PhilBWright

[PhilBJohnson]

Ashing Lane Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire

Red Admiral Butterfly on October 31st

Ashing Lane nature reserve, Dunholme, a new nature reserve planted in 2009 comprising of meadows and woodland and managed by Nettleham Woodland Trust.

[Wurzel]

Cracking shot of the Red Admiral Phil The reserve looks mighty fine too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

I second Wurzel, lovely shot and the NR looks inviting Goldie

[PhilBJohnson]

Thanks Guys,
I am currently having fun creating some short videos with footage captured with my iPhone 6. The Red Admiral picture above was also captured on my mobile phone.
Here is one of a Ringlet in flight. I think you will find that it is different from what most people present but mobile phone footage is being used more now...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qztD3-Q ... e=youtu.be
Kind Regards

[David M]

Like it, Phil! Amazing how it negotiates all those grass blades.

[PhilBJohnson]

Thanks David. Ringlet harassment was kept to a minimum !
Another video clip I've made on my mobile phone and only just got a chance to process it is of the Orange Tip Butterfly. I have many fond Spring memories with these butterflies. It's just amazing how docile they can be on a warm spring day when a cloud moves in front of the sun but as soon as the sun reappears, they are off !
(this video was removed from UK butterflies by myself in April 2017 as I am in the process of making a better, updated video)
Kind Regards

[PhilBJohnson]

https://youtu.be/XJhlrz8qW-Q
Above is a link to a compilation of Green-veined White video clips, mostly in flight. What is noticeable in slow motion is that the Butterflies wingtips don't always stay rigid.
To use a tennis analogy:
"a mobile phone's hawk eye technology is improving !"
The Orange Tip V Green-veined White clips towards the end are not quite as good quality because the clips were taken further away to keep the butterflies within the frame, then cropped during the editing process to make them appear closer.
Merry Christmas.

[PhilBJohnson]

I saw my first "Spring butterfly" on the wing on 21st February in the Lincoln Arboretum.
A Small Tortoiseshell (possibly disturbed from hibernation).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=765Ih6s ... e=youtu.be
Above is a link to my re-edited Overwintered Comma Video which I made with my Wife Melissa.
I think it now looks and flows much better than the older version which I have now removed from youtube.
It really is meant to be fun rather than a scientific study
Another video clip I have been working on is:
The Holly Blue in Slow Motion from 2016
Apple iPhone 6Splus
Slow Motion Function
240 fps
720p
Edited using iMovie software
Here is the short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJe7ET ... e=youtu.be
I really hope you guys enjoy it !

[Wurzel]

Interesting stuff Phil, it's great what you can get with mobile devices Congrats on your first butterfly of the year
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice footage again, Phil. Won't be too long before Holly Blues are back with us.....as well as Commas of course!

[PhilBJohnson]

4th March 2017
Thanks Guys,
So good of you to mention the Commas David. I set out today looking specifically for some early Spring butterflies. My local patch is a South West facing bank called The Lincoln Cliff. There were some sheltered south facing hedgerows where I figured there might be enough microclimatic warmth to trigger early emergence from hibernation. This was approximately the same location where I recorded six different species on 25th March last year.
My weather app. predicted 10 degrees Celsius.
I saw two butterflies today around lunchtime. A Small Tortoiseshell and this Comma:

[Wurzel]

Great to see another Comma Phil The weather round here has become much less conducive for butterflies

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Great to see Commas up and about, Phil, even though it's a long way from where I live.

[PhilBJohnson]

9th March 2017
I think lots of people saw butterflies today as large areas of the country were bathed in sunshine.
In Lincolnshire there was a predicted high of 11 C, sunny but quite a strong wind.
We didn't see any butterflies on a trip out to a local nature reserve in the morning but I was distracted at one point:

Red Arrows

Near Lincoln where I was, it wasn't until approx. 2pm the wind started to die down leaving more pockets of warmer air in sheltered areas. I went back to the Lincoln Cliff mid afternoon.
I saw 6 Small Tortoiseshells and a Peacock at around 3pm on the Lincoln Cliff crossed by the Viking Way.
The pano shows a few daffodils and snow drops near the top of the bank (near to more nectar rich back gardens), a few trees starting to blossom and an ivy clad hedgerow which probably is inviting for some hibernators.

Bracebridge Heath, Lincolnshire

I am looking forward to seeing my first Brimstone of 2017 soon I hope.

[Wurzel]

I'll swap you a Brimstone for a Comma - it seems everyone's seen a Comma today Nice Small Torts - the ones I've seen are all a bit tired looking...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[PhilBJohnson]

14th March 2017 Chambers Farm Wood
Melissa and I visited Chambers Farm Wood in Lincolnshire. Although it was not the best weather for spotting butterflies being cloudy with a breeze when we arrived with the temperature being about 12c. We had a quick look in Butterfly Conservations butterfly garden and noticed it had had a tidy up since we were last there.
Being not too familiar with the wood, I made a decision not to wear wellies and we headed down an unsurfaced path that turned muddier and muddier. Avoiding the worst of the mud, we had a bit of ditch jumping practice going round a blackthorn thicket. A decision was then made to stick to the surfaced tracks which were the white and red routes as marked.
Chambers Farm Wood is one of the larger areas of woodland near Wragby and many UK Butterfly enthusiasts will be familiar with the Little Scrubbs Meadow where the Marsh Fritillary is often found in May (one of the few places in Lincolnshire).
On Tuesday, for the best part of the day, temperatures did reach approx. 15c for a short time.

Male Brimstone under Bramble Leaf

Little Scrubbs Meadow- March 14th

[David M]

Take those antennae away and that's as good as natural camouflage gets!

[PhilBJohnson]

Thanks David.
This is the short video I really wanted to show you guys from yesterday.
https://youtu.be/rpck3VnrrIM
It's the iphone which recorded on the slow motion function at 240 frames per second, then played back at 30 frames a second giving the slow motion appearance (8 X slower than real time). I "set my stall out" to record a Brimstone in slow motion this Spring and I managed to get some good footage with the first one I spotted! It really was special for Melissa & I.
I think butterflies are even more beautiful in flight, particularly a Brimstone which rests with its wings tight shut.
Regarding today- (15th March).
Beautiful, almost perfect butterfly weather in Lincolnshire but you will probably need to be a "Usane Bolt" to catch up with that Brimstone "bombing along" the hedgerow!
kind regards.

[Wurzel]

Cracking example of their brill camoflage Phil Mind you constantly flying around and never stopping is also another of the Brimstones adaptations for predator evasion which makes any photo special

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Yes, an excellent example of amazing camouflage. Brimstones do stop their incessant wanderings when the sun goes in, but you try finding them if they've dived under foliage as they usually do. Great photo.

Dave