With an unusually warm and sunny winter there should be some butterflies
flying on those sunny days. I'd be interested if anyone is seeing any
butterflies while they're out birding, especially in the winter or unusually
early in the spring.

The last one I saw was a fresh Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta on 11-17-04 in
West Seattle's Alki Point - a species that apparently occasionally
overwinters here as adults. 2 Red Admirals (aka Admirables) were seen in
SW Oregon on Jan. 18 when it was sunny and 66 degrees. The same couple saw
a Spring Azure - Celastrina echo/argiolus/ladon on Jan 20 at the same locale
(Brookings, OR, near the Chetco R. 3 mi from the coast, near the CA border)
This is much more noteworthy, as the Azure overwinters as a chrysalis and
emerged much earlier than usual. Other Nymphalids (Satyr Anglewing -
Polygonia satyrus (6) Oreas Anglewing Polygonia oreas silenus (1) and
Nymphalis californica (2 )CA Tortoiseshell ) were sighted near Corvallis, OR
on Jan 21. These butterflies all winter as adults and might normally fly on
a warmer, sunny winter day. There may have been a couple of other reports
also. I believe the Spring Azure is the only one that emerged from the
chrysalis early.

More evidence of global warming.

Any Tweeters folks seeing butterflies lately? If there is no mention of
butterflies in the subject line I may not see it, as I only read a few or
the posts of greatest interest to me these days.

Stewart Wechsler
Ecological Consulting
West Seattle
206 932-7225
ecostewart at quidnunc.net

-Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants
and how to enhance habitat for the maximum diversity
of plants and animals
-Educational programs, nature walks and field trips
-Botanical Surveys

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