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millerd wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 4:26 pm ...with much warmer weather returning at the weekend it wouldn't surprise me to see another one before the end of the year. Fingers crossed!
Dave

Well, those crossed fingers did the trick. After a series of very chilly days (and a couple of frosty nights), followed by two really warm (but sunless and windy) ones, things returned to a more sensible footing today (25th). The sun shone, the breeze was more gentle, and in sheltered spots it felt pleasantly warm.

Clearly the Red Admirals thought so too - I counted four individuals around my local patch, including these two. Dave

Had a feeling there might be a few about. It was mild in Swansea but 17mph winds prevented me from taking a look along the coast.

No picture but the dogs and I were buzzed by a Red Admiral whilst just across the road from my house at lunchtime. Very nearly the latest I have seen one, the latest being 29/11 in 2022.

Released a Hummingbird Hawk moth that had found its way into the car yesterday at Dungeness.

Another gloriously sunny day in my part of the world, but slightly cooler than yesterday. One of the Red Admirals seen then was flying languidly around the same sheltered spot today. Dave

Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to record 2 species. First was the more anticipated Red Admiral in the woodland garden in Osterley Park, fluttering in a glade, before settling on yew foliage to bask in the sunshine.

Much more of a surprise was when I visited the adjacent garden centre, when I noticed a butterfly weakly fluttering in front of the entrance. As it settled I could see it was a pale sandy Painted Lady, no doubt arriving on the southerly winds. Several were reported on the south coast so undoubtedly part of the same movement.

It's certainly been a very poor season for the species locally- I've probably seen only about 4 all year!