around 8.00pm and hardly eased all night.
I braved the rain and checked the trap at around 8.30pm and found a March Moth settled on the fence close by which pleased me as despite being a common species this was a first for my garden.

March Moth - Coverdale 11.03.2018

The habit of settling close to the trap rather than actually going in it is something that some species often do and means that it is always worth checking around the trap when approaching it.
With the trap already wet, I decided to keep it lit until I got up for work in the morning when I duly turned it off and covered it before bringing it into the garage at 05.30am before leaving for work.

On returning from work later that afternoon, I checked the trap and found that despite the very wet night there were actually a couple of moths in it, singles each of Oak Beauty and Common Quaker.

Oak Beauty - Coverdale 11.03.2018

Common Quaker - Coverdale 11.03.2018

The Common Quaker was the first for this year and checking last years records, I had my first of this common and widespread species on 19th February when I had 2 in the trap. This means that this years first was nearly three weeks later than last year which I suppose is a fair reflection of the winter we have had this year.

The rain continued for most of the day on Monday and after all the snow melting last week has led to some flooding around here and I have noticed on my journey to work from Solihull to Coventry that a number of small rivers and streams have overflowed onto neighbouring farmland.

It looks like we have another cold snap forecast for the coming weekend with possible snow showers around here, fingers crossed that this time it is only short lived.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

It looks like the weather is back in that pattern of nice in the middle of the week and rubbish at the weekend Hopefully the cycle will be broken soon
Interesting how the March Moth holds it’s wings- does it always fold the same wing over the top? I’ve said it before but the Oak Beauty is certainly that

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

The bird shots look good to me Neil, I very much like the Bullfinch. Nice to see the moths too.

Cheers

[Goldie M]

At least your seeing Moths Neil if not Butterflies yet great shots, I've been trying to get the Garden back to some thing like it should be but only managed the front garden before the rain arrived again, I'll have to get to the back garden in the next week but Snow's been forecast again so it's going to be a struggle, I'm praying for the Sun! Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers Wurzel That resting posture is typical for March Moths, I have checked a few photos online and it seems they will rest with either wing over the other.

Thanks Andrew, glad you like them

Hi Goldie, the spring flying moths do emerge earlier than the butterflies, that is not including the moths that hibernate as adults that can will often come to light on mild nights during the winter.

Friday 16th March.

With a couple of mild nights forecast on Wednesday and Thursday I was tempted to put the trap out on both nights to make the most of it before winter returned over the coming weekend. Both nights turned out to be similar with minimum temperatures of 6 or 7 degrees but with rain during the early hours of the morning.
Wednesday night was also quite breezy which didn't help but nevertheless I had a single Oak Beauty and 3 Common Quakers plus a micro which I still need to confirm the ID.
Thursday night produced another half a dozen moths consisting of another Oak Beauty, and another 3 Common Quakers, all of which I knew were different individuals to the previous night as I still had those in pots in the fridge in order to take some photos in daylight this afternoon. There were also a couple of Hebrew Characters which were my first of this common spring species this year, in this case just over a week later than in 2017.

Oak Beauty (a bit worn) - Coverdale 14.03.2017

Oak Beauty - Coverdale 15.03.2017

Common Quakers showing variation in ground colour - Coverdale 14.03.2018

Another 3 Common Quakers showing more colour variation - Coverdale 15.03.2018

Hebrew Characters - Coverdale 15.03.2018

With the overnight temperature forecast over the weekend and into the early part of next week I reckon it will be a little while before the trap is out again. I am hoping the weather bucks up a bit in time for Easter in a couple of weeks which is probably the first realistic chance I will have to get out and look for some butterflies.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

"I have checked a few photos online and it seems they will rest with either wing over the other" -there goes a possible research project into 'handedness" in moths More great Moths, loving the Oak Beauty still but the Hebrew Character is vying for my affections

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You're really filling your boots with these early moths, Neil. You have some lovely specimens. I particularly like the Hebrew Characters and I shall keep my eye out for these in my part of the world.

Thanks to your images, yesterday I found a moth roosting on the white wall of the gym I go to and immediately recognised it as an Oak Beauty (they're quite robust, aren't they?)

It was reluctant to move even when I touched it and given that it was totally exposed whilst it was snowing and blowing a gale, I got a plastic vial from my house and I now have it here with me to ride out the wintry weather. I will release it as soon as temperatures get back to normal (probably tomorrow but maybe Tuesday).

[Andrew555]

You've captured the comb-like structure of the antennae on that 2nd Oak Beauty really nicely Neil.
Interesting side by side of the Quakers, so you move the moths from the trap onto a branch or some wood to take your photos ?

Cheers

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers Wurzel, the Hebrew Characters are a common moth this time of the year but like many (most) of those I that now get in the trap I had never seen one until I started trapping.

Hi David, the moths make up a bit for not seeing any butterflies yet but they have also been affected by the weather and are slower to get going this year.

Thanks Andrew, yes I do often move the moths to a more suitable background to take photos before I release them. Some are very docile during the day but others (many geometers and micros) can by very fidgety and fly off before I get the shot.

Friday 23rd March

Still no butterflies for me yet but with the slightly milder conditions overnight on Wednesday I ran the trap again. Moth numbers are still slow to get going in my garden this year but along with a couple of Common Quakers and a single Hebrew Character I had a single Twin spotted Quaker, a species which I have only had a couple of times before.

Twin spotted Quaker - Coverdale 21.03.2018

The weekend doesn't look too bad so I really must try and catch up on a few jobs in the garden which I haven't been able to do on recent weekends because of the weather. It looks like we may be copping for a bit more snow next week as well but hopefully just light showers.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

I was out hunting today Neil, no luck, it's going to be a while yet I think before we see any thing here. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great moth shot Neil Good idea getting caught up with the garden and household jobs because when Spring finally doesn’t get here it could be a bit manic with a lot of species all emerging at once

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

These moths add a new dimension to our pursuits, Neil. I find the array you present to us most eye-catching and with every passing year I find my interest in these creatures growing.

I'm confident butterflies will be back in your garden very soon. Give it a couple of weeks and the Specklies and Holly Blues should be emerging.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie, Saturday was grey and gloomy here but Sunday was much better...

You could well be right Wurzel, it seem there has been a flurry of sightings over the past couple of days

Thanks for your kind words on the moths David No butterflies in the garden yet but I am now off the mark

Sunday 25th March

At last, a dry weekend and although Saturday was grey and cloudy it did give me a chance to catch up on some jobs in the garden. Sunday was much better with some nice warm sun and although it clouded over a bit in the afternoon, there were still some good sunny spells. I reckoned that the weather had been warm enough to maybe tempt some hibernators out and although I didn't really have a lot of time I figured I could just squeeze in a little wander down to a local park /playing field that is just 10 minutes walk from my house. There is a strip of rough ground along one side of this park with a hedge line of mixed hawthorn and blackthorn and plenty of brambles and a couple of sheltered sunny spots that I thought would be worth checking out. In fact, although this spot is so close to me, despite promising myself I would have a look sometime, I have never checked it out before.

Anyway, I slowly wandered along the hedge line and within a few minutes spotted a bright orange shape flitting across a bramble patch, my first butterfly of the year, a Comma. As I watched another butterfly flitted into view and I just had enough time to identify it as a Small Tortoiseshell before the Comma spotted it and they spiraled up and over the hedge. Relying on the territorial habits of these two species I stuck around hoping that one or the other would return and sure enough a few minutes late the Comma reappeared and settled on a clump of dead grass. I have noticed before that hibernators will often choose to settle on dead grass like this, quite possibly because the lighter colour reflects a bit more heat.

Comma - Wagon Lane 25.02.2018

As I was taking a few photos another Comma came along and was soon seen off by the first one but I managed to keep it in view to where it settled not far away.

Comma - Wagon Lane 25.02.2018

I hung around a little longer hoping that the Small Tortoiseshell would also reappear and was just on the verge of making my way back home when I spotted it heading towards me. Luckily this time it settled before either of the Commas spotted it and I managed to get a couple of shots before it was off again. Looking at the photos afterwards I noticed that the two small black forewing spots are very diminished, almost absent.

Small Tortoiseshell - Wagon Lane 25.02.2018

I then headed back home to continue where I had left off in the garden.

I have mentioned before that my first sightings are often during the last week of March and looking back over my past records gives the following dates;

March 25th 2011 - Peacock / Brimstone
March 25th 2012 - Small Tortoiseshell / Peacock / Comma
April 2nd 2013 - Small Tortoiseshell. A slightly late start to the year.
March 9th 2014 - Small Tortoiseshell / Peacock / Comma / Brimstone. A very early year for me.
March 20th 2015 - Small Tortoiseshell / Peacock / Comma
March 25th 2016 - Small Tortoiseshell / Peacock
March 24th 2017 - Comma

It can be seen therefore that despite the long and often cold winter we have had that my first butterflies this year fall very much into my average timing.

It now looks like although the weather is forecast to go colder again later this week, it will not be as cold as previously thought...no beast from the east part 3 as such, just a lot of rain instead.

Bye for now,

Neil

[bugboy]

judging by this evenings glut of posts it certainly looks like the butterflies think winter has finally ended, Hopefully the predicted rain won't put too much of a dent into activity in the near future.

[millerd]

Looks like you got the sunshine ahead of us down here, Neil, and with it the butterflies. A very nice pair of Commas there.

Dave

[Andrew555]

Lovely, nice one Neil.
I had my first sighting, a Comma, yesterday.

Cheers

[Wurzel]

Interesting bit of emergence analysis Neil I like you generally see my first butterfly around the second week of February, and so it was this year Hopefully there will be a few windows of okay weather so that those butterflies that have emerged can get on with things properly...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Neil, so glad you got some shots of the Butterflies looks like they're waking up at last I took a shot of a moth which Wurzel says looks like the shots of your Oak Beauty, this moth was still there today under the sheltering beam, that's two days now with out moving, I think it knows the weather's not up to much yet. Goldie