the first butterfly of 2026

A week or so ago we went for a short stroll on a little pathway about two miles from our home, near the River Tawe in Ynystawe.  There's a video of it below in case you missed it.

Anyway, the highlight of the whole walk happened literally a minute after getting out of the car when I spotted a tortoiseshell butterfly on some bright yellow celandine.  It was a big surprise as although the sun (yes, I know!!) was out it really wasn't that warm.

Still, an image or two was had.  Let me know which one you prefer - the sharp, accurate record shot or the slightly blurry but more story-telling picture.

both images: Fujifilm X-H2, Fujinon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 at 400mm
1/350th of a second at f8, ISO 125
handheld