www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Good to see Luna is providing some consolation for the lack of lepidoptera Guy - the Blood Moon was all over Instagram this morning, I follow Brian May and he was loving it Mind you no such joy over this way - thick cloud cover from about 1 metre up

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great stuff, Guy! I’m glad I wasn’t the only one up trying to photograph the eclipse...

Great shots Guy, I didn't get mine until Morning so not so Red It wasn't long after I took the shots that the mist came down, more fog really so I was really lucky Goldie

Padfield wrote:Thanks Goldie! I'm glad you were up for the eclipse too!

Here are two shots from Woodbridge, the first taken at the beginning of totality and the second right in the middle (before I went back to bed):





What good luck with the weather! It is completely overcast now.

Although the second picture is 'mid-eclipse', that only means she is halfway through the umbra in the direction of travel. I imagine the persistent pale glare at the top right is because she is not halfway through the umbra in the direction transverse to this.

Guy

The range and subtlety of colours are lovely on your photos Guy. I got up a bit late and just managed to catch near totality. It was well worth the effort, even though I couldn’t get back to sleep again afterwards!

James

Thank you all for your various comments. Yes - I knew I wasn't alone out there in the small hours!! The last total lunar eclipse was 27th July last year. I photographed that from Switzerland but sadly it was awful weather in the UK and I think most of you missed out then. It's good so many of us were able to enjoy it this year.

It was again very cold today. I was amused to catch this little egret modelling the latest winterwear from the Stylish Heron collection:





Guy

I recognise that posture Guy - scrunching the neck as far into your shoulders as possible - it's a great way to keep warm From the looks of those plumes the Egret will soon have others things than the cold on its mind

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I hope you're right, Wurzel! I heard a great spotted woodpecker drumming today and the great tits were singing - so nature is beginning to think of happy things ...

It was high tide on my afternoon walk and I saw the kingfisher again. Unfortunately it was overcast and even raining by then so yet again no good light - and far too many other walkers for him to let me get close. But I'll persevere ...









Guy

I knew you’d nail your quarry in the end, Guy! I’m sure eventually you’ll get your chance when light conditions are more opportune.

Great set of shots Guy even if not in ideal lighting conditions I was wondering if that was a female as I'm sure I can see some orange/red on the base of the bill - mind you that could just be my laptop screen - it's getting on a bit now and doesn't always show 'true' colours

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks David. Yes, I'll keep trying!

Thanks Wurzel. I didn't know how to sex kingfishers. I'm pretty sure this one did have orange at the bill base, though it's true I've greatly enhanced the saturation &c. of the pictures. This one, even more enhanced, seems to show it clearly:



Guy

Yes I agree with Wurzel, you have a Queenfisher there

Thanks for the confirmation, Buggy. Queenfisher she is!!

Guy

... But is this person Barney or Barnadette?



He or she was hunting next to the Deben this afternoon.

Guy

Great shot Guy As for whether it's male or female I'm not sure - the white immediately behind the facial ruff and the fact that it lacks a browny throat suggest Barnadette but then females become less female looking the older they get I think it best to be very PC and not assume its gender

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel. I'll go tentatively for Barnadette, then.

Some 1-2km away from where I saw her, as the barn owl flies, I saw another today. The last one was near Wilford Bridge. Today's - conceivably the same one - was by the river wall at Woodbridge, towards Kyson Point. I took a few shaky shots of it in flight:





It went down several times, staying down - and out of sight - the last time.

Barn owls are beautiful but how I long for some butterflies!!

Guy

"Barn owls are beautiful but how I long for some butterflies!!"...I hear that! What with this winter blast it feels like the're much further away than 2-4 weeks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

There may not be any butterflies down your way, Guy, but you've been entertained lately by two of the finest birds Britain has to offer.

The kingfisher is wonderful but that Barn Owl is beyond enchanting. I hope you see more of it in the coming weeks.

Thank you, Wurzel and David.

I've just been to West Wales to pick up two dogs and bring them back to Suffolk by train. Before I left the weather in Woodbridge was really not very springlike, as this live gif shows:



So still no butterflies yet. I've never waited so long ...

I travelled on 9th and spent 10th near Carmarthen with the dogs (poor old Minnie in kennels, as I couldn't do the journey with three canine friends ...). Obviously I wanted to get shots of red kites but this was harder than I expected because of the weather. Most were silhouettes against cloudy skies:


(the morning didn't look promising - that's Boo, the dog, not a red kite)


(that's a kite)


(and another)

Just a few shots showed any colour:





Despite the poor photos, it was wonderful to see these magnificent birds obviously doing so well.

Then today, back to Suffolk. Here are the dogs in Carmarthen, before their long trek across the nation:



I was very impressed with all the train staff - especially the woman with the drinks trolley who brought them fresh water - for making the dogs so welcome on the journey.

Guy

At least you saw them, Guy. Kites have increased very nicely since you last lived here, and I think there are something like 1500 pairs in Wales now, plus several hundred non territorial immatures, and they are spilling out into English bordering counties.

I was in Wales myself last week, and by luck or otherwise,the weather was rather more favourable on my day with the kites.

I look forward to your shots, Buzzard! From your pictures, you were in more of a wilderness. Where I was it was all private land and farms so I couldn't get close to where the kites were quartering. As you say, though, it was lovely to see them.

I was on the train again this morning, delivering one dog. At lunchtime I said to my father I was certain butterflies were flying somewhere - I could smell it in the air. He replied that he had seen one in the garden this morning, while I was out! It had been too far away for him to identify, except he knew it wasn't a brimstone. So we're off ... Maybe it will be my turn tomorrow.

I did see a great white egret from the train this morning, somewhere between Melton and Wickham Market. That was a surprise to me, and a UK first, but I understand they are no longer a great rarity over here.

Here's a greenshank later in the day:



Guy