FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] early butterflies

[Charlie <cmmbirds@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Shane,

The butterfly you mention is probably the Mourning Cloak.  This is
one of a handful of butterflies in the area that overwinter as
adults, rather than as larvae.  As such, they are usually the first
ones we see flying in the spring.

The other 2 I know of (and there may be others) are the Comma and the
Question Mark.  These last 2 are a bit of an identification
challenge, and often people will just refer to them collectively as
"Angle wings."  To discern them, you must see a mark near the apex of
the dorsal side of the forewing.  Since they usually rest with wings
up, and since it is hard to see the dorsal surface of the wing when
they fly, I most often am lazy and don't try too hard.  

However a couple days ago I did see a Question Mark at Tremont
(Blount County) and at least 2 weeks ago I saw one at the Foothills
Parkway (also Blount County).  Mourning Cloaks have been reported in
this area, but I haven't seen one yet.

Charlie


--- Shane <tshane@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Birders: ( The First 3 Spring Birds For 2005 in Hamblen County )
> 
> This afternoon on March 21, 2005 While I was birdwatching in the
> our backyard in Hamblen County on the East side of Morristown. Here
> are the first 3 spring birds for 2005 They are: Yellow-Rumped
> Warbler, Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, and a Chipping Sparrow plus I
> also saw black butterfly with white stripes on the bottom of the
> wings flying around in the backyard and drinking water in the
> birdbath.
> 
> 
> Shane Adams
> Hamblen County
> Morristown, TN.
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*******************************************************************
Charlie Muise, Naturalist in
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

"To the dull mind all nature is leaden.  To the illuminated mind 
the whole world sparkles with light."  - Ralph Waldo Emerson


        
                
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       BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST
Bristol Birds Net Photo Gallery located at:
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jwcoffeyy/album?.dir=/efd5

This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications 
between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee.  
--------------------------------------------------
You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds.
To post to this mailing list, simply send an email
to: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send
an email to bristol-birds-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
the one word 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
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       Wallace Coffey, Moderator
         wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
           (423)764-****