Overall Favourite Photo 2023
Well there were more than several choices for this category and in the end I couldn’t whittle it down to a single one so I’ll break my own rules and plump for two…
The first is from Compton Down (one of my new favourite sites) from the end of May. I just loved the pose that the Glannie was taking, almost sitting side saddle on the rock and so clearly showing off the wonderful under wing patterns as well as the delicate fringe of hair along the dorsum. Best of all there wasn’t a blade of grass or errant pebble getting in the way of the shot.
The second came from my family holiday to Corfu back in April 2023. I chose it for several reasons. The first is that it shows the underwing really nicely, held up high away from the body and with the light reflecting off, rather than through it. Secondly it laying eggs so provides behavioural interest and finally it’s off a cracking species; one which I could have seen a lot more of but still have wanted more.
Wood White
So having attempted to sleep in the car and then subsequently filled my boots with Blackstreaks it was somewhat understandable that I was a little tired on the journey home. Luckily my Satnav had taken me on a quiet route home and one which enabled me to call in at Botany Bay, Chiddingfold for a bit of a break. After picking up a possible Purple Hairstreak as well as seeing my first Black Admiral I found myself crossing the river Lox and wandering up the rise with a Wood White in sight. However this individual played hardball only eventually landing having led me a merry dance up and down the path several times and then harassed a docile female for all he was worth. This meant that I don’t feel that he deserves my selection for the ‘Favourite’ but luckily later on in the visit I found a female egg laying in the little triangular field just off the main ride. She caught the light beautifully revealing the dusting of grey/black scales and the veins running across the wings. I knew straight away even back then that she would make it onto the shortlist and as the day progressed, despite several more nice captures, I drove home, matchsticks in eyelids, knowing that I had the Favourite for one species already sorted.
White-letter Hairstreak
I had two successful trips for Whitters this year and Alners Gorse is proving to be a very reliable site for this species with the massive added bonus of early Brostreaks, a good chance of seeing a Valesina and low down Purple Hairstreaks. I chose this shot simply because it’s the closest that I’ve gotten to a fresh individual for, well, ever actually. Maybe this year I’ll be able to repeat my success?
White Admiral
I chose this one as it was the first for the year but also because it came from a very memorable trip. I’d previously only seen Black Hairstreaks once before and to be honest they’d given everyone the run around on that day. So when my older daughter asked if I could drop her off at Heathrow right in the middle of their flight period I of course agreed and so I found myself at silly o’clock parked up ready to go into Epsom Common. After spending a cracking morning with Blackstreaks, Dave and various other butterflies and butterfly enthusiasts a White Admiral plopped down as Dave and I were making our way out of the Blackstreak area. It looked absolutely stunning and even though I couldn’t get that close this was easily my favourite shot of this species from 2023.
Wall
This is actually a bit of a cheat but only very slightly. I did see and photograph plenty of Walls during the 2023 season but my choice from my Faves didn’t come from the UK but instead from Corfu. I chose it because it reminds me of the start of the holiday when things turned from dire to great. It had been grey and raining for the first proper day and I’d even reverted to Birding in my desperation to channel my inner Durrell. The second day started pretty much like the first but once back from the shopping trip things drastically improved and I was away up the mountain with my camera. Things really kicked off and within the space of 10 minutes or so I’d found three lifers – Eastern Orange-tip, Cleopatra and Southern Small White but in amongst them was this stunning Wall. She was absolutely huge and getting shots of her proved quite easy as she struggled to lift her mass against gravity! Whenever I see this shot I’m instantly transported back to that sun drenched terrace clinging to the side of the mountain with all of its butterfly goodies.
Speckled Wood
This was taken on the same day as my Favourite Orange-tip but earlier in the day and in a different county. We’d (the family that is) gone for a spring walk to Garston Wood as the Bluebells and Purple orchids were out but the butterflies were playing a little harder to get. And this is why this is my favourite shot of this species. Once we’d left the confines of Garton Wood itself and we were wandering along the tracks towards Deanland my hopes of finding butterflies started to fade. However on the high hedged path a butterfly just popped into view and stayed sitting for a good while with wings wide open. It was lovely and fresh and was practically bombproof despite me getting right up into its grill. It was a great reminder to always expect something.
Small White
This was taken back at the end of April. It reminds me of a frustrating weather day which eventually came good. It had been sunny all morning and then, camera in hand, I stepped out of the door the clouds conjured themselves out of nothing and put a dampener on my lunch time foray. Luckily as I watched this Small White flutter weakly across the grass the sun managed a few rays so I was able to get some shots without the perennial problem of bleaching. The light was just strong enough to highlight the lemon wing tips and the gorgeous black/grey scales peppered across the lemon under wing. It was enough to banish the glum and return the cheer.
Small Tortoiseshell
I chose this particular shot as my Favourite of 2023 as it is of the underside. Whilst the topside is fantastic; bright and eye catching with a brilliant mix of colour and pattern the underside, I feel often gets overlooked. Sure it’s nowhere near as showy but what it lacks in ostentation it makes up for in spades in its beautiful subtly.
Small Skipper
The majority of my Small Skipper shots this year seemed to come from my lunch time forays and this, my choice for my favourite shot, is no exception. I’d been watching this particular butterfly and trying to follow it with my eyes whilst it zigged and zagged about as is their wont. When it landed it showed itself to be a nice fresh example but the was nothing really that made it stand out and warrant even thinking about putting it in as my choice for Favourite…and then it repositioned its wings in an orientation that I’d never seen before. To all intents and purposes it looked like I’d caught an indecently well focused in flight shot with its wings on the down beat. But in actuality it sat there like this for a few minutes at least whilst I clicked away and marvelled at its odd pose. Obvious choice for my Fave then!
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
With the Bentley Wood Small Pearls now sadly gone I once again had to make the trek to Priddy Pools for my fix of this species. However they seemed to be having a lie-in this year and when Philzoid and I first visited none were found and we had to make up for their lack with Glanvilles instead. On my second visit they were all over the place. The usual spot was quite productive but the end of bank that runs parallel held crazy numbers! Whilst this was great, the warmth and the activity meant that getting underside shots was very difficult. However I eventually got lucky and one individual sat feeding for some time in a lovely position and so I was able to get my Favourite shot of the year.
Small Heath
In a previous post I’d mentioned “scrabbling around on the hard drive trying to find decent photos” well that was certainly the case for this species this year. I don’t like to make unsubstantiated judgements but to my eyes there certainly seemed to be a dearth of this species this year so this image popped up during my scrabbling I was mightily pleased/relieved. To add the cherry on top it came from a trip to Sidbury at the end of May with Dave so it also offers up cracking memories from an excellent day!
Small Copper
I seemed to have a good year with Small Coppers and so rather than scrabbling around on the hard drive trying to find decent photos I had the other, much nicer problem of deciding from plenty of shots. I went for two in the end.
The first came from Martin Down from a trip looking for Chalkhills. It was a pretty windy day and so I quickly discovered the key to finding the butterflies was to find the sheltered little nooks and crannies, the little scallops cut into the taller scrub or the leeward side of the Butts in this case. There was a nice variety of butterflies all hanging out in this little bay including a very bright Small Copper, a Comma and a few whites in amid the Common Blues and Browns. As I was turning to leave another Copper appeared. At least I thought it was a Copper, it was difficult to judge what it actually was from afar as its ground colour was almost black, so swarthy was it. When I got a bit closer I could see that it was indeed a Small Copper but what a lovely variation!
The second came a week or so later from Alners Gorse. If it hadn’t have been for the Hairstreak Hatrickor the Valesina it would have been the highlight of the day despite its raggedy nature. Instead of the block of orange on the fore wing with the black spots the orange was greatly reduced, so much so that it almost took the shape of the purple on a female Purple Hairtreaks wing. It must have been a right stunner when fresh and even thought it was more than a little past its best I still rated it highly enough that it snuck onto the Favourites shortlist and made it to the final!
Small Blue
This shot came from Martin Down back at the start of the summer. I’d been enjoying various encounters throughout the trip – Marshies, Adonis et al and I was walking along the main track back to the car park when a flurry of activity in the longer grasses of the verge caught my eye. There was a pair in cop making that distinct hour glass or bow tie like shape on a gently arching grass blade. They were quite peaceful and seemed to be enjoying a lazy ‘afternoon delight’…all the activity was coming from a second male who fancied his chances and was doing his best to displace the male that was already locked on as it were. I clicked away and this shot happened to catch all the action and inaction that I’ve just described in a single shot – hence it’s choice as my favourite.
Silver-washed Fritillary
I took my Favourite shot of this species at Garston Wood. I was walking along the path in what used to be the exotic plantation. As I bimbled along the winding track I spotted a large grey-blue butterfly that was hugging the edges of the clearings and trying to stick where possible to the shadows. I’d have been able to have identified it by this behaviour alone but when it ventured a little too close to the now sun lit cleared scallop I could see that it was a Valesina. I watched her as she flew low to the ground from tree to tree and when she stopped I leant forward and reeled off a few shots. She was ovipositing, squeezing eggs into the cracks in the bark, something I’d seen normal form Silver-washed females do before but never a Valesina, so it became the obvious choice for my favourite shot for this species.
Silver-studded Blue
My favourite shot for this species came, as it often does, from one of my favourite named sites – Slop Bog. I was spoilt for choice this year as I had pristine males and females, pairs in cop as well as a nice variety of differently marked females. It was from this final batch that I chose my Favourites. Less showy than the males the females make up for their lack of obvious ornamentation in more subtle terms. This one stuck out as she had a deep chocolate brown ground colour set off beautifully by bright white fringes and on the hind wings a stunning sets of eyes that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a brown Peacock!
Silver-spotted Skipper
Having reached one of my targets for the year (photographing all 5 Hairstreaks) I took a break from staring at hedgerows, Creeping Thistle and Wild Parsnip and instead turned my view downwards in the hunt for Silver-spots. On the drive over to Perham I wondered what the chances of finding them easily were? I got my answer exceedingly quickly as I’d barely set foot on the bottom of the Down when I spotted a golden blur down in amongst the turf. It must have just emerged as the wings seemed smaller than the very rotund abdomen. I helped it up onto a shrub so it didn’t get squashed underfoot and clicked away. I don’t normally ‘move’ butterflies but in this case the end result produced an image I was more than happy with.
Ringlet
This was taken at the end of June at Alners Gorse on the first of two visits that I made. Both were extremely memorable, which is actually the reason that I chose this image, of this species, for the Favourite this year. Amid Silver-washed Frits, Purple and White-letter Hairstreaks, White Admirals and with the prospect of Lulworths, DGFs and Adonis Blues later the poor old Ringlet would have gotten short shrift on the day, despite being a lovely example and also being my first for the year. So to make it up to the Ringlet for my lack of attention I chose this shot.
Red Admiral
This was taken during my final proper outing of the season. We’d visited Stourhead hoping for the blaze of autumnal colour only to find that things seemed to be slightly delayed this year and so instead of a blaze there was more of an early kindling glow. However it wasn’t all bad as the walled gardens proved to be a bit of a haven for roosting butterflies including this particular Red Admiral. I chose this shot as the contrasting nature of it; the season was winding quickly down and everything else was looking tired yet here was this Red Admiral looking magnificent and fresh out of the box. There is also the contrast between the new looking butterfly, all neat and shiny, and the age ravaged, eroded and lichen encrusted wall it’s perched on.
Purple Hairstreak
This was taken at Alners Gorse on the first of two very memorable visits. The second saw me photographing the ‘Trinity’ of Brown, Purple and White-letter Hairstreak as well as a Valesina and whilst this on this first visit I only manged two of the three it was equally as memorable as it allowed me, along with a stop-off at Lulworth, to gather together 7 firsts for the year! Of the many Purp shots that I managed this year (a great year for me personally with this species) this one was easily my favourite as the individual is exceedingly fresh, so much so that the wings whilst fully inflated were still not quite dry so it sat there looking stunning clinging to its twig. As I clicked away I wondered why Purple and not instead, more accurately, Silver Hairstreak? Misnaming aside it’s still a cracking looking butterfly.
Purple Emperor
This year I decided to not bother with His Nibbs. After seeing him every year since my fist ever sighting way back when He has always been a little reticent when it came to allowing me to take His photo. Often the best I can manage is a brutally heavily cropped shot from a great distance hence why this year I decided to visit Garston Wood and just enjoy the White Admirals and Silver-washed Frits. When I arrived it was a bit murky and so the butterflies were all grounded and I filled my boots with the various Browns and a beautifully fresh Painted Lady while I waited for the sun to come out. At the end of my walk I was dive bombed by His Nibbs, who had obviously taken rancour at m ignoring Him and when I walked back down the main track I bumped into a butterflier that I’d seen several times before who had received an audience in the car park while having his lunch. As I was heading off I carried on but hung around for a little bit just in case. I couldn’t believe it when His Nibbs did a few passes and eventually came down to investigate the tyres on the neighbouring car to mine. Unfortunately He was in the shade so I only got a hint of purple but it’s the closest that I’ve been for a fair few years!
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
This came from a visit to Bentley Wood back at the start of May. Philzoid and I had found a few around the Eastern Clearing but we decamped to a spot on the Western side of the wood as there they’d been out for a few days longer. When we strolled down the track it curved sharply round to the right and the wood along the edge was replaced by stacks of last years ferns with Bugle and Bluebells poking up between the decaying fronds. All morning I’d been trying for the classic underside shot but the butterflies which had been scarcer round the EC were newly emerged and so intent on seeking mats and/or establishing territories and so rarely stopped to feed and when they did it was with wings open wide so as to absorb plenty of solar rays. However in this little patch they were much more numerous and also more liable to feed so it wasn’t long before one sat perfectly upright, with wings tightly closed and pointing directly upwards. I managed to lie almost flat on the ground so that the butterfly was flat on and so grabbed my Favourite photo of a Pearl for 2023.
Peacock
I found Peacocks to be more flighty than usual this year, particularly the fresh ones that emerged during the summer. This explains why I made the choice that I did as this one was the exception to the rule as it sat at a very manageable height feeding on Bramble at Shipton Bellinger and served as some compensation for the lack of Brown Hairstreaks. I also chose it out of guilt as less than an hour later all thought of it went from my mind as a stunning male Brown Hairstreak appeared and put on a bit of a performance for me.
Painted Lady
Despite the dearth of Clouded Yellows for most of the season Painted Ladys were reasonably easy to find and I saw a smattering of them across the year in all kinds of places. My Favourite however came from the same site which also produced my Clouded Yellows, Church Ope on Portland. I chose it as the dull weather has settled it as well as grounding it so I was able to get in really close and admire the magnificent and mesmerizing patterns on the underside. I’m not sure about the ‘Lady’ bit of its common name but I can definitely see where the ‘painted’ bit comes from – Jackson Pollock or John Squire (She Bangs The Drums in particular) eat your heart out!
Orange-tip
I had a fine old time with Orange-tips this past season even though I didn’t manage a single UK shot of a female(?). Still that didn’t matter as they were obviously on mission and too busy to sit still for some portraiture whereas the usually frantic males were much more becalmed this year. I thank the indecisive weather that we had during the butterflies flight as it produced ideal conditions for photographing Orange-tips in particular. So much so that I had a plethora of images to wade through when thinking about and ultimately selecting my Favourites so in the end I manged to whittle it down to two but no fewer…
Both came from Five Rivers – the first was on a dull and cool day which by all accounts/weather apps should have been better than it was. Luckily the briefest of spells of sunshine made this individual fly and then when the sun was swallowed by the cloud it promptly landed and shut up shot allowing me to capture a finely detailed image.
The second came later in their flight and at first I didn’t think that I would get anything as the sun had finally decided to put his hat on. However fate played me a blinder of a hand and a cloud dove across the sun at the exact same moment that the male OT that I was watching was investigating a dandelion clock (as they are oft wont to do). It landed on the Dandelion clock and I promptly set to filling my memory card with the subsequent images. The best of these to my mind came about just prior to the butterfly leaving its perch as the sun had reappeared by this point and the light was hitting the orange panel on the top of the fore wing and lighting it up beautifully.
Meadow Brown
I’s not surprising that the ubiquitous Meadow Brown shows such variation but even though we often become used to the common or garden looking butterflies and such variation can sometimes remain un-noticed occasionally one comes along which really catches your attention. So it was with this one from the first week of July during a lunchtime walk at work. It immediately stood out from everything else that was flying as it was more of a Meadow Blonde than Brown – a gorgeous looking butterfly with no competitors for the Fave spot!
Marsh Fritillary
I saw this species at the usual range of sites this year but their numbers did seem a little down from their ‘peak’ years. However what they lacked in quantity they certainly made up for in quality as I saw a cracking array of variations and one in particular shown out. However when I came to looking through my shots I couldn’t decide between my favourite variation and another shot which really stood out. Other factors such as where and whom the photo taken at/with couldn’t come into play as the deciding factor as they both came from the same day at Cotley Hill and were taken just shy of an hour apart. So in the end I picked both…it will make up for not being able to post anything in the Long-tailed Blue thread…
The first, chronologically, was the posed shot, perched on a grass stem, wings open wide and the light streaming through a la stained glass. I personally feel that this Fritillary is the best marked/patterned of all the UK Frits, edging the others out by virtue of the combined brilliance of both lower and top side and this shot goes to show why it would be a contender on the under-side alone.
The second shot came slightly after the first. At first the almost two-tone appearance from the dark brown ground colour and the almost uniform orange chequers made it stand out. Then as it turned its place as a main contender was sealed as the lowest line of spots on the hind wing caught the light and took on a metallic golden lustre, twinkling in the sunlight. Stunning!
Marbled White
This was taken during one of my lunch time forays at work. They seem to be extra flighty when I find them at work? Whether this is due to the time of day (I’m out around midday day when the sun and the temperature is highest), the time of year (they’ve just emerged so only have one thing on their minds) or the location (not an awfully big area of habitat) I’m not sure? However it does explain why I chose this as my favourite shot; it’s one of the few fresh individuals that actually sat still long enough for a shot!
Lulworth Skipper
Last year I only managed one trip to my homeland during the flight of this species and only managed a single sighting. I decided to rectify that this year and so after a fantastic morning with Whitters and Purps at Alners Gorse I headed over to Bindon Hill to find the Lulworths at their source. Deposit fog so thick you could cut it with a knife I wasn’t disappointed and the little golden beauties were buzzing about all over the hillside. So this meant that I was confronted by a pleasing problem; which to pick? In the end after much internal debate and deliberation this one came out on top as it was of a gloriously fresh male showing off the diagnostic features nicely. There’s the thinner, less crooked sex brand, the sandy rather than white margins and the overall matt appearance of the ground colour with a slightly olive tinge. Even better if you look really closely you can just make out the faintest of crescent moons on the rear of the fore wings. A cracking little butterfly to look at but also to just sit back, watch and enjoy!
Large White
This was taken back in mid-July at Martin Down. It was quite a breezy day and so everything had the same idea – find the sheltered spots and sit out the worst of the ‘blows’ and then in the lull move onto the next spot. This meant that the window of opportunity was limited to about 5-10 seconds between the butterfly rocking forward and backwards as if sat on rocking horse as it was buffeted by the wind and when the lull started and the butterfly took off. This male Large White was taken during one of those ‘lulls’ and I chose it as it was a fortuitous shot. I was hoping that it would open up a little to reveal the stunning blank palette that is the main part of the topside of the wings but it refused to sit in such a way as to reveal its wings – that is until the last puff of breeze before the lull caught it in such a way as to make it open up to try and balance itself. “Click, click, click” I went and I’m sure the butterfly swore at me as it took off in the lull.
Large Tortosieshell
This is a bit of a cheat really as it wasn’t taken in the UK but actually in Corfu. However having seen Large Torts in a couple of different locations around Europe I finally managed to get some shots of one on this trip so I felt obligated to post some. Even better I had a choice to make as I saw 7 or 8 throughout the week and managed to photograph three different individuals. I chose this shot as it reminds me of the best behaved one of the bunch. It sat nicely down on the deck and rather than flying off if I got too close it just wandered along the road. Brilliant to finally see one up so close and even better to get shots of it!
Large Skipper
This was taken at Middle Street on the first of June. I was wandering along one of the little trackways that criss-cross Dip1 when a golden blur took off from one of the buttercups at the edge of the track. I waited for a bit and lucky enough it came back and continued feeding up on the same flower. It was my favourite shot as I can’t work out was watching who?
Large Blue
This was taken at Collard Hill back at the start of June one of my ‘twofer’ trips. I’d arrived after a whistle stop tour round Priddy had produced the goods Small pearl wise on the second time of asking, and had ran into a Large Blue almost immediately at the bottom of the hill. However it refused to stop and so I wandered off muttering and wondering if I’d be able to get any shots. I needn’t have worried as at the far end there were several flying along the various little tracks formed by either the process of ‘creep’ or livestock traversing the steep down. Of all the ones that I saw this was the stand out individual as it was so beautifully marked and the blue really shone out in the oncoming gloom.
Holly Blue
This was taken at Five Rivers on May Day. During the morning we’d visited Garston Wood but come the afternoon I still had a bit of itching in my boots so I stomped over to Five Rivers to see what I could find. It turned out to be a mighty good decision what with some cracking Orange-tip shots and also this brilliantly well behaved Holly Blue. It instantly became my Fave of 2023 and didn’t lose its position over the course of the season despite stiff competition. I chose it as the three quarter open wing pose shows off the markings on the leading edge of the fore wing really well, I love that the black and white chequers that run down the costa are visible accentuating the fact that this species looks a little like half an Adonis and half like a Common Blue.
Grizzled Skipper
Despite this shot being of a Grizzlie slight past its best it still came out as my Fave. It was taken at Middle Street at the start of June so in the later part of their season and it wasn’t the quality or pose of the butterfly that was the deciding factor for its selection but the geography. I’d seen both Dingy and Grizzlies at Middle Street in the past but it had been a year or two since I’d last seen either here hence its selection as the Fave this year as it had turned up again.
Green-veined White
This was taken during my annual, and increasingly unsuccessful trip to Bentley Wood for His Nibbs. It came out on top as my Fave selection as it is beautifully fresh, with the wings seemingly still bearing the creases from their folds. There is also an unusual mark on the middle of the margin of the hind wing – almost as if when putting the ‘green veins’ on the paint/ink ran.
Green Hairstreak
This was taken on my second visit to Priddy Mineries. Philzoid and I had been caught out by the early season in 2022 and so we arrived about a week too early for the start of the Small Pearls. We made up for it with some delightful Glannies in Wiltshire on the way back but also some cracking Greenstreaks. However I chose this one as it was only one spot away from being an ab.caecus and it also sat so nicely for me during my second visit. I’d encountered the Small Pearls and was having a bit of a mooch up at the top of the hill when this little chap appeared at the same time as a Large Skipper. Needless to say, nice as the Large Skipper was, it rather got short shrift due to this fine specimen.
Grayling
Godshill (New Forest) was good for Grayling this year my only disappointment was that I only managed to get there twice! This one came from my second visit in early August when I saw the huge range of variation that this species has to offer. First up there was the colour ranging from black and white, through beige and browns to almost grey-white, then the colour and size of the band across the wings – bold and bright white, subtle and creamy to non-existent and finally there was individual with a blue pupil.
However when I was making my choice I couldn’t leave out this one for the earlier during the same visit as I just loved the rich, warm brown tones and markings, quite a stunning looking butterfly.
However when I was making my choice I couldn’t leave out this one for the earlier during the same visit as I just loved the rich, warm brown tones and markings, quite a stunning looking butterfly.
Glanville Fritillary
I seemed to make plenty of second visits to sites this year and also a lot of the selections for the Favourites seem to be coming from those visits…such is the case here. It came from early June and my second visit to Compton Down. The stunning setting and plethora of other species helped me overcome the feeling of looking at an exhibit in a zoo as did the behaviour of this individual; flying in a similar manner and in a similar habitat to those that I’d seen in the wild in the Dordogne. I chose this one as instead of sitting on the bare rock or dwarfing a nectar source it sat low but in amongst a tangle of grasses which I feel made for a nice background. I also love the underwing and it’s very nicely shown here.
Gatekeeper
I saw good numbers of ab.excessa this year as well as a few ab.striata (at least I think that’s what they’re called) and lots and lots of cracking looking Hedgies, most of which sat nicely and adopted interesting poses that showed off either the fine livery of their unusual spotting. For a while it was looking like choosing my Fave for the year was going to be pretty difficult and then during a brilliant day at Shipton Bellinger this one turned up. At first I thought that it was just a tired looking, aged Hedgie. But it’s intact with no scrapes or nicks, the fringes are still visible and even the ground colour is more grey than brown so I’m left thinking that it’s an aberrant. Even if it’s not its stunning appearance warrants its inclusion as my choice for the Favourite. In fact it’s such a looker I didn’t regret spending time with it even though it meant missing out on more time with the marvellous Brown Argus/Brown Hairstreak twofer that Trevor captured so well.
Essex Skipper
This was taken back in the wonderfully warm moth of July and I’m hoping that writing about from that time will imbue me with some of its warmth as I sit here typing and freezing! I chose this shot as it was one for my ‘in the hand collection’. These type of shots generally come about when I’m moving a butterfly to somewhere a little safer, in this instance from the main drag of the Rounders pitch to the edge of the field and the relative safety from trampling under year 10’s feet.
Duke of Burgundy
This was taken at my relatively unknown Duke site somewhere in the Fovant Badges locale. A lot of the surrounding hills hold good numbers of Dukes but this little spot seems to attract them to join together almost in a communal lek. I chose this Duke as it was a real cheeky chappy and the more time I spent with him the less confident I became that it was me doing the watching! I chose this particular shot as I feel it gives a sense of why I started feeling that way.
Dingy Skipper
This Favourite came from Cotley Hill back in May. The Marshies were flying as were the Walls and a trip here and then onto Martin Down saw me adding 7 ‘Firsts for the Year’ to the yearly Tally. In amongst all the variation and interesting behaviour and novelty the Dingy Skippers could have been easily overlooked (small, ‘dingy’ markings etc.). However these two ensured that they caught the attention of Philzoid and myself as they sat high up on a tall grass stem and enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh/ensured the continuation of the species/met their Biological imperative/got it on – delete as appropriate! As this was only my second ever encounter of this species in cop it immediately became top contender for the Favourite and remained so for the rest of the season!
Dark Green Fritillary
When it came to which DGF to choose for the Favourite shot this year there was really only one choice. It came from Martin Down and I’d had a few encounters during the course of the visit but they were mainly males that were looking a little tatty or frayed around the edges. As I started back from the Big Butt along the Dyke this little beauty flew in, landed and supped for just long enough that I could approach and fire off a few shots. Then she was gone leaving a lingering feeling that she’d been a sultry dusky maiden. As I wandered back and checked my shots I saw that she had indeed been that – a stunning looking DGF.
Common Blue
When it came to picking the Favourites for this species it actually was quite hard this season/year. In the end I went for two but both shots came from a late afternoon visit to Sidbury Hill which I did as a bit of a recce in readiness for Dave’s visit.
The first I chose because it was an unusual looking Common Blue; it was tiny – about the size of a Brown Argus, the black spots above the orange lunules were pretty reduced and it lacked the ‘cell spot’ on the underside of the fore wing. In fact if I hadn’t have seen the blue topside I would have had to have checked the pattern of spots to ID it.
The second shot came from the end of the visit as the sun was going down and the small field that I was in was bathed in a glorious golden light. The tall grasses were littered with Common Blues and Brown Argus which were starting to settle down for the night. There were so many that this pair had to share a roosting perch. I love the way that they’re sitting next to each other, side by side, like a cosy couple settling down with a cup of cocoa to watch Corrie.
The first I chose because it was an unusual looking Common Blue; it was tiny – about the size of a Brown Argus, the black spots above the orange lunules were pretty reduced and it lacked the ‘cell spot’ on the underside of the fore wing. In fact if I hadn’t have seen the blue topside I would have had to have checked the pattern of spots to ID it.
The second shot came from the end of the visit as the sun was going down and the small field that I was in was bathed in a glorious golden light. The tall grasses were littered with Common Blues and Brown Argus which were starting to settle down for the night. There were so many that this pair had to share a roosting perch. I love the way that they’re sitting next to each other, side by side, like a cosy couple settling down with a cup of cocoa to watch Corrie.
Comma
I actually had a good year with Commas this year after a bit of a shaky start. The summer brood/form Hutchinsonii in particular appeared in good numbers and offered up plenty of cracking photo opportunities. I chose my Favourite from among this batch. It came from a visit to The Devenish where a couple of Commas were hanging about on the Bramble bushes along the little track up to the first Paddock on the side of the Down. One was a beautiful golden orange colour which caught my eye initially but it was quickly usurped by the second which was almost two tone – a dark marmalade ground colour with very, very heavy black markings – the most heavily marked Comma that I’ve encountered and so brilliantly striking.
Clouded Yellow
I felt slightly disappointed that I still couldn’t put anything in the Chequered Skipper thread so instead I selected two for this one. Both shots came from the same visit to Portland at the tail end of the season back in September. I’d tried various places and been keeping my eyes peeled for Cloudies all year as I knew that they were the key species to getting to my personal target of the year; reaching 50 species. I’d tried Martin Down, Perham Down, Sidbury, Alners Gorse and The Devenish –all places where I’ve encountered them in the past as well as their purported stronghold and overwintering site of Southbourne but alas no joy!
Then The-evil-book-of-Face came into its own and I got the low down from some very kind people over Social Media who didn’t just tell me where they were but advised on parking and gave me directions almost to the metre of where they’d be.
The first I chose as it is a ‘classic’ pose and I love the way the veins stand out, the glorious canary yellow shows through and the hairs on the head are lightly dusted in white/pink pollen.
The second is a less typical view of the butterfly which I like as it shows the reverse Mohawk patterning on the top of the head with the central yellow stripe hemmed in by the pinkish hair on either side…I bet this butterfly would love the Pistols!
Then The-evil-book-of-Face came into its own and I got the low down from some very kind people over Social Media who didn’t just tell me where they were but advised on parking and gave me directions almost to the metre of where they’d be.
The first I chose as it is a ‘classic’ pose and I love the way the veins stand out, the glorious canary yellow shows through and the hairs on the head are lightly dusted in white/pink pollen.
The second is a less typical view of the butterfly which I like as it shows the reverse Mohawk patterning on the top of the head with the central yellow stripe hemmed in by the pinkish hair on either side…I bet this butterfly would love the Pistols!
Chalkhill Blue
After a fantastic trip to Alners Gorse with Philzoid back at the end of July (three species of Hairstreak, Valesina, White Admiral, Silver-washed, aberrant Small Copper etc. etc.) we stopped in at Martin Down on the way home just because it was slightly early and so there was time that needed filling. As we wandered down the main track, it having opened out from the tall hedges that line the car park, a few Chalkhills made us tarry on our way to the Big Butt. This particular butterfly was the second of the pairing and a ‘time filler’ this ain’t hence its choice as my favourite. It was fresh out of the box with not a mark on it, a nick in the fringes or a scale out of place and better still there are a few orange spots on the hind wings. These and the extended black markings themselves made it really stand out from the other Chalkhills that I’d seen both before and subsequently and when I was choosing my fave for this species I kept coming back to this one.
Brown Hairstreak
This was taken in the tiny enclosure that borders the Bulford to Tidworth road behind the main hedge at Shipton Bellinger. I had a very successful season with the Hairstreaks this year and with the Brown Hairstreaks in particular s when it came to choosing my favourite photo of this species it was very hard but I went for this one as it was a twofer (perhaps I should have used it for the Brown Argus Fave?) and shows very unusual behaviour on the part of the Brown Argus – normally the most belligerent of butterflies. Dave and I were having a bit of a mooch elsewhere when Trevor put up the call and so walking quickly/running over we were greeted by this sight. I only managed a couple of distant shots before the Brown Argus came to its senses and reverted to its usual character! It also reminds me of a cracking day with cracking company!
Brown Argus
This was taken during a late afternoon visit to Sidbury Hill as part of a recce for a future visit with Dave at the end of May. After the hard slog up and round the hill and rings I’d worked back down and was making my way across the small field from Duke corner back towards the main track. On the way there were numerous Common Blues and Brown Argus settling down in the wonderful golden light of the late afternoon early evening. The last ones that I encountered in this section were the two shown here. I chose it as I like the way that it shows a before and after; one is really fresh with beautifully intact fringes and the other is at the other end of the freshness scale!
Brimstone
If it hadn’t have been for this particular butterfly I might have written the entire day off and not bothered writing up a report. It was taken at the end of April, a time when Grizzlies and Small Coppers might be thinking about making an appearance. However that wasn’t the case this year and I spent wheat felt like hours hiking around all the usually productive spots and finding very little butterfly wise. I was considering giving up when I spotted a line of Brimstones trawling along a hedge. Two of them broke off and fluttered down to the deck. One was a male and was trying to force himself onto the female but she was having none of it. By the time I’d got close enough to get any shots the male had got the message and nipped off to try and find a more receptive female. Luckily for me a cloud passed over the sun and so the female remained, grounded and feeding but with her wings wide open. I’ve only ever seen this outside of courtship once before and that was a male at Shipton Bellinger so due to unusualness it was the obvious choice for my Fave of the year shot.
Black Hairstreak
We were all standing at the boundary fence in Epsom Common when this shot was taken and we’d just been regaling each other with tales of how butterflies will often turn up when you start talking about them when all of a sudden this female Blackstreak popped up as if from nowhere. She was possibly the best looking butterfly of the day and easily the most approachable but I didn’t just choose this shot for those reasons alone but more as it typified the whole, brilliant day.
Adonis Blue
This was taken at Martin Down at the tail end of the season and whilst it’s not a pristine individual I can’t get over the colours. There seems to be a whole range of light blues from the sky blue of the hairy body right the way through to the lurid electric blue of the furthest reaches of the hind wings. It was those hind wings in fact which drew me, almost magnetically, towards this individual when I was out in the field. I still can’t get over how artificial it looks, like it’s been spray painted on by a fan of the Fast and Furious franchise!
