First Butterfly of 2008

[Charles Nicol]

i saw a Peacock fluttering round Huntingdon ring road this morning ( the butterfly was fluttering... not me )

charles

[jfish]

great spot

I am keeping my eyes peeled but being "oop north" it is probably a little cold at the moment

jfish

[Jack Harrison]

One butterfly only seen 9 Feb (Brimstone) and that in the garden. A 1.30 hr walk locally in good country (South Cambs) produced nothing else. Quite surprising.

The male Brimstone was searching the ivy for females in typical manner. Seems a bit early in the year for that activity but he was clearly living in hope.

When settled, he was "shivering" his wings - to raise body temperature presumably.

Warm bright sunshine, 13 degrees.

Jack

[Charles Nicol]

hi jfish & jackharr !!

what a lovely pic of the brimstone... a shame it is too late for the camouflage competition

i visited Cambridge today and saw a brimstone, a camberwell beauty, an orange tip, several red admirals and peacocks.

they were all featured in still lifes by Dutch artists of the 17th century at the Fitzwilliam museum

charles

[Jack Harrison]

When I look again at my Brimstone photo, I realise that my experiment with fill in flash was not a success. Overdone, making the effect far too harsh.

Flash has its place but must be done carefully. That photos is a good example of it being done badly.

So back to testing. It had worked OK when tested with flowers but I think the error with the Brimstone was that the flash made strong shadows on the nearby background plus the reflections off the ivy leaves. The test flowers were isolated from background.

Jack

[Charles Nicol]

i am not a photographic expert but i enjoyed your photo jackharr !!
i would not have noticed that a flash had been used if you had not mentioned it.

& the butterfly did not get red-eye

charles

[Jack Harrison]

More experiments Sunday on - I presume - the same Brimstone as the day before. I had just managed the no-flash shot when the cat took an interest so had to be chased away before she pounced. Off flew the Brimstone over the hedge not to be seen again.

This is what I managed, still harsh with"mirror reflections" from the ivy so maybe my analysis of yesterday's unsatisfactory photo was wrong.

My website (has butterflies amongst other subject matter) : http://www.snapperjack.co.uk

You will need to click on any image to see bigger version.

Jack Harrison

[Padfield]

I actually like the flash picture better, Jack - the colours seem truer. It's remarkable how different the tones of the same butterfly look under those two different conditions, especially the brown/red of the upper body.

I've just spent a very pleasant half hour browsing your photo collection, too, Jack! All those British species, photographed in Britain, make me feel really nostalgic, especially at this butterfly-poor time of year... I think you have two summer brood female small whites masquerading as large whites on your whites page , but I'm open for debate on that one!!

Has no one seen a small tortoiseshell yet this year?? It's remarkable to read of all these other species and not the standard January/February fare. Out here, I've been seeing small tortoiseshells every sunny day but almost nothing else at all. I counted 33 today.

Guy

[Gruditch]

Very much enjoyed a tour of your web site Jack. I've always been fascinated with boats so I loved those old pics. Your sky panoramas are gorgeous, I was starting to think I was the only person on the planet that loved to look at clouds.

Thanks for letting us have a look.

Gruditch

[Perseus]

Hello,

The first Peacock Butterfly of the year was seen in a sunny Lancing garden
in the morning.
Report by Ray Hamblett on the UK-Leps (Yahoo Group)

Around midday a vanessid butterfly rose from the lower slopes of Mill Hill
and fluttered further up the slope so I had to chase it to identify the good
condition Peacock Butterfly when it basked briefly in the weak sunshine with
its wings open.
These two are the first February records on these Nature Notes pages for the
Peacock Butterfly, making four species seen in the second month of the year.

Adur Butterfly Flight Times
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterflies1X2007.htm
First Adur Butterfly Dates 2003 to 2008
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/ButterfliesFFT.htm
Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2008.html

Cheers


Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2007.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: February 2008
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Feb2008.html
Adur Valley & Downs Gallery
http://www.flickr.com/groups/adur/pool/
View and upload your Sussex Wildlife Images to:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/sussexwildlife/

[Jack Harrison]

Guy commented about Small White/Large White confusion on some of my photos. I agree that the Large White females do look remarkably like Small Whites but they are not. They were photographed on Horsey Dunes Norfolk on 28 June 2007 when I made a special journey in the hope of seeing Dark Green Frits ( I didn't see any then but did later in the year). I was very surprised to see a Large White on that date but Large White it was (unless it was a truly enormous Small White, but in real life it looked like a Large White)

As for the difference in that colour of the Brimstones, that is purely a feature of colour balance (I had the camera on the wrong setting in error and then tried post processing with Photo Shop - unsuccessfully, I have to admit).

Jack

[Perseus]

Hello,

On the Sussex downs and town margins I record a
occasional, perhaps only one a day, Large Whites in the second half of June.


Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2008.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2007.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: February 2008
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Feb2008.html

Guy commented about Small White/Large White confusion on some of my photos. I agree that the Large White females do look remarkably like Small Whites but they are not. They were photographed on Horsey Dunes Norfolk on 28 June 2007 when I made a special journey in the hope of seeing Dark Green Frits ( I didn't see any then but did later in the year). I was very surprised to see a Large White on that date but Large White it was (unless it was a truly enormous Small White, but in real life it looked like a Large White)

As for the difference in that colour of the Brimstones, that is purely a feature of colour balance (I had the camera on the wrong setting in error and then tried post processing with Photo Shop - unsuccessfully, I have to admit).

Jack

[Padfield]

Guy commented about Small White/Large White confusion on some of my photos. I agree that the Large White females do look remarkably like Small Whites but they are not. They were photographed on Horsey Dunes Norfolk on 28 June 2007 when I made a special journey in the hope of seeing Dark Green Frits ( I didn't see any then but did later in the year). I was very surprised to see a Large White on that date but Large White it was (unless it was a truly enormous Small White, but in real life it looked like a Large White)
Jack

Hope you didn't mind my commenting, Jack! If that is just one individual it seems a little more probable. It's a very striking variation/aberration, though, and one that I've never seen before - even the wingshape is small white. But I trust your judgment from the day if she was out of the possible size-range of small white and you know she was a large white. My apologies!

Guy

[Charles Nicol]

i really enjoyed your website jackharr. especially the picture of the orange tip on ( i think ) borage.

charles

[Jack Harrison]

I must admit to having had doubts myself so am searching for the original file. I might still have it. I could I suppose have made an error - not in the i/d on the day I saw the butterfly - but maybe I have muddled files. I'll come back.

That Orange Tip is on (Green) Alkanet.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Found the originals and another image attached. I have to admit my error and it is most likely a Small White. GROVEL.

But it was ENORMOUS. Mind you, I saw a GV White a couple of years ago that was the size of a Large White so that should have taught me not to be so casual when I saw that big white at Horsey. I had presumed it was a newly arrived immigrant as whatever the species, it was a slightly odd time to see a Large White - that should have alerted me

I might add that I am VERY GOOD at identifying Large White caterpillars in the vegetable garden:-)

Jack

[Padfield]

No need for grovelling!!! I really enjoyed your site and was only trying to be helpful! I'm always grateful when people point out oversights on my own pages (which has happened quite frequently).

Guy

[Perseus]

Hello,

Does this mean that Large Whites are unusual in late June? So unusual that they are likely to be ID mistakes?

The ones on the south coasts could very well be immigrants?

I find a smattering (1 to 4 per day) of Large Whites are recorded throughout June with hardly any Small Whites in 2007. By mid-July the numbers increase on the Sussex coast.

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2007.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2007.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: February 2008
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Feb2008.html

[Martin]

Guy,
I don't suppose you'de mind having a look through my site for cock-ups would you

Martin.

[Perseus]

Hello,

The Brown Argus is correct. The colours of the Chalkhill Blue are unusual. Where was this one photgraphed?

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2008.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2007.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2008.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: February 2008
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Feb2008.html