Small Blue - Favourite Photo of 2012

[Vince Massimo]

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2012 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter until all 59 UK species have been covered. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas friends are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

[Wurzel]

Small Blue

This was taken back at the end of May once I realised that what with the lousy weather and searching out various other species I was at risk of missing out on the first round of Small Blues. To rectify this I made a sortie to Martin Down on one of the warmer evenings. I started off at Sillen’s Lane and then followed the hedge along the bottom of the reserve. After a while it is joined by another hedge which runs parallel with it forming a tunnel of Hawthorn almost so I headed in reasoning that the sheltered areas would offer good roosting sites and I wasn’t disappointed with several groups of Grizzlies as well as the target species. Every year I am amazed by just how small Small Blues really are, and some that I saw were miniscule. They were gently flitting around the grass heads and then as one 5 or 6 would suddenly land and then orientate themselves head down as they settled for the night. This is my favourite shot as the evening sun just caught the wing tips and the hairs giving it a subtle glow.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Nick Broomer]

These two photos were taken at Kithirst Hill, on an evening visit with Mark Colvin.

25.5.2012 Kithirst Hill 023_1.jpg

25.5.2012 Kithirst Hill 070_1.jpg

[badgerbob]

Small Blue are generally few and far between on my patch, however, not too far away is Windover Hill where numbers are a bit higher. This is one of the few reasonably successful open wing shots I've managed to get.

[MikeOxon]

I like this shot as I feel that it captures the 'smallness' of this butterfly - almost lost amongst the blades of grass. It is also memorable for me because it was taken during a walk at Aston Upthorpe, led by Richard Lewington.

Aston Upthorpe Down, Oxon - 30th May 2012
Nikon D300s with 300f4 lens+1.4X TC - 1/1000s@f/6.7 ISO400

Mike

[Neil Freeman]

I went to see Small Blue a couple of times at Bishops Hill in Warwickshire where the photos below were taken.

Small Blue - Bishops Hill 09.06.2012

Small Blue - Bishops Hill 09.06.2012

Small Blue - Bishops Hill 23.05.2012

Cheers,

Neil.

[millerd]

My only opportunity to pop into Totternhoe in Bedfordshire during the Small Blue season coincided with a damp dismal day borrowed from November - but actually 7th June. There is a particular area in which they can always be found, and I was confident I would find one or two roosting. In fact, there were two or three dozen (at least), all tucked up in the shrubs, but easy to find once you'd got your eye in. Here are two of them. I seem to have taken more photos of butterflies in the rain in 2012 than at any time previously...

Dave

[essexbuzzard]

This photo was taken at one of my reliable Sussex sites on 1 june-a dull but warm and humid day which marked a change from a short,sunny few days to the more familiar wind and rain of 2012.
Having already seen adonis blues at Denbies,and wood whites in fair numbers at Botany Bay. Just fitted in the small blue site,toward the end of the day,wish i had more time with this tiny species.

[Goldie M]

My shot was taken at Brroadcroft Quarry Portland 0n the 24th May It was my first sighting of the SB so I was really thrilled and excited Goldie

[nomad]

I was pleased to get this unusual photograph of a male Small Blue at Morgan's Hill, Wilts in May.

[Vince Massimo]

Just catching up on things, so here is my favourite Small Blue from one of my local sites. It stands out for me because this particular male is not only very fresh but also has a lot of extra blue scales.

Small Blue male - Addington, Surrey 1-June-2012

On the same day I also found a mating pair.

Small Blue pair - Addington, Surrey 1-June-2012

Vince

[David M]

Of all the UK butterflies, this is the one I neglected most in 2012, which is particularly indefensible as there are colonies a short drive away from where I live.

I saw just two all year, and need to rectify this in 2013, as the Small Blue is definitely worthy of far more than cursory attention.