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Tuesday 16 April 2013

Butterfly Surprise

Last year I didn't see a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly all through the season. Reports showed that they had declined somewhat during the year because of the appalling weather.

So it was a surprise to see that my first sighting of a butterfly this year was one of that species.
Clearly it is a well worn over winter specimen, but is intact and I was only able to take a few shots and then it was on its way. They are not a colonising species and fly across the countryside and can be found anywhere.

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)

Lumix GH3. 100-300mm lens. 1/640 at f5.3 - 246mm(492) ISO200

23 comments:

  1. I was pleased to see a few on Sunday but with the strong wind they weren't in view long enough to identify.

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    1. The Peacock is on the move quite a lot John and it just looks very dark when flying. I have seen one from a distance.

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  2. Great to see some butterfly shots again Roy, hopefully 2013 will be much better than 2012 was for flutterbies :-)

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    1. Certainly is David, hopefully it will be a good year as they need to be able to recover as much as possible.

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  3. Well spotted Roy. I've only seen one butterfly so far this year and that was also a Small Tortoiseshell basking in the sun on a bramble bush at Lynford Arboretum in Norfolk on 28th. February!! Lets hope the butterflies (and photographers1) have a better year this year. Early reports look good with quite a few reports of butterflies on the wing coming in now...[;o)

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  4. Very nice Roy, I like these butterflies very much. They are quite common over here but they have such nice colours that I don't mind to see them everyday!

    Regards,
    Marianne

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  5. A lovely sight Roy. It was the first butterfly I saw last year and that was in March, like yours an overwintered one. I haven't seen one yet this year but my husband did at lunchtime yesterday along with a Brimstone and a white one which he didn't see clearly enough to identify. I do so hope this will be a better year for them, they certainly need it to be.

    Well done with the lovely Willow Warbler on the previous post great sighting and captures.

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  6. Hey Roy...Well your first butterfly photo of the year,and one you didn't see last year...your of a good start!!
    Hopefully this will be a good year for the Small Tortoiseshell !
    Grace

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  7. Very nice, can't wait to start seeing the butterflies around here. I like the new header photo too.

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  8. I hope you get to see a whole lot more this season Roy. I had a peacock in the garden today, but it didn't stay around long enough for even one snap!

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  9. Thanks Jen, I did see a Peacock from a distance today.

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  10. I saw two brimstones and then a larger darker something or other, but it was so quick and I didn't identify it. Was pleased to see bumble bees too! I will try to get some early flowering something with nectar this weekend to try to attract them into the garden. I have a winter honeysuckle still flowering which is popular.

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    1. Tithe dark one was probably a Peacock butterfly Helena.

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  11. Beautiful butterfly and wonderfully captured with exquisite detail!

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  12. Good to know that it survived the snow and cold winter temps. Haven't seen any butterflies yet here.

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  13. You should soon start to see them now D.

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  14. Lovely butterfly that time is coming again. You know the Little Fox really nice to give back :-)

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    1. Thanks Helma , yes we should soon start to see many species.

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