zigzag_wanderer wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 9:48 pm
Despite being very mild and quite sunny in parts today, I didn't see any butterflies. I did see one Rusty-dot Pearl moth and, at lunchtime, a male Common Darter dragonfly and what I think must be a Noctule bat.
The latter flew from the direction of a small wood and was so large that I took it to be a Starling at first, albeit with a very different flying technique. It flew in slightly increasing circles above me for at least 5 minutes. Several times I thought it'd gone, only to see it flying back round me again.
Not sure if it was attempting to feed or was searching for a roost site. We have a family of noisy buzzards living year-round in that wood and local kestrels too, so it may have been flushed out I suppose, but not sure why it would spend 5 minutes circling next to and over the wood if it felt in danger from any avian predator in the vicinity.
It certainly looks like a noctule to me. I doubt it was either aware of or in danger from buzzards. It should normally have been in bed by now, but if there are still insects to catch, there is a logic in hibernating late: bats are very hungry when they emerge in spring. I have seen Daubenton's bats hunting over water in the middle of the day in April, because they have to catch up on months of eating nothing.
3+ Red Admirals in various states of repair, a Small Tortoiseshell and a Peacock in the gardens of the American Museum, Bath, today. The steep south-west facing slopes and the ornamental gardens make this a nectar-rich sun-trap for butterflies at this time of year. I'll be returning to see if it is the same in the spring. There was a Red Admiral in the garden this morning, too. It's really unusual to be seeing multiple butterflies in November here.
Yesterday went to Rainham Marshes RSPB, mainly for birds, but did expect some insects in the unseasonally warm sunshine. A Red Admiral & a Small White on the reserve & on the way back a Holly Blue on ivy flowers at nearby Purfleet Station-my latest ever.
Out on my local patch when the sunshine finally appeared this afternoon, where I found a female Brimstone, one Red Admiral, and the Common Blue I'd photographed yesterday. It was more obliging today.
millerd wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 2:37 pm
Out on my local patch when the sunshine finally appeared this afternoon, where I found a female Brimstone, one Red Admiral, and the Common Blue I'd photographed yesterday. It was more obliging today.
Dave
Common Blue in mid-November! Really quite remarkable. What are the odds on him finding a mate?
bugboy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:21 pmSpeckled Wood, Holly Blue, LTB (yes, they are still emerging in small numbers down on the south coast), Small Copper, Common Blue according to his posts on the Sussex sightings page.
Incredible! I only got one out of five right. He's got potential to get a few more!
bugboy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:21 pmSpeckled Wood, Holly Blue, LTB (yes, they are still emerging in small numbers down on the south coast), Small Copper, Common Blue according to his posts on the Sussex sightings page.
Incredible! I only got one out of five right. He's got potential to get a few more!
I met someone yesterday who claimed to have seen a Meadow Brown, not totally impossible as they fly through to October on some downland sites round here.
I saw 2 Red Admirals on the wing today in different Somerset locations.
Today was a beautiful Spring like day in Cumbria. A very welcome change from the strong winds and heavy rain of late. It was a sunny and warm 16 degrees this morning and I was delighted to see a Small Tortoiseshell basking in the sun on the fence for 10 minutes. The first butterfly in the garden since 18th October.
Matsukaze wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 6:26 pmI met someone yesterday who claimed to have seen a Meadow Brown, not totally impossible as they fly through to October on some downland sites round here.
Perfectly plausible, Chris. They are October 'regulars' in some places so no reason to doubt that the odd one might make it to November.
Matsukaze wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 6:26 pmI met someone yesterday who claimed to have seen a Meadow Brown, not totally impossible as they fly through to October on some downland sites round here.
Perfectly plausible, Chris. They are October 'regulars' in some places so no reason to doubt that the odd one might make it to November.
Couple of years ago I found a freshly emerged one (wings still not fully hardened) on the 19th of October at Mill Hill in Sussex so yea, as David says, perfectly plausible.
bugboy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:21 pmSpeckled Wood, Holly Blue, LTB (yes, they are still emerging in small numbers down on the south coast), Small Copper, Common Blue according to his posts on the Sussex sightings page.
Incredible! I only got one out of five right. He's got potential to get a few more!
Actually, he has 11, he's also got a Painted lady. I'm just at a paltry 8 after finding Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Small Tortoiseshell today!
bugboy wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 8:42 pm...Actually, he has 11, he's also got a Painted lady. I'm just at a paltry 8 after finding Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Small Tortoiseshell today!
Even eight is bloody good going, Paul. It's double what I've seen and yet I'm perfectly happy with four!!
zigzag_wanderer wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 9:48 pm
Despite being very mild and quite sunny in parts today, I didn't see any butterflies. I did see one Rusty-dot Pearl moth and, at lunchtime, a male Common Darter dragonfly and what I think must be a Noctule bat.
The latter flew from the direction of a small wood and was so large that I took it to be a Starling at first, albeit with a very different flying technique. It flew in slightly increasing circles above me for at least 5 minutes. Several times I thought it'd gone, only to see it flying back round me again.
Not sure if it was attempting to feed or was searching for a roost site. We have a family of noisy buzzards living year-round in that wood and local kestrels too, so it may have been flushed out I suppose, but not sure why it would spend 5 minutes circling next to and over the wood if it felt in danger from any avian predator in the vicinity.
It certainly looks like a noctule to me. I doubt it was either aware of or in danger from buzzards. It should normally have been in bed by now, but if there are still insects to catch, there is a logic in hibernating late: bats are very hungry when they emerge in spring. I have seen Daubenton's bats hunting over water in the middle of the day in April, because they have to catch up on months of eating nothing.
Guy
Thanks Guy, that all sounds very logical to me. There were certainly decent numbers of smaller insects about today in that area (lots of flies for instance). No sign of any bats during my lunch slot, but the weather was so glorious today I wouldn't be surprised if it (or another) was tempted out to feed again.
