Neil Freeman

[Wurzel]

I feel your frustration Neil - the hours I've spent at work whilst the sun has shone and others have been able to make the most of it only to witness cloud and rain when I can get out with my camera On the bright side nothing ever lasts forever including bad weather and those Oak Beauties (which really live up to their name) are definite compensation

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Bugboy and Wurzel

I am sure it won't be long before I see my first butterflies, there has been a flurry of sightings around the midlands but unfortunately for me they were on the pleasant sunny days when I was stuck in work.

I think the thing with UKB, and the other online places that I see sightings reported on - twitter/facebook etc - is that it is easy to forget that the season can vary appreciably around the country. It is perfectly normal for my season to start in late March and to generally run a couple weeks behind the south-east so I just have to be a bit more patient and wait my turn.

Cheers,

Neil.

[David M]

Neil, your time will come....most probably in mid-April when you'll be seeing more Speckled Woods than the rest of us put together.

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers David, no Specklies yet but I have now seen my first 2017 butterfly ...

Friday 24th March

After a week of cold and sometimes very wet weather around here, things were forecast to start looking a bit better from today (Friday), and so it proved to be with some good sunshine although a cold wind from the north-east was still keeping the temperature down a bit.
During a bit of pottering about in my garden this afternoon I disturbed a splash of orange - a Comma - that flew down to one of my clumps of Ivy and basked for a couple of minutes before taking off over the neighbours. A slightly ragged looking individual with a chunk missing from one hindwing but my first butterfly of 2017

Comma - Coverdale 23.03.2017

The past few nights here have even been too cold and windy for me to bother putting the moth trap in the garden, with last Saturday being the last time that I lit up when I had 23 moths of 8 species (including micros). With the increasing numbers of species now starting to fly it is beginning to get challenging to get the IDs right with some of them

Clouded Drab - Coverdale 14.03.2017

Compare the individual above with the example below of the same species trapped a couple of days later and you can see why identifying some of these species can be interesting.

Clouded Drab - Coverdale 16.03.2017

Pugs are another group that can be a nightmare to ID correctly, particularly later in the year when a number of species of these small moths can turn up on the same night

Double-striped Pug - fairly easy to ID when frsh but difficult when faded and worn.

And a couple of micros to finish off,

Diurnea fugella - a decent sized micro that is larger than the Pug above.

Caloptilia sp. - one of a number of similar species, all with this curious resting posture, that are very difficult to tell apart

The weather is looking promising for tomorrow so I am hoping to finally get a chance for a look around one of my local spots...

Bye for now,

Neil.

[bugboy]

Glad to see you've finally got your season started, and like the rest of us with a Comma . Good luck over the weekend, I expect lots more lovely pictures when I get home from work tomorrow!

[Wurzel]

Excellent news that you're off the mark Neil A Comma is a great 'first'butterfly' of the year to find

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Bugboy and Wurzel...a few more coming up

Saturday 25th March.

After a run of weekends during which we have had cool and cloudy conditions here with the best of the weather being during the week whilst I was at work, Saturday dawned with clear blue skies and after a nippy start soon turned into a pleasant day.
I rushed through the normal Saturday morning shopping and household stuff and after lunch went around to my local spot at Bickenhill near Solihull, this being one of my most reliable sites for awakening hibernators.

Arriving at Bickenhill, there was a bit of a cool breeze blowing from the north-east but the temperature on the car display was reading 15c and I was confident of finding a butterfly or two in the usual sheltered spots. Sure enough, I was making my way along the first hedgerow when I disturbed a Comma from the footpath in front of me although this one quickly disappeared over the hedge and despite lurking around for a bit it didn't return.
I then made my way to a sheltered corner that has reliably produced Commas for the past few years and on approaching slowly spotted one on the path in front of me. This one stayed put as I crept up and took a couple of shots before he took off to intercept a second individual that had strayed into his corner.

'Comma corner' - you can just see one on the path slighty below the middle of the photo

Comma - Bickenhill 25.03.2017 - close up of the one in the photo above

These then spiralled high into the sky before splitting up with the original occupant returning to his corner. I tracked the second individual to where he came to ground a short distance away and crept up on him to take a photo before he was off again for another round with the one in the corner.

Comma - Bickenhill 25.03.2017

Moving further along the paths I came to a spot where some good stands of blackthorn is coming into blossom, this being where I often manage to get some shots of butterflies on blossom which is one of my favourite sights of spring. As well as a couple more Commas, there were also a couple of Small Tortoiseshells flitting about amongst the blossoms and I spent some time here watching them and taking photos when they came within range.

Comma - Bickenhill 25.03.2017

Small Tortoiseshell - Bickenhill 25.03.2017

Small Tortoiseshell - Bickenhill 25.03.2017

During my time spent here I reckon I counted 4 Commas and 3 Small Tortoiseshells but I was a bit surprised to not see any Peacocks, these usually being the first species I see at this site. Peacock numbers were well down around here last year for the second year running so fingers crossed they bounce back a bit this year as the Small Tortoiseshells seem to have done lately.

I was also accompanied for most of the time here by the sound of Buzzards calling as they circled around high above me and I also heard my first Chiffchaffs of the year, all in all a very pleasant couple of hours.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Sounds blissful indeed Neil I'm struck every year by how the same species always seem to turn up in the same places and also have my own 'Comma Corner'. It's been a great year for them and long may it continue

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers Wurzel, I know what you mean about the same species using the same spots year after year, right down to the Specklies in my garden using the same plants for perches...spooky

Not much to report since last Saturday, with it being Mothers Day on Sunday we had my Mom round for dinner and my daughter also came round with the grandkids.
The Sunday was cloudier and a little cooler than Saturday and the only butterfly I saw was a single Small Tortoiseshell that passed through the garden. I also noted the first Bee Flies of the year in the garden and there seemed to be plenty of big fat queen bumble bees buzzing about.

I put the moth trap out on Sunday night and amongst the usual Common Quakers and Hebrew Characters was a first for the year Early Grey. This brought the total garden moth species so far this year up to 20 (11 macros and 9 micros).

Early Grey - Coverdale 26.03.2017

Bye for now,

Neil.

[millerd]

Ah, someone else with a Comma Corner. I have the same with Red Admirals too. Lovely Commas, and the Tortoiseshell on the blackthorn is a great combination too.

[trevor]

Some beautifully captured, classic, springtime shots of the Comma and Small Tort. on Blackthorn.
I'm glad that Spring has caught up with you.

All the best,
Trevor.

[Goldie M]

Lovely Spring shots of the Butterflies Neil Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Dave, Trevor and Goldie, appreciate your comments as always

Friday 31.03.2017

The last day of March and I managed to see a couple more butterflies although I am still only on 2 species. After yesterdays cloudy but warm weather during which it reached the giddy heights of 20 degrees around here, today was much cooler and breezier but the sun did feel reasonable warm when it popped out this afternoon.
After finishing work at lunchtime as usual on a Friday I picked Jane up and we went round for our Friday afternoon visit to my mom. After a cup of tea and some biccies I went for a quick look around the park by her house to see if anything was about. It was quite breezy but in the shelter of some trees there are some small blackthorns where I a couple of Small Tortoiseshells, one of which was a tatty looking individual but the other looked in much better condition and posed nicely for a few minutes before taking off over the trees.

Small Tortoiseshell - Langley Hall 31.03.2017

Small Tortoiseshell - Langley Hall 31.03.2017

Small Tortoiseshell - Langley Hall 31.03.2017

As mentioned earlier, Thursday was the warmest day here so far this year and with the cloud cover, the overnight temperature only dropped down to about 13 degrees. This made for ideal conditions to run the moth trap in the garden with the result that I had my highest numbers so far this year - 41 moths of 8 species - albeit most of them were the usual suspects I have been already seeing. Among the new arrival were a couple of Twenty-plume Moths, a micro with the most delicate looking divided wings. The common name is actually a misnomer as each of its 4 wings are separated into 6 'plumes' The scientific name Alucita hexadactyla is more accurate, meaning '6 fingered'

Alucita hexadactyla - Twenty-plume moth

April 1st tomorrow and the weather is looking so-so, maybe better on Sunday. I am hoping to get out and look for my 'missing so far' Peacocks.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Lovely Small Torts Neil and that shot of the 20 plumed moth is a belter, I've tried to get shots of them before but I find them a right pain

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Neil, your day(s) will come, I'm sure. Meantime, keep your eyes open for those first Midlands Specklies...you'll have more within 50 yards of your home than I can get in a whole day before long!

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers Wurzel... yes those Twenty plumes can be a right pain to get a shot of, as can a lot of the micros

Hi David, I'm sure my day will come. its just that I was finding the lack of Peacocks a bit concerning but all is well now...

Sunday 2nd April

For once the weather forecast was almost spot on, Saturday was a day of mostly cloud and showers with the sun making a few feeble attempts to break through but never for long enough to put any warmth into what was a fairly cool day.

Sunday was much better, it started off cool and cloudy but by mid-morning the clouds were thinning and it was starting to turn into a decent day. As mentioned in my previous post I was keen to return to my local spot at Bickenhill to look for Peacocks as I was a bit concerned when I didn't see any there on my visit last weekend as this had always been a good site for seeing my first Peacocks of the year.

Before I had chance to get out however, there were a few little jobs at home to get out of the way and just around midday I looked out of the kitchen window and saw a white butterfly come over the fence into the garden. It looked to have settled on a dandelion so I grabbed the camera and managed to get a record shot before it was off again – my first Small White of the year.

Small White - Coverdale 02.04.2017

Anyway, by early afternoon, I was free for a couple of hours and went back to Bickenhill. The sun felt pleasantly warm when it was out but it must be said that when a passing cloud came over you could still feel an underlying chill in the air. The first paths and hedgerows were devoid of any butterflies but as soon as I reached 'Comma Corner' I saw one basking on the path in front of me, a later photo proved this to be a different individual to last weeks occupant. As I was sneaking up for a photo, the shadow of a butterfly came past me from behind – a Peacock - which the Comma took off to intercept and they both spiralled up into the air. Watching as they separated, the Comma returned to his corner and I watched the Peacock come to ground further along the path.
Before I could sneak up for a photo, the Peacock was up again and as he flew across a large nettle patch to the side off the path a second Peacock took off and these two then did the spiralling up into the air thing.
I soon saw a few more Peacocks and reckoned I saw maybe 7 or 8 during my time here, maybe more but I am not certain as I recognised the same individuals in different spots as I moved back and forth along the paths. Strange that there were none here last week when this species is usually the first I see at this site. Oh well, they are here now .

Peacock - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Peacock - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Peacock - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Peacock - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Peacock - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

As well as the Peacocks there were also around half a dozen each of Comma and Small Tortoiseshell sharing the same stretches of path and I watched many an aerial tussle during the couple of hours spent here.

Comma - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Comma - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Comma - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Comma - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Small Tortoiseshell - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Small Tortoiseshell - Bickenhill 02.04.2017

Also seen were a couple of patrolling male Brimstones (or maybe the same one doing a circuit?) but the surprise of the day for me was a male Orange-tip that flew across in front of me as I was just about to take a photo of one of the Peacocks. I watched it hoping that a cloud would come over prompting it to settle, but it was not to be and it just kept going and going until it was out of sight. This was my earliest ever sighting of an Orange-tip, they don't usually show up at my local spots until the second week of April, and I have never before had a first sighting of Peacock along with Small White and Orange-tip on the same day.

Including the Small White seen in my garden earlier that was 6 species in one day...not as many as some have seen, particularly in the south-east, but good going for around here at the beginning of April

Bye for now,

Neil.

[millerd]

A nice selection, Neil. I do like the Comma underside with the green on it. It is interesting how what you see first varies from year to year. I have kept records for a few years now and there is no pattern whatsoever!

Dave

[bugboy]

A lovely selection there Neil, I too love the Comma underside, often overlooked but if you catch the green in the sun like you have, no less stunning than the uppers

[Wurzel]

More great shots Neil, especially the Comma underside. I also really like the contrast between the two Small Tor shots showing off the difference in the markings - yellowy on one to almost white on the other This year is turning out to be a funny old year as just as you're wondering when a particular species will turn up it does

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Glad to see you’ve finally had chance to do justice to things round your way, Neil. It’s also good to know Pierids are out and about further north. With further mild weather to come I expect most of us will get more opportunities to see new emergees over the next few days.