Butterfly sightings for April 2011

Seen: Compton's Tortoise Shell, Mourning Cloak, and an undetermined Comma. All were flighty and didn't want to be approached. Seen in small woodland opening about noon; warm, sunny, temp about 50. Still snow in the woods.

64-degrees today. With snow still on the ground and ice on the ponds along the Lower Chippewa River, I didn't expect to see any butterflies - but there they were.

First butterflies of the year for me.

Also another 3-4 flyby Commas that went unidentified. Probably a good number of butterflies flying in suitable locations today.

Birthday Butterfly!

Finally a warm and sunny day for us "colder by the Lake" people. While out bird-watching, I was thrilled to see my first butterflies of the year. Later while I was spring cleaning in my garden, an orange-colored butterfly flew by, but it took off before I had a good look at it. Maybe a Comma?

This butterfly was hanging out near an old birch tree that was dripping sap. Maybe it came in on the strong south wind that's been blowing all day.

My first sighting of the year.
76º and Sunny.

My first Wisconsin butterfly of the year. I had my first deer tick of the season yesterday in Jackson County.

American Lady was feeding on some tiny blue flowers common in the "yard".

Comma City lived up to its name once again. Awesome numbers of Satyr and Green Commas on a 2-3 mile hike. Also my first Variegated Meadowhawk dragonfly of the season.

Cabbage White was in our yard in Sauk City. The Mourning Cloaks were attracted to tree sap. The Eastern Commas were a pair chasing around.

on residential lawns, singleton

Mourning Cloak and Red Admiral feeding off the sweet sap flowing on Maple Tree from holes drilled by sapsucker.

Most inland lakes frozen, patchy snow cover, soft and muddy roads. But nearly 70 degrees, with Green Commas dominating this short morning walk. Also my first Green Darners and quite a few Infant Moths.

Was outside doing some stuff, and saw one fluttering around. Went in to get the camera and the stinker took off!

one male

First butterflies of the season!

All tiger beetles, the meadowhawk, and the Mourning Cloak seen on the Northeast side of the bluff and out of the wind. Sunny! Also saw my first prairie smoke and pasque flowers of the year.

The snow was melting under hazy skies, and the butterflies were flying.

Brief walk with family in morning.

A comma slam, including new location for Satyr Commas! At one point had 3 comma species in one binocular view. One photo below shows two Greens and an Eastern. Another shows a Green with a Gray. Also had my first tiger beetles of year, both Cow Path and Festive.

I stopped to photograph a comma and I got an unexpected treat: a hognosed snake doing its cobra display!

One comma flew by but didnt slow down. A white was seen in a field, but in the distance. Once high clouds rolled in, no more butterflies seen.

FOY butterflies. Also saw 2 unidentified flying Commas.

Saw two butterflies today, doubling my total for the year.

My first butterfly of the year. When was the last time I was this happy to see a cabbage white?

This guy tried to hide on me. Or perhaps he was just tucking himself in for the night.

Finally, butterflies and sunshine. I was almost finished here and thought that it would be next month before seeing anything, but then these 3 appeared almost at the same time.

For about five minutes, I saw 5 or more olympia marbles nectaring off the small white flower. I'm bummed about the photo quality due to user error of camera.