Butter wouldn't melt

... because it's November. It's been quite mild but very rainy and windy. It was especially r & w on Sunday, when we went to Rainham Marshes for me to sign copies of this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/RSPB-Where-Discover-Nature-Northern/dp/140810864X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259186629&sr=8-1

We did see a few birds (and Rob saw a mustelid, probably a stoat, the lucky sod) but the photos are still in the camera. So for now, here are some butterflies to take our minds off the fact that it's winter (nearly).

Here's a White Admiral, photographed on our holiday in Sauternes in June. One of my favourites, they have a gorgeous nonchalant grace in flight and are entertainingly territorial.

Equally protective of its space - a Comma, waiting for another butterfly to go past so it can start a fight. Its ragged wing edges match the fiercely toothed margins of its nettle-leaf perch. This one was taken on the banks of the Medway near East Peckham (a lovely walk, great for Nightingales).

It's bedtime for this male Common Blue. In the right place and at the right time of year you could see dozens of them perched face-down on grass heads like this - they bask with wings open in the last of the sunshine then shut up shop when the sun goes down. This one was on his own at Ditchling Beacon in the South Downs - it was late in the year though.

 

We did leave the butterfly-watching rather late this year. This Brimstone was photographed at Pulborough Brooks on the same day that we saw (but alas didn't photograph) a Brown Hairstreak, which don't fly until mid-August. He's fueling up for a long hard winter of sleeping in a clump of ivy.