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Grayling - Favourite Photo of 2018

Week 6

And so the Favourites thread continues on into the G's. Next week the Thread may start a little later depending on how the Winter Social goes

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.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

After several years of looking, I finally stumbled across a courting pair at my regular site, Chobham Common, and got an upperside shot. It may not be the best shot in the world but at least its in focus

Only one of my trips out in 2018 yielded Graylings, and that was on a swelteringly hot day on 19 July on Kilvey Hill in Swansea.

The two I saw were fidgety and flighty, and the best I could manage was this record shot:

I had a struggle with my Grayling shots I was sliding about on the Sand Dunes at Southport so really can't say I've got a favourite just a struggle shot Goldie August 9th Southport Dunes

Good efforts everyone here.

Mine is from the south of France, 16 September. This species rarely offers opportunities for out-of-the-ordinary shots - unless you can catch them courting !!
Chris

I was lucky enough this year to see Grayling both on limestone (Tout Quarry, Portland) and lowland heath (Hollesley Common, Suffolk). My favourite picture came from the latter location on 21st August. One of the many scenarios where this species becomes very hard to spot!

I only saw these at a couple of sites this year, the first time in early August up at Arnside Knott where there were a few on the windswept scree slopes above the car park, and a month later down in Dorset at Durdle Door where they were still flying on the chalk grassland above the famous rock arch.

My favourite is this one taken at Durdle Door,
Cheers,

Neil.

Grayling

This came at the end of the first week of July from my usual site; Godshill near Fordingbridge. This year wasn’t a vintage one for me for this species this year and it was hard wok finding them in the first place and then once that task had been achieved getting shots proved difficult because they were so active in the exceedingly hot climate. I chose this one as I was graced with a ‘trousering’.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Brean Down, Somerset. The 2018 "Spot the Grayling" competition.

Dawneys Hill in Surrey is my usual favoured spot for this species, but I also encountered them up at Arnside on 1st July, when as well as the usual trouserings, I came across a mating pair.Back at Dawneys nearly two months later on 31st August, I watched this egg being laid......and observed some late courtship behaviour. Dave