www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Right, folks....

....here's where things get moving...

Looking out the kitchen window this morning and a Red Admiral flew past!!

I wouldn't mind seeing something to cheer me up Bob, I'm in bed with the flu at the moment! At least it's given me time to catch up with your blog

With some warm temperatures forecast for next weekend I hope to see my first butterfly of 2015.

All the best

B'saurus

My local Red Admiral hot spot in Crawley is now reliably producing butterflies under the correct weather conditions. The time of the sighting and exact basking spot can also be predicted. Today I saw one individual at 13.45 as I was passing and it was still there when I returned with my camera at 14.00. It was on the same ivy hedge where the majority of the sightings have been this winter.
A belt of trees was mainly blocking the brisk westerly wind and the air temperature was 9C.
My photo database for this site shows that it is the same butterfly seen on this exact spot on 17th February, but I cannot track it to any earlier date.

Vince

Glad somebody is seeing Butterflies Vince, we're still getting the snow here, nice photo too Goldie

Goldie M wrote:Glad somebody is seeing Butterflies Vince, we're still getting the snow here, nice photo too Goldie

Won't be long, Goldie. According to the forecast most of us should see unseasonably mild conditions within the next week.

Make the most of them!

Peacock this afternoon 4th March, close the boating lake in Helston, Cornwall.

Our first butterfly seen flying in East Lothian this year was a Peacock seen yesterday near Longniddry.

After a Red Admiral in January and a Small Tortoiseshell in February , today whilst working up on Hayes Common , a male Brimstone .

My first Brimstone of the year, on the verge of the bridleway through the RSPB reserve on Otmoor, Oxon at about 1:30pm today:
Although it was quite warm in the sun, the air temperature was not high and I could see that the butterfly was 'shivering' to maintain body warmth. When I inadvertently cast my shadow across it, briefly, it immediately flew into shelter deep in the adjacent long grass.

Mike

Speckled Wood in our living room during the sun today, not sure if it emerged inside or outside.

William wrote:Speckled Wood in our living room during the sun today, not sure if it emerged inside or outside.

Amazing sighting, William! There isn't an entry for Speckled Wood on BC's first sightings page so that may be a first (would it qualify given it was spotted indoors)?

Saw three species myself today, though all were adult overwinterers.

A pleasant hour and a bit walking round the area by my workplace yielded Peacock, Brimstone AND Small Tortoiseshell.

The season is well and truly up and running!

Someone posted in a local forum that they thought they might have seen a speckled wood fly past them in Norwich yesterday. Too fast for a formal report though.

Three Brimstone boys on the hunt yesterday.

Ahh the winter slumber is over!
This morning the pleasant first sighting of spring - Mrs Brimstone seen dancing over the hedgerows in North Tonbridge.

Male brimstone spotted from car in Brampton. A lovely day, a lovely surprise

At least three different small torts in the Sankey vally today and a surprise femail black cap ( or should I say brown ) in my garden

Just returned from Hall-Lee-Brook where I saw a Small Tortoiseshell in flight, I'm disappointed I couldn't get a photo it was too quick and flew into loads of Blackberry bushes, no chance to get a shot in there, but at least their on the move.
We've had two really nice days hope it stays like this Goldie

Wait months for your first sighting then 6 in one day all on Walthamstow & Hackney Marshes! Male Brimstone, 4 Small Tortoiseshell (including a courting pair) and a possible Peacock flew over my head whilst my attention was elsewhere! Photo's later in my PD.

Given the reports on here as well as people's PDs, it seems to be raining Brimstones at the moment!