essex buzzard

[essexbuzzard]

Welcome to November. The days are now very short, and the low, slanting sunshine very weak, for we are only a few weeks from the shortest day. However, like most of the country, we have been shrouded in low cloud, Nick-named ‘ anticyclonic gloom ‘ for some time now, and we have only had around 2 hours sunshine in the last two weeks! After such a long time, it will be interesting to see if anything appears when hopefully the sunshine returns this week.

That glorious day in Herstmonceaux seems such a long time ago...

[trevor]

Hi Mark,
The gloom is supposed to lift today, in case it does and we see the sun
I have another banana already prepared ! On the last sunny day here I
had a Red Admiral and a probable Speckled Wood flying around the garden.

[essexbuzzard]

With the return of sunshine today, I thought there was an outside chance of a butterfly. A Red Admiral perhaps. But the only butterfly I saw was one I wasn’t expecting...

Staggering! This is where I found it.

This is by far the latest I have seen a Speckled Wood. The autumn colours were rather nice in the sunshine, too.

[Wurzel]

Crickey Essex I've seen a couple of November Specklies over the years but never in such good nick as that

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Seen mid-November Specklies too, Mark (though not this year).

It's a bit of a surprise, but they can appear almost anytime and are sometimes very presentable, as yours is.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Guys.

The slight sadness is that this lonely creature will probably have a life of chasing falling leaves, rather than chasing mates and rivals.

[essexbuzzard]

Welcome to the meteorological spring! Having survived the winter, we can now all look forward to exciting things, as everything comes back to life. Flowers, blossom, migratory birds and, of course, butterflies. It’s one thing after another. As well as longer, warmer days!

Having spent the winter saving energy,the local buzzards have come back to life. They are now soaring, mewing and engaging in spectacular courtship and territorial displays, much to the delight of the observer. The buzzards are very active whenever the weather allows.

The myrobalan plum is starting to bloom. After a cold January and February, with temperatures below average, it is a couple weeks later than last year, when it was in full bloom by mid February.

[essexbuzzard]

And we are off! Perhaps surprisingly, my first butterflies of the year were Red Admirals. I say surprisingly, because there really weren’t that many around last autumn. This winter has been colder and less wet than recent years, perhaps this has helped them survive. Red Admirals, as we all know, don’t really go into hibernation, so those that stay here probably wake up earlier than the true hibernators. On Sunday, when the picture below was taken, temperatures stayed in single figures despite 10 hours bright sunshine. A thorough search in all my local spots for early butterflies, between 12 and 2pm, failed to turn up any other species, it simply wasn’t warm enough to wake anything up.

[Padfield]

In all my Suffolk youth (1960s-1980s), I never saw a hibernated red admiral - my earliest sightings were in May. Now it seems they are regular in southern England. I think it's because, as you say, they're not really hibernators, so full, old-fashioned winters were too long for them to survive. But in recent years they have been able to fly later in the year and conditions are milder earlier in the year. On top of this, counterintuitively, perhaps, cold spells keep them alive longer, so a cold, dry beginning to the year undoubtedly favoured them. Let's hope enough emerged from torpor to have met each other, fallen in love and made babies.

Guy

[essexbutterflyer]

And we are off! Perhaps surprisingly, my first butterflies of the year were Red Admirals. I say surprisingly, because there really weren’t that many around last autumn. This winter has been colder and less wet than recent years, perhaps this has helped them survive. Red Admirals, as we all know, don’t really go into hibernation, so those that stay here probably wake up earlier than the true hibernators.

A fair few Painted Lady sightings as well, perhaps they too have benefited by the winter we have had.

Edit: wording

[David Lazarus]

23 recorded sightings of Painted Lady in 2025 so far, from north Wales to West Sussex. 13 of those sightings have been in the past week.

[Wurzel]

Great that you've gotten off the mark Essex I only got my first Red Admiral the other day - which was the third species I've seen - hopefully the spring will be a good old fashioned one and very conducive to all species

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks for all your comments, everyone. Always appreciate it.

Commas have now emerged in my local woods. Several seen. Also a Small Tort at work Wednesday and again yesterday. Still no Brimstones or Peacocks. Unfortunately, I’m working this weekend. I’ll try again on Monday, if the weather holds.

[Wurzel]

Glad that you got your Comma Essex Looks like the weather is still set to fair on Monday so fingers crossed you can get back again

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That Small Tortoiseshell was a welcome addition, Mark. Best of luck on Monday. I believe Tuesday is the day when things turn much colder.

[essexbuzzard]

Well, yesterday the sun actually came out on my day off, at last! Numbers of hibernators remain very low in these parts, with only the Comma bucking the trend. So I opted for a walk along the river Roding, near Ongar where I used to live. Nettle beds line the river here and, having seen just one Peacock and one Comma on the farmland and woodland on the way, I was relieved and delighted to find 7 Small Torts spread out along a stretch of riverbank. I’ve now seen more Small Tortoiseshell this year than Peacocks!

The blackthorn has started to bloom here this week. If it’s in a sunny position, it’s worth looking up, as you never know what might be feeding on it…

[David Lazarus]

Excellent news, Mark - good to see the nettle patches along the River Roding are hosting a fair number of Small Tortoiseshell. I do like a habitat shot, thanks.

[Wurzel]

Great to see those Small Torts Essex I was getting a bit worried but I've seen them at several sites now so at least they're still hanging on in there

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...I was relieved and delighted to find 7 Small Torts spread out along a stretch of riverbank. I’ve now seen more Small Tortoiseshell this year than Peacocks!..

Comforting to hear that, Mark. They're still in very short supply round my way.

[essexbuzzard]

Well, I’m delighted to say my earlier concerns about the lack of peacocks were unjustified, for have emerged in excellent numbers during the last few, sunny weeks. They have found the wild cherry blossoms much to their liking.

The abundant blackthorn blossoms have gone down well, too, with the Peacocks…

And Green - veined Whites.

Speckled Woods have also emerged in good numbers.

The local rape field is now host to an abundance of cabbage whites, Large and Small. A field which held thousands of caterpillars in November.

The odd Brimstone is present, too. Here is a female.