First brimstone of the year - 26th February

[eccles]

At Willsbridge Mill nature reserve on 26th February I saw my first brimstone of the year. It was sunny, around 10C and reasonably sheltered and I saw the butterfly, a male, fluttering around. It wasn't really the more purposeful flight of a male looking for females but just checking out the weather I think. It eventually found a stand of ivy growing up a tree trunk and settled back inside it.