Re: Neil Freeman
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 4:58 pm
Desperately trying to catch up Neil but a fox shot can usually be relied upon to get a comment from me Great shot! Lovely Dunnock and Chiffchaff too but 36 ST????? Wow!!
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Cheers Wurzel, the garden has indeed been a godsend in these times and it is good to see the return of the SpeckliesWurzel wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2020 7:11 pm Great stuff Neil although I am now exceedingly envious of your garden (or anyone with a garden) Good to see the Small Torts still holding their own and in your most recent post a touch of normality - a Specklie in a Neil Freeman PD post
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Thanks Goldie. I too have a couple of Robins that keep trying to chase each other off from around the feeders.
Thanks David. Fortunately I am still being paid full pay for now, at least until the end of April when the situation is being reviewed.David M wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2020 1:05 pm Always good to see Speckled Woods return to your garden, Neil. Spring isn't the same without them.
Things look to be moving now round your way with Holly Blues, Orange Tips and Whites on the wing.
I'm sorry to hear you're being furloughed. Hopefully it won't be for long and, as you say, you have a little more flexibility regarding when you can get out on your daily exercise walk.
Thanks Pauline. I wondered if you would spot the fox shot. It seems Small Tortoiseshells are having a very good spring around the midlands from other reports I have seen.
Cheers Wurzel. I did a bit of supermarket car park queuing myself yesterday morning, only about 15 minutes though but it was too early for butterflies to be about.Wurzel wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 7:08 pm That's a cracking Small White shot Neil I too have been doing a spot of Supermarket Butterflying - on Thursday I saw a Small Tort, Peacock, Brimstone and a Holly Blue whilst shuffling around the car park of Waitrose. 'm glad I didn't tkae my camera though else I could have lost my place in the queue and so another 1hr 30 wait would have been endured
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Thanks David. Not just the Small Whites, everything has been highly mobile in the constant warm sun we have had this past week.David M wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 11:06 pm Beautiful image of the Orange Tip, Neil. You don't get presented with many opportunities like that each spring so you have to react when they arise.
You are also one of the few to capture a settled Small White in a good pose. They're driving me mad this spring!
And just on cue, we had quite a bit of rain last night and it is going to be cooler for the next few days, maybe a touch too cool today but tomorrow onward looks better.
They did indeed have loo roll Wurzel, and this was my local Tesco not Waitrose
Thanks Trevor. We did get some rain in the end on Sunday night but not as much as we needed.trevor wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:46 am Love the image of the Small Tortoiseshell on the bramble leaf, Neil.
As for the weather it's cold and blowy down here today, and with no
rain since the Winter deluge, the garden is parched and the water butt is empty.
I sometimes envy the weather you get in the midlands, it seems a little more balanced.
Take care,
Trevor.
Not in this next post Wurzel but there could be one coming up soon
Thanks Dave. Looking at what others have been posting on here, and elsewhere on social media, it is interesting how different species are faring in different parts of the country.millerd wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:57 pm Your butterflies have been posing well for you, Neil. The Torties and the Specklies in particular - as I've said before I really envy you the numbers of the former that still can be found a scant 100 miles northwest of me. Very thin on the ground they are round here this year.
Cheers,
Dave
Thanks for the permission to show the Green-veined White Wurzel ...coming up.Wurzel wrote: ↑Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:51 pm Thank you for sparing me the Green-veined White Neil it's okay I saw my first today so now you can publish your images Cracking set of Moffs - I can see why the Brindled Beauty is so named - one of those juxtapositions of subtlety and stunning-ness Loving the Punk-dweeb feel of the Spectacle
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Thanks David. Yes, I am lucky with that local spot, it is only small but usually produces a good number of the commoner species.
Thanks Matsukaze. Yes, there are plenty of supposedly 'common and widespread' moths that I have never seen here. Then again, I have had a couple of rarities in previous years, that is one of the things with moth trapping, you never know what might show up.Matsukaze wrote: ↑Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:46 pm Nice moths - I also had Brindled Beauty on about the same date, and it is also a rare visitor to our garden. I've never had Early Grey here (though it was regular in my previous garden 3 miles away) and have only ever seen one Pine Beauty. It's strange how local some moths can be.
Thanks Stevie, glad you like them.
Cheers Wurzel. There is nearly always some variable feature on a butterfly that I use to identify different individuals, with Orange-tips it is the size and shape of the forewing spots. That is one of the faintest examples I have yet seen, like you, I thought he was 'blind' at first.
The GVWs have only really appeared here over the past couple of days David, I saw a few more today, mostly males.David M wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:42 pm What a fabulous array of images, Neil. Probably the best I've seen this spring.
That first Orange Tip is most unusual, with the forewing spots almost completely diminished.
The female Green Veined White is a stunner too. How I'm praying to see one of those right now!