Note: Despite my good intentions, I have realised over the last two or three years that I cannot keep up with posting details and photos of all my various butterfly-hunting excursions, especially during the summer months. I have therefore decided to just post highlights of my trips - hence the new page title - leaving out many of the less interesting destinations and the more common butterflies. 

17th: After a very cold first 12 days of the month, the daytime temperatures are now a little higher (7-9°C) and on my local walk today I came across my first butterfly of the year - a Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae). Here is the location (photo). The butterfly was struggling to get out of the long, dry grass but, before I could lift my camera, it freed itself and then flew off down the hill and out of sight. So - no photo at all!
19th: Weather cold again with snow and rain. No butterflies.
13th: A very warm day today so I went out for an afternoon walk on my local hill. 6 butterflies seen  - 1 Small Tortoiseshell in a nearby vineyard, 3 Large Tortoiseshells going up the gravel path (1 photo here) and 2 unknown butterflies which flew above my head just a couple of minutes from home. (Either Red Admirals or Large Tortoiseshells judging from their size and flight, but as the sun was behind them I couldn't see their colours)
25th: A few very warm days with temperatures going from 3°C up to 17°C. A couple of short walks brought sightings of 5 or 6 commas, several Large Toroiseshells, a few Brimstones, this Small (?) White, a Red Admiral, a Small Tortoiseshell, a Peacock and  a Speckled Wood - all of which were seen in or near the local vineyards.