Yesterday morning started really bright and with lighter winds I headed off walking to the patch feeling that there was a chance of seeing a few decent bits of wildlife. This followed a cold night when I had just a single moth in the trap, a lovely Oak Beauty.
Just after arriving on the top of the downland I heard my first calling Chiffchaff of the year. That always puts a spring into my step. After searching briefly for the Wall Brown caterpillars and finding just 4 I was suddenly looking at a lovely Small Tortoiseshell. This was the first of up to 4 of this species seen on the walk. I then checked the local dew pond and saw several Newts. Certainly Common Newt and almost certainly some Palmate were seen.
Heading down to the bush line another Small Tortoiseshell was seen. Once I was walking along the bushes a butterfly the size of the Small Tortoiseshell flew past but I immediately thought by the way it was flying it was almost certainly a Comma. Unfortunately it kept flying fast along the bush line, but it was also followed by another butterfly. Once again I didn't get a clear view but this one was almost certainly a Peacock. As I hadn't seen a Comma this year yet I walked back in the direction of the flying insect and soon saw it as it was perched quite high on some foliage. It certainly was a very nice Comma, and better still it flew onto an excellent perch of perfect height for photography. I am unlikely to find any more this year perching in such a good position. After photographing this butterfly I headed back to where I had been heading and saw a different Comma, followed shortly after by yet another one, this time being hassled by a probable Red Admiral.
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