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Grizzled Skipper - Favourite Photo of 2018

Week 7

Last week I wasn’t totally convinced that I would be able to post this but despite the machinations of the South West Trains Guards and bewildering capabilities of the Salisbury ticket office I manged to make it to and from the Winter Social – so here we go with Week 7!

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

I spent a pleasant hour or so at Merthyr Mawr dunes near Porthcawl on 6th May which is a stronghold for this species in south Wales:

I'm going for 3 images here. My first ever Grizzlie egg. a roosting one playing peekaboo with me and a trio from a memorable day out with Trevor and Millerd where we did 3 sites in one day, ending up at Mill Hill in the dying light looking for roosting skippers.

I was extremely fortunate with this species this year, getting some nice images. The first one at Cotley Hill is in surprisingly good condition for the end of May. I really like the "soft light" on this one, which was due to it being cloudy but quite bright at the time.
Cotley Hill, May 28th 2018, 3.56pm
Mill Hill, April 9th 2017, 6.05pm
Mill Hill, May 8th 2018, 6.48pm

Cheers
John W

Lucky to have a site nearby, I haven't travelled much this year, concentrating on our own patch. We had a few evenings between 8th and 15th May at Holme Fen, Cambs. The volunteers have done some great work clearing the scrub here. We counted 7 on the 15th

My first ab taras in Cornwall back in May, with thanks to John Chapple and Paul Browning for an excellent day out!

My favourites among quite a few across a number of sites come from Mill Hill in Sussex. Firstly, one from the same evening (9th May) as Bugboy's roosters, showing the amazing "eyebrows" the species has.. The second is from 15th May, with a male taking an interest in a female. Dave

A bit cheeky posting four pictures ,but I struggled to pick my overall favourite ,anyway three variants and a normal
individual ,two from a small site ,alongside the local football ground ,and two from the Orlestone forest ,where they are just hanging on !

Grizzled Skipper

This was taken at good ole Laverstock Down during one of my weekly ‘tutor time’ visits. It was taken early in June when the Grizzlies were on the wane but I chose this as my favourite despite the tired appearance of this particular butterfly because it was another addition to one of my collections – ‘Butterflies on Poo’ as it crawled over and took salts from a dried Cowpat.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Another south of France cousin from the month of May.
I hope I've got the right beastie Chris

Looks good to me, Chris, although I suspect that's malvoides rather than malvae?

David M wrote:Looks good to me, Chris, although I suspect that's malvoides rather than malvae?

I'm sure you're right David.

Grizzled Skippers have been struggling in Warwickshire in recent years and there are only a handful of sites where they can be seen. I only saw them on the one occasion in 2018, when I went to Bishops Hill in mid May and was pleased to find half a dozen scattered about across the site, which is more than I have seen there for a few years.
Cheers,

Neil.

Here is one of the many f taras seen at Hutchinsons Bank 22.5.18 and a picture of the Small Blue Big Scrape where they were seen most often.

That is one stunning Taras ,mr Spock ,the heaviest marked I,ve ever seen...…….. Nice one !!
Regards Allan.W.