November 2014

[David M]

Given the current mild weather, I expect quite a few November sightings (still forecast to be 12c+ up to and including NEXT weekend).

[web4160]

Red Admiral flew over our garden in Portishead this morning. 17 degrees here.

[Testudo Man]

Just got back from a long dog walk!
Both Large White and Red Admiral seen...failed to take a camera with me though

Plenty of Common Darters still on the wing and perched on various logs, plus just the one Hawker.
No sign of any Common Lizards, despite checking numerous log piles.

Location - Kent.

Cheers Paul.

[A_T]

Red Admiral at home. Plenty of Common Barters and Black Darters at Fenn's and Whixall Moss this morning.

[CJB]

Hello UK B'ers,

The first photo for this thread, what an honour!

Saw this this morning and managed to creep up with the iphone. Also saw a Red Admiral, although not as exciting as yesterday's Painted Lady.

Nov Comma

Looking forward to reading what else has appeared and no doubt I will be majorly trumped!

Flutter on!

CJB

[Paul Harfield]

Nice Comma CJB

I also went out today determined to get a November Sighting, I was not disappointed. I visited Aytesbury Copse near Knowle Village which is fast becoming a favourite spot of mine close to home. 4 Clouded Yellows today one of which was a female actively laying eggs. There were also at least 3 Red Admirals two of which were females actively laying eggs. I watched as they laid at least a dozen eggs between them More details in my diary later

Female Red Admiral resting between egg laying

One of 4 Clouded Yellows seen today

[Allan.W.]

Drove through to Brookland(Kent) this afternoon,with hopes of a November Clouded Yellow, wasn't happy to find the"HUNT" folk everywhere ,so we headed to Dungeness instead ,spotted a single Red Admiral and a Small Tort; whilst crossing Walland marsh.
Arriving at Dungeness,we parked behind the old lighthouse,and headed across the shingle towards the trapping area ,we'd only gone a few paces when we both spotted a butterfly,flying at about knee height at a distance of around 3-4 metres it had a typical "brown" look I tried to follow it but lost it! ,not a strong Vanessid flight-glide ,I can only think that it was an extremely late Meadow Brown,i saw a singleton on the 15th Sept,and I believe a few were seen later than this ,certainly mid Oct in Sussex. Unfortunately this was the only butterfly we saw here.

[NickMorgan]

I have just received a report of a Small Tortoiseshell and a Peacock flying in East Lothian today.
I was away on a trip looking for seal pups in the Firth of Forth. We visited the island of Inchkeith where we found 77 Small Tortoiseshells and 7 Peacocks hibernating in the old underground military buildings. We also saw two Small Tortoiseshells flying on the island.

[essexbuzzard]

3 Red Admiral on ivy in Harlow,Essex today,enjoying the remarkable November warm sunshine.

[CJB]

Nice Comma CJB

Thank you Jack, but as I suspected you trumped me!! Great shot of the clouded yellow.
It is warm again today and I have already seen what I suspect was a Red Admiral flying over the field.
Eerily warm temperatures!
Flutter on!
CJB

[Matsukaze]

Clouded Yellow in the garden yesterday - the first of the year. Red Admirals are around, feeding up, when the weather is suitable.

[Penhale Paul]

Having had regular sightings of Red Ads at the caravan (Peran/Penhale) last week, I was slightly disappointed to get home and search the local area for a couple of hours yesterday and find nothing
The same walk today was more rewarding with four species seen although one was admittedly hibernating
First up within a couple of minutes of leaving home was a Peacock fluttering around someones front garden before settling amongst a public shrubbery

] by kipperd7000, on Flickr

A search of the local churchyard drew a blank so on to a small local nature reserve, not a particularly great butterfly area and nothing out of the ordinary found here throughout the year but worth a search for the common species at this time of year. Nothing showing until I reached a small meadow area where I instantly spotted a Clouded Yellow on Knapweed, it stood out immediately when everything else is a bit drab. I took a few pics but it was obviously pretty subdued due to the sudden drop in the temperature today, so much so I was able to coax it onto my finger.

DSC_7724 by kipperd7000, on Flickr

DSC_7712 by kipperd7000, on Flickr

A little further on I spotted a Red Admiral but this was up and off over the brambles and soon out of sight so no image.
Nothing else seen then just out of curiosity I decided to check inside an old disused tin building which proved a good move as I spotted a hibernating Comma up on the underside of the roof

DSC_7730 by kipperd7000, on Flickr

com by kipperd7000, on Flickr

Not a bad return after yesterdays blank.

[David M]

Some great images there, Paul. I'm particularly envious of your Peacock sighting. I never seem to see any after early October.

[Penhale Paul]

Some great images there, Paul. I'm particularly envious of your Peacock sighting. I never seem to see any after early October.

Thanks David, a very fortunate chance sighting to be honest ............. certainly not somewhere I would look but it happened to be enroute to the churchyard! My latest sighting too, I've not seen one in quite a while this year. I think the hibernating Comma was the highlight of the day for me, thought I might find a Tortoishell or Peacock in there but wasn't really expecting the Comma .......... sunshine forcast locally for Wednesday, if correct the warmth of the sun on the steel roof could coax it out again

[Goldie M]

Yesterday I saw a Red Admiral at Lowther Gardens Lytham St Ann's I was delighted but I'd no camera with me worse luck
It was a cold day , the wind quite sharp but it was sunny Goldie

[Penhale Paul]

A return visit to yesterday's search area but a bit earlier in the day as to catch the lower part in sunlight before it was shaded out. This area is in a small valley surrounded by trees and abandoned farm buildings with a lot of nettle and bramble covering most of the ground.
Slightly cloudy when i arrived but it soon cleared and i was soon rewarded with a Speckled Wood, i've been looking for a late Speckled Wood for a couple of weeks and thought it a realistic goal but was surprised not to get one before today Unfortunately this one avoided the camera
Whilst i was trying to track the Speckled i saw three Red Admirals in quick succession and found a second Speckled Wood,this one not as fresh or boldly coloured but it did sit still for a photograph .
Several more Red Admirals were sighted and i reckon on a minimum of seven seperate individuals possibly more, so another good day despite the much colder conditions. Tomorrow is supposed to be the best day of the week here so who knows what will turn up if i get out

DSC_7762 by Penhale_Paul, on Flickr

DSC_7736 by Penhale_Paul, on Flickr

[Greenie]

Paul ,
Well done with the Peacock and Speckled Wood sightings ,
and with the Red Admiral ab. bialbata ( white spots in the red bands )
Greenie

[Penhale Paul]

Paul ,
Well done with the Peacock and Speckled Wood sightings ,
and with the Red Admiral ab. bialbata ( white spots in the red bands )
Greenie

Thanks Greenie, I hadn't noticed the Red Ad was an ab. Not familiar with that one, very subtle!

[Susie]

Red admiral flying around in my garden today near Horsham.

[A_T]

Red Admiral from Sunday 2nd