Goldie M

[bugboy]

Lovely selection Goldie, looks like you're getting your butterfly fix on a regular basis now

[Goldie M]

Thanks bugboy it's been ever so cold here over the last few days, I've decided to wait for the the wind to drop abit, Friday looks a good day so I'll venture forth then.
Hi! Neil, it's been too cold with wind and rain even snow on high ground so I was lucky to get a shot of the Orange Tip when I did glad you liked itGoldie

[Maximus]

Nice selection of shots recently, Gloldie you're doing very well

Mike

[Goldie M]

Thanks Mike, eye patch off today

The weather today was a big improvement on the last few days, much less wind and NO rain The Sun was shining in the morning but by the time I got to Hall-Lee-Brook had disappeared in a haze and it felt cold. I decided not to give up and after walking round slowly for about an hour my patience was rewarded with the Sun reappearing also the Butterflies

The first to appear was a Small Tortoiseshell, then a rather ragged Peacock, but at last I saw a flash of white land in the grass and I saw my first Small White of the year(least I hope it is) then the Orange Tips appeared, the May flowers they enjoy are still few and far between at HLB so I went to where I knew a few were growing and waited, I was rewarded when one appeared and settled on the May flowers, I tried to catch him going from flower to flower .( didn't always work )

Any way with luck may be the weather will warm up a bit over the weekend and we'll all get more shots Goldie

[Goldie M]

Horrid weather here, rain and cold winds so I've consoled myself by posting a photo I took on Friday of a speckled Wood hope fully tomorrow will be a better day Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great OTs Goldie Hopefully the weather will cheer up a bit soon...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie,

After a cold and gloomy Saturday and a grotty morning today, this afternoon brightened up considerably around here, albeit there were still a few showers. Tomorrow is looking quite good for most of the country so hope you have it decent up your way.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Once again I start my post which was some how lost to me after I'd spent ages doing it, as this happened to any one else

I began by thanking you Wurzel and Neil for your posts which are always welcome
I did have a great day yesterday, we checked the weather in the morning and the forecast said sunny at SilverDale so we got a packed lunch and off we went.

I'll cut my post shorter by saying we found the Duke also the Green Hair Streaks but only after the cold wind had dropped and the temperatures picked up, so much so we took the heavier coats off.

There was about 4 Dukes in all that we saw, I don't think they'd been out long because we actually got to photograph them without too much activity on their part They did go into darker areas at time which was awkward but at least we saw them and got some shots. What a treat

We went back to the GHS site which we'd visited before we went to the Dukes, there'd been nothing there then, this time how ever we saw a flash of emerald and two appeared I don't need to tell you that made my day I just couldn't believe the colour, at first they were in the grass, which made taking photos hope less, then they flew to near by bushes and I was able to get some shots, I don't know if it's the same one I got all the time are not I just found them then they'd fly off and then come back again I just hope I've given their colouring Justice Goldie

[nomad]

I am pleased you found his grace.

[Goldie M]

Thanks nomad, it was quite a day Goldie

[David M]

Glad you got an audience with the Dukes, Goldie. You've got one up on me there!

[millerd]

Yes, Goldie, I've had carefully written posts just vanish into thin air too - technology still has surprises sometimes
Lovely hairstreaks - you're right, it's hard to believe just how green they are, and how it varies with the light. And really good to find those Dukes too. That area is amazing for different species considering how far north it is.

Dave

[MikeOxon]

I'm envious of your finding Dukes, as I've had no luck, locally. That last shot has great character! Nice to see the GreenH showing off their colours - again, the last of your series shows the colours best.

Mike

[Wurzel]

Great to see that you got some Dukes Goldie, I am still bereft of them but hopefully will pick up one or two next weekend I have lost a number of posts into the ether (sometimes in the short space of time taken to pour a drink ) so now I always write my longer posts in Word and then copy and paste them in. If my computer or the server decides to have a Paddy I can always paste it in again once it's calmed down

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, I was suprised as well because the weather up there as been really bad, their site though is quite sheltered so that's a plus for them, hope you get them soon.
I'm glad it's not just me that the text disappears on Millard I thought I might see some PBF their usually out when the Dukes are but no sign of them, your right about Gait Barrow it's a Butterfly haven
Hi! Mike, your like me I like the the last of the Duke pic's best, also the last of the Hair Streak pic's, the Dukes were hard to get amongst all the dead leaves which they choose to land on and the Hair streaks liked the grass more than the bushes. I had to take all the shots from a distance which didn't help, in fact there were quite a few people taking pictures, one man had a huge camera which he said he couldn't use because they were too far a way which I thought was strange if you'd come to take shots of the Duke in the first place
Hi! Wurzel, Hope you get the Dukes soon , Im sure you will , sounds a good Idea of yours writing it out and pasting it in I'll have to try that Goldie

[trevor]

HI Goldie,
I've yet to see any Green Hairstreaks or Dukes, so well found, hope you get your Pearls soon.

Best wishes ,
TREVOR.

[Goldie M]

Thanks Trevor, we could do with some warmer weather again and less rain, may be next week hope fully Goldie

[Goldie M]

Last Friday morning I decided to go to Hall Lee Brook before the rain came in the afternoon and I'm glad I did the Orange Tips were flying, (no Ladies yet though) I only saw two Green Veined White's one flew off before I could get a photo the other one settled on a branch so I managed a shot, when I got home and looked at the photo I saw this white object on it's back not sure what it is.

The Orange Tips were in and out of the grass then on to the new buds on the trees, I think the lack of May Flowers and the fact they were searching for females made them seem a bit erratic

Since then the weather has been very cold but tomorrow hope fully will be better , I've included a photograph of Hall Lee Brook whereI saw the Orange Tips Goldie

[David M]

Good luck for tomorrow, Goldie! Most of the decent weather down here in south Wales has come during the working week, meaning I've quite a bit of ground to make up.

I wish I had the opportunity to indulge myself during these next couple of (forecast) warm days.

Fill your boots!

[Willrow]

Some of your recent butterflying adventures have proved very rewarding Goldie...I'm envious

Best Wishes,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"