Cheers Wurzel. Good to read of Marshies being seen already. I don't yet know if I will get to see them this Year. The beautiful weather clashing with ' that law '. While making lunch about 10 days ago I came over very ill. Phoned for an ambulance and was whisked off to intensive care, with lights an...

I had an excellent day at the Cuckoo trail today. The Cow Parsley is in flower and the Orange Tips have appeared, with five males seem. Holly Blues numbers have built and were seen at all four of their ' Hot Spots ' along the trail. A clear blue sky and the many Speckled Woods did make life difficul...

Multitasking Green Veined Whites.

As well as getting on with the job of producing the next generat8on,
this mating pair are also sampling the surface of the bramble leaf.

Cheers John, I've seen your OT shots on facebook, I would have been happy to have taken them myself. Great stuff. I guessed either Billingshurst or Wiston. For my apology of an OT shot today, I apologise, but when there was a choice of one patrolling male Orange Tip flying under a clear blue sky, in...

Cheers Wurzel & David. Caught my first sight of a male OT today.
Too busy to land though. But it's a start!

A few shots the last few days at the Cuckoo Trail.

Cheers Wurzel. The Cuckoo Trail is usually a late site for OT's, but with all this sun who knows. Thanks David, I've seen a few more Large Whites this week. Another Specklie duo today, but this time they were flying horizontally close to the ground, a sure sign of a male chasing a female. When they ...

Exactly the same around here, Neil, Comma numbers dwindling, but Peacocks on the up.
No Small Torts for me yet. Very much enjoyed your Comma on blossom shots.

Thanks Dave. The Cuckoo Trail always delivers at this time of year. I had my first fly by Holly Blue yesterday, but that site is seldom early for Orange Tips. I had a strange encounter with a pair of battling Speckled Woods this morning. Instead of going their separate ways after a long sparring ses...

Among all the usual suspects today along the Cuckoo Trail was my first Large White
of the year. Also seen were two Small Whites, four Commas, two Peacocks, and a single Speckled Wood.

Cheers Wurzel. More Brimstones today, after the Large Torts it's now back down to earth with a bump! With bright sunshine and warmer air to match I was pleased to find my first two Speckled Woods of 2025 this morning. The first one gave itself away by seeing off a passing Brimstone, otherwise it cou...

Good to see your Small Tortoiseshell shots.
I'm now wondering what the ratio of ST' to LT sightings will be this year.
I've not seen a Small Tort yet this year.

Even a peak hour 1st class return ticket would have been great value for that lot!
Great tree trunk shots, the best place to see them. I'm still dining out on my shot.
I'm still amazed that it's possible to see several Large Tortoiseshells per visit, instead
of one or two in a lifetime.

What are the upturn in fortunes you speak of then ?

Cheers Paul. The jungle grapevine was working well on Wednesday. By early afternoon I had learned from other visitors that ' Bugsy ' ie you!, Neil H, Mark Colvin, and Billy Rosenberg + others had chosen Faggs Wood to explore, and some success had been achieved. Amazing that a butterfly most of us wo...

Yesterday I returned to Orlestone Forest for a third time. Of the Large Tortoiseshells one worn specimen was found on the ground, and I saw a further two good quality fly pasts. Without blowing my own trumpet It would seem that my LT on the tree trunk image has reached wide acclaim. It was mentioned...

Thanks Wurzel & David. All the Commas I've seen have all been in remarkable condition.

Cheers Neil, The Orange Underwing was one of two seen. I am delighted with the Large Tortoiseshell
on the tree trunk shot. Well worth the slow 80 mile round trip.

Fantastic Owl in flight shots, your new lens has certainly opened up new possibilities.
His Majesty high up in a tree should be easy prey for you now!

Thanks Wurzel & David. I'm glad I made the most of Sunday now we are back in arctic air. A few shots of the supporting cast at Olestone Forest. Commas were plentiful, and many had come through the Winter unscathed and were quite obliging. I was also fortunate to find two Orange Underwing moths w...

Yesterday I returned to Orlestone Forest hoping to photograph a Large Tortoiseshell basking on a tree trunk. I arrived at 11.20 and it was gone 3.30 before I saw any LT action at all, then the fly pasts started. They were flying much faster than on Thursday and one eventually landed briefly, but too...

Good to see you made it to Orlestone Forest. Whatever Southern/Southeastern charged for your ticket I would say it was money well spent. You also photographed a well known Large Tort, which has been all over the internet. It is identified by two tiny white spots on the lowest black spot of the right...