Tuesday 13 April 2010

A First!



Today I really have had little time to stand and stare due to vets visits, but I did manage a quick walk with the camera at lunchtime, and I was certainly glad that I took it with me: I saw the first Comma butterfly that I have ever spotted in this area.  Over the past couple of days I have spotted a butterfly on two occasions, each time though it was flying too fast to identify, but this one had settled on a patch of Lesser Celandine.  They are a distinctive butterfly with jagged edges to their wings, making them look like ragged Small Tortoiseshell.  It was this distinctive shape that immediately caught my eye, rather than the colourings.  Their name derives from the comma like markings on the underside of the wing. They come out of hibernation at the end of March, so this beauty had survived our long hard winter.   It was certainly a sight that made my day, as I always get a real buzz out of seeing something new to the area, or a species completely new to me.  This one is also extra special as it is a species that nearly became extinct, but has now rallied and has become widespread, unlike many butterflies that are suffering from lack of habitat.

3 comments:

  1. Fantastic. I always call those occasions when I see something for the first time, or when you see something in nature that makes your heart race, a "David Attenborough Moment".

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  2. Hi Kerry,
    I have just been catching up on reading all your blog posts I have missed! Your writing and photography are both brilliant.
    Looking forward to seeing how the natural world unfolds on the Llyn Peninsula.
    All the best,
    Rob

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been fortunate seeing a few round here recently in the sun. Good to see them on the wing.

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About Me

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I live in North Wales and spend my time caring for animals, walking in the countryside, photographing nature and reading. I hope to share, in photographs and words, some of the beauty that I see. If you enjoy the photographs on this blog then you might like to take a look at my Flickr photostream. View my complete profile for links to both of my blogs.