www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks, David.

It was a bit grim today so I had a quick look through my short video clips from last year and came up with these to cheer me up. Spring's only around the corner and it's nice to be reminded from time to time so I offer no apology for re-hashing these.

http://www.facebook.com/v/10150228031751972[/video]


http://www.facebook.com/v/10150250749936972[/video]

That's the time of year I love most - when the Horse Chestnut candles are out and the Cow Parsley's in full swing.

Every season has it's own scent and spring's fresh growth and flowers are lovely and perfume the air sweetly. Everything's full of promise and hope for the future.

http://www.facebook.com/v/10150604192101972[/video]

A few photos from last week; the sunset at Brighton when I went to see the murmuration last Sunday week and from last Monday one of the mounds of soil from Wembley Stadium that makes up Northala Fields (you can see the layer of pollution along the horizon) and the view from the top of London (zoomed in, hence poor quality). If you drive along the A40 into London you can't fail to see four large mounds which is part of a new park. It's a really nice place for a walk around and I was impressed with what they have done with it and how well it was kept. There are some large ponds which looked like they would be home to all sorts of critters.

Yesterday was my long awaited birthday party and it was rather good. It was at the former home of the botanist, John Evelyn. There was a butterfly theme and I was really pleased with the birthday cupcakes that were made.

Nice cupcakes, Susie! Hope you enjoyed the party

The mounds on the A40 remind me of driving home to Greenford, when it was home...

Best wishes,

Lee

Happy belated Birthday Susie! I know that it's not the done thing to ask a lady her age, but was it your 18th or 21st?
Those cupcakes look almost too good to eat, and due to the amount of white on the wings I'd go for male Small White or a very pale Brimstone.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

The butterflies today at Wisley were on fine form, I am pleased to say, and due to the bad weather recently the glass house wasn't too crowded either. It was ideal just to sit and watch them fly around. I was fortunate to bump into Mark Colvin and he gave me the very useful tip of warming my camera under the hand dryers in the toilets to prevent condensation forming on the lense; it worked a treat. Thanks, Mark!

Hi Susie,

It was good to bump into you also. You certainly lifted my spirits and I was glad to see you'd brought your Lumix!

I'm pleased my tip worked ...

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Thanks for the heads up on the golden birdwing too

I'm glad you got him Susie.

I told you he was a good looker ...

He's a stunner - though surely poisonous given the colour?

Hi Susie,

Lovely photos of both the Malachite, and the Golden Birdwing,

All the best,

Nick.

Thank you

The thread on brown hairstreaks has reminded me. The nearby hedge that Kipper worked so hard to ensure was only cut in part each year has been cut back entirely apart for a small section where there are trees. The Highways Agency has a very short memory.

Froggies seen in the pond today. Hurrah!

Were they here for the rugby?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Well they were in a scrum ..

Frogspawn in the pond at last, a week later than last year.

Countdown 3 - 2 - 1 and the season begins ... (that's three commas, two brimstone and one small white).

Mark Colvin and Colin Knight kindly let me tag along with them today when they went to Earnley Butterfly House. A big thank you to both of them. You can read about that in more depth on Mark's blog, suffice to say I really enjoyed it there (the last time I went it was pretty rubbish so I wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised).