I checked the patio yesterday hoping to see a Drone Fly on the Bergenia but instead I spotted a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) - my first butterfly sighting this year - basking in sunlight on the patio doors.
It then fluttered down onto the Bergenia and started nectaring.
Then more sunbathing on the kitchen window.
Without doubt the highlight of the day if not the week :)
Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
A sight to lift the spirits, for sure. It seems awfully early for butterflies, but perhaps in your part if the world it isn't. The first species we see here is generally Mourning Cloak, but that won't be for a while yet.
ReplyDeleteWell spotted. None sighted here as yet.
ReplyDeleteDavid M Gascoigne - Thank you and yes it definitely lifted the spirits. On mild winter days you can sometimes see one of the butterfly species that has hibernated as the sun can waken them. This is one of my earliest sightings though.
ReplyDeleteMidmarsh John - Thank you - I think I have only ever seen one earlier and that was a Red Admiral too one spotted in a January some years ago.
I think it was a Red Admiral we saw in early January - but guess it had been somewhere sheltered and come out because of sunshine. The early ones (like the first Swallows) always lift the spirits.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a spark of beauty and a promise of warmer days to come, I just hope it isn't a little too early, especially with the coming weather this weekend.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, Caroline and great shots of it too.
ReplyDeleteBovey Belle - Thank you and I thought too it had come out of hibernation due to the sun. We have a lot of ivy on wall and there is also the little greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin - Thank you. I just hope it returned to wherever it was hibernating! Weather looks awful tonight and tommorrow :(
Punk Birder - Thanks. I've always struggled with this camera zooming in on butterflies from a distance. But this time it worked - AFzoom macro setting and F5 so have made a note and hope it works next time too!
Attractive butterfly and very good photos.
ReplyDeleteIan - Thanks so much. I hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteIt seems early in the year to be seeing a butterfly. It is always a delight to see a butterfly.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thing to see, I hope it is safe now in all this wind and rain:)
ReplyDeleteCherryPie - Thank you - I assume the sunshine had woken it from hibernation but it was a surprise!
ReplyDeleteRosie - Thank you and I feel the same. There is lots of ivy on one wall of the patio, a butterfly house and also the leanto greenhouse had the vents open so hopefully it found somewhere safe!
Beautiful photo of a beautiful butterfly, can not wait to be out and about looking for them this year.
ReplyDeleteAmanda xx
Amanda Peters - Thanks so much. I was so lucky as if I hadn't decided to go to the window at that particular time I would probably have missed it!
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to see though the butterflies all seem to be out earlier than ever this year, not sure that's a good thing?! Hopefully yours found somewhere to hide out the storm!
ReplyDeletePam - Thank you - I agree early emergence is not necessarily a good thing! Just hope like you it found somewhere safe.
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