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Great Robin shot Dave - I know what you mean about getting twitchy here we are in March and not s sniff of a butterfly Surely it can't be much longer now...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

After the sun had burnt off the low cloud this morning, it was still pretty chilly and there was a bit of a breeze from the east. I left it till lunchtime to let the sun get to work on some of the sheltered patches of ivy, and set off round my standard walk around my local patch. Sure enough, I soon spotted the unmistakable flash of a brilliant yellow male Brimstone. It patrolled up and down a patch of ivy before settling briefly near the ground, showing the discolouration these butterflies often have from their winter sojourn in damp and dingy hiding places.
It was then disturbed by another similar butterfly, and the two of them tussled for a while before the second insect also decided to land nearby. This one was unblemished as far as I could see, and the photo doesn't do it justice as I failed to compensate for its luminosity against the darker background. So - off the mark for 2016!

Dave

Well done Dave, but TWO Brimstones is just plain greedy.
Sightings, generally seem to be a bit slow so far this year.

Best wishes,
Trevor.

Lucky bugger, I knew there's be a fair few seen this weekend but I've had to work it all

Nice Brimstones Dave, I got a brace the other day, but already this season I'm behind with my PD

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Love the Brimstones Millerd Goldie

Thanks, folks; always good to see the first one(s) of the year.

I managed to get out in the sun today, albeit briefly rather late on. I did a quick tour of some of my local patch and found a solitary Comma basking on the ground. Dave

Such a lovely colour on the Comma Butterfly.

Nice Comma Dave - lunchtime jaunts are a must at this time of year!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

At last! A sunny day, and I'm not at work.

I had two separate tours of my local patch today, one between 11 and 12 and the other between 1 and half past 2. The first was notable for seeing Brimstones in double figures, the second for seeing none at all! Definitely a morning butterfly. The first butterfly encountered today was actually a white one. I assumed it would be a Small White, but having looked at the photo snatched before it set off again, it was definitely Green-veined. I saw several more whites during both walks, but all others were of the Small persuasion. Peacocks and Commas appeared, with the latter in good numbers during the afternoon. An area I have dubbed Comma Corner proved very aptly named today. I also found a couple of Small Tortoiseshells, making four new species for the year and the grand total now stands at six. One particular piece of interest was watching a female Comma meander gently along a hedgerow (quite different behaviour than the males) and wander into a male's airspace. I managed a few pictures of their courting behaviour, but unfortunately they were interrupted by an aggressive male Peacock and lost track of each other. A proper spring butterfly day.

Dave

Interesting shots of the Commas Dave - pity the Peacock ended their interaction.

As Pauline says, fascinating stuff with those Commas, and lots of great shots of a bounty of early spring species.

You had a very similar day to me, Dave. Fabulous wasn't it .

All the best,
Trevor.

Good for you, Dave, especially seeing the two courting Commas. It's rare to see this species sharing territory without a fight developing, but I suppose it IS spring.

Great stuff Dave - looks like I need to try and get out soon - I've been caught out a couple of times already by the weather men and their inaccuracies As the Whites are flying it seems things are finally moving along!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Dave,

Good to see you are getting pout and about and seeing butterflies. Interesting shots of the Commas, not something I have witnessed myself although I have seen similar behaviour with Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks.

millerd wrote: I had two separate tours of my local patch today, one between 11 and 12 and the other between 1 and half past 2. The first was notable for seeing Brimstones in double figures, the second for seeing none at all! Definitely a morning butterfly. Dave

Therein lies the reason that I tend not to see many early Brimstones...my opportunities to get out are mostly in the afternoons at weekends.

Cheers,

Neil

Thank you all. It was a good day, and very welcome.

Since then, I've been up to Yorkshire twice. The first trip had one decent day (3rd April), when I saw several Brimstones, Small Tortoiseshells and Whites passing through my sister's garden in Wilberfoss. Nothing stopped at all as at this time of year there are not many suitable nectar sources.

A couple of days back home, and on the morning of 8th, I had a quick walk around my local patch before trekking north again. I spotted a single Brimstone, and then at some distance away in one of the wooded bits, I glimpsed my first Speckled Wood of the year. I managed one lousy shot for the record.
The second trip north was to Holmfirth, and after a miserable Saturday, this morning (10th) was sunny, and just about warm enough to wake up the local Small Tortoiseshells. They were attracted by heather in particular, and again a long shot was all I could manage. Dave

Hi! Dave, at least your seeing some Whites and Speckies, looks like the East Coast is better than the West at present, not seen a single one yet of each. Goldie

Hi Dave, I see you have beaten me to a Specklie this year Still no sign of them in my garden yet although there have been a few sightings around Warwickshire.

Cheers,

Neil.

Well done, Dave. Specklies and Whites are natural precursors to Orange Tips, which I hope we'll all be seeing very soon.