Thanks Wurzel, still not heard any 'Chiffchaff' calls and they were in the garden again today
Saturday April 20th - Its (nearly)all Peacocks and Commas again
The weather made good with its promised forecast today so I took a trundle around Solihull. Last year I had started noting promising looking public footpaths and decided today to check a couple out but first I stopped off at Castle Hills for a look.
It wasn't long before I spotted a Peacock basking in a sheltered corner, closely followed by a Comma that the Peacock soon chased off.
![Solihull 20.04.2013 032resize.JPG (422.15 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Peacock - Castle Hills Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_ff7a408f2c0e1deeff6653aa56d4968e)
- Peacock - Castle Hills Solihull 20.04.2013
Circling back to the car I saw another Peacock and Comma and my first Brimstone of the year.
![Solihull 20.04.2013 038resize.JPG (483.39 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Peacock - Castle Hills Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_86729591f30c5623ad3bd6fef908fa7b)
- Peacock - Castle Hills Solihull 20.04.2013
I watched the Brimstone as it carried on along the hedge line without stopping, I didn't bother following it as I did not expect it to settle with the sun shining like it was today.
Last year I had seen my first Orange Tips here on April 13th but there was no sign today. Given that things around here are usually a good week or two behind the southern parts of the country and it is a late season everywhere I wasn't really that hopeful, but you never know.
I next carried on round to one of the footpaths mentioned earlier. Walking a short way along I soon found a couple of Peacocks.
![Solihull 20.04.2013 049resize.JPG (437.94 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Peacock - Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_7b51d3c161b561f88e1e042fe4e7f1b4)
- Peacock - Solihull 20.04.2013
A little further and crossing a field I soon found some more activity. Along one stretch of hedge there were 2 Peacocks and 3 Commas in a sequence of Comma, Peacock, Peacock, Comma, and Comma.
![Solihull 20.04.2013 059resize.JPG (414.21 KiB) Viewed 1560 times 2 Peacocks and 3 Commas along here](./files/thumb_10101_b958dedf19bcc9685f612d1163c0ff66)
- 2 Peacocks and 3 Commas along here
These were all basking in the grass and taking off to intercept each other as they intruded into each other’s airspace. Getting photos was difficult as they were all flighty and when they did settle it was with grass all around them.
![Solihull 20.04.2013 062resize.JPG (462.68 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Peacock - Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_8d5ae3f6c9199d49a419a64717b9f682)
- Peacock - Solihull 20.04.2013
![Solihull 20.04.2013 083resize.JPG (463.21 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Comma - Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_e7ea68bfeed27238a3f4eda0448f075b)
- Comma - Solihull 20.04.2013
Heading back to the car I was passed by a Small Tortoiseshell that went up and over the hedgerow.
I then continued on to a couple more similar spots seeing a few more Peacocks and Commas, usually moving at high speed along hedges.
At the last spot that I stopped at I walked a short way down a footpath alongside a hedge when I spotted another Peacock down in the grass. As it moved over it became apparent that there were in fact two butterflies, a courting couple in fact.
![Solihull 20.04.2013 112resize.JPG (439.59 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Peacocks - Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_d72f0db36743415ea0d8a6d37037874f)
- Peacocks - Solihull 20.04.2013
![Solihull 20.04.2013 122resize.JPG (443.92 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Peacocks - Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_b249c4464a22702fa8e41f2dc03ad259)
- Peacocks - Solihull 20.04.2013
They then flew acoss to a clump of nettles before taking off together up and over the hedge.
I like the shot below because it shows the contrast between the colourful topside and the underside with its subtle dark shades.
![Solihull 20.04.2013 128resize.JPG (435.63 KiB) Viewed 1560 times Peacocks - Solihull 20.04.2013](./files/thumb_10101_048293dc930f525a31d3261e45fb1cff)
- Peacocks - Solihull 20.04.2013
I remember last year saying that it was all Peacocks and Commas for me whilst others were seeing plenty of Brimstones. It was nearly the same for me today but I did see my first Brimstone and a single Small Tortoiseshell to ward off the sense of deja vu.
Oh, and one more thing, I should have worn a hat. My head is glowing a bit this evening
Bye for now.