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White Admiral - Favourite Photo of 2022

Week 19

The Penultimate week and the 2023 butterflies are already flying – it could be that someone already has a Favourite for next season in the bank!

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 couldn't pick from either of these, a freshly minted one who's wings were still soft and this underside

My favourite White Admiral photograph in 2022 was of this female resting amongst the brambles.


http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

Some species seemed to emerge early in 2022. I went to look for Black Hairstreak and was surprised to see several Silver-washed on the wing. Just in case, I decided to check out a part of the wood where White Admiral live and bingo. I suspect it was very fresh.

downland boy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:49 pmMy favourite White Admiral photograph in 2022 was of this female resting amongst the brambles.

That's positively exuding freshness, DB!

It was on June 23rd that I saw my first Admiral, it was very active , in fact there was more than one, all, wouldn't you know in deep foliage.
I was in East Blean Woods at the time looking for the Heath Fritillaries , I was lucky that day to see both. Goldie

Didn't take many White Admiral photos during 2022 despite seeing many more than usual! I rather like this one on the nettles, and think of it as a White Admiral masquerading as a Red Admiral!

I first came across White Admirals in 2022 down at Bookham. The early shots are always the better ones as it doesn't take them any time at all to become ragged.I also like this shot from Chiddingfold a fortnight later - it was particularly close to a Small White, making for an unusual "twofer". Dave

I only saw White Admirals on the one occasion in 2022, that being during a visit to Oversley Wood on June 22nd. It was a warm morning and everything was very active including the White Admirals, with those that I saw either flapping and gliding along the edges of the main track or fidgeting about on the bramble flowers. This meant that the few photos that I managed were quick snap shots when an opportunity presented itself and given the circumstances I was relatively pleased with the shots below.
Cheers,

Neil

I only got one shot last year, which was on one of the Gatwick transects.
Vince

White Admiral

Picture the scene…it’s early July, a lovely sunny and warm morning at the Switchback in Bentley Wood. There are a collection of heads almost perpendicular to their navels with the eyes held within levelled at the top of a large Oak where His Nibbs is sitting imperiously, aloof to the avid watchers below willing Him to come down. He takes to the air and after a few powerful wing flaps glides down and round tantalising and teasing. But then he disappears back to another lofty perch grinning maliciously no doubt. In the meantime at ground level a smaller, thinner winged version slices its way through the air and pauses to refuel on some Bramble. With a ‘Stuff you Mr Emperor’ I sidle in with a few other photographers and there is a cracking White Admiral – much closer and amenable than its boss. This is my favourite shot of this species; not just because it had been a while since I’d got decent shots of this species but because it came as a raspberry or finger led gesture to His Nibbs!
Have a goodun

Wurzel