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Ringlet - Favourite Photo of 2023

Week 14

It’s cold out there so stay in and select your Favourite Butterfly Photos of 2023!

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

Ringlet

This was taken at the end of June at Alners Gorse on the first of two visits that I made. Both were extremely memorable, which is actually the reason that I chose this image, of this species, for the Favourite this year. Amid Silver-washed Frits, Purple and White-letter Hairstreaks, White Admirals and with the prospect of Lulworths, DGFs and Adonis Blues later the poor old Ringlet would have gotten short shrift on the day, despite being a lovely example and also being my first for the year. So to make it up to the Ringlet for my lack of attention I chose this shot.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Saw my first Ringlets of 2023 on 20th June at my local Bridge of don wild meadow.
Best photos attached.

Ringlets failed to show on my local patch in 2023, though to be fair I only ever see one or two here in most years. However, there was no shortage in the woodlands of both Bookham and Chiddingfold, and I managed this shot at the latter location early on before the Emperors appeared on that magical day back in June.Though I had drawn a blank near to home I did find a few a bit further away at Staines Moor. Dave

Bertl wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 7:24 pmSaw my first Ringlets of 2023 on 20th June at my local Bridge of don wild meadow.

Lovely pale undersides on that one, Bertl.

Thanks David.

It seems to be almost the norm on that particular site.

Bert.

I saw my Ringlets in Blean Woods, they didn't settle for very long , not surprising with the weather like it was , very cloudy at times, when the Sun did appear they took advantage of it right a way 10th of July Goldie

First photo from Chiddingfold (Tugley Wood) in the last week of June, when after a while spent chasing round after larger and flashier butterflies, this one settled very nicely with wings almost flat (though not for long enough for me to get everything in as good a focus as I should have done).
Second photo from Ashtead Common in early July. I happened upon a flurry of brown wings, which turned out to be a mating pair with a third one fluttering around to investigate. After the third one left I attempted a few shots of the mating pair, but they weren't well positioned for a photograph (not their primary concern, after all), so I've chosen one with the three.

This lustrous specimen, which had presumably recently emerged, was seen on my local commons on 18th June:

A species for which I rarely get a good photo opportunity, but after several hours of heavily overcast weather in the Pyrenees, I went for a stroll and this male was making the most of what little sunlight there was.

I didn't take many pictures of them last year but here's a nice fresh underside from Bookham.

The Ringlet was the biggest loser [along with Small Tortoiseshell] in Chelmsford with very few sightings during what felt like a very short season. Although I did manage to find good numbers in other butterfly sites in Essex where some of my favourite photographs were taken, starting with a fresh-looking one from a failed visit to Thrift Wood to find Heath Fritillary, but instead managed to find a successful colony of Ringlets - 42 in perfect conditions for them:
And then a found even more [50+] in Hockley Wood on a successful trip to find Heath Fritillary - the best underside shot:
And then, probably the best photograph of all, Ringlets in cop, from a wonderful trip to Hatfield Forest [100+]: