Thanks all for your comments
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Thanks for the bird id Bugboy
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
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Wurzel, yes there are DED resistant strains of Elm available these days
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
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Back to my 2018 catch up....
The Golden Skippers (and Chalkhill Blue)
I find that this bunch (the Golden Skippers) are one of the most difficult species to really do justice to in a photo, but maybe that's just my inexperience
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
. I did not catch up with Silver-Spotted Skipper in 2018 and Essex Skippers seem to have avoided my camera lens completely.
22.6.2018 Butts Ash nr Fawley Oil Refinery - This was one of those really hot days last summer (probably too hot really). It was also memorable for me because it was a magical 'all dayer' in the pursuit of the White-Letter Hairstreak. This was late afternoon, the last of 6 separate sites in the general area of Southampton and was one that I had only discovered a few days earlier whilst I was passing. By 4.30pm Hairstreak activity had completely dwindled away so I set to explore the site. I only photographed one butterfly and it was not a White-Letter Hairstreak!
![P1170157.JPG (525.71 KiB) Viewed 3186 times 22.6.2018 - Male Small Skipper. The only butterfly I photographed here - Butts Ash nr Fawley](./files/thumb_11661_e05e339ec979995660a2d64e7afbacf1)
- 22.6.2018 - Male Small Skipper. The only butterfly I photographed here - Butts Ash nr Fawley
![P1170069.JPG (742.11 KiB) Viewed 3186 times Butts Ash nr Fawley - Hairstreak habitat. The Elms here look really luscious in this shot. The photo below shows a further area here which looks to be worth further investigation.](./files/thumb_11661_2b30aa82cdc4f1d8f7c8eaf737f025a5)
- Butts Ash nr Fawley - Hairstreak habitat. The Elms here look really luscious in this shot. The photo below shows a further area here which looks to be worth further investigation.
24.7.2018 St Catherines Hill nr Winchester - This visit was memorable for different reasons. It had been a beautiful day and I had planned an early evening visit to capture various species as they settled down to roost. Of course, as I arrived it immediately clouded over and a very gusty wind blew up making it virtually impossible to get any photos. However, this wholly unsuccessful visit resulted in the only Chalkhill Blue shot I took all year.
![P1170761.JPG (174.12 KiB) Viewed 3186 times 24.7.2018 - Small Skipper & Chalkhill Blue 'Top and Tailing' - St Catherines Hill nr Winchester](./files/thumb_11661_631e8c5576c7c3c204e25e43736a4024)
- 24.7.2018 - Small Skipper & Chalkhill Blue 'Top and Tailing' - St Catherines Hill nr Winchester
23.6.2018- 4.8.2018 Southwick - Large and Small Skippers were as plentiful as ever at this, one of my favourite sites.
![P1180114.JPG (170.45 KiB) Viewed 3186 times 4.8.2018 - Small Skipper - Southwick, Hampshire](./files/thumb_11661_c7602c5278b2051f3b1ee33071100840)
- 4.8.2018 - Small Skipper - Southwick, Hampshire
![P1170206.JPG (611.25 KiB) Viewed 3186 times 23.6.2018 - Female Large Skipper - Southwick, Hampshire](./files/thumb_11661_f9b85bba9deda1c591274fb8c03ac46d)
- 23.6.2018 - Female Large Skipper - Southwick, Hampshire
![P1170209.JPG (602.09 KiB) Viewed 3186 times ....this particular Thistle seems to have been really popular!](./files/thumb_11661_948b8d791c7ab47ab2450e31f62ad0f3)
- ....this particular Thistle seems to have been really popular!
![P1170356.JPG (617.99 KiB) Viewed 3186 times 23.6.2018 - Large Skippers - Southwick, Hampshire](./files/thumb_11661_8db9f8166b5e8a73dfa96ee7fdf24607)
- 23.6.2018 - Large Skippers - Southwick, Hampshire
![P1170363.JPG (482.3 KiB) Viewed 3186 times 23.6.2018 - Male Large Skipper - Southwick, Hampshire](./files/thumb_11661_e87118114567cf1335cfcdf77118c8d5)
- 23.6.2018 - Male Large Skipper - Southwick, Hampshire