Overall Favourite 2024
Well this was a struggle as I didn’t really take my own advice…and so it came to the Grande Finale and I’d already picked all of my Favourites. So it was back to the drawing board (or should that be portable hard drive?) and luckily a few shots jumped out at me – possibly as I’d forgotten at the time or overlooked them? When it came to whittling them down it was harder than every but I did manage to get it to two…
The first came from our holiday to Montpelier at the end of August and I chose it as it seemed whimsical and almost comical at the time. A Lang’s Short-tailed Blue was deeply embedded feeding and while the head was busy the wings looked a little like a slightly stunned alien!
The second came from my first visit to Ashton Rowant with Dave. It was a cracking day, made all the better as all three of the girls were enjoying Taylor Swift so I had a guilt free day. The subject was ridiculously fresh and a nice mix of pristine and fluffy in a delightful ambience.
White-letter Hairstreak
This shot was taken on the same day as my Fave White Admiral. I’d seen one or two along with a single Purple Hairstreak earlier in the morning but they seemed less inclined to come down. So I’d set off to look for other things at other spots on the site…
Having got my White Admirals I’d retraced my steps back to the boundary fence where a few of the stalwarts would had remained seeking Whitters had been rewarded – with one female down at about chest height just sitting in the clear. Cracking!
Having got my White Admirals I’d retraced my steps back to the boundary fence where a few of the stalwarts would had remained seeking Whitters had been rewarded – with one female down at about chest height just sitting in the clear. Cracking!
White Admiral
I only managed a single trip to Alners Gorse in 2024 so I had to try and make the most of the day…a feat not assisted by the unseasonal and ill forecasted weather. However despite not catching up with a couple of the local specialities I did have a very good session with the White Admirals. IN the centre of the reserve in a recently cleared area there was a tall patch of Bramble with various Honeysuckle strands growing through it. A couple of other people were here, with shop set up awaiting the White Admirals to drop in at various spots. There were at least 5 of them doing circuits around the various floral feeding stops. As a butterfly would land we’d call out to each other as they would spend a good while feeding up once they’d chosen a likely looking spot. For several seasons I’ve been trying to get a closed wing shot which would show off the amazing red and oranges which contrast so vividly with the almost monotone of the topside. This season I got as close to capturing this particular image and so it had to become my Fave.
Wall
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I had quite a successful year with Wall Browns in 2024 and they seem to be continuing to do well inland in Wiltshire and the fringes of Hampshire. This meant that when it came to choosing my Fave for this species I had a bit of a job – I could have plumbed for various underside shots showing the miraculous markings reminiscent of a Mandelbrot fractual. However in the end I manged to whittle my choices down to two both of which were topside shots.
The first came from my initial encounters with them at the start of the year. It made the cut as it was a lovely fresh male with some extra spotting around the eyes but also because it came from a cracking visit to Cotley with Dave.
The second was came from a trip at this time at the tail end of the season and in Hampshire, Shipton Bellinger, whilst looking for Brostreaks with Philzoid and Dave again. This time it was a female which behaved impeccably and posed for all she was worth.
The first came from my initial encounters with them at the start of the year. It made the cut as it was a lovely fresh male with some extra spotting around the eyes but also because it came from a cracking visit to Cotley with Dave.
The second was came from a trip at this time at the tail end of the season and in Hampshire, Shipton Bellinger, whilst looking for Brostreaks with Philzoid and Dave again. This time it was a female which behaved impeccably and posed for all she was worth.
Swallowtail
This is something of a slight cheat as the image was taken in France at the top of Mont Saint-Clair in a small coastal town called Sete. It was one of only two Swallowtails I saw over the whole holiday that I was able to get a shot of which I thought odd as its supposedly ‘Scarce’ relative was anything but. When sorting through my various images this was the one that stood out head and shoulders above the rest and was an obvious hoice.
Speckled Wood
This was taken at Five Rivers around the Glades which is often where I spend the start and finish of the season. To my mind the markings of the spring brood seem more muted, chocolate ground colour with cream markings. I chose this image though because I liked the way that the butterfly is holding its wings. Its posture reveals that the wings are actually only attached two of the thoracic segments a fact masked by its usual posture which makes it look like the wings are attached all the way along the thorax and even the abdomen.
Small White
I saw some really nice individuals of this species throughout the year so it came as something of a surprise to pick this image when seeking out my Fave. The butterfly itself isn’t in a great state of repair; markings faded through wear and tear, margins ragged and ripped and an overall feeling that this was a butterfly eking out its retirement. However what made it strike a chord was the delicate golden background nicely reflected in the wings giving it a sense of blurring into the background and producing a dreamy and ethereal quality.
Small Tortoiseshell
This was taken in mid-August on Aberaeron seafront. I chose it primarily as it appeared to be in such an unusual setting and the colours contrasting with the monotone of the metamorphic rocks that form part of the coastal defence. It was also looking a little jaded and faded but despite this seemed to be just having a brief break before carrying on and striking out for Eire…well it seemed to be contemplating at least ;-)
Small Skipper
Back at the start of July I took a trip to Alners Gorse in the hope of catching up with the first two of the three Hairstreaks that fly at the site. It was one of those mornings when the weather doesn’t follow of the script as written by the Weather People and much of the first hours were spent traipsing around, getting dew soaked trouser legs seeking butterflies…well anything to photograph actually. Two of those things that ‘turned up’ (or more likely caught out by the cloud that had rolled in as I’d rolled down the hill) were a pair of Small Skippers caught in the act. They instantly became of the ‘stars of the trip’ and swiftly entered the top spot in my Fave Selection poll, a position from which they didn’t stray. The same couldn’t be said about their ‘stars of the trip’ status due to a smattering of Whitters and White Admirals but then you can’t win everything.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
The internal clocks of the butterflies seemed to be inconsistently set this year with some bang on, others early or some, like the Small Pearls, a little late. So instead of chasing down multitudes of them as on a previous visit this time I think I only managed a total of 4, a brace each at the two main spots on the site. Still what they lacked in numbers they made up for in range of poses working through almost the whole gamut by the time I needed to head home. In the end I chose this one as it showed off their very hairy underneath to nice effect.
Small Heath
My Favourite shot of this species came from Priddy Mineries back in early June while looking for Small Pearls. Once I’d seen it I felt several things one after the other. First up was shock from the look of it, then elation at witnessing something so unusual. Next up was surprise that a Small Heath would usurp the attractive Small Pearls for butterfly of the day and then finally satisfaction that the Favourite Photo was sorted and in the bag. Not only was it distinctly lacking in colour but it was also blind to boot!
Small Copper
This was taken at Martin Down during mid-August whilst I was looking for a Chalkhill Blues and I chose it because I liked the look of the ‘tails’ sticking out the back of the hind wings. This might not seem like the most apposite of reasons but to be honest I really struggled with this species this year as they didn’t have a particularly good season to my mind…
Small Blue
I was lucky enough to make a recce visit to Sidbury Hillfort one evening after work. After the joys of Dukes and Walls and Marshies I was witness to all kinds of Blues starting to head for bed and settling down to roost. Amongst them were a couple of Small Blues one of which allowed me to capture an image that I’ve been striving for over a number of years. There it was, speckles of blue scales, wings open wide and head down whilst it soaked up the last of the days rays whilst all around the grasses made a complimentary colour palette. Job done, shot got – brilliant.
Silver-washed Fritillary
I didn’t have a particularly good season with the Silver-washed Frits. They took a while to come on the scene and when they finally arrived the weather when I was able to get up was less than salubrious. This meant that when it came to choosing my favourite there was the opposite of a multitude of choices. Luckily among the few available there was this one from my only trip to Alners Gorse in early July. A passing cloud had calmed the butterflies down and caught this individual out so that it perched peacefully atop a Bramble flower. While it was restocking its fuel it dropped its wings a little like a tent which meant that when I leant in for a close up it threw a very pleasing shape.
Silver-studded Blue
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I’d seen on the ‘evil-book-of-face’ some cracking images of Silver-studs from a new site to me; Higher Hyde Heath. As I was down at Lulworth and would be passing almost directly past the site I decided that I should really call in a check it out. What was originally a brief recce turned into a cracking afternoon. Not only were there plenty of really easy Silver-studs, a mating pair and a daylight sighting of a Nightjar but there was also a long overdue meet up with a UKB stalwart of old, Zonda. All of this meant that my choice of a Favourite was obviously going to come from this trip. But which to choose? In the end I ended up choosing three images. Bear with me here as I know the title is ‘Favourite’ and so singular but all three are of the same butterfly, a gorgeous, fresh female. As she sat on the dry, sandy path and opened and closed her wings the light refracted ever so slightly differently turning the brown uppers into a glistening, iridescent rainbow. Absolutely stunning.
Silver-spotted Skipper
This came from my first trip to Perham. I’d finished work and tried my luck at my Silver-spotted Skipper site. Having walked across to the shallow foot of the down I started scanning. Within about 4 seconds I’d seen my first one, almost stepping on it actually and then I spotted the familiar lime with white spots again although this time it was far too big…and this was because it was my second ever pair in cop. Not only that there was a third skipper, another male, trying his best to get in on the action. It felt a little odd that my favourite should be one of the first that I saw but some seasons that’s just the way it goes.
Ringlet
With this species this season it felt like if you blinked you’d have missed them! When I came to choosing my Fave there were slim pickings and I found myself contemplating images of less than pristine individuals as there was such a tiny selection to choose from. This one was taken in the grounds of Llanachaeron near Aberaeron in Ceredigion and I chose it for no other reason than I liked the compostion. Sometimes you just know and can’t quite explain and that was the case for this image.
Red Admiral
I left it until quite late to select my Favourite Red Admiral despite it being the first species that I saw in 2024 and also despite it being one of the most frequently seen; not total number wise but with at least one form a lot of trips. This one actually came on a trip to Waitrose on the return leg and so was the reward for lugging my camera the whole way there and most of the way back. But I chose it primarily as it as I liked the more angular appearance it had from the slightly different angle at which it was taken.
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
I was a poor year for Pearls in Bentley Wood. They were very late arriving on the scene and then when they finally deigned to turn up they were exceedingly difficult to catch up with even in the final throws of the evening. Luckily I was able to make a second trip to search them out and so came about my favourite image of them from the western side of Bentley. It wasn’t the best looking individual, in fact it was a little long in the tooth but the reason it was awarded the accolade of ‘Favourite’ was because it fell into my ‘Trousered’ collection.
Peacock
Normally the first week of May signals the first Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. But this year not so…Philzoid and I spent a frustrating couple of hours taking in all the usual hotspots in the Eastern Clearing as well as checking the western side of the wood where they have been more prevalent in recent seasons but all to no avail. Eventually we moved on to Martin Down where the butterfly dearth continued. Still we found enough other stuff and chewed enough fat to make it both worthwhile and entertaining. When looking back at the photos late I realised that I’d found my favourite Peacock shot. There in full frame glory was the aforementioned butterfly feasting upside down in a bat-esque pose on the butterflies’ flower of choice, a Bluebell. There is something about this plant and butterflies that forms a fantastic synergy. In the case of the blues it’s the complimentary colour scheme whilst for all other species it’s the contrast. Whichever was round it was it certainly helped hoist the shot up to the Favourite category.
Painted Lady
My first selection for this set of threads (Orange-tip) came very early in the season whereas for the Painted Lady appeared right in the dying seconds of the season! As it was half term and K was back from Uni I took the girls out to Mottisfont. I took my camera as there is often the odd butterfly hanging around the Beech trees or in the Walled garden and failing that there is always a bit of cheat with hibernators on the roof of the Cellarium. Well I didn’t need to worry about that as by the end of the visit I’d seen 6 species, none too shabby for October. The star of the show for me was the Painted Lady. Things had built nicely with a Red Admiral and Small White in the first of the three walled gardens, followed by a fly-past Large White and Peacock. In the third was the peak; a Painted Lady on the Boules Mauve. It was quite a reach for my camera as it was feeding right in the centre of the bed but luckily it had a bit of a wing stretch and plopped back down on the Lavender hedge. Cracking.
Orange-tip
Back in April I chanced upon an Orange-tip at Five Rivers. I chose this shot as my favourite as it seemed to have almost everything in it. It was a nice frame filler, nice and sharp, showed the topside which was nicely/heavily marked with the black contrasting against the vivid orange, showed the underside with its cracking cryptic markings and it was posing passively while it fed; all of which belied the trials and tribulations that had occurred prior to the picture being taken. Plus it was feeding on a Bluebell, a flower which always seems to elevate any butterfly shot.
Meadow Brown
This was taken at Shipton Bellinger back in early August. I’d arranged to meet Dave and Philzoid to go looking for Brostreaks and having pulled up in the car park this was the first thing that I trained my lens on; a pairing of Meadow Browns. It became my favourite image of this species for the year then and there as I was pleased with the clarity of the image (only a single blade of grass in the way!) making it one of the best ‘in cop’ shots I have for this species but because it reminded me of a cracking start to an overall racking day with cracking company. The fact that the also has double pupils was a bit like a few more sprinkles on the top…
Marsh Fritillary
I saw a fantastic array of variation in this species this year – from very dark to almost yellow. There was even one which was a perfect two tone of chocolate and orange. However the one that stood out over all others was this cracking female from Compton Down, Dorset. Philzoid and I had eschewed the track and its Glannies and were investigating the Down proper. Whilst he was trying for Greenstreaks I stumbled across this stunning female. She was so fresh I reckon she’d only just finished pumping and drying her wings; my theory backed up by her distinct lack of urgency to move on anywhere. I knew she was a bit special straight away as the spots shone out pure white. She was a right corker!
Marbled White
This was taken on a quick stop off on the way home at Woodhenge. I found this species much trickier than usual this year as it was often very warm when I was able to go looking for them and so they were exceedingly flighty. To make matters worse on this particular visit this was exacerbated by a gusty breeze whipping over the hill top and smashing its way through the tall grasses. Hence why this shot of a female won the coveted top spot as she was sitting still atop a giant thistle head. I was really pleased to be able to capture the delicate pale blue spots on the underwing.
Lulworth Skipper
I was lucky enough to make two visits to Lulworth this year but both of my Faves came from the first trip. The first was a contender as it was a Trouser shot, the first that I’ve got for this species. The second because not only was it in very good condition but it was also feasting on an orchid, a welcome addition to another one of my ‘collections’.
Long-tailed Blue
I still haven’t been lucky enough to find a UK based LTB but this year there were plenty to choose from in the towns around Montpellier. This one came from the very same city on one of several trips to the ‘Jardin de Plantes’. I chose it primarily as it was one of the most complete ones that I saw and photographed but also because the fringes seem to have taken on the subtlest orange tinge nicely mirroring the flower its’ feeding on.
Large White
This was taken at Bentley Wood during a fruitless search for Pearls. A worrying time was spent walking round and round the Eastern Clearing hoping to catch up with them with no joy in the end but luckily what would have been a bleak trip was salvaged by the cracking view of a Large White feasting on Bluebells, hence it almost instantly became my Favourite shot for this species.
Large Skipper
Until this year I’d not realised how long the flight period of Large Skippers was. When I came to selecting my Faves I started in the last week or so of May and finished in mid-August, almost three months of Large Skippers. Finding them over such a long time frame obviously made choosing one tricky and so I ended up with two. The first came from a trip with Dave where we saw a good range of butterflies, just not in any great numbers (Common Blues aside). After the cool and blowy grey at the top of Sidbury Hill this Large Skipper, one of two in the same area, was a real cracker of a butterfly and I was happy with the way the hairs stand out in sharp focus.
The second came from the end of their flight, in fact I think it was the last UK one that I saw. It was the day of the Eras tour and after sampling the delights of one side of Ashton Rowant with Dave I’d ventured to the other side of the reserve and then returned back to where I’d started. I’d just broached the small wood and was looking out across the side of the hill trying to work how to pick my way down when a movement on my right stopped me in my tracks. Having spent most of the day with Silver Spots I immediately though it was one of those. But it was flying around in the Bramble. Luckily it came in a bit closer and then I could clearly see, to my surprise, that it was in fact a Large Skipper.
Large Blue
I tried Green Down for the first time this year and what a cracker of a site, despite the odd bit of race course across the middle SHOCK, lol. Phizloid and I had been debating whether to go for Small Pearls or Large Blue but there were scant reports of either species apart from LBs at Green Down. Thanks to some excellent directions and annotated maps from fellow butterfliers we were soon onto our quarry, which in the heat, were bombing about like anybody’s business. We pressed on snapping away wherever possible and hoped for the best and fortuitously several of my shots came out much better than expected. This was great apart from then inducing the headache of having to decide which one to pick. I got it down to two but no further so a little cheat-like but here are my two Faves…
The first was from early in the day and was a bit of a corker of an underside. The second came later and I chose it as it was the best topside I got and also a total fluke. I clicked away as it pootled about in the foliage and this one shots just happened to be in focus and unobstructed.
The first was from early in the day and was a bit of a corker of an underside. The second came later and I chose it as it was the best topside I got and also a total fluke. I clicked away as it pootled about in the foliage and this one shots just happened to be in focus and unobstructed.
Holly Blue
Each year I hope and live in the anticipation of an audience with a stunning Holly Blue. I love it when these arrive on the scene as they are so different from the other species that are flying at around the same time which are essentially variations upon a theme of tones and browns/oranges. Whereas the Holly Blue is totally different. This year at Five Rivers I hit the jackpot with at least three different individuals down low enough for a few shots. By far the most easy on the eye was this male which looked immaculate (especially compared to his weather beaten rival). Despite catching up with this species several more times across the year it was this one that I always thought of when Holly Blues came up in conversation or in my thoughts; hence it was an obvious choice.
Grizzled Skipper
Back at the end of May when I took this shot at The Devenish I proclaimed it to worthy of the accolade of ‘Butterfly of the Visit’ usurping the title from a Brown Argus on an Orchid. At the time I had a sneaky suspicion that it might even make it to the heady heights of ‘Favourite’ and lo and behold it did. At the time I couldn’t get over the contrast between the striking black and white chequers along the fringes and the glorious, almost metallic plum ground colour. I still can’t and to my eyes it looks like something much more exotic than a Grizzlie.
Green-veined White
I took this on the road leading to Fovant Badges when looking or Dukes. Despite the weather I’d had a successful couple of hours and I was just loading the car up when I spotted a white butterfly flying along the hedge. I grabbed a few shots of it and then headed home. This turned out to be one of those shots taken on the spur of the moment, without any effort or fore thought and which when you look back on later stands out. As with a lot of this type of shot the reason for why it stands out I still can’t fathom hence there is no rhyme or reason for its selection as my Fave, it just is.
Green Hairstreak
I thought the choice for the favourite for this species was a slam dunk! A visit to Brown’s Folly near Bath at the end of April saw me watching and photographing my first ever Green Hairstreak pairing. As I drove home I remember thinking “that’s that favourite sorted then”…
Then I went to Priddy Pools for Small Pearls and found the most pristine Greenstreak I can recall. It was stunning with silver fringes along the termen and vivid orange along the costa contrasting with the metallic emerald green of the ground colour. Not a scale out of place and the hair around the body made it look like it was wearing a sheepskin gillet ala Antony Quinn in ‘The Guns of Navarone’.
Grayling
I always struggle to answer the age old question; “What’s your favourite butterfly?” I feel a tug of regionalism for the Lulworth Skipper (plus they’re very cute), the beauty of the Brown Hairstreak, the character of the Duke and the variation from the Hedgie and Marshie. All of these factors play through my mind but the Grayling is always in the ceaselessly shuffling top 3. Hence this is one of the most enjoyable species to pick a favourite image for. This year was quite tricky as I had a brilliant session with them, finding a wide variety of tones and shades. This one however eventually won through due to the glimpse of the top side of the fore wing and also because it’s actually feeding on heather, something I don’t often catch.
Glanville Fritillary
This was taken from the released/naturalized stock at Compton Down near Shaftesbury. There is always a little seed of doubt in my mind about visiting such sites for species like this but I salve my conscience as the site is very close to several others, there are a cracking range of species present making it worth the visit Glannies aside and finally it’s much, much closer than the Isle of Wight so saving petrol and releasing less carbon dioxide.
So caveat dealt onto the Favourite photo itself…It was taken on my second visit and being during the working week it was much quieter. I got there early in the hope that I would catch the Glannies whilst they were still sleeping/roosting and was quickly put onto a few by the three people there already. I found a few myself lower down the track but this one was my Favourite as I love both this particular pose; the fore wing held lower than the hind wing, and the way the antennae are held pointing backwards giving it an alert appearance.
So caveat dealt onto the Favourite photo itself…It was taken on my second visit and being during the working week it was much quieter. I got there early in the hope that I would catch the Glannies whilst they were still sleeping/roosting and was quickly put onto a few by the three people there already. I found a few myself lower down the track but this one was my Favourite as I love both this particular pose; the fore wing held lower than the hind wing, and the way the antennae are held pointing backwards giving it an alert appearance.
Gatekeeper
This was taken at Perham Down during a late afternoon/very early evening visit when I called in on my way home from work. After a lucky break with the Silver-spots, finally catching up with DGFs as well as a few other things this butterfly was a bit like the cherry on the top of the cake. She was so fresh and vibrant I was convinced that she had only just finished drying her wings out. I’d been wandering back and forth along a path, lazily chasing (if you can deem walking pace as chasing) after various DGFs which had been bombing about seemingly endlessly when this little beauty just opened up right in front of me. It was as if she was screaming “look at me” and it made a nice change for the butterfly to present itself to me rather than grabbing a few shots whilst in mild pursuit.
Essex Skipper
This came from one of several trips to Shipton Bellinger in search of Brostreaks.I chose this one for a couple of reasons. Firstly it was from one of my final trips with Philzoid before he emigrated ‘opp North’. Secondly I was chuffed to get the clearly diagnostic inkpads in shot as well as the luscious eyelashes. It was actually one of a pair in cop so I liked the way it was kinda peering over the petals in a slightly coy and slightly embarrassed fashion.
Duke of Burgundy
I couldn’t make my mind up when it came to selecting my Favourite Duke shots this season and so I plumbed for two in the end. The first came from the start of their flight just over the border in Dorset. It was one of those days when sensible butterfly photographers would have stayed in and sorted out recent images or picked up a few Brownie points ready for later in the season. It was also one of those days when the forecasters definitely hedged their bets when it came to the ‘%chance of rain’. Luckily for me I arrived just as one shower band was clearing and before the next one swept in but it was still very hard going as the rain had put a literal damper on activity. As I was about to start back home from the furthest reaches of the site I spotted something just up ahead and I couldn’t believe my eyes nor luck when it materialized into a Duke. I spent a considerable amount of time with it getting shots after shots after shot but of all of them this was my Favourite. I love the way that it shows the double underside but also how some of the pattern is reflected in the single bed of rain travelling down the grass blade.
The second comes from Sidbury during a recce visit after work. I’d found Marshies and various Blues as well as already spotting a couple of Dukes so I was heading back extremely happy with my haul when this little beauty appeared in place of a Small Copper, the species I was expecting to see in this particular locale. Because of the band of lighter spots at first I wasn’t even sure that it was a Duke/Duchess and thought it was just another ‘Moff’. However when I got closer I quickly saw my identification error and eagerly started clicking as knew it was something a little different from the norm. What a stunner!
Dingy Skipper
This was taken on the ‘back to front weather’ day. I had to take the family to Ikea but as it was only a quick trip I managed to wangle half of the day for some butterflies. As the weather report said it was going to start great and then get worse I drove over to Martin Down first thing…Only it wasn’t great, it was grey, it was blowy, there was dam in the air and it was cold! Luckily I found some skippers and Small Blues roosting of which this was by far my favourite on the day, and for the whole season as it turned out. I’d been trying for the camouflaged roosting shot like this for a while and so when I (eventually) spotted this individual I was made up. Of course as I drove towards Southampton the wind dropped, it dried out and the sun came out!
Dark Green Fritillary
I don’t know what happened this year but I almost missed this species! At least that’s how it felt. When I did finally go looking for them it was already well into July and a lot of them were past their best. Luckily the females seem to emerge a week or so later and so when I caught up with this one she was still in mighty fine nick, even the wing fringes were intact. Her cracking state of dress meant that she was a shoo-in for the Fave DGF.
Common Blue
I’m sure that we’ve all experienced the gut feelings about how well a species ‘did’ over the course of the season. However this species was one that I struggled to get a handle on. My gut would tell me that there seemed to be less and then I would go for a walk and they’d turn up in the usual spots and my fears would be salved…only to then return later whilst looking through the shots which featured only one (or three from a larger site)? When it came to picking my Favourite, another way I have of gauging how well the fared I found it quite easy…which would normally mean they’d fared poorly. However due to the obvious choice; a female from Martin Down in mid-August; I’m still not convinced as she was such a looker all the others didn’t get a look in. As for how they did my minds not made up…
Comma
This was taken relatively recently over at Middle Street. I liked the way that the butterfly just ‘pinged’ out of the screen away from the bokeh as it was so fresh and burnt ginger. But the real reason for its selection as the Favourite is that I’m hoping to bump into this one in 2025 and so now I know that the image will be easy to relocate for comparison in February/March time WINK.
Clouded Yellow
These were a little sparse this year and just when they were flying down at Southbourne (along with a Long-tailed Blue) I wasn’t able to drive. Luckily I’d seen a few in the south of France and so I spent a very enjoyable afternoon looking back through my photos from the trip. Despite my several encounters I only managed a few shots of which this, my selection, was the least cluttered and so made it onto the Favourite roster. In any other year it might not have even made the long list, but beggers can’t be choosers!
Brown Argus
These seemed to be one of those species which had mixed fortunes this year and your perspectives of ‘how well they did’ depended on which sites you visited. For me they seemed to arrive later than expected and their numbers gradually built to round about their usual figures. Hence when it came to picking my Fave I had a fair number of folders to search through. However I actually only got one folder in when I suddenly remembered this shot from The Devenish back at the end of May. I’d gone to visit not expecting anything out of the ordinary and then this little blighter went and sat on a Spotted Orchid. Thus brightening my day and as well as making a nice addition to my ‘Butterflies on Orchids’ collection, cementing its place as my Favourite shot of this species for 2024.
Brown Hairstreak
I chose this as my favourite shot for several reasons. First it was my ‘reward’ for risking a soaking or electrocution from the threatened yet non-materialising Thunderstorms all the weather apps were one hundred percent certain would occur. Second it was consolation for being on me own and without my butterfly buddies who had sensibly postponed the trip due to the aforementioned apocalyptic weather predictions. Thirdly I choice this shot in particular as it was the best of a very good bunch being the ‘classic’ side profile image. The final and main reason for its selection is that it all came about I am sure because I called wife whilst out in the field. I noticed previously that my wife often chooses to call just as my quarry or something very interesting has appeared. In fact I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had my shots lined up only for my phone to start ringing. This time however I used it to my advantage and actually called my wife before I’d found anything. Sure enough a couple of sentences in down came this little beauty! Coincidence some might say, but whatever, I think it was all part of a masterplan.
Chalkhill Blue
This image, from Martin Down, struck me at the time it was taken as my favourite encounter with this species and hence it’s selection for my Favourite. I think it was the combination fresh individuals in cop that first started edging it up into the ‘Favourite’ section of my mind but then its fate was sealed when I spotted the ‘silver studs’ on the female, something I’d seen before but not quite as extensive as this.
Adonis Blue
This was taken at my first visit to Ashton Rowant. I had to kill a day whilst the girls were off doing Swiftie things at Wembley and by happy coincidence Dave was planning to make a visit there too. I was impressed with the butterflies – Silver-spots seemed to be okay to me although I didn’t have any prior data but what was best about the day were the second brood Adonis Blues. There were a couple of male about of which this one was the best looking. Hence this as my choice of Favourite as it encapsulated a cracking trip with great company.
Brimstone
Every now and again you find yourself pulling off a shot that you didn’t realise that you’d wanted to get until you check it back later and that’s why I chose this one. It came from Shipton Bellinger at the end of July whilst making my first foray for Brostreaks. I’d just gotten out of the car and wandered into the little enclave and was just thinking; “those overly large Thistles are often good for Brimstones” when I spotted this pair on one of the globes. As I clicked away both they and I manoeuvred into position until eventually both were sitting on opposite sides facing other. When I got home and looked through my shots I was just as pleased with this as with my first Brostreak shots which I also managed to bag that afternoon.
