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Small Copper - Favourite Photo 2019

Week 16

In the words of Red Leader, Garven Dreis: “Almost there…almost there” .

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

Not the best year for these guys in 2019. Normally a slow burner through the season and peaking late summer but they didn't seem to peak at all last year, simply pottering along in low numbers all season. Anyway I found this mating pair at Bookham which I like for the difference in condition with the well aged male and the pristine female.

I have three favourite photographs of the Small Copper from 2019.

In date order, the first is of a mating pair, an occurrence that I don't often come across in this species.

The second is of a nectaring female. Only when I downloaded the photograph at home did I notice a Crab Spider lying in wait on the adjacent flower head. If she had landed on that flower, I would have been presented with a very different image.

The third is a female, aberration extensa.



http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

Although I regularly see Small Copper in my garden, I have never encountered a pair mating. That is why I chose this photograph, taken on 18 September. Looking good for 2020.

I only saw two Small Copper's last year, one at Beachy Head on the 5th of June and the other on the 16th July at Dover, luckily they were both Blue Badges so I've posted both Goldie

Wolfson wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:50 am...That is why I chose this photograph, taken on 18 September.

Very nice, Wolfson. I love the way they're so delicately balanced on their feet.

Nice shots above. Particularly from Wolfson, highly artistic - well done that man!!
I only have a token shot from last year, from 11th of August: Chris

I saw more first brood Small Coppers around my local patch in 2019 than I have for some years with examples seen at most of my usual sites.
Later in the year they turned up nearly everywhere I went, including Cornwall in early August,
and Dorset in early September when I saw this nicely marked male at Durdle Door,
and this lovely pale female the day after on Bindon Hill,
Cheers,

Neil.

Pleased to say this species did okay round my way in 2019.

Normally, Small Coppers pose with wings part-open (first image) but if conditions are right they'll bask with them fully extended (second image), such as this one seen at Crymlyn Burrows in Swansea on 12th May:

Small Copper

This was taken on one of my later trips. I wasn’t expecting to see much but ran into a plethora of Coppers, enough in fact to make even an innocent man feel nervous! In amid them one really stood out as it had the biggest blue badges that personally I’ve ever seen – they were huge which led me to believe that this wasn’t an ordinary Copper, this was a DCI I reckon.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

The small population on my local patch had a pretty good year in 2019 with individuals from all three broods seen, spanning the months from April to October. Here is the first one of the year on 29th April......and another beautiful new one a few days later.The summer brood appear to respond to the heat and look much duskier. They also tend to sport noticeable tails.Finally, a nice third brood example from 18th September, looking more like the first brood. Dave

A garden Small Copper (from 2018).

Very nice, Chris. This is one common species that I've never seen in my garden, irrespective of where I've been living.

I get a few here some years and none in others. Although I've planted out plenty of the foodplant, I don't think they are breeding here. Maybe I should plant up a couple of those pots in the background with sorrel over a gravel layer and see if that tempts them.

Lovely shots millerd

I see so few Small Coppers in this part of the world (Cambs) so it was real delight to find this one with some others in Spring (20-Apr) when I was out looking for grizzlies

Matsukaze wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2020 2:21 pm...Maybe I should plant up a couple of those pots in the background with sorrel over a gravel layer and see if that tempts them.

Why not, Chris? You have nothing to lose.

A few Kentish Small Coppers ,2 from Orlestone forest and the AB;Remota from an early morning spring visit at the ever reliable
Dungeness ,far fewer "blue spots " (for me !) than usual ,but the coppers still in high numbers . The third brood this year was a lot smaller than
previous years and I think my last Copper of the year (19) was around mid October compared to November 5th last season (18) ,I did find a female Radiata in the first brood on the RSPB RESERVE (Dungeness ) but was unable to keep tracks on it ,as I tried to explain to a couple of interested birders
what I was looking at ………………….it never hung around to have its picture taken !
Allan.W.

Lovely trio that, Allan, especially that second one which is most unusual.