Meadow Brown - Favourite Photo 2019

[Wurzel]

Meadow Brown - Favourite Photo 2019

Week 11

Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable Solstice and as there are now only a few days now until the cheerful obese gentleman breaks in by way of a chimney and reverse burgles us all I will wish everyone a Happy Christmas!

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

[bugboy]

Found my first one of the year at Hadleigh Country Park at the beginning of June and after a bit of chasing I managed to get a few snaps of him, it's funny how as a species they seem to become more relaxed as the season progresses.

I also had some rather nice looking females at Bookham

and this striking double pupiled female was found at Daneway.

[Chris Jackson]

This pair was seen in the south of France on the 22nd of May.
As I look at this photo, and with the chill wind currently blowing outdoors, its hard to image the warmth of that day in the month of May.

Chris

[Chris Jackson]

....
and this striking double pupiled female was found at Daneway ...

Nice find Buggy
Chris

[MikeOxon]

Even though I didn't do much 'butterflying' this year, there are some species that one almost can't help bumping into. This Meadow Brown was visiting my Niece's wild garden near Yeovil.

garden near Yeovil, Somerset - 28th July 2019
Olympus E-M1-ii with 40-150mm lens - 1/320s@f/14 ISO 400

Mike

[David M]

...it's funny how as a species they seem to become more relaxed as the season progresses.

Isn't it just? Meadow Browns seem to be turbocharged early in their flight period, but become more relaxed and docile as the season wears on. Unfortunately by this time they aren't as photogenic.

I didn't take many images of this species this year; here's probably the best one from Abergavenny on 21st July:

[Allan.W.]

Didn,t point my camera at too many Meadow Browns in 2019 but of the few I did take ,the standout individual was the pale Abberant individual ,just outside of the Orlestone forest ,it was very striking in flight ,and it did throw me re; I.D. until it finally settled.
Regards Allan.W.

[Padfield]

Not my best picture of meadow brown in 2019 but my favourite - not least because I took it in March. I had walked into the hills near Málaga in torrential rain and spent most of the day sheltering from downpours. Then at about 15h00 the sun suddenly came out. Immediately, butterflies began flying, including this surprise meadow brown. A day I will not forget.



Guy

[Neil Freeman]

Lots of Meadow Browns at most places I visited during 2019.

A male from the Heddon Valley in late June;

Meadow Brown male - Heddon Valley 25.06.2019.

Over the past few years I have been seeing more and more females with extended orange markings including on the hindwings like this example from Aston Rowant in late July.

Meadow Brown female - Aston Rowant 29.07.2019

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Meadow Brown

Again I had a tricky choice to make as there were two stand out Meadow Browns for me from 2019 – a ‘stand out’ Meadow Brown is something of a rarity so recalling two meant there was really only one option and that was to cheat and select both.
The first I found in the Meadow at Work on 20th June. At first I didn’t really know what it was as the colour was so unusual for a Meadow Brown – in fact when it closed its wings it was more of a ‘Meadow Orange’.

The second was from Godshill near Fordingbridge exactly a month later. This was at the opposite end of the spectrum with not a pixel/scale of orange in sight; instead where there was usually orange there was now white. Even the brown ground colour was washed out. It was like a ghost of a Meadow Brown.

Butterflies are great aren’t they – even the ‘dull and boring’ ones throw up interesting oddities!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I love the first new examples that appear in late May or Early June. They seem to have a much "cleaner" feel to them that those that emerge later - sometimes much later... A male...

...and a female

Both seen on my local patch near Heathrow on 11th June on a dull and not particularly warm day.

Dave

[MikeOxon]

I notice that several of these photos show double spots on the forewings. Is this a variation that is increasing in abundance? The old adage that MB had one spot and Gatekeeper two seems to be less reliable than it was.

Mike

[Goldie M]

I saw my Meadow Brown in Blean Woods on the !6th Of July , I'd also taken some shots on the 21st July I've entered this shot because it brings back the Summer time Goldie