www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

My first butterfly of the year was spotted this morning in my back garden - a pristine male orange tip. I was thrilled to bits.

This was shortly followed by a male Small White.

Excellent sightings Susie - sounds like Spring has sprung!

Cheers,

- Pete

Already?? I've not seen a single butterfly in 2008

I woke up to snow again this morning!I'm so jealous! I took delivery of a new camera and lens last night, but looking ahead at the weather here, I can't see when I'm going to be able to practise!

Chris

I know, I am so thrilled. These are the first butterflies I have seen this year and I have been envious of everyone's sightings of RAs, Brimstones, Peacocks and Commas.

I am waiting to get a new camera too, as my old one has gone kaput. What did you get, Chris?

I went a bit mad and upgraded my dSLR from a 300D to a 40D. I don't think there was any need as the 300D is a good camera... but I do like my gadgets! I also bought a new lens... I have a Sigma 150mm macro at the moment, which is superb, but I find it a bit limiting compositionally, so I've complimented it with a Sigma 70mm macro. This will allow me to include more of the surroundings in the shot where necessary...

...I should add that I don't have more money than sense. This is my reward on annual bonus day for paying off my credit cards AND student loan this year

Canon are offering cashback on a lot of stuff at the moment, so now might be the time to buy!

annual bonus day for paying off my credit cards AND student loan this year

Crikey. We pay off our cards in full every month, consequently earn the credit card companies no interest.

As a result, the credit companies don't like us and recently we were refused when we wanted to take out a mobile phone contract for our student son. Of course, as a student, our son is always short of cash, is a good customer for the credit companies (pays them interest) so they didn't hesitate to give him a phone contract.

I am of course not the first to find this problem. BBC money programmes have covered exactly this. So now I occasionally "forget" to pay off my card for a few days!

Jack

Chris I used to have a 300D, and I've now got a 40D , believe me they are light years apart.

Gruditch

Jack stop moaning, people are gonna start to think your grumpy

Jack stop moaning, people are gonna start to think your grumpy

But I AM grumpy!

Jack

Pete Eeles wrote: ... sounds like Spring has sprung!

That's not what my Dad was thinking the day before yesterday!



It's done this for about ten days, and apart from a couple of days' sun it was cold for nearly two weeks before that. I wonder what has happened to all the butterflies lured out of hibernation by a warm February... Can they take nectar and then go back into hibernation?

Guy

I was thinking the same thing - I hope the butterflies I saw today are tucked up somewhere cosy because I have just got home and it is not nice out there at all; very cold and rainy.

That is quite some photo, Padfield!