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Brown Hairstreak - Favourite Photo of 2020

Week 2

It feels like only yesterday that I was sitting down to kick off the 2020 Thread. I hope every one made good use of their extra hour today!

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.

Again a quick reminder that it might be a good idea to select your Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo of 2020 first so that you’ve got something to post when the series of threads culminates in 20 weeks time…


Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Well, I think we can all agree 2020 was a vintage year for this species and any number of images could be picked from the loads I took, but this freshly minted female in typical 'shark fin' mode atop a Hogweed flowerhead gets my vote

This half-open-wing shot is my favourite from this year, taken during an excellent season in the Lincolnshire Limewoods.

Shipton Bellinger is one of the hotspots for Brown Hairstreak in Hampshire. I visited a few times this year and the third time found some very fresh females.

I went to Whitecross Green Wood early on 3 August and it was almost deserted. Over the course of several hours I had maybe four or five sightings but no photographs. I stopped where two rides cross and whilst pouring a cup of tea noticed this little beauty only a few meters from where I stood. Increasingly, I feel that finding the right place and waiting for butterflies to come to me is more rewarding than walking for hours. The difficulty is having the confidence to wait.

Lee Hurrell wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:34 pm Shipton Bellinger is one of the hotspots for Brown Hairstreak in Hampshire. I visited a few times this year and the third time found some very fresh females.

That one certainly IS fresh, Lee. Absolutely pristine.

David M wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:29 am That one certainly IS fresh, Lee. Absolutely pristine.

They were quite docile, too

Great stuff Lee Missed you by a day maybe next year

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:50 pm Great stuff Lee Missed you by a day maybe next year

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Definitely, Wurze. We have a few sites to go to!

Best wishes,

Lee

I will join in the accolades for Shipton B. as an excellent site for producing Brown Hairstreaks, especially with Wurzel as a guide to the best bits. For me, the season was an unusual one - I have gone for many years with barely a glimpse of the male of the species but in 2020 I saw three or four times as many males as females and took many more photos of them. This started down at Bookham on 29th July......but it was really the following day at Shipton B. that boots were well and truly filled. Impossible to choose a favourite shot - it was more along the lines of "Brown Hairstreak - Favourite Day of 2020"After all these males, along the leafy lane on the way back to the car was a nice new female as well. Dave

Unusually, my best BH this year was a male, seen early in the flight season at Alner's Gorse, on my way back from Portland in late July:

Nice Male from Shipton Bellinger 30th July

Brown Hairstreak

I was really struggling when it came to this one for a couple of reasons. First up; after the first couple of unsuccessful trips Shipton came to life and I found Brostreaks on every one of my following 6 trips so the numbers were against me when it came to making my decision. Next up was the fact that on half of my visits I was with excellent and Socially Distanced Company and the days were some of the best butterflying trips that I made all year. And finally the butterflies themselves were either pristine, showing well, opening up or showing some interesting behaviours.

Hhmmmmmmm it was a tricky one but in the end I chose the one below because of the best company. Sorry Trevor, Dave and twice sorry Philzoid your company (socially distanced of course) was top notch but I went with this one as I was with Little L when this was taken. We’d nipped out for some exercise and together we watched this male crawled and fluttered about amid the Brambles before starting to open up as it turned ever so slowly round clockwise trying his best to angle himself to maximise his exposure to the weakest of the suns rays.
Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

This female was the only Brown Hairstreak was the only one I saw at Bookham Commons this year, and stopped me in my tracks when she suddenly appeared as I was answering a call of nature Phil

Beautiful specimen, Philzoid. If you are only going to see one, it helps if it's a mint individual like that one.