ernie f

[David M]

Sounds like a stressful experience for both human AND bird. I remember taking an exhausted Collared Dove to a sanctuary in the south of France a few years back. In there they had a rescued Barn Owl and I recall noting the size of its talons (when it wasn’t even full grown). I guess it’s like grabbing a bunch of Gillette razors!

[ernie f]

Goldie, Wurzel, David

Thanks for your comments re the Tawny Owl I had down my chimney. I have lived at this house for 18 years now and this is the second time I have had one. Looks like its a once per decade event.

[ernie f]

I recently posted a pic of the closest Supermoon for 70 years (2016 was the year in question). Last year I got a new camera and it has a better zoom on it than my previous one so this Feb's Supermoon came out brilliantly...

Feb 2019

[ernie f]

And let me add my first butterfly of the year to those of posts from other people over the past couple of days. On 22nd Feb I saw a Brimstone fly past our front window. It was fleeting. Today it was back, this time flying back and forth along the hedge of a neighbour's garden.

No pics yet though.

[ernie f]

So I went out into my garden and almost immediately two Brimstones flew though it. One circled around my head a couple of times then flew off. There were bees nectaring from the Windflowers and Crocuses while Long-tailed Tits were flitting about in the Beech Trees. All the while the unseasonally hot sun beat down on my back. Lovely.

I looked back through my diary. Last year I did not see a butterfly until March 15th (three Brimstones then), but then the weather turned bad of course. Not another one until April 14th (four Brimstone and 3 Comma then).

This year everyone seems to be seeing butterflies from mid Feb.

How can two consecutive years be so different?

(Well yes, the Jet Stream is the main factor of course and its certainly whooshing in the right place for us this year).

[ernie f]

… and to round off the day - a Treecreeper visited the Sycamore opposite our house.

Two pics from the bedroom window.

[Wurzel]

Great Treecreeper shots Ernie Interesting to read of the different dates for the first butterflies...I'm finding the opposite in that the last couple of years I was seeing butterflies from 7th to 17th Feb yet I saw my first this year today - looks I'm bucking the trend

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

....This year everyone seems to be seeing butterflies from mid Feb.

How can two consecutive years be so different?

(Well yes, the Jet Stream is the main factor of course and its certainly whooshing in the right place for us this year).

Correct, ernie. On this corresponding weekend in 2018, we were in the grip of 'The Beast from The East', which didn't release it's hold for some while.

I didn't see any butterflies until 13th March last year, but am well into double figures so far in 2019. Looks like we've a few more days of this too, so everyone should get out and enjoy it, as it might be some considerable time before we get another period like this in the month of February!

[ernie f]

24th Feb 2019: Noar Hill and Kingsley Common

I am indebted to Dave for suggesting it would be a good idea to get out and about during this warm spell. He had said he had already seen butterflies in double figures this Feb and I wanted to do that too so I took a break from my Winter DIY schedule.

I have now seen 18 butterflies this year, 17 of them today!

There are two Brimstone in my garden of which I saw one again this morning. Then I tried Noar Hill – 10 there (and I was very careful not to double-count) with another 4 while driving en-route to the reserve. All Male and none of them stopped for a pic.

Birds there included Yellowhammer, a small flock of Bullfinch, 4 Buzzard and a Green Woodpecker.

Then onto Kingsley where I saw two Commas, both male – repeatedly having jousting bouts where their boundaries met.

One of them wondered who this madman was who was running up and down the path in hot pursuit. He fluttered down and landed on the back of my hand momentarily before wheeling around me. I turned around to find him and saw him come down once again. This time he landed on my head!!! I could actually feel him land (because it has to be said I am a little bald on top nowadays).

I also got some fine pics from an assortment of angles.

Temperature peaked today at 16 degrees, but the Kingsley location where I saw the Commas around 3.30 pm seemed to hold a microclimate which felt more like it was over 20 degrees. It genuinely felt like summertime and it almost seemed foolish to be wearing a jumper in February.

[millerd]

That's a splendidly cooperative Comma, Ernie - it clearly took a fancy to you!

Dave

[David M]

These recent conditions have been splendid, ernie. I'm sure there will be plenty more on the wing; we've still got a couple of days of it left before we're back to normal temperatures.

[ernie f]

Cheers, guys....

…. and so the "heatwave" continued today. Apparently its the hottest Feb day on record today (over 20 degrees in Wales) and it climbed to 18 degrees at around 3.30pm around here.

[ernie f]

… and because of that, my DIY projects languished for another day.

This time I explored...

Alice Holt Woods = 5 more Brimstones, another Comma and a Red Admiral.

Mostly the Brimstones just would not stay still. This was the only one and was a distance shot - blurred due to heavy cropping.

Also I visited the village of Worldham = Two more Brimstones.

So thats now 27 butterflies I have seen so far this year. Smashing any previous "record" I may have had for February.

And perhaps two more days of warm weather to go!

[Wurzel]

Definitely time to down tools and pick up the camera Ernie - it certainly looks like you've had a very fruitful couple of days That Comma took a shine to you so much that if I was you I'd be tempted back to see if it was still enamoured with you

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

26th Feb 2019

Broxhead Reserve: 2 Brimstone and 2 Comma. This time one of the Brimstones settled down for a short while long enough for me to get a close-up pic.

Also a Dartford Warbler and a Red Kite.

Kingsley Common – Manor-side: 2 Brimstone.

That’s now a total of 33 butterflies I have seen this Feb.

But what you don’t see can sometimes be just as informative as what you do.

I revisited Noar Hill. If you remember a couple of days ago I reported seeing a total of 10 Brimstone there. Today, between 2 and 3 pm – nothing, no Brimstones, in fact not a single Butterfly.

Then I did a quick check of the two Commas at Kingsley – one of which recently perched on my head. Again they were not there.

Now although it was 18 degrees pushing 19 at times today, the previous evening there had been a frost.

I wonder if the sub-zero night temperatures are culling butterflies - even the ones that over-winter but got pumped up by the recent heatwave.
I must admit I don't know but there are some odd things going on at the moment.

[Wurzel]

How dd you get that Brimstone to sit so still Ernie I noticed something similar; yesterday up to 7 Small Torts at lunchtime, slight frost last night, today only 2 Small Torts Fingers crossed they've just moved on

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...This time one of the Brimstones settled down for a short while long enough for me to get a close-up pic.

How kind of him! Must confess, a couple actually settled for me on Tuesday afternoon....unfortunately, I had left my camera at home.

Nice image of the kite.

[Goldie M]

Cracking shot of the Brimstone ernie, not seen one yet Goldie

[ernie f]

Goldie - We are quite lucky round here for Brimstone, quite a few at the moment - but I have seen no Small Torts or Peacocks.

Wurzel - Although overall numbers are good, it appears there are big fluctuations from day to day. I expect it will all go quiet again in the next few days as it cools once again.

David - Thanks re the Kite. I seem to see at least one a day around here at the moment but they are not the easiest bird to photograph.

[ernie f]

The weather forecast suggests we will come out of our February heatwave tomorrow and rain is arriving so today may be the last for Winter butterflies. (I never thought I'd ever use that expression in the UK!)

Todays finds are:

Alice Holt Woodland - Batt's End = 1 Brim
Sleaford Common = 2 Brim
Broxhead - Anvil End = 1 Brim, 2 Comma
Kingsley Pond = 1 Brim
En-route home = 1 Brim

So my total winter count for Butterflies (all in Feb) now becomes 41!

At Broxhead I also saw this tiny moth...

I do not know what it is. Perhaps a Winter Moth? It was on the edge of the heath beside a line of trees. Perhaps it is a Mottled Grey? Does anyone know?