www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

What worried me is those two spells of springlike weather - a friend says he saw two orangetips in early February just before the Beast from the East hit us!

Seems a bit soon for Orange Tips Janet but I could be wrong, I've only seen them in April and May a round here, so they should be okay for then, they like the Garlic Flowers and they don't usually arrive until April/May, Roll On!

Janet Turnbull wrote:What worried me is those two spells of springlike weather - a friend says he saw two orangetips in early February just before the Beast from the East hit us!

The first Orange Tip in the UK in 2018 is yet to be reported:

https://butterfly-conservation.org/52/f ... -2018.html

An early February sighting would be extraordinary even in the warmest years, Janet.

My first butterflies of 2018! I was delighted that the first one was a Brimstone - it's supposed to herald a good year, so we'll see.

After the mist lifted this morning, the day got out sunny. Gren and I took ourselves to Rixton Clay Pits to look for the Nuthatches I'd previously seen building a nest and although they had made themselves scarce a Robin posed happily for us. However we immediately spotted two Brimstones so we gave chase along unfamiliar footpaths and because I'd left my trusty GPS phone at home, got lost. Eventually we found ourselves at the extreme edge of the reserve by an apparently disused rangers' shed - all closed up but with a map pinned to the outside. It showed a PFA site - pulverised fuel ash - on the far side which has also become a nature reserve. We eventually found it and it will be worth keeping an eye on.

After all the recent rain the paths were exceptionally muddy but the butterflies didn't seem to mind. Altogether we saw 7 Brimstones, a Comma, and six Peacocks. The Brimstones were very lively and I didn't get a photo of any of them - the one chance I had when one actually landed on a primrose in front of me was scuppered by the camera battery giving up at that moment! I had a spare but it was too late.

Great stuff Janet, some lovely fresh Peacocks I too have experienced the pain of the 'flat battery' at least you had the fore-sight to carry a spare unlike me Still lesson learnt if only the butterflies were a little bit more understanding and hung around while we sorted ourselves out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

At least you’re seeing butterflies, Janet. Nothing down south except cold and rain! Those pesky Brimstones are hard to photograph in spring, but keep trying, one day you’ll get lucky.

Good start, Janet! As EB says, it was cold grey and wet down here in the South today.

The first Peacock you posted is notable as it has extra hindwing spots - not a particularly common variety.

Dave

Well done Janet! Lovely stuff.

millerd wrote:The first Peacock you posted is notable as it has extra hindwing spots - not a particularly common variety.

I hadn't noticed that, Dave - I should have taken photos of each one instead of saying 'Oh, another Peacock!'

Thank you Wurzel! Flat batteries aside, at least I know a good place to go back to.

essexbuzzard - Your rain has reached us today but I'll get back to Rixton as soon as it brightens up and hopefully the Brimstones will still be there!

Nice Peacocks Janet, at least you've made a start I see There's a day set a side at Gait Barrows in August for the Brown Hair Streak, i'm going to try for that, didn't know if you knew about it.Goldie

Good for you, Janet! Nice to see you've made a start (and in my old stomping ground of Sale, Cheshire too!)

A return visit to Rixton Clay Pits and finally caught the Brimstone when it came to nectar on the primroses. Just the one today though. A flash of orange which settled on a dead leaf turned out to be a Comma. Apart from those, it wasn't a very fruitful day so I went back home to Banky Meadow and immediately startled a Peacock which flew up and was joined by another, and the pair spiralled up together before one zoomed back down to the ground. Another Peacock arrived and all three went up, whilst yet another stayed grounded until one of the three came back down and upset it.
I noticed two Peacocks each harassing Small Torts, which eventually managed to escape and settled down long enough for me to take a photo. A pair fluttered away together but I could not be sure if was the same ones. A pair of Buzzards circled gracefully overhead

Love the Brimstone on the Primrose Janet, they match colour for colour Goldie

Great set of shots Janet especially and agreeing with Goldie lovely Brimstone shot

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Good to see you're off the mark Janet, lets hope winters grip has ended for another season

Looks like the north has caught up! Nice Brimstone image, Janet. They do seem to like primroses, yet strangely I've never seen a female nectaring from them.

Goldie, Wurzel, Bugboy and David M - Thank you! Yes, finally the North is catching up!

A sunny day was promised today so G and I went to Moore NR, near Warrington. We saw at least 19 species of bird and heard several more, but the promised sun didn't appear until after noon. Then the Brimstone made its first appearance, followed by a Peacock. As the afternoon grew warmer, we saw a total of at least 11 Peacocks and several Brimstones but lost count of them. At the end of the day as we were on the way back to the car having walked 6 and a half miles and visited all 12 of the bird hides, a single Orange-tip fluttered by and disappeared over the railway bank.
I didn't get any even half-decent photos today except for one Peacock who really wanted to have his picture taken, and a pair of Great Crested Grebes who were really too far out for my zoom.

Great shot of the Grebes Janet I have yet to see an OT but if they're round your way hopefully it won't be too long now...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Janet. nice shot of the Grebe's, I'm off to to Brockholes tomorrow hope fully to see Orange Tips, I'll let you know if I see any.Goldie

Good luck with the Orange-tip hunt, Goldie!

Alan and I spent the hottest April day since 1949 at Fernilee Reservoir in the Peak District. We did not see a single butterfly - but interestingly, there were no flowers, not even dandelions.

My friend who stayed local saw Peackocks, OTs, Commas, Brimstones, Holly Blue and Speckled Wood. Gah!

I did, however, get my best shot to date of a treecreeper: