www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I'm 100% with you on that quest, Trevor! I never seem to spot the little devils before they have spotted me, or have been distracted by something else at the key moment.

That's a glorious image from Kirsty, though - and your best effort is a great deal better than any of mine.

Cheers,

Dave

Crikey, that’s some picture of a PH. You need to find out how she does it!

Cheers, Dave & Mark.

Kirsty's image was a case of right place, right time, a good camera and a good photographer behind the lens!.
It is a stunning image from all perspectives, an arboreal species low down on bracken, perfect reflective light,
and a very fresh butterfly. Apparently it was in no hurry to move, and was possibly drying it's wings.

It's probably my favourite butterfly image of all time.

A hard act to follow!.

Trevor.

Good luck on your quest Trevor - it's only a matter of time before you bag the elusive shot I'm sure as half of the battle is having a reliable site where they come down low

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks, Wurzel.

For the past three years I've had a very reliable site three miles from home.
If it performs as well this season my full purple male might be in the bag.
I did see one last year, but he escaped as I checked the camera settings,
as you can imagine the language was pretty awful. Compensation came
that same morning when a fresh female PH was found open winged.

The weather doesn't look very kind for my Wilts visit next week.

All the best,
Trevor.

trevor wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:00 am...There is a young
Lady who I see around when out and about, who has taken some annoyingly
brilliant images of male PH displaying full glowing purple.

That's pretty much as good as it gets, Trevor. Fresh specimen too!

Good luck in trying to match that!

A tall order, David !, but something to aim for.

At least this Winter has been very good for Moss.

Crickey Trevor I wondered what that was when I saw the image on the 'front page' I thought that you'd been busy propagating in the greenhouse

Have a goodun

Wurzel

trevor wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 7:10 pm At least this Winter has been very good for Moss.

Think this one needs a bit of further explanation, Trevor. Looks like a cash crop.

Thanks both.

That almost luxuriant covering of moss was growing on the corrugated roof
of a very old outbuilding at Avebury, Wilts. I found the effect very striking indeed,
and worthy of a couple of shots.
Driving down to Wilts. with storm Dennis for company ruled out any optimism I may
have had for an early butterfly sighting during my stay, though the wild roadside
Snowdrop displays in the Devizes area was adequate compensation.

Lovely sight those Snowdrops Trevor The butterfly sightings continue to be scarce - only a couple in Feb, roll on March when things generally start happening apace Let me know when you're down this way next as the butterflies should surely be out by then

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Wurzel, Snowdrops seem to be almost native to Wiltshire.
I've never seen so many growing wild. In some locations they can be seen in their hundreds of thousands.

My next visit to Wilts should be over Easter, hopefully something should be flying by then!.

On the subject of Wiltshire and butterflies, I have marked out a map of the Tilshead site.
This site is well worth a visit at the appropriate times of the season for grassland species.

The A360 from Salisbury and the A303 direction is at the bottom right of map.
The area marked in orange is the car park. A good area to search is within the red outline.
The mauve arrow points towards Chitterne and the A36. Cotley Hill is one mile away
once on A36.

Good to see that map Trevor - over the road looks interesting too. Hopefully by Easter things will have taken off - we could even be into Orange-tips by then We'll have to try and sort something out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

trevor wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:30 am..That almost luxuriant covering of moss was growing on the corrugated roof
of a very old outbuilding at Avebury, Wilts. I found the effect very striking indeed, and worthy of a couple of shots.

Thanks for that, Trevor. I hadn't imagined it being a corrugated roof. It looked like it was being cultivated in a field!

Beautiful snowdrop display. It's rare to see so many in one place.

Thanks, Wurzel & David.

Wurzel, The track ' on the other side of the road ' that runs parallel with the road, is where
the Wall Browns hold fort. It was fascinating to watch the males launching at each other,
and the frequent squabbles with rivals, all along the length of the track.
From what I could see there was a very strong colony at that location.

Look forward to meeting up sometime,
Trevor.

MARCH 1st, A HAIL STORM AND A RED ADMIRAL !.

Today is the start of meteorological Spring, or as like to call it the optimists start of Spring.
But this morning started with a terrific hail storm, which fortunately soon passed, and
later we had bright sunshine, any warmth tempered by a cold breeze.
So I was very surprised to see my first butterfly of the year today at Halnaker, a Red Admiral,
which after a short flutter, landed and nectared on a Celandine flower.
Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me to record my first butterfly sighting since October.

Trevor.

Great to hear you've got your first and are off the mark Trevor That first one generally catches me out as well but it always serves as the prompt to start carrying my camera everywhere

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I must check that Tilshead site out - only an hour away and doubtless it has butterflies I don't usually come across locally. Thanks!