www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks everybody for your information, I'll look Alner's Gorse up Wurzel and David because I also want the Purple Hair Streak and the White Hair Streak, it would be great if I could get all four this year. Goldie

Both Purple and White Letter Hairstreak can be found at Alner's Gorse, Goldie. If you timed it just right I wouldn't rule out seeing Brown too although the better bet is to leave BH till August.

We've got the snow again, It started about 11 30am and was blizzard like at first but has eased off since, every thing in the garden is covered with snow now and no birds have been to feed yet so it looks like we've more to come, I'm cheering myself up looking at photo's I took in past years of Butterflies and eating cream scones Goldie

Lovely Green-veined White Goldie This seasons butterflies could be a few more weeks yet, everytime I think things could be happening a cold front sweeps in with rain and snow

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I know just what you mean Wurzel, the weather here has been the same, I did manage some gardening yesterday, thought if I didn't sort the early Wall Flowers out I wouldn't see too many Butterflies this Spring , nothing yet, Goldie

No sign of any Butterflies yet, I caught a brief sighting of one last week but it's been so cold here this last week I've not even ventured to Hall-Lee-Brook, last week when I was there I saw 3 Dandelions, the only flowers I saw at all besides a few daisies so I'm not expecting any real change for at least another week are two.

I've sent for my permit for Gaits Barrow and it seems they had Snow there last week so it looks like things will be much later this year unless we get some warmer temperatures.

Lancashire Butterflies say Myer's Allotment is a good place to visit now, lots of wild life and Butterflies, High Brown Fritillary and Pearl BF, also Small PBF so that's on my schedule for this year

It looks like I'll have to keep happy with the some of my STS photo's taken last year on April 1st of all days at Hall- Lee-Brook Roll on the warmer weather Goldie

Nice stained glass effect on the last shot Goldie Can't be too long now surely...I just wish Spring would get on with it

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, nothing here yet it's been too cold and grey but I keep looking Goldie

At last! today I've seen about 8 Small Tortoiseshell's no photo's yet they were all too busy looking for mates I think

I saw five that buzzed the garden whilst I was busy tidying it up ( I missed one that landed on a crocus but then shot off disinterested) The other three I saw at Hall-Lee-Brook , at least they're on the move, if this weather keeps up I'll get some shots soon. Goldie

HI Goldie,

It must have been your turn for some decent weather today, all those Small Torts!. Down here we've had grey
gloom and a cold wind.

Best wishes ,
TREVOR.

Hi! Trevor, Well we're back to square one here with the weather but thanks to the cloud I did manage some shots of the Eclipse, I took them from my kitchen window because I'd to do it quickly while the clouds, just for a few moments thinned Goldie

I'm pleased you saw the eclipse, Goldie, and got some nice shots. I think that the cloud actually made it easier to watch and to photograph. It went quite a lot cooler here, and the birds were twittering a lot, as though they were not sure what was happening

Mike

Hi! Mike I was struck with the fact we didn't see any birds until after the Eclipse, my husband feeds them every morning but none appeared until after wards your right about seeing it ,what an experience , I'd given up, thinking the clouds were too thick and then they thinned out and acted like a screen which was great.

I love your Comma shots, the Suns shining here although it's cold so I may take a chance and visit HLB later today hope fully I'll see some Goldie

At last, in my back Garden this afternoon I finally got some shots of the Small Tortoiseshell, my first this year, the weather although there was a cold wind was hot in the Sun and has my garden faces South West was just what the Butterfly needed
I got some photo's where they flew and settled on my Heather and daffs, even a Crocus all in the space of a couple of hours, I decided to go to Hall-Lee-Brook just in case other species were flying and although I got another shot at a Tortoiseshell nothing else was flying, at least I've made a start Goldie

Glad to see you've got your first shots of the year, Goldie. No chance here, today, as it's gone back to cold and grey after a beautiful day yesterday.

Mike

Good to see you're off the mark Goldie Waching the eccilpse was a fascinating experience; light levels dropped from 2500 to 773 Lux, the temp dropped enough so that I could see my breath and the birds stopped singing Hopefully spring will get on with it now.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Well done, Goldie. Nice to see you off the mark.

Thanks Wurzel, Mike and David for your comments, I went back to Hall-Lee -Brook on the 22nd and I got a few more shots of the STS. The weather's still very cold although the Sun's shining also very cloudy, the last two mornings we've had a frost the bird's water dishes were frozen and the birds were all late coming to the garden this morning, I waited today for the cloud to lift and went back to HLB, I saw just one STS on a Dandelion but has I approached it flew off, the only good thing about the weather so far is the fact it's drying my washing lets hope it gets warmer for Easter.

Also had this little Robin following us a round today at HLB and the birds were singing it did feel like Spring even if it was chilly Goldie

Great shot of the Robin Goldie and the last shot of the Small Tirt is a cracker, the blue triangles on the wing margins really show up

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel for your comments, at least the Small TS are up and about but not in large numbers just an odd one are two.

Yesterday I went to my cousins,( every Thursday we go out for a run some where,) she lives in Rossendale Valley and if there's going to be any snow around the Valley usually gets it. I was amazed, the moor's were covered in snow, luckily the roads although full of slush where the snow had melted were okay, my first thought was for the newly emerged Butterflies, this March so far as not been Ideal for them and the forecast for wind and rain runs into next week , to put it bluntly, It's been a long Winter Goldie