www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Great stuff Lee, good to see you managed to make the most of the weather.

Neil F.

Thanks Wurze, David & Neil. It was nearer 17 degrees in my part of Kent!

Seconds after I took that shot a gust of wind disturbed the leaf the Comma was resting on and it was away.

Best wishes,

Lee

Good to hear from you again,Lee!
Having been so cold for so long,it's amazing how quickly butterflies respond to just one day of good weather.

Thanks EB. Indeed it is. It was like summer today. Back to normal tomorrow though.

Best wishes,

Lee

Sunday 14th April

Had a lovely walk around Epsom and Ashtead Commons in Surrey this warm and sunny afternoon and found a male Brimstone searching for a roost around 4pm. My first butterfly since 5th March!

Tuesday 23rd April

A lunchtime walk around Twyford Crescent Gardens in Acton W3 found as I hoped for, a male Holly Blue. This is the same location I saw my first one in 2012, although that was almost a month earlier, on 26th March.

EDIT - A later quick nip to the high street and another Holly Blue seen on Mill Hill Road.

Lee, I'm on Epsom Common so often that I practically LIVE over there!!!! Gimme a shout next time?

Be very good to catch up again soon. Sami and I are moving to a new home in May (still in Epsom) so you two shall have to drop in for drinks etc.

Holly Blue egglaying on gorse today (on Epsom Common, naturally ) You ever seen that before? I hadn't.

Cheers mate,

Seth.

I will do mate.

PM me your new address will you?

No, not seen HB laying on Gorse...Dogwood yes, Gorse no.

All the best for now,

Lee

Wednesday 1st May

Working form home today and with such warm sunny weather I had to have a walk along the downs at lunchtime. I'd already seen a Small White from my lounge room window and I saw one other Small White, 1 male Green Veined White, 3 male Brimstone, 1 Holly Blue and 4 Peacock. No Grizzled Skipper or Green Hairstreak though.
I can finally post photos again! I have much to catch up on from last year.

Happy Birthday, Lee.

I hope 2013 brings you all you wish for.

Good hunting.

Kindest regards. Mark

Happy Birthday from me too. Hope to catch up this year ... it's been a while!
BWs, Neil

Many Happy Returns Lee, hope you had a good one.

Neil F.

Happy birthday Lee, have a good one.

All the best, Nick.

Happy birthday from me too, Lee

Many happy returns, Lee.

And from me too,across the water! My it be a successful one,and with butterflies in abundance!

Happy B'day, and great to see you're back with images

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks all for your birthday wishes I had the best day ever - I was in the Atlas mountains!

It was a 4 day city break to Marrakech last week and an additonal present was my first ever Morrocan Orange Tip on a day trip to the mountains. Along with one other, also seen on the day were numerous Speckled Wood ssp aegeria, Large White, Small White, Green Veined White, Bath White, Clouded Yellow, a single Red Admiral, Small Copper and a couple of unidentified Blues and Fritillaries. Stunning.

In Marrakech itself, Bath White, Large White, Small Copper and Crimson Speckled moths were seen.

Seeing my first UK Swallows of the year last night at Raynes Park station reminded me I saw my first Swifts, Martins and Swallows of the year all in Morocco. Screeching at head height across the roof tops at sunset, they were beautiful to watch.

It was a different species of Martin though, I'm sure. I also saw plenty of Storks; they nest within the ruins of El Badi Palace.

I have been busy with so much recently that it has been an age since I have been out, not least, moving house!

But last night I had a very enjoyable walk in warm evening sunshine at Denbies. I wasn't sure what I would see, I wasn't even sure where we are in the season, given the cold start to the year and having not being out recently.

I needn't have worried. It was heart warming to see a few new male Meadow Browns flitting about, a handful of Ringlet near the top tree line, plenty of Small Skippers and then loads of fresh Marbled Whites, all enjoying the last rays of the evening. A few Small Heath were disturbed too. Perhaps best of all, 2 Small Tortoiseshell were defending the gate at the top left, which leads into the Silver Spotted Skipper area.

Sightings; 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 30+ Meadow Brown, 30+ Marbled White, 5 Ringlet, 3 Small Heath, 30+ Small Skipper, 2 Burnet Companion, 2 5-Spot Burnets.