First butterfly of 2018

I spent a couple of hours in some warm spring sunshine at Ring Haw NR today. Solitary and bumble bees were shooting around, and some of the flowering goat willows were positively humming with insect activity. Plenty of primroses and hairy violets (see extra) were flowering and several butterflies were on the wing including this comma who was sunning itself on a handy fence-post, and a brimstone that flew past at top speed. To top it all the first chiffchaff of the year was singing. Magic!