www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks David, it was a total failure yesterday as far as PBF were concerned, the weather at Gait Barrows was very windy we didn't see any Butterflies flying at all until we went to see how the Dukes were doing and we found just one and he ( I assume it's an male) never moved hardly, people were able to photograph him for over half an hour.

My Butterflying adventures weren't so lucky yesterday Willrow but at least I got some more shots of the Duke.

I TRIED is the word for yesterday, We went to Warton Craig first and nearly got blown off it Gusts were up to 50 miles an hour, ridicules really . The only things flying were the leaves, the weather man had said it would be Breezy, that was an understatement

We went on to Gaits Barrow we thought it would be more sheltered, nothing at all until we found the Duke at least I got some thing to take home I'll wait now I think before I go there again until these winds drop we've had them for weeks now on and off I'll have to look for the female OT's here and hope they appear soon Goldie

HI Goldie. I've really been enjoying your recent pictures - and sorry to hear about the wind. I know exactly what it's like when every time you go out the wind blasts everything away ...

Your duke is a duchess, and a very fine one at that.

Guy

Thanks for telling me it's a female Guy, I can't tell the difference I just went off the fact it didn't move about a lot, I'd heard it was the Female's who wandered about and the Males defended their territory , so I assumed it was Male

I'm glad you've enjoyed the pictures, coming from you that's great Goldie

Lovely Duchess Goldie

Having been to Warton Crag a couple of times I can imagine that it would be a bit dodgy up there in the wind, especially on that path above the car park

Here's hoping that the wind dies down for you, it has been a bit breezy around here lately too, even during the past couple of days which have been nice and sunny.

Cheers,

Neil.

Dukes and Duchess's everywhere and not a single one for Wurzel Like the closed wing shots

Have a goodun

Wurzel

You'll get your Duke shots before long Wurzel, I just hope to get the PBF now , the weather is really cold here, although it was lovely here last Wednesday It's the cold wind again today

I went to Gait Barrow too soon this last week I should have gone on the Wednesday , a bit impossible to go twice in the same week so I missed out on the PBF I don't think next week will be much better cold winds all week forecast, any way I went to Hall Lee Brook instead and took a few more shots of the Orange Tip, (still no female OT) also the GVW and I actually saw Holly Blue which were not very obliging, staying way up in the trees I did my best to get one are two shots.

I was quite pleased to see a Peacock also a Small Tortoiseshell and a couple of Comma's flying about, loads of Speckled Woods, so all in all it was a nice day and a nice haul

I was leaving when some thing caught my eye, a Heron had landed on the roof of a house opposite , he looked quite pleased with himself so I suppose he'd raided a few ponds Goldie

Hi Goldie, you're posting of the 12th made me chuckle. Growing up in the NE it ALWAYS seemed to be windy, so windy you could actually lean onto it and it would hold you up - you know what I mean How you guys get any shots at all amazes me. Great job with the Heron - you must have been quick to get it as it flew off.

Hi! Pauline, we never seem to be free from the wind, the odd day then we're back into it again but you know the saying " Carry on regardless bonnie lass" ( I added the bonnie lass bit ) that's all you can do. I've included another photo to make you smile also taken at Hall Lee Brook Goldie

Well done getting your lovely Duchess Goldie

Yes Goldie, these winds make our butterflying hard work sometimes, but well done in managing some lovely shots under such conditions

Kind Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

Like the heron shots Goldie and I wouldn't mind the stained glass Holly Blue for my collection Giod luck with the Pearls

HaveI a goodun

Wurzel

I share your pain, Goldie.

Like you, I'm utterly sick of 12c temperatures and cool winds that belong in March.

Surely we must receive some payback soon?

Thanks everyone for your input,
David i'm fed up with the wind as well, I tend to wait until I think it's dropped a bit before I can go out, the op I had on my eye as limited me , I can't stand the wind in it, my eye patch which I thought I'd dispensed with is back again.
Glad you like the HB Wurzel and I've given up on the PB for next week the forecast is the same all week windy and 12c
Thanks Bill, it's been quite a chore even going to look for them recently but worth it when you find some thing that isn't hiding in the edges
Thanks Maximus, she does look regal doesn't she

Whilst at Hall-Lee-Brook I took some shots of the Speckled Woods chasing around , I'm not sure if they were seeing off the opposition are trying to mate I've included a couple of shots of the HLB and Spring Wood at Whalley where I thought I might find some Butterflies last week but it was so cold nothing, not even an OT was visible .
The first shot of HLB is of the meadow where this time last year it was covered in May flowers and OTS, this year the OT's were in the second shot which is sheltered but void of May flowers which are basically few and far between in the meadow, although Blue Bells and Garlic flowers can be found down by the stream, I'll take a shot of that next time I'm there.
Spring Wood are my second and third shots unmistakable really Roll on the warmer weather Goldie

Great in-flight shots of specklies Goldie .

I agree with this persistant wind this season, it really is becoming a bit of a menace! Hope your eye continues to get better though

Nice to see you trying in-flight shots, Goldie. You need a bit faster shutter speed. When I had a go last year, I set aperture priority, with the lens wide open. This meant that the camera chose the fastest possible shutter speed for the lighting conditions. I think mine were taken at around 1/2,000 sec. (ISO 800)

I once came home from a photography trip, to see a Heron on a neighbour's roof. I thought it was some sort of plastic bird-scarer at first and then it moved! As I had the camera in the car with me, I took several photos. It's not as strange as another story :- last year, someone phoned the local County Bird Recorder to say that they had a Bittern on their shed roof. Very incredulous, the Recorder drove round and saw ... a Bittern on the man's shed roof!!!

Mike

Hi Goldie, sorry to hear that the weather's not good where you are - as David says, I'm sure you will be compensated in the weeks to come.

I really enjoyed the Speckled Woods in flight- great shots!

Best wishes,

Hoggers.

Thanks Bug Boy and Hogger's glad you liked my adventure into flight

The weather forecast is not too bad for Wednesday so may be I'll get some thing then. ( raining right now)

Hi! Mike, yes I thought I'd just have a go because they were flying like that all a round me. I'll try your suggestion next time at Hall Lee Brook, hope fully the lady OT's might be out . I'm still all fingers and thumbs at photography so any thing can Happen!! Goldie

A Bittern on the roof of a shed must have been a real sight, I hope they took some photos
They're trying to get them to settle at Penn Flash, I've not seen them there yet but I got a glimpse of one at Mere Sands near Southport a couple of years since, their incredible to look at Goldie

Lovely woodland shots Goldie, I visited my local Bluebell wood this weekend and they're coming to an end down here Interesting flight shots, something I'd like to look into a bit more.

Have a goodun
Wurzel

Thanks Wurzal, I'm just sat at present having a coffee and watching the Hail stones banging about outside, so much for Sunny periods. Yes! it would be interesting if when out Butterflying you saw some Butterflies flying and knew how to take proper shots of them, I'm going to try what Mike advised and see what Happens.

Yesterday I had a situation, my Husband saw a Wood Pigeon that had been attacked in our garden, it's poor back was quite gauged, I rang three different Vets only to be told they couldn't help, in the end I rang the RSPCA and they put me on to a wild bird hospital, who asked us to bring the bird (which by now was just sitting there looking so hurt it really upset me) in to their hospital, easier said
then done.
They told us to throw a towel over it, so out we went (box ready to go) and to our amazement it took off and flew quite strongly away, it had lost so many feathers we didn't think it was possible , we've not seen it since so hope fully it will recover, what a day though!!! I do hope the bird is okay.

I'm so fed up with the wind and rain I've decided to cheer myself with some shots I took earlier in the year of a rather lovely Peacock Goldie

Hi Goldie,

I like those Peacock shots against the sky

I know what you mean about the weather, we have had some pretty nasty hailstorms around here today as well Here's hoping that it picks up a bit soon .

Cheers,

Neil.