Essex Skipper - Favourite Photo of 2020

[Wurzel]

Essex Skipper - Favourite Photo of 2020

Week 5

Another dismal weekend weather wise; all the tall trees round my way are now denuded and even the smaller, more sheltered ones are starting to get their kit off now as well it looks like the season is finally drawing to a close But it's not all doom and gloom - here come the next selection of Favourites

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Just a reminder - it might be a good idea to select your Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo of 2020 now so that you’ve got something to post when the series of threads culminates in 20 weeks time…


Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Lee Hurrell]

I saw my first Essex Skipper at Abbotstone Down on a cool day in June.

Essex Skipper, male, Abbotstone Down, Hampshire, 21st June 2020

[Stevieb]

This one confused me for a moment. Had the ink well run dry? Bewley Common, Wiltshire

[bugboy]

I found this one on a dull, damp day at Hutchinsons bank trying to catch up on a few species I missed out earlier in the season, in this case Small Blue were the main target. It may have been a dull day but temperatures were just high enough to nudge a few species into activity, albeit rather sluggish.

[David M]

This one confused me for a moment. Had the ink well run dry?

Wow! I can only assume the left antennal tip has been lost.

[David M]

Only got one opportunity to spend decent time with this species (most places I visit have other more striking species to pursue meaning I pay lineola little attention).

There is a colony on Castle Meadows in Abergavenny and I caught up with them on 26th June:

[cecropia117]

Taken on the 17th July in Chambers Farm Wood, Lincolnshire.

Pity the grass blade was in the way, but it does what it says on the tin!

[millerd]

It is always tricky to determine with any real accuracy what the numerical split is between Small and Essex Skippers on sites like my local patch where both species appear in good numbers. I make estimates by attempting an overall count (of "Smessex"), and dip-sampling as many as I can to establish an approximate ratio between the two. In 2020 here, Small Skippers appeared first (on 4th June) and Essex two and a half weeks later (on 22nd June). The flight season for both wasn't long - until 20th July (Small) and 31st July (Essex). However, in a major reversal of fortunes this year, I saw well over twice as many Essex as Small with peak overall one-day totals of around 40 butterflies (on both 1st and 4th July) reflecting this ratio.

Numbers aside, I think I've said before that the Essex Skipper has the edge over the Small in the cuteness stakes, and I've picked as favourites a few that display this trait.

3rd July

8th July

29th June

2nd July

Dave

A postscript: I now recall that I was lucky enough to find a pioneer Essex Skipper at Kiplingcotes in Yorkshire - they have been steadily moving north and this was one of the first definite sightings at this location: looking fresh a week after they'd finished at home!

6th August

[Neil Freeman]

Essex Skippers had a good year at all my local sites, usually appearing a couple of weeks after the Small Skippers although this varied a bit between sites.
I spent some time this year looking for them at Blythe Valley Park which was my only local site where I had not previously recorded them and finally found quite a few on July 17th after a couple of previous visits had only produced Small Skippers.

Essex Skipper 17.07.2020

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Essex Skipper

I saw plenty of Smessex this year but not stopping off on the way home as often and also not getting up to the field as much because of, yep you guessed it, Co-Vid, meant that opportunities for getting shots was a bit trickier than in other years. Luckily Five Rivers is within walking distance and so doable as part of the daily exercise; also there are good numbers to be found there. This was where this shot was taken and I chose it as my favourite for two reasons. First up it was in such good nick – almost immaculate so it glowed in the dull of a showery day. Secondly it was adopting a pose that I’ve not often seen in this species, with both sets of wings held in the same plane as their body, in typical butterfly style as opposed to the X-wing posture associated with Skippers in general.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Philzoid]

There is a small 'wildlife zone' of an overgrown drive, literally 10 yards from my front door. As well as this Essex I have seen Brimstone, the three common whites, Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock; Red Admiral; Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Small Copper and a male Megachile maritima bee . Nature forays have never been so quick and productive.

Phil