Duke of Burgundy - Favourite Photo of 2014

[Wurzel]

Week 5

So continues sequence of posts giving one and all the opportunity to showcase their favourite shots of 2014 (or the last time you saw one)!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year 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.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[MikeOxon]

A fairly ROTM shot but significant for me, as it was the first time I tried using a +1 close-up lens on my Lumix FZ200.

This is a member of a fairly small colony that I have been following for a few years now, so I was very pleased to meet them again,this Spring.

Crog Hill, Oxon - 16th May 2014
Lumix FZ200 (fl=108mm) with +1CU - 1/250s @ f/6.3 ISO125

Mike

[downland boy]

On a foray into Kent, I was going to introduce Badger bob to the Dukes of Denge whilst he would show me the Monkey Orchids at Parkgate. Whilst wandering along Bonsai Bank I came across this Duke of Burgundy oddity displaying a pigment deformity in its right forewing.

[Chris Jackson]

I like your DoB with the pigment problem Downland Boy - you always seem to have something special up your sleeve.
No participation from me - unfortunately we don't have Dukes of Burgundy in the South of France as far as I know.
Chris

[downland boy]

Thanks Chris...it's always easy to choose a favourite when you find a specimen that differs from the norm...right place, right time.

[Wurzel]

Duke of Burgundy

This was taken at the other end of May, not surprisingly at my Duke site. I’d already visited a few weeks previously and then they were already looking slightly worn so to find one as fresh out of the box as this one was a bit of a surprise and a very pleasant one at that. It was taken on the same day as my favourite Adonis and as well as all the reasons s6ated in my post this also became my favourite Duke of Burgundy as it was so stunning. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a DoB with so much orange on it. It was so bright and eye catching that after the briefest of first glances I knew it was something extraordinary. For a few heart stopping moments I couldn’t relocate it but luckily it flew back and landed on the path. Cracking!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

That is a beautiful female D.o.B., Wurzel.

My favourite Duke of the year has to be this one from Bentley Wood, because despite several years looking, I'd never seen one here before. It was a dark one too, in stark contrast to Wurzel's.

Dave

[David M]

Only spent one day with this species in 2014, and that was at Rodborough Common, near Stroud, Glos, on 17th May:

[Goldie M]

My favourite photo was taken at Gaits Barrow on the 16th May I had to take the Photo with my Sigma lens which brings the subject closer when it's in the distance, I must say without this lens I would have missed out on loads of shots this year, no need to get tangled in Blackberries etc when using this lens It also has micro which is good for close ups. Goldie

[Philzoid]

2014 was a fantastic year for Dukes . As well as my usual site at Noar Hill I saw them at Butser and one of the rarer woodland habitat types at Bentley. It's difficult to chose one overall so I'll cheat a bit and post one (or two) from each site.

The first one from Noar Hill was a challenge simply to get my camera set up right. The dark chocolate basal areas had a green tinge on them which I've not seen before. I like this photo but think I can do better .

The second one is from Butser Hill where I met up with Mark Tutton who led the way for a gruelling trek that had me hauling my fat fifty plus frame oop hills and down dales looking for new colonies. The effort made it all the more sweeter when we found out quarry of course . As I'm limited to one photo I'll only stick on two

Nice Orange Duchess though not as orange as yours Wurzel

The final is a rarer woodland Duke from the eastern clearing of Bentley Wood (I think I can say that ). Though my target was Small Pearls I was tipped off that there was a Duke in the area and after a lot of searching someone found it for me , nectaring on Wood spurge in the late afternoon sunshine .

Phil