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Small Blue - Favourite Photo of 2021

Week 16

From the ‘silvers’ and onto the ‘smalls’ which must mean that there aren’t that many weeks remaining before the grand finale and the Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo…so now’s the time to be doing your last minute selection and/or making sure that you’re happy with your choice! The few remaining weeks will fly by.

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 and stay safe

Wurzel

I didn't see many of them this year and only really caught up with the first brood this year on same day I was enjoying some Glanville's in South London

Again my Small Blues at Hutchinsons Bank the numbers were down this year, but was still seen for over 12 weeks on the transect. This from a good day on the reserve.

My annual visit to the Chilterns was too early for Small Blue, but I did catch up with both broods at a local site that became established (?) a few years ago.

My visit to Bishops Hill in Warwickshire in early June provided plenty of fresh Small Blues. I would normally have visited this site around mid May to see these but given the generally later emergences I held on a bit and ended up timing it nicely.
During our week in Dorset later in the month we found quite a few flying on the downs around Durdle Door but these were mostly looking past their best by then.

Cheers,

Neil.

My usual Small blue fix at Huchinsons this spring whilst waiting for Glanvilles to awake

Small Blue

This was taken at the start of June at Martin Down. It’s my favourite as it reminds me of a cracking trip that I took with the girls. It was one of those trips where expectations should have been high but in actual fact they were lowered considerably by the dull weather. It became a case of hoping to be in a good spot when the sun happened to shine through the thick layer of cloud. One of those times was when we were on just past the Hollow Hotspot. Little pearls of rain were still affixed to the blades of grass and as we passed they would roll down the leaf like crystal orbs. The sun suddenly broke through and in a moment the aforementioned orbs were evaporating into wisps of steam to be replaced by Small Blues which suddenly were everywhere. This particular individual was possibly the finest of the lot but choosing him was a lengthy and drawn out affair.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

The small blue was a first for me in 2021. I visited a site near Glamis Castle recommended to me by a north east butterfly enthusiast and photographer Ben Freeman. Had to wait a few hours before the sun appeared followed by the butterflies. All photos taken on 18th June.

This little fella that landed on my trousers at Whiteford Burrows in mid-May was my favourite:

Definitely a downswing in numbers in 2021 at the sites I visited (Pitstone, College Lake, Cotley Hill and Hutchinson's Bank), but at the last of these even a smaller number is still a decent showing. My favourite shot is from that spot, in particular a sheltered nook by the gate at the bottom of the "scrape" where they always seem to gather. Dave