Trevor

[trevor]

Cheers David and Wurzel.
After Dave's January Red Admiral yesterday, it was my turn today, with a January Peacock.
Just before the 1pm news I was having a coffee in the garden when a Peacock landed on the fence.
Praying I would have time to grab my hibernating camera, I was relieved to find the Peacock still soaking up the Sun.

This was my first January butterfly for possibly 10 years or more.

Enjoy!.
Trevor.

[millerd]

There you go, Trevor! Your comment on my PD almost guaranteed a sighting...

Nice to see a Peacock too - I suspect yesterday's warmth roused it from hibernation enough for today's sunshine to fully waken it. (Nothing for me today, but it was frosty this morning and much cooler than yesterday).

One more day of January left - maybe there will be more tomorrow...

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Fantastic and a suitable reward for your patience Hopefully we won't be far behind over this way now...better start making those lunchtime walks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Cheers Dave & Wurzel. Far, far too early to say we're off, but up and down the country
all four vanessids have made appearances in suitable weather throughout January,
judging by posts on UKB's facebook page. Very few Brimstones though.

The last time I said ' we're off ' having photographed an early Brimstone,
we had the' Beast from the East' later that week.

Stay well both,
Trevor.

[David M]

..After Dave's January Red Admiral yesterday, it was my turn today, with a January Peacock.

So pleased for you, Trevor. A January butterfly a special thing, but when it is in the form of a Peacock it's particularly notable. Hopefully the first of many.

[Benjamin]

What a start Trevor! Once we’re into Feb I feel a mild spell to properly kick things off could happen at any time….

[trevor]

Thanks Ben & David.
I've been keeping an eye on that fence, which faces due South, nothing else yet.
In high Summer the elevated strip of land below that fence can become unbearably hot.
I have a Daphne nearby which can be good for an early Comma.

Getting a bit impatient now !.
Trevor.

[trevor]

I went along to Eastbourne sea front this afternoon to enjoy Eunice,
along with many others. Nature at it's wildest................

[Wurzel]

Great shots there Trevor What with Franklin on the way I'm trying to work out which letter we'll get to in the alphabet this winter? Hopefully it'll mean a benign spring - when it finally gets here.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

T'was a bizarre day, Trevor, and well done for venturing out as to have done likewise where I live would have been life threatening. We had gusts of almost 90mph and there were trees down as well as a power outage for a few hours.

Looks like we've a few more days of high winds to endure. With any luck, their end will also spell the beginning of the butterfly season.

Fingers crossed.

[Goldie M]

Just spotted your Peacock Butterfly Trevor, Great start to your Butterfly year
Weather's gone hay wire since then, fingers crossed these winds will die down and we'll see more Goldie

[trevor]

Thanks Wurzel, David and Goldie.

Later this morning, the blue sky and bright sun tempted me to pop over to Rowland Wood.
Unfortunately the air was just too cold for anything to appear, so I've yet to see a February butterfly.
Storm Eunice had left her calling card at Rowland Wood however with about a dozen toppled Pine trees,
including the four in the image below, their giant root balls on show beside the track from the metal gate.

Not too long now,
Trevor.
,

[Wurzel]

I reckon afternoon visits are the way to go if you want a February butterfly Trevor It's a shame to see those Pines down but then on the flipside there will be some great new micro-habitats formed now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Surprised there were no butterflies about in Rowland Wood, Trevor. If the sun is out and the air temperature is 7c or better at the end of February there are usually one or two.

Your experience with the fallen trees is similar to what we have here in south Wales. There are plenty that are down and even more that are semi-uprooted.

[trevor]

Many thanks Wurzel and David. Struck gold this morning.

Today presented a ' last chance saloon ' for a February butterfly.
The obvious place for me to visit was the old railway, better known locally as the Cuckoo Trail, in Hailsham.
This site has excelled in previous years for awakening hibernators, and this morning the weather was favourable.
Initially, a slow, searching return walk of the whole length of the path revealed nothing, but back at
the starting point I noticed some distant, but approaching, clear blue sky and the gentle breeze was mild.
Retracing my footsteps I was suddenly found by a Peacock, which flew out of the undergrowth as I was passing!.
Many shots later, and on my second return walk I found a basking Comma, this flew to two locations.
Whilst photographing the Comma at the second location I noticed a Brimstone fluttering high up on the bank,
and it touched down several times, always out of reach. My luck changed when it flew into clear view and
landed some distance away. I ran to where I thought it might be and sure enough there it was, in full view
beside the path.
So nothing all month, then three on the last day, PHEW!.

Trevor.

[bugboy]

due to my current camera less situation!

[Maximus]

You did well to see those three on the last day of February, Trevor, especially the Comma

[trevor]

Cheers Paul and Mike. I reported today's finds to the Sussex BC sightings page.
Apparently the Comma was the first one reported for this year in Sussex and my total
of three species in a single day was also a first. All thanks to the much better weather today.

All the best for the 2022 season,
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

A nice result for the last day of February there Trevor

Still nothing for me here. Sunday looked like being the most likely day here but a wander around my local spot by the local park that usually produces my first sightings produced nothing. You had a much better day down there than we did here, it was a washout with rain from mid morning right through into the night.

Cheers,

Neil

[trevor]

Good to hear from you Neil. Sorry about the weather where you are.
Looking on the bright side, you will probably find a Small Tortoiseshell before I do.
The weather down here yesterday was about the best we had in February, ie. Sunny with no icy wind.

Looking forward to your 2022 reports.
Trevor.