Andrew555

[Goldie M]

I really envy your Grizzled Skipper Andrew, we don't see them up here and this year not having seen one at all yet it's on the top of my list. They come out in April which is quite early but I'm thinking there's a place in Shrewsbury where I might be able to see one without traveling too far. Goldie

[Andrew555]

Thanks Goldie. Best of luck finding those Grizzled's this year, April will soon be here that's for sure! Put up some pics if you find them.

[trevor]

Some great images recently Andrew.
But for sheer luck / skill, right place / right time, that Kestrel shot has to take first place
I managed a passable shot of one perched, but an action shot like yours is beyond me or my camera !.

Great stuff,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Plenty of great stuff there Andrew but my favourite has to be the Greenstreak - a cracking shot which really puts the butterfly into context both scale and behaviour wise

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

Thanks Trevor, there was defiantly a large dollop of luck!

Thanks a lot Wurzel.

Cheers

[Neil Freeman]

Some beautiful photos in your recent reports Andrew

Great butterflies but like others have commented that Kestrel shot really stands out.

I also particularly like the fresh Green Carpet Moth, they soon fade to a more dull shade. I saw loads of these last year at a couple of moth nights at a local county park and had a few to my garden trap but saw none in the daytime.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Andrew555]

Thanks a lot Neil. I was very pleased to see that Green Carpet, having only seen one, as you say, faded individual before.
More moths coming up!

Cheers

[Andrew555]

May 2017

At the beginning of May I was in Dorset again, which of course meant an obligatory visit to Portland.

I found a nice Small Copper.

This Common Lizard was happy for me to sit a few feet away as we both enjoyed the sun.

An Adela reaumurella moth.

My first Wall butterfly of the year was glad sight.

RSPB Lodmoor at Weymouth is obviously known for birds, but you can see one or two butterflies along it's paths.

Male Orange-tip.

A female Green-veined White.

This is the caterpillar of the Drinker Moth.

An older picture, but taken in the same area. We came across this female Drinker right next to the path.
Isn't she a beauty ?

Cheers

[Wurzel]

More great Dorset shots Andrew those Walls are particularly lush Mind you Lodmoor isn't what it was - years ago you could get right out to the middle of it and there were proper Hides, not like the 'Magic roundabouts' they had last time I was there

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Lovely images, Andrew, particularly the two Wall Brown males and the upperside female GVW shot.

With spring round the corner these reminders only increase my anticipation.

[Goldie M]

Love the Wall shots Andrew, the Green Veined White on the blossom caught my eye though Goldie

[Andrew555]

Cheers Wurzel. Never saw it back then, it's just a perimeter path now, with the Magic Roundabout.

Thanks David. Can't wait!

Thanks a lot Goldie.

[essexbuzzard]

I agree with Goldie, the g v White on the Mayblosson is perhaps my favourite

[Andrew555]

Cheers Essex.

[Andrew555]

May 2017 (cont)

Bit of a 'moth-fest' to finish off May.

From the Darent Valley, Scorparia pyralella, Straw Dot and Burnet Companion.

Not as good a shot as I would liked to have got of this micro moth. But I was glad to see it and it's distinctive colours made it easy to identify, Commophila aeneana.

One of the plume moths, but which one ? I'm thinking Brown Plume.

Nemorphora degeerella.

From a trip to Lullington Heath, Mother Shipton, Cinnabar and Clouded Silver.

There were various butterflies as well of course, but for this post I'll just show my first Large Skipper of 2017.

Cheers

[Wurzel]

Nowt wrong with Moffs Cracking shots again Andrew especially the Mother Shipton, they're a right bugger to get a 'grass free' shot of

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

Indeed! Thanks Wurzel.

[Neil Freeman]

Some cracking Moths there Andrew, especially the Scoparia pyralella and Commophila aeneana, both of which I have not seen

Cheers,

Neil.

[essexbuzzard]

I like the large Skipper image, because it shows the insect in typical pose how we all see it-ready to dart out at anything that passes.

[Goldie M]

The varied colours in Moths never ceases to amaze me, I don't take many shots myself of moth's but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate lovely photos of them like your's Goldie