March 2018 Sightings

My 1st butterfly of 2018! A real treat.

50 and sunny.

[Yes, it has been a cold stormy March. Today's 3/18 reports establish a new late first date for March for our log. The previous record was 3/11/14. -jm]

Mid-afternoon. Temp 51 degrees. Probably an. E. Comma. Landed briefly but not long enough for definitive look.

[Super, Tom – our first butterfly report of this cold month! jc]

No azures today.
The edges of this rd and many others I've seen have been mowed down to stubble

Checked and enjoyed FOS activity along Ackley and Whitehead Road access points for about an hour.

Sunny, calm and 54 degrees at my 12:15 start time.

At work today.

Mostly sunny, winds 10-15, 45 degrees. Now that winter azures are no longer flying, it is time for spring azures. Good places to look for them are places where the snow is only moderately deep.
The azure ventral shot is the first time I have photographed a butterfly with snow in the frame.

48 degrees. Amazed at how good these butterflies looked after overwintering as adults. Sadly the Azure did not cooperate for a photo.

45° Sunny with some snow still on the ground.

Mid-morning start. Sunny, 56 degrees.

Late morning. Sunny, 61 degrees.

68 degrees with hazy warm sun. Flying along the road shoulder.

Early afternoon. Sunny, 66 degrees.

Cabbage White seen at 70 mph…not a Three-spotted.

Driving through area and noting this one flying near an intersection stop.

Noon, cloudy, 70 degrees, no wind

No pics today as bugs were on the move. American Snout tree-topped on me and never came back down. The Anglewings were runts.

[A snout this early suggests an over-wintering individual. jc]

Incidental sighting, probably an E. Comma.

AWS birding trip and our lunch stop at Marilyn's. Sandra spotted the butterfly but barely had a chance to id but was a lady!

Ticking another Cabbage White for Cape May County…

Again today, the same brilliant blue (male I think) Spring Azure flew up from a sheltered, sunny and soggy garden wet area at the end of a drain spout.