www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Off topic but might well be of interest.

Over the next few evenings, there are some excellent opportunities to see the International Space Station just after sunset, ie when it is still in sunlight but we on earth are in darkness. It can be very bright indeed and unlikely to be mistaken for anything else.

Details from this excellent website:

http://www.heavens-above.com/

Do be sure to edit your position for the most accurate predictions for ISS and other visible satellites

Jack

i did see a butterfly today, my money would be on a peacock if i had to say which but not 100%. But i can also echo the plaudits for the heavens above website. I found it over 10 years ago after seeing my first irridium flare. I was outside work looking at jupiter when this object suddenly got bright and then faded not once but twice. i was seriously questioning my sanity and the prospect of UFO's. I had to wait until the following day when i could get on the internet at work to try and find out what it was. it was only then i found out you could even see satellites and both MIR and ISS. and if you really want to stretch the imagination check out the statistics for voyager 1. over 17 billion kms away from earth and still working. and still not even outside our solar system yet.

Chris

C'mon Jack, its not the done thing to post Nov. sightings on Oct 31st. Oops,,, sorry,,, i forgot you have 35 years of jet lag accumulation.

...just spotted a Red Admiral on my way back to work through the Cemetery. Interestingly, many plants flowering again - alcanet, speedwell, ragwort, yellow composites - hawksbit, etc, daisies, various cranesbills, yarrow, clary and even the brambles - following this warm spell....
N

At Burnham Beeches today no butterflies but 20+ Mandarin Ducks on the 1st pond. Cheers Sezar

Found this Red Admiral weakly flying around - looks like the pupal case has got stuck to the poor thing's back and in flying, it has damaged the fore wings -

Haven't seen any butterflies for a while now, however I did see a Jay jumping from a fence to a tree over and over for a few times. Tried getting a photo, but didn't realise I had the timer on! So no photo...oh well, haven't seen a jay in a long time though. Also saw a common frog a few days ago, first I have seen in ages too. Did see a dead small tortoiseshell laying in the window of the local tourist information centre and a ead moth (possibly a copper underwing) in a light fitting outside a building in town, not great but best I have seen in a while.

Over the next few evenings, there are some excellent opportunities to see the International Space Station just after sunset, ie when it is still in sunlight but we on earth are in darkness. It can be very bright indeed and unlikely to be mistaken for anything else.

So that what I saw, thought I noticed something in the sky but wasn't sure exactly what it was.

Space Station moves steadily from roughly west to east and is quite unmistakeable. You might have seen an Iridium flash. Details all on Heavens-above.

Jack

Thanks for the reminder about viewing the International Space Station. We've been following it for several years via the Heavens Above website. Such a feat of mathematics/programming to produce such accurate predictions. Had a lovely view (well, just a bright dot actually) about half an hour ago. I remember looking for it a few years ago and was surprised to see two dots moving across the sky, very close together. A bit of research confirmed the other dot was the Space Shuttle, which had separated from the ISS a few hours earlier.

Cheers

Chris

In Wells Woods, Norfolk, today, there was a Comma fluttering not all that strongly, hard by Abraham’s Bosom- the boating lake by the eastern entrance to the woods.

It was in surprisingly good condition, for such a late date.

No other species seen.

I did note a Red Admiral last weekend, though.

Geting cooler about 7°C today .haven't seen a butterfly for a week now and missing summer already and also planning the next spring trip which will be a trip to Powerstock common to find the Dingy skippers

Happy hunting

Felix

I'm counting the days down myself. I figure that the 2nd weekend in April marks the 'Maginot Line', which means we've got 'just' 5 months to wait.

Reading through the various threads, it seems as though many members of this forum suffer from a syndrome (" ...only one...?", I hear the cry!).....at this particular time of year. We have all heard of Sunshine Affective Disorder (SAD); I think psychiatrists should look for a sub-disorder known as Butterfly Affective Disorder, or BAD, amongst our membership.
Like SAD (which many may say also describes those like myself who run around chasing butterflies ), BAD can exhibit itself in a number of ways.....
A very bad case of BAD is when an individual starts to count the days to the next butterfly season as soon as the last season ends........ now that's extreme BAD and sufferers should consult a qualified clinician (I know I did )

Any fellow sufferers got any more BAD examples.....?

NickB wrote:Reading through the various threads, it seems as though many members of this forum suffer from a syndrome (" ...only one...?", I hear the cry!).....at this particular time of year. We have all heard of Sunshine Affective Disorder (SAD); I think psychiatrists should look for a sub-disorder known as Butterfly Affective Disorder, or BAD, amongst our membership.
Like SAD (which many may say also describes those like myself who run around chasing butterflies ), BAD can exhibit itself in a number of ways.....
A very bad case of BAD is when an individual starts to count the days to the next butterfly season as soon as the last season ends........ now that's extreme BAD and sufferers should consult a qualified clinician (I know I did )

Any fellow sufferers got any more BAD examples.....?

I think my 'BAD' is a natural by-product of my 'SAD', in the sense that the two are mutually interlinked. I actually start feeling saddened at the end of July when the evenings are starting to go noticeably darker. By late August my mood is one of trepidation for what's to come and by late September I'm positively morose.

Oddly enough, I start to snap out of it after Christmas and by early February the anticipation sets in (even though it pre-dates the butterfly weather by two months).

This year my first sightings were on 10th April, and the last on 10th October (curiously both were at Denbies). Exactly six months of plenty and six of famine.
Yes, I'm counting down to spring, optimistically counting March as spring rather than winter, and rounding up November to give only three months to wait. Only six weeks until the days start getting longer again, too! I suppose that's more SAD than BAD...

Dave

And remember that the darkest evening in Southern England is approx 13th December (shortest day 21st). I always feel things are on the up after 13th. Less than five weeks away now.

Jack

The 21st Dec followed by the festive period is my line in the sand. The days start to get longer, then it's Christmas and New Year and by then it may only be 3 months to wait

Cheers

Lee

Sorry - wrong thread in error. Now under plans for next year.

Jack

Was cheered up today by my first butterfly sighting since 11 October. I was driving back home from Swansea and was just passing through the traffic lights at junction 45 of the M4 when I spotted a Small Tortoiseshell fluttering across the road. I glanced at my car's temperature gauge - it read 7.5C!!

Jack Harrison wrote:And remember that the darkest evening in Southern England is approx 13th December (shortest day 21st). I always feel things are on the up after 13th. Less than five weeks away now.

Jack

Yes, I've noticed that too. I think it's 10th or 11th December in south Wales. Conversely, the darkest morning doesn't arrive until about 7th January.

Is it something to do with the Earth's orbit being elliptical?