The butterflies make a come back

Thank you all for the supportive comments and thoughts you shared on the decline of butterflies and insects here. Out of the blue they are making a bit of a come back!

The butterfly bush is in the latter part of it's flowering season yet this is the first dancing butterflies show of the summer. I mentioned our "loose garden" before and although it's full of nettles and thistles going to seed we are keeping it that way as a small oasis in this desert of EU grass.

Earlier in the week some one on twitter called me a tree hugger. I think it was meant as an insult but I will be wearing it as a badge of honour now and forever more Amen!

For those of you interested in the practice of photography most of these images were shot with a zoom lens. (Canon 70-300mm on a Canon EOS 7D)You won't disturb the butterflies this way and if you use an open aperture (the low numbers) you can get some soft background effects too. Always a bit unconventional when it comes to camera stuff, I can't vouch for the appropriateness of this technique, all I know is "I like what I like...."  



More wild life here

Warblers, Andy Warhol and the beautiful art of land

Tiny warbler in the fennel

Small flocks of warblers have invaded the herb garden and I've taken a big shine to them. I think this one is a Chiff-chaff but as ever I am open to correction by my twitcher friends. 

This summer there are fewer butterflies and insects but a lot more warblers. My sister was visiting from Sweden and we both remarked on the eery silence and lack of bees buzzing. The buddleia otherwise known as the butterfly bush, has had no takers. Every other year it has been laden with them. 

This week I did a happy dance because one butterfly appeared in the kitchen.

It is probably no coincidence that the land around here has been cleared and fertilised having been a boggy wilderness for years. Although designated as a protected wetland, the local authority did not see any conflict of interest with clearing for "agricultural purposes." This consisted of the removal of a willow wood, a number of acres of boggy wildflower meadows, ditches, hedgerows, and numerous trees. 

Farmers can't be blamed if the relevant authorities fail to educate and monitor how farming should be managed. At this stage our couple of wild acres are an oasis of cover for small animals and birds on this boreen. There are other small farms around here but there won't be any talk of conservation when the younger generations finally inherit them. I suspect instead that all the shiny bulldozers and diggers will be out in force again.

I came across this prophetic wisdom from New York celebrity artist Andy Warhol, and I thought of the vulnerable landscapes of Ireland.

"I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want."

Mesmerised by butterflies

At least once a year there has to be a Butterfly Blitz on Foxglove Lane and today's the day!!  That's it plain and simple........