millerd

[David M]

Nice to see your 'pre-cursors' of spring, Dave. Yes, it's been stormy, and may continue so for a few days yet, but given how mild it's been, all we now need is one sunny calm day with reasonable temperatures.

That will kick 2020 into action.

[millerd]

The weather is starting to look promising, but still no sightings around here yet.

Talking weather, it is interesting to look back at some statistics for Heathrow over the winter period. It certainly has been a mild one!

From 1st November until today 11th March, there have only been eleven nights when there has been an air frost, i.e. an air temperature of zero degrees or below (three times in November, three in December, three in January, two in February and one in March). The lowest temperatures have been when minus two degrees was recorded, on the mornings of November 19th and January 21st. On all the other instances, the temperature just edged down to zero, but no further.

As for day maximum temperatures, the lowest recorded over the same period was 5 degrees on November 21st. Since then the nearest approach has been the high of 6 degrees recorded only a few days ago on 5th March. The three "winter" months in between had no days with a high lower than 7 degrees, and very few of those. The highest maxima recorded for each month have been: 16 (November 1st), 14 (December 6th), 13.5 (January 9th), and 15 (February 23rd). March has only just started, but 15 was reached yesterday, and higher is promised next week.

There has definitely been a lot of rain, especially recently, and much of the ground over which I regularly walk is still waterlogged. However, the River Colne has gone down thankfully, and no longer overflows the path in the way it did last week.

As for snow... Personally, I observed the odd wet snowflake in amongst the heavy rain on both the two low temperature days noted above (21st November and 5th March). And that's all!

Does this actually count as winter? Certainly not in the traditional sense of there being frost and snow, but the amount of rain and the frequency of windy days probably allows for a stretch in the definition!

Dave

[millerd]

Immediately after the last post above, I set out on my usual walk once again. Cloud began to give way to warm sunshine, and I spotted something tucked in amongst the tangled brambles that didn't quite look right for a dead leaf. Risking shredding by the foliage I got close enough to confirm my suspicions - the first butterfly of 2020, a Brimstone.

from a distance - the first shot of the year

I shouldn't have bothered to brave the lacerations as within ten minutes I'd seen a total of seven of the species, including four in one vista. They were a bit sluggish as the sun was somewhat intermittent, and kindly perched in amenable poses.

On the return half of the walk, I also disturbed first a Peacock, and then a Small Tortoiseshell - but neither was near enough for a photo. Until those garden sheds open, possibly at the weekend, I don't expect to see many of the latter species!

Dave

[trevor]

Interesting weather analysis Dave, an exceptionally wet Winter for sure.
Good to see you off the mark with that Brimstone. On another site there
is a report and image of a female Holly Blue on a Magnolia in Thames Ditton,
seen today.

Only one Red Admiral sighting for me so far ( camera at home! ).
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Great to see you're off the mark and in a spectacular fashion too Dave Still to find my first Small Tort I get what you mean about the 'Winter' it's felt more like an extended Autumn really Hopefully it got cold enough at times to knock the butterfly parasites on the head

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

I'm with Wurzel there, Autumn never ended I reckon. Of course since it's statistically more likely to snow at Easter than at Christmas in the UK (well in the south anyway), who knows what's in store...

Good work with those Brimstones too, hopefully I'll have better luck next week

[millerd]

Cheers, Trevor - no Holly Blues here yet, but it can't be long. Magnolias are in full bloom round here too at the momentand are a magnificent sight. I hope there aren't any frosts to spoil them.

I'm not sure it's been cold enough to do any pests much damage unfortunately, Wurzel. The few frosts there have been wouldn't have penetrated very far into the vegetation. The grass and some plants (nettles for example!) haven't stopped growing this winter, and daisies and dandelions have been flowering on and off throughout. Still, good to see the Brimstones waking up - apparently all at once!

Hopefully with Easter falling relatively late this year it won't snow, but as you say Bugboy, statistically it happens more at this time of year than in deepest darkest December.

On Thursday March 12th, there was sunshine, but it was quite a bit cooler and much windier. There were also some unexpected hail showers. However, on Friday 13th, it was calmer and the temperature had increased a little so I was hopeful I might see something on my usual walk at around half one. No Brimstones, but instead I came across three Commas, widely spaced out and definitely three separate individuals.

Dave

[trevor]

Great find, Dave. Those Commas look to have come through hibernation unscathed.
The weather forecast for next week looks more promising. Maybe at last we have kick off!.

Take care,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cracking stuff Dave - you're using the not having to work to the full advantage - I could only look longingly out of the window on Friday

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Lovely to see your Brimstones & Commas, Dave. Not so lovely to see the floods, although at least we DO seem to be out of that seemingly endless cycle of Atlantic fronts.

Hopefully it will warm up and brighten up properly now, drying out the terrain at the same time.

[millerd]

Yes, Trevor - the forecast from about Sunday looks increasingly good, but it may well change (after all, ten days ago the forecast for the current week was equally favourable, but that didn't work out! ).

Thank you Wurzel - the weather gave the weekend a miss again and yesterday was glorious. Not working has so many advantages.

Cheers, David - the waters have subsided again, and the paths are drying out nicely. Many the butterflies I'm posting are perched on bits of ground that were submerged only a couple of weeks ago.

Monday 16th March was a lovely early spring day, with lots of sunshine and lighter winds for once. By afternoon it was also reasonably warm too. A lengthy stroll around my local patch revealed that the Peacocks had been busy waking up, and allowing for possible double-counts I saw a minimum of seven individuals. There were also definitely five different Commas, plus three Brimstones in the early part of the day and a single Small Tortoiseshell.

Tuesday 17th was still warm, but even when the persistent cloud thinned a fraction, I only managed to see a single Peacock today.

Dave

[Wurzel]

A cracking set of shots Dave - it looks like you caught me up in one sitting Luckily I managed to get out during lunch otherwise my mr green count would be much more numerous

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

Beautiful Dave (looking forward to the Holly Blues!).

[David M]

Looks like we all filled our boots on Monday, Dave!

Nice to rack up the four UK adult hibernators in the space of a single stroll.

[trevor]

Another great haul there, Dave, and all in remarkable condition.
Shouldn't be long now for some of the ' new ' Spring species to appear.

Keep well,
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

A nice selection there Dave, looks like your local spot is off to a good start.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, what lovely shots Your certainly seeing lots of Butterflies, I did go to Hall-Lee-Brook ( my local haunt) the only thing I saw there was a large Rat The wind has been really strong here and bitter cold, hope fully we'll get some milder weather shortly. Goldie

[millerd]

Many thanks to all of you. It has been a reasonable start to the year, now there has been some strong sunshine at last. However, in recent days, the sun has been accompanied by strong winds and relatively low temperatures, and the butterflies have remained tucked away. Spring growth has continued unabated, and I'm keeping my eye on the garlic mustard. This year, there is lots coming up (it appears in abundance round here only every other year) and the first flowers opening magically coincide with the first Orange Tips. It's rare for them to be out of synch: looking forward to it...

Dave

[millerd]

Sunday 22nd March. The wind had dropped just a fraction, the sun was just that little bit warmer, so I set out around my local circuit with a bit more optimism. I saw virtually no one along the route - and coming back to hear later of the madness that seemed to have afflicted large swathes of the population seemed rather strange.

Butterflies had appeared again - not many, but it still wasn't that warm truth be told. I saw just two Peacocks and two Commas over the whole circuit. Still, it is early days.

[millerd]

Monday 23rd March. Today was calmer, sunnier and (by lunchtime at least) warmer than the preceding days. I went out twice today, and over the day came across 18 butterflies of four species. The Brimstones were back with the more favourable weather, and included my first female of 2020.

Commas and Peacocks were frequent, with a conservative seven counted of each species. In a particular sheltered spot, I found two Commas and a Peacock squabbling as a Brimstone cruised nonchalantly by - until it was accosted by something smaller. This turned out to be a male Small White (a first for the year).

A few bee-flies were around too, sharing the dandelions with the butterflies.

The lakeside paths were very peaceful, and increasingly lacking this sort of disturbance...

However, the Nymphalid butterflies were the main event, and it always amazes me how fresh some of them look considering their long hibernation.

This evening's news indicated that going out for just one walk a day is still allowed. I count myself lucky to have a productive area on my doorstep, even if there are only common species.

Dave