First photo from the North Downs near Chipstead in late May. Second photo from Martin Down in early June. Just a short while after arriving there a bank of thick and persistent cloud rolled in, which rather truncated the Marsh Fritillary observations. Searching for butterflies resting on the grasses...

This was one of several congregating in a small area of heather on Hankley Common, Surrey in late July.

Don't have many Gatekeeper photos from this year - they were around in reasonable numbers, but didn't seem as co-operative as usual. Photos below are a female from late July, at a local nature reserve in Surrey, and male from early August, at a local nature reserve in SW London. Gatekeeper (female)....

Another species I was glad to catch up with in 2021, having missed it in the restricted spring of the previous year. Photos from Surrey in early June, when because of the cold spring they were still remarkably fresh.

Similar experience to others in that not a great Brown Argus year. Photos are first generation individual (underside) from Butser Hill at beginning of June, and second generation one (upperside) from a local nature reserve in Surrey in late July. Brown Argus (underside).jpg Brown Argus (upperside).j...

Found this one lurking in the grass whilst waiting for a reluctant-to-shift cloud bank over Martin Down to move on.

Guess I shouldn't complain about seeing CYs on only two days this year - after all, it doesn't seem that long ago that any year in which I saw even a single one counted as a notable CY year. The only one which stopped for a photo was this co-operative individual, as the afternoon shadows were length...

Photographed this one on my first butterfly trip out this year, just a short stroll in a local LNR at the end of March, after what seemed like a really long winter.

Chalkhill Blue seemed to do pretty well on Denbies Hillside this year, although not quite up to the levels of about a decade ago when for a couple of seasons they were around in clouds.

The pinkish and violet suffusions on the female DGF do indeed make it a really special butterfly. These can be even more striking on its continental relative, Niobe Fritillary, but I'm not sure I've noticed them on female HBF. However, for me this year the best day for photographs came quite early i...

The restrictions in 2020 meant that I didn't get to see DoBs last year, so was pleased to see a good showing at Butser Hill this year. These two photos were taken on 1 June, which shows how late things were this spring - they seemed to be just about at their peak, instead of being almost over as I'd...

Mating pair from Butser Hill, Hampshire at beginning of June.

Brown Hairstreaks in the south-east seemed to have a pretty good season in the end after a slow start. The photo below shows one of three mint condition males which stayed around very obligingly for photographs one day in early August at a local nature reserve in suburban SW London.

Another one from Epsom Common.

Two males apparently deep in conversation (spring generation) and a mating pair (late summer generation), both from Denbies Hillside.

Very belatedly, many thanks for this. I did eventually get around to sending some photos to River and Coast for printing, and am very pleased with the results. Their website was also easy to use and the service was prompt and efficient. So thanks for the recommendation, and I intend to use them agai...

My three entries:
Silver-studded Blue, Fairmile Common, Surrey, June 2021
Wood Whites, Chiddingfold Forest, Surrey, May 2021
Dark Green Fritillary, Box Hill, Surrey, June 2021

Thanks John, all very relevant questions. I don't think the problem's related to a specific camera - the great majority of my photos are taken with the same DSLR so the issue arises most obviously with those, but I also occasionally use a bridge camera and there are one or two rather lurid-looking p...

I'm no doubt outing myself as a dinosaur in posting this, but I still get a fair number of photos printed each year. Not quite sure why - probably a combination of (1) insurance policy in case everything stored electronically gets frazzled by a giant solar flare, (2) a desire to be able to look at a...

Thanks to both of you for the help. I'm inclined to opt for the Olympus and start with the 60mm macro, if only because the 185g lens weight is a big attraction, then think about a bigger/more versatile lens when I've got the feel of the camera more. The two you mention obviously have different pros ...