Happy birthday and thank you Bryan. I just posted this essay on Facebook. Perhaps by reading your essays more folks will notice the bounty of nature that still exists in spite of the damage done. Noticing wildlife is important. Reading your essays encourages folks to do that. Following and sending support helps us as a community of nature aware beings to be open to new adventures.
Thanks, Brian. I've been meaning to reach out to see if you know Jamie Masefield, a Vermont musician and stonemason. Incredible stuff: https://www.jamiemasefield.com/
Great essay, and love the flutter fotos. Also glad to hear the knee is recovering. My Irish music group plays tunes called "The Red Admiral Butterfly" and "The Swallowtail Jig", but I had no idea what the OG's looked like. They are incredible - thanks for that.
Thanks, Brad. So many wonderful swallowtails in that family, Papilionidae. But I suspect only one flies in Ireland: Papilio machaon (Old World Swallowtail).
Butterflies are (mostly) declining in the UK too. Here in Scotland, the Holly Blue was previously unknown and is now a beautiful addition to our landscapes in early Spring and (its second brood) in late Summer but apart from that species, the trend is downwards. I carry out butterfly surveys and sightings are generally low.
Yes, and you've all been counting and tracking populations for so much longer than we have -- at least generally in the U.K, as I understand it. I've also always like the idea that The Guardian (sort of) has a butterfly reporter. It's general eco-coverage is perhaps the best of any daily newspaper in the world.
Happy Birthday Bryan, and many more years to come for writing such enlightening stories on Nature. Reading all about butterflies I have come even closer to Nature. Thanks again
Happy Birthday Bryan and continued success with the knee! Most of the snow here is gone, but it still feels like spring and butterfly sightings are a lone way away. Take care.
"No, the problem is not that the U.S. will become a country without butterflies. The problem is that for far too many Americans it already is."
That was a gut punch, but it only makes me want to double (triple...) my preservation efforts. Thank you for such a wonderful Substack and another insightful article!
Thanks, Susannah. You yourself are bringing so much nature into view -- really beautiful stuff! (I wrote those last two lines before writing any other word of the essay.)
Happy birthday! And thank you for this. Going to draw some butterflies today ❤️
Your drawing butterflies, among many other wonderful things today, makes my day. Thanks, Anna!
Happy birthday and thank you Bryan. I just posted this essay on Facebook. Perhaps by reading your essays more folks will notice the bounty of nature that still exists in spite of the damage done. Noticing wildlife is important. Reading your essays encourages folks to do that. Following and sending support helps us as a community of nature aware beings to be open to new adventures.
So much to notice out there, Sue. It's all so beautiful and so close!
Your last line says it all!
Thanks, Walter. I wrote the last line before writing a single word of the essay.
Happy Birthday, Brother. An excellent post, as always. Thanks for that.
Thanks, Brian. I've been meaning to reach out to see if you know Jamie Masefield, a Vermont musician and stonemason. Incredible stuff: https://www.jamiemasefield.com/
Thanks, Bryan! I have not known of Jamie Masefield. I’ll look into that directly. Thank you for taking the time to mention it. You’re a good man.
Might be harder to find his musical stuff -- as I recall it's mandolin. I know him, but not well enough.
Happiest of birthdays and thank you for the great information and thoughts as always.
Thanks so much, Sharon. I'm grateful for so much today.
Great essay, and love the flutter fotos. Also glad to hear the knee is recovering. My Irish music group plays tunes called "The Red Admiral Butterfly" and "The Swallowtail Jig", but I had no idea what the OG's looked like. They are incredible - thanks for that.
Thanks, Brad. So many wonderful swallowtails in that family, Papilionidae. But I suspect only one flies in Ireland: Papilio machaon (Old World Swallowtail).
Happy birthday.
Butterflies are (mostly) declining in the UK too. Here in Scotland, the Holly Blue was previously unknown and is now a beautiful addition to our landscapes in early Spring and (its second brood) in late Summer but apart from that species, the trend is downwards. I carry out butterfly surveys and sightings are generally low.
Yes, and you've all been counting and tracking populations for so much longer than we have -- at least generally in the U.K, as I understand it. I've also always like the idea that The Guardian (sort of) has a butterfly reporter. It's general eco-coverage is perhaps the best of any daily newspaper in the world.
Yes the Guardian is pretty good at nature reporting, which is encouraging.
Happy Birthday Bryan, and many more years to come for writing such enlightening stories on Nature. Reading all about butterflies I have come even closer to Nature. Thanks again
Thanks, Arati. Yep, getting closer to nature is where we're all here!
Happiest of birthdays, Bryan. So glad the knee is coming along well. Today I'm watching Snowdrops dangle in the breeze.
Send those snowdrops my love!
Happy Happy BD Bryan:). Thanks for your gift to us of Chasing Nature.
Thanks for being a gift to me today, Hydramom!
Happy - Happy Birthday to you, Bryan 🎈🦋
Thanks, Maureen (and gratitude to your airborne Monarch)!
This "crisis of awareness" is true for so many aspects of our lives. I have been trying to put it into words myself.
Pyle's essay is seminal for me.
And I need to write something about iNaturalist -- truly amazing.
Butterfly fly-by!
While entranced by screens’ blue light,
we’ll miss flight’s bright sight.
Oh, this is PERFECT!
Happy Birthday Bryan and continued success with the knee! Most of the snow here is gone, but it still feels like spring and butterfly sightings are a lone way away. Take care.
Keep me posted on your first butterfly sighting! Miss you two. Let's try to reconnect. My best to Joe -- hope he's hopping around!
Happy Birthday, Bryan! This piece made me harken back to the movie Wall-E. It's worth watching again.
I've never seen it. Eek! Now I have another thing to do while recovering!
Happy birthday! (mine's tomorrow...)
"No, the problem is not that the U.S. will become a country without butterflies. The problem is that for far too many Americans it already is."
That was a gut punch, but it only makes me want to double (triple...) my preservation efforts. Thank you for such a wonderful Substack and another insightful article!
Thanks, Susannah. You yourself are bringing so much nature into view -- really beautiful stuff! (I wrote those last two lines before writing any other word of the essay.)