First Spring Butterfly Shots!

Today was the first day I've been out where it really felt warm enough in the sun to be classed as springlike - i.e you could stand in a T-Shirt without immediately getting hypothermia. Nature responded to it as well, brimstones were in flight everywhere I went, beautiful sherbert lemon flutterers flying strong and fast over the gardens.

Peacocks and small tortoiseshells mated in spirals, and outside of a Hawton village where the roadside lungwort and red valerian has just erupted, a pair of male chaffinch fought a fierce aerial battle.

No yellow wagtail were seen at Cotham Flash paddocks, however, and it looks as though some of that pleasant little birding site is going to be built upon.

The main objective of the day was Farndon village, where I wanted to see if Willow Holt was sporting its carpet of wild garlic yet. No joy, but the churchyard was a sea of forget-me-not, and as it was feeding off one of these flowers, I snapped my first butterfly of the year.

Of all the things, it was a female orange tip, a species I've never managed a decent shot of ever before. God bless my new camera.

This is about the earliest species to emerge fresh from a pupa in the spring, and so it is easy to compare a "fresh out of the packet" specimen like this one, with this peacock that has spent the whole winter as an adult imago and is thus looking rather worn.

Hopefully we have another lovely day in prospect tomorrow, but even if I don't, I have lots more photographs for you. The world remembered what colour was today.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 19.04.16