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Gatekeeper - Favourite Photo of 2023

Week 5

Week 5 already?! That must mean that the new season is on the distant horizon, Xmas is closer and the Winter Social (25th November – The Old Forge, Otterbourne) is just round the corner.

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

Gatekeeper

I saw good numbers of ab.excessa this year as well as a few ab.striata (at least I think that’s what they’re called) and lots and lots of cracking looking Hedgies, most of which sat nicely and adopted interesting poses that showed off either the fine livery of their unusual spotting. For a while it was looking like choosing my Fave for the year was going to be pretty difficult and then during a brilliant day at Shipton Bellinger this one turned up. At first I thought that it was just a tired looking, aged Hedgie. But it’s intact with no scrapes or nicks, the fringes are still visible and even the ground colour is more grey than brown so I’m left thinking that it’s an aberrant. Even if it’s not its stunning appearance warrants its inclusion as my choice for the Favourite. In fact it’s such a looker I didn’t regret spending time with it even though it meant missing out on more time with the marvellous Brown Argus/Brown Hairstreak twofer that Trevor captured so well.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

This species had a decent season on my local patch, with the typical meteoric rise from single figures to dozens at the start of July, a peak in late July when I could easily count a hundred or so - and then fizzling out completely by the end of August. I have to remember to seek them out early in the season when they are at their best, and here are one of each sex that stood out from the throng.With so many around generally in 2023, they really did become a nuisance species at Bookham when the Brown Hairstreaks were starting, but luckily that species also had a terrific year and no real ID annoyances cropped up at all.

Dave

I saw my first gate Keeper at Monkton Nature Reserve on the 27th of June, I was surprised to see it had one spot instead of the usual two, later in the year I saw lots of Gate Keepers in my garden, it was a good year for them, hope fully more will arrive next year Goldie

Definitly one of the winners in 2023 with large numbers seen at all my local spots. Whether it was down to the numbers in general or other (environmental ?) factors, there seemed to be a larger than usual number of individuals with a extra spotting around this year, most of these I termed 'almost excessas' due to the fact these extra spots were often just faint dots.
Cheers,

Neil

An early-season male from the end of June, photographed at a local country park in suburban Surrey.
From the same location, in early August.
Whilst a couple of days earlier, at a local park in SW London at the beginning of August, this mating pair perched obligingly for a little while.

Gatekeepers did exceptionally well this year in Mid-Kent ,and i saw very high numbers at most sites i visited .They did particularly well in my local forest (Orlestone ) .I was fortunate enough to find 6 in-cop pairs What was very noticeable were the numbers with extra spotting,and the variation in colour types ,with some very pale specimens through to deep dark Chocolate brown
My last shot was of an unfortunate fresh male that happened to rest on the wrong Buttercup .........and fell foul of a waiting Crab Spider. Allan.W.

Many hundreds seen in 2023, including large numbers in Fermyn Wood on 17th July:

Very happy this year as the 3rd year of a Gatekeeper colony at my home increased from 6 in 2022 to 19 this year Here is one of them nectaring on Marjoram during mid-August
And a beautiful little female on her last day with me, the final member of the colony that provided some much pleasure. Improved the habitat even further to hopefully produce 20+ in 2024

A couple of eye catching abs. An excessa from work and a lugens in Sussex