davknigh Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 While walking with Gus the gundog past the kestrel box one of the kestrels was keeping guard as they have been for the last couple of weeks, I saw two strange looking birds in the tree. A pair of mallards. Last year they did nest in a hollow of a near by oak tree. 042a.jpg What's all that green behind the trunk? Oh, I remember, leaves. We will be at 0 today with flurries but up to a sultry 8 by mid week- and then sliding down again. Frost depth has been estimated at 2m. Now you know why we have basements.. Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
station cat Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 It's been very spring like here today I saw a butterfly and a bumble bee when I was out in the garden earlier. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted March 7, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2015 (edited) Havent seen any butterflies here but the local sparrows are enjoying the sunshine! Phil Edited March 7, 2015 by Phil Bullock 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted March 7, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2015 I noticed three pairs of frogs in our pond today..... Can't say what they were doing as its before 9pm and it carries an 18 certificate! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted March 7, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2015 Just say amplexus and the kids wont know what it means! Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Saw a bright yellow butterfly in the hedgerow just off Pilgrim's Way in Otford on Saturday. Not good enough at butterflies to know what it was I am afraid but it always gives you a little hope of spring Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted March 10, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 10, 2015 Odds on that's a male Brimstone Easy to distinguish by its lovely yellow colour and rather angular wings. Often one of the first sightings of the year. http://www.britishbutterflies.co.uk/species-info.asp?vernacular=Brimstone Says it lurks along hedgerows looking for a female.....! http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=brimstone+butterfly&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=02D69078E626153B3D30C1F45116351090F931B9&selectedIndex=32 Is a super chap! Two lovely newly hatched tortoiseshells in Sandford Park in Cheltenham today but they wouldn't pose for a photo. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
station cat Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Two foxes out courting in our garden today. No pictures as my camera was suddenly revealed to be flat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebottle Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 . . . . . . . Two lovely newly hatched tortoiseshells in Sandford Park in Cheltenham today but they wouldn't pose for a photo. Phil Would you interrupt your foreplay to pose for a photograph? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted April 14, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 14, 2015 Can I lay claim to the first RMweb Orange tip sighting of 2015? Spotted whilst leaving work, the John Bull building at Derriford, Plymouth this afternoon. Sorry no photos - caught just a fleeting glance, but Orange tip it certainly was. Neil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted April 14, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 14, 2015 Can I lay claim to the first RMweb Orange tip sighting of 2015? Spotted whilst leaving work, the John Bull building at Derriford, Plymouth this afternoon. Sorry no photos - caught just a fleeting glance, but Orange tip it certainly was. Neil Ah sorry Neil - saw one flutter by yesterday lunch time in Sandford Park Cheltenham Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted April 20, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 20, 2015 A freshly hatched and beautiful Orange tip paid a visit to my garden flowers earlier this evening to feed. A desperate lunge with my iPad camera in hand frightened it away, so alas no photographic evidence to present here. Neil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted April 21, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 21, 2015 Was it the first blue of the year in Cheltenham today? Most likely a Holly Blue at this time of year but never kept still long enough for accurate identification. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Had a pair of Holly blues on the currant bushes this very day, seen while inspecting for any parachuting caterpillars from the oaks; also the first Speckled wood seen this year, being its usual crepuscular self and not advancing far from the Hornbeam where I first saw it. Also found an oak seedling a good two feet tall hidden in the whitecurrant bush. How it got that large before I saw it rather beggars belief; likewise the effort it took to dislodge it from the soil... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted April 22, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 22, 2015 Was it the first blue of the year in Cheltenham today?Most likely a Holly Blue at this time of year but never kept still long enough for accurate identification.PhilSorry Phil, saw a Holly blue in my back garden here in Devon Monday nightPhil 1 Neil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted April 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 22, 2015 Touche! Hee hee Replay or penalties? Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Was it the first blue of the year in Cheltenham today? Most likely a Holly Blue at this time of year but never kept still long enough for accurate identification. Phil Had a holly blue in our garden, enjoying the sunshine, while I was eating my lunch. It was close to the kitchen windows but had moved on before I could get a camera. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purley Oaks Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 A couple of early swallows here, hope to see more in the next week or two Mal 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted April 23, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 23, 2015 Pleasant lunchtime stroll in Sandford Park today watching the trout in the river feeding on the surface. Then a long tailed tit was flitting around in an oak tree but typically wouldnt keep still long enough to pose for a photo Lucky to have such habitat 5 mins walk from work Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Not, strictly speaking, today - but it WAS sent to me today so I did see it today, and thought it was a nice picture http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2015/04/encore-red-admiral-migration.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Golly, a warm sunny day! So off I went to Magdalen Hill Reserve (near Winchester). Plenty of brimstones, holly blues, green-veined whites and grizzled skippers. Small numbers of orange tips were also seen, but as they were males hunting for females they had no time to stop and pose for a portrait . First a grizzled skipper... ...and two holly blues.... I also glimpsed a dingy skipper (at least I think it was) but too briefly to get a photo. Let's hope for some more sunny butterfly days soon.... Chaz 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted May 4, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 4, 2015 Wonderful Chaz - many thanks for sharing Never seen a Grizzled Skipper Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Wonderful Chaz - many thanks for sharing Never seen a Grizzled Skipper Phil Thanks. I was particularly pleased to get some good snaps of holly blues. "Never seen a Grizzled Skipper" Nor had I, but was lucky enough to see half a dozen today. Devilishly difficult to photograph though - restless and tiny - the smallest of the skippers. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted May 4, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 4, 2015 Generally find most of the smaller blighters are restless - its the conspicuous vanessids that are posers! Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) Smaller blighters?...... A return trip to Magdalen Hill reserve yesterday and the most numerous butterfly species (possibly outnumbering the brimstones) was the brown argus. Being fresh and new they looked quite perfect and a must to photograph - even if they are tiny! Chaz Edited May 8, 2015 by chaz 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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