A trip to Cabilla Wood, near Bodmin in Cornwall at the weekend to photograph Brimstone Butterflies couldn’t have turned out much better considering it’s still only February.
To see over 30 of these stunning butterflies on a walk along the River Fowey was certainly worth the drive.
All but 4 were males which looked particularly yellow in the strong sunlight.
One of the 4 paler females attracted a male and I spent twenty minutes with my head stuck inside a bramble thicket trying to photograph the pair – much to the bemusement of a passing walker.
As well as the Brimstones were 6 Peacocks, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Commas.
The drawn into the country on southerly winds was the icing on the cake.
Cabilla Wood is an ancient woodland managed by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and well worth a visit at any time of the year.
Hopefully early Speckled Wood and Holly Blue will be seen soon if the warm weather continues.