Welcome to UKB.

Your butterfly is a female Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia.

More at: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species. ... ies=paphia

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi Paul.

Looks good for a male Essex to me.

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi Russ.

No. This is the hoverfly Volucella inflata.

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi Tom, Your plant is Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) . It is not, to my knowledge, used as a larval food plant by the Large Heath. The primary larval foodplant is Hare's-tail Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum) . Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium) and Jointed Rush (Juncus articulatus...

Hi Goldie. I agree with Pete on this for the reason given - the two distinct pearls. I can see where Mike is coming from regarding his comment "has much stronger contrast, with almost brown areas around the 'pearls'" but I think this is just a trick of the light. Good hunting. Kind regards...

Hi Goldie.

You have one of each there. The top image is Pearl Bordered and the bottom Small Pearl-Bordered.

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi Hoggers.

I think you'll find your your aberration can be referred to ab. extensa (Tutt, 1906).

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi Kevin,

I'm with Paul on this.

Definitely not a Siskin and most probably an Atlantic Canary (Serinus canaria). The only other possibility could be a Citril Finch (Carduelis citrinella), but the bill looks too substantial - and I'm not sure if they occur on Madeira.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi Trevor.

Glad to see you are getting out. Your bird is a Red Kite (Milvus milvus).

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi Charles. I can't see your bird being anything other than a Reed Bunting coming out of winter plumage; it has the correct build, stature, bill size and shape (though this is not particularly clear), wing colouring and cream supercilium above the eye to name a few features. At first glance it does ...

Hi Charles,

Your mystery bird is a male Reed Bunting in transitional winter-summer plumage; the extent of black on the cheek patches making it male.

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Hi margarine77. Welcome to UK Butterflies. You are correct in that this is not a British species. The butterfly you have photographed is The Clipper (Parthenos sylvia) . It originates from south and southeast Asia and occurs in several colour forms including blue and brown. Hope that helps. Kind reg...

You've all been extremely kind.

Thank you.

Kindest regards. Mark

Thank you all for your very kind comments.

This was most unexpected but very much appreciated

Thanks again.

Kind regards. Mark

Just for you David ...

A male from 27 October and a female from 31 October.

Hi Trevor,

Hope all's well?

Definitely a Goldcrest.

Kind regards. Mark

One of my favourite spring species ... Though common in most of my local Sussex woodlands during the mid to late 70's, recent data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) has confirmed that the Pearl-bordered Fritillary has undergone a 72% decline in numbers across the whole country since 19...

Chiddingfold Forest.

In limited local supply in 2015 ...

Hi Jack, Will technology ever reach the point where radio trackers can be fitted to butterflies as is done with [admittedly larger] birds? Using micro-transmitters, it's already being done with bees and dragonflies so I see no reason why it couldn't be done successfully with the larger lepidoptera. ...

Hi Guy.

I'd suggest a species of freshwater annelid for your 'sand tubes' as many live in tubes similar to those depicted. I've certainly seen marine species and believe freshwater forms also occur.

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark