Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, I wish it had come further out of it's shelter so I could see it's colour better, I know now where to look for it so hope to see it again.Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Love the Bank Vole Goldie...and the Small Tortoiseshell on the White heather in the previous post

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Many thanks Neil, we seem to be having some rough weather on the way They've even forecast Snow for the Pennines
Hope it misses us but doubt it will.Goldie

[Goldie M]

I've not been posting for a while, my Daughter's been visiting me and were trying to dodge the various storms!!!! What awful weather we've had! She's gone back now and I'd just been playing Mahjong at my weekly library visit when my next door neighbour called me in to look at the frogs mating in his pond, he knows I'm into any thing with my Camera when the Butterflies aren't about The weather was very dull and they were at the bottom of the pond but I thought I'd post a single shot anyway because it's the 19th day of March in 2019 and at last Spring has sprung with the Frogs Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

It’s been pretty wet and windy down here too Goldie, but it’s the spring equinox tomorrow, so we’re on the right road now, just a case of getting a few breaks in that cloud...

[Goldie M]

Hi! essex, We got the break in the cloud today, lovely day here, so I decided to give Hall-Lee-Brook a look and see if any thing was flying there, I'm so glad I went for the first thing I saw was a Small Tort
I decided to walk by the pond just in case the same mating was going on there like in Pauls Garden but nothing much was moving and there was very little Frog Spawn and I didn't see any Frog's.
Just has I was leaving this Comma flew in and landed right beside me so that was a bonus
I walked on a little ways and saw a Brimstone but he wasn't stopping so that was a disappointment but has I tried to follow it I scared a Peacock Butterfly which circled round and came back to land near me so I was very happy with that.
If the weathers nice again tomorrow I'll give HLB another go to see If I can see the Brimstone again, I was pleased with the Peacock Butterfly though because last year I saw very few a round here so hope fully it's a good sign of things to come.Goldie

[MikeOxon]

Good to see Spring is happening in the North West Dull, damp, and generally miserable down here in Oxon, still.

Mike

[Wurzel]

Those butterflies cheered me right up Goldie I've had/am still having similar weather to Mike Fingers crossed it'll improve at the weekend when I can get out and about

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Mike, it was for one day only, today it's been dull all day but at least I could get into the Garden to some work.Goldie

Hi! Wurzel, it's been dull here today, I hope things start to pick up for you weather wise, it was really great to see the Butterflies,
looks like Janet had a good day too , I don't think she lives too far a way from where I live , it got up to 16 degrees yesterday so it's no wonder the Butterflies were out. The Sun is trying hard to come through the clouds at present 4 pm now a bit late for Butterflies at this time of year Goldie

[David M]

Delighted to see things take off for you, Goldie. All four native adult hibernators in a single day! Hopefully we'll all get a break from this dreary weather and encounter some of our own!

[Goldie M]

Many thanks David, the weather went cold again and in the the mornings we had really cold temp's, today was the the same but the bitter cold wind had gone let's hope it keeps up.

With the Sun feeling really hot this lunch time I decided to give Hall-Lee-Brook another go ( I still hope to get a shot of a Brimstone)
The first Butterfly I saw was a Small Tort, then two of them were flying in circles so I waited to see if one of them would land, when one did it landed to my surprise on the grass not on a near by Dandelion, then it started to wave it's wings ,opening them wide and closing them again, there was still a coolest breeze so I was convinced it was trying to get has much Sun has it could.

Next I saw a Peacock again and it was doing the same thing , thinking about it , I think they were both warming up after a very cold night, what ever, I managed to get a couple of shots in-between the wing flaps Goldie

[millerd]

Those two were definitely trying to make the most of the sunshine, Goldie - and that Tortoiseshell is a very dark-looking individual as well. It looks hardly marked after its months of hibernation.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Goldie I agree with Dave; that is a very sultry looking Small Tort

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Things are looking good up North, Goldie with those Peacocks, which means Speckled Woods and Holly Blues can't be far off in my neck of the woods!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, the Tort's I've seen so far have looked in good condition barring one which had lost some of it's wing, the Peacock was a bit worn too but in my previous post that Peacock was in good condition, I saw the Peacock in the same place has I saw one before but I can't see it being the same one, you never know though with this weather.

Hi! Wurzel, the Tort's seem to be enjoying this weather , but the morning's here are very cold, may be that Tort hadn't warmed up properly and that's why it was so dark it was still cold Goldie

Hope your lucky and find some Speckled Wood's David, we don't usually see them here until April's well on the way, the same goes for the Holly Blue, I'm looking out for the Orange Tip and the Brimstone now but I think I'll have to go further a field to find them. Still waiting for the Sun to shine here today. Goldie

[David M]

Hope your lucky and find some Speckled Wood's David, we don't usually see them here until April's well on the way, the same goes for the Holly Blue, I'm looking out for the Orange Tip and the Brimstone now but I think I'll have to go further a field to find them. Still waiting for the Sun to shine here today.

Thanks, Goldie. I'm sure they'll be out by now after four successive mild and sunny days. I've never seen an Orange Tip in March but that may change this year!

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, I see you got a bonus shot with the OT's

I also got some bonus shots of a Peacock in my Garden yesterday, It's the first time for eighteen months since I'd seen one in the Garden so I was really pleased.
I'd been worried about their decline, so to see two in the garden was a relief
I also took another trip to HLB , I saw a Brimstone again but it didn't stop for a shot I did get some more shots of a Comma and the Tort's were really coming out I counted six, also two more Peacocks,( may be they followed me home) Goldie

[Goldie M]

I've just got back from Hall-Lee-Brook where I saw my first Speckie of the year Not just one but ten they were very active But I managed a few shots
When I got back I sat in the Garden and although I've posted quite a few Tortoiseshell photos I couldn't resist one more It landed on the same flowers has the Peacock yesterday, the flowers I think show off their lovely colours Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie, those Speckled Woods are early for your neck of the woods, I saw my first one today but they haven't appeared in my garden yet.

A nice selection of hibernators too, nice to see so many Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks showing up this spring after being thin on the ground last year.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Lovely Small Torts Goldie and those Specklies I've not seen one yet and they've only just appeared down South so they're well early in your neck of the woods

Have a goodun

Wurzel