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Week 19

So continues sequence of posts giving one and all the opportunity to showcase their favourite shots of 2014 (or the last time you saw one)!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year 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

This is one of the few photos i managed of this species, but my favourite.

Didn't see too many Walls in 2014 and I suppose my favourite images were these unusual ones of a female nectaring on buddleia on 2nd August at Kittle Quarry a mile from where I live:

Last year I managed to get a photo of a pair in cop, which has filled another gap in my photo album, and yes, I did get seriously prickled in the process.
South of France, September 2014: And here is a decent open-wing shot of a female in the scrub in September: Chris

I only saw Wall Butterflies once last year in May and that was at Southport in the Dunes so I'd to be content with that, at least I know where to find them now so I'll be back there in May with luck. ( shots taken 21st May )Goldie

Nice to see they're still present on the NW coast, Goldie. When I was a child they were plentiful inland too!

Having somehow missed them at Wurzel's Marsh Fritillary site in May, I reached the end of September still having not seen a Wall. Luckily, a third brood put in a good appearance down in Sussex, so on 21st September I headed down to High & Over, and then Cuckmere. I saw several in both locations, but it was quite windy, and the butterflies were their usual somewhat uncooperative selves. This female was the most accommodating. Dave

Yes David they're still on the North West Coast and can also be found inland in lots of Quarries, Warton Craig and Gaits Barrow also have them, I've not seen them at GB myself, they've been seen there by others and reported. Goldie

Wall Brown

This is my favourite shot of Wall Brown from 2014 and it was one of the trickiest to choose out of all the species. I was really lucky to find both inland and coastal Walls this year and managed to get shots of both a male, female, open and closed wings.
This was my fave for two reasons. First it’s of a female and all my previous attempts were with wings only slightly open or they were worn and tatty and if they were in good shape and performing they were far too distant. This little beauty was immaculate even down to the fine grain dusting of scales. The second reason is that it was taken on a stolen 10 minutes on my family holiday to the Outlaws in Wales. To get the shot I had to balance precariously on the edge of a slipped cliff. Have a goodun

Wurzel

I saw the grand total of 2 Wall Browns in 2014, both whilst in Dorset in early September. The first was a female on Portland of which I managed to get a record shot and the second one was on the path up to White Horse Hill at Osmington where I saw another female. The latter example was seen late in the day and looked to be settling down to roost in the shade of an overhang of the bank at the side of the path which was hardly the ideal spot for a photo, but with a bit of flash I got an underside shot that I quite liked.
I think the main reason I saw so few of this species was simply that they are no longer found in my part of the midlands and when I travelled to places where they may be found for other species I was usually between the fight times for this one.

Cheers,

Neil.