Thanks very much for that, Guy. Definitely feeling tempted...

Many thanks for all the comments - that's very helpful. Must admit that I'm feeling tempted in the light of all that to extend the budget somewhat, but will have to decide whether I can justify the additional outlay. One further question, if I may. I sometimes take a lot of photos out of the car win...

After many years resistance, I'm reluctantly contemplating the purchase of a new smartphone. Really don't like the things, especially now that they're so large, so my inclination is to go for a smaller, lighter and not hugely expensive one, with fairly basic camera. However, I wonder whether I might...

Both of these are first generation butterflies, from Chiddingfold Forest in late May, where they were around in good numbers.

Not for the first time, I spent an inordinate amount of time in July gazing up into the tops of elm trees. Just occasionally managed a long-distance shot of the elusive little butterflies, with these from a country park near Epsom in late June being the closest I got. 7B7A1033_A.jpg 7B7A1036_A.jpg F...

First photo from Bookham Common on a fine day in midsummer. After spending much of the day on Box Hill, we dropped in at Bookham Common hoping that the butterflies there might be taking things a bit more slowly as evening approached. There were indeed plenty of White Admirals around, but initially t...

As usual, I didn't catch up with Wall until very much the tail end of the season. This year it was at Lancing Ring in early October, where as well as the Long-tailed Blue show there were also decent numbers of Wall still on the wing. They were by this time somewhat past their best, but good to see n...

Sorry, think I posted a wrong photo up there - the first one's a Green-veined White, innit? Must pay more attention.

First one photographed in 2023, from a local nature reserve in SW London in early May. It looked quite fresh at first glance, although closer examination suggests it had been around for a while. 7B7A9060_A.jpg In autumn they were abundant in our area of SW London and surrounds, but by then most of m...

Not many photos of these this year - there were enough of them around, but most were quite active and I must admit to not going to quite the same lengths as I would with some other species. This one in early August, at a local country park near Epsom, settled nectaring for long enough to be added to...

I hesitate to post this rather dubious offering, and do so with total confidence that it will be definitely the worst photograph to grace this thread. However, it is not only the only photo of a Small Tortoiseshell I managed all season, but the only one I saw, despite spending plenty of time out and...

Three lots of two from me. First one, two butterflies settled on the grass at Ashtead Common during a cloudy spell on an afternoon at the start of July. P7010035_A.jpg Secondly, a mating pair at a local park in SW London in mid-July. P7160557_A.jpg And finally, a (different) male and female perched ...

Not too many Small Heath photos in my efforts from last season, but this one at Ashtead Common on a hot afternoon in late August is a favourite. I saw it from some distance, sitting on a ragwort flowerhead, and it obligingly continued to do so while I approached closer, taking photos as I went, with...

Small Coppers are such co-operative and appealing insects that I seem to end up with loads of photos of them. First one is from a heathland site near Esher, in late June. 7B7A0887_A.jpg Next one from a local nature reserve near Epsom, early in August. P8031192_A.jpg And the last one at Wisley RHS ga...

Small Blue has several strongholds on the fringes of south London. The first two below were photographed in late May, at Hutchinson's Bank. 7B7A9617_A.jpg 7B7A9637_A.jpg Some of these Small Blue sites are clustered close to one another on the northern edge of the chalk in Epsom & Ewell. This fem...

On a rather cloudy afternoon on Denbies Hillside in August, a few sunny intervals brought out some skippers, including this male. P8111585_A.jpg They are often to be found basking on the warm bare chalk of the paths later in the afternoon. This one chose almost the same spot as a rather worn Chalkhi...

Chiddingfold Forest can be relied on for a good display of Silver-washed. This male is from a visit in late June.
I didn't encounter many females last season, but this one from Ashtead Common in early July was the stand-out.

These photos are all from a small heathland site near Esher. The first is from the beginning of the season - our first sighting of the year, and indeed the only one we saw on that visit. 7B7A0275_A.jpg A couple of weeks later, when numbers had built up a bit, another very smart male was perched nice...

Like the beautiful blue coloration on the forewing margins of you second one, Neil - that looks unusually bright and extensive.

A great Red Admiral year, but I never seemed able to get a shot with loads of them in the picture at once. In mid-September at one of our local nature reserves in SW London there was a group of at least 6 assembled on/ flying around a big oak tree, probably attracted by sap runs. But no more than tw...