First Butterfly of 2008

[Padfield]

This poor old post has gone a bit off piste - and it's my fault, again.

I did my damnedest but I couldn't find anything to mock you for, Martin!! Instead, I thoroughly enjoyed browsing your pictures and will return again.

I'm not sure if I would be confident about that C. boeticus - though it looks quite good for that (I think we discussed that before). But maybe that's just because I haven't seen boeticus yet! Nor do I believe in your goshawk - it looks like an eagle sp!! But I expect you'll tell me it was taken at a goshawk farm (if not, then how on earth did you get so close to a raptor?). Say less and keep your cred, Padfield...

Don't forget to stop goggling your computers and turn the telly on at 7.30 folks, BBC2. I'm offline now so I can get an hour in with a student before it starts. No passing!!

Guy

[Denise]

Hi Martin,

I really enjoyed your photos, birds and butterflies, but I have to agree with Guy and say that your Goshawk does look rather like an eagle species. However saying that, it is a great picture. What lens did you use?

Denise

[Martin]

Guy,
It's down as boeticus because you and Matt (Rowlings) both said it was!

Re. the Goshawk...that's what the owner told me, who am I to disagree? It was much sleeker than that normally...I caught it while it was shaking it's feathers and preening.

Denise,
It was a Canon 100-400L IS

Martin.

[FlyByWire]

My first butterfly of 2008 was a (90% sure - it didn't stop moving) Peacock up by the Bridgewater Monument above Aldbury on 20th January. I remember that day as being 8/8 low cloud, but rather mild. It also started raining near the end of the walk.

Today I spotted an early Comma, nectaring on similarly early Blackthorn on Horsenden Hill at lunchtime. Picture at:

http://piccies.flybywire.org.uk/Butterf ... yComma.jpg

My first ever February butterfly that. And exactly 1 month earlier than last year's Comma, my previous earliest Comma sighting (11/03/2007). Now only December has failed to yield any wild butterflies for me...

[Perseus]

Hello,

The butterflies seen in February in Shoreham and the surrounding area are:

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterflies1X2007.htm

Peacock (2008), Brimstone, Painted Lady and Red Admiral.

An extra day this year to increase the total.

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/

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Martin/all,
Some lovely stuff in your gallery, especially that nigrina. I've had several, ahem, semis before (i.e. obliterae), but never the full monty. I'm 99% sure the problematic bird is an immature Goldie. We're off to a flying start here in sunny Sussex - already had 9 Brimmies and 2 Hummingbird Hawks reported to our (BC) website.
Neil

[Perseus]

Sussex Butterflies

http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.html