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Silver-studded Blue - Favourite Photo of 2015

Week 15

Sorry I'm a little bit late posting this week - the joys of Ikea and bed building that followed from it Anyway on with the Favourite Photo thread!

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

2015 was my best year for SSB shots. These were from the Parc des Bruyères, on the South East of Marseilles.
Female : Male : Male : Cheers, Chris

I think this tête-à-tête is my favourite out of all my Silver-studded Blue photos. Taken on Silchester Common, Hampshire:
Mike

A visit to Prees Heath at the end of June saw plentiful SSB activity. Here's a male:
...and a female (with just the odd few blue scales):

A couple of trips to Chobham Common gave me my SSB fix last year, also my first ever fresh animals

here's a female a male (one of my favourite pictures of the year I think) and a male trying his luck, unsuccessfully as it turned out.

Another species that is easy for me to sort through my photos of last year as I only saw them on the one occasion. This was early last June when, on the last day of our week staying on The Lizard in Cornwall, I took the opportunity to nip over to Upton Towans as I had seen a couple of reports of sightings there.

I didn't have much idea of the best places to look in what is a quite extensive dune system but by checking out likely looking sheltered spots behind the dunes I eventually found half a dozen or more mostly fresh looking males. It was obviously early in their flight period which I believe is also earlier on the Cornish Dunes than for the populations that occur on heaths.
Cheers,

Neil

My favourites this year come from a visit to Fairmile Common near Cobham on 13th June. There were dozens around, and the choice isn't easy. Dave

Silver-studded Blue

I only managed the one trip to Slop Bog this year and it had to be an evening visit as the girls have been scared off by the Ticks that crawl all over the site.
This was my Fave as it was of a female and I love the oily sheen that shows on the wings and the slightly indistinct orange markings on the hind wing which seem almost elongated into tear shapes rather than lunules. Have a goodun

Wurzel

My one and only encounter with Silver Studs last year,was a flying visit(about half an hour),to Iping Common near Midhurst,in Sussex on the way home from our holiday in the West country,we struck lucky and found a little "hot spot" about ten minutes from the car park, and found about 15-20 individuals these are my favorite shots, put in one shot of a very unusually marked female.This summer we're planning a holiday down in Cornwall so we may hopefully strike lucky with Silver Studs down there !. Regards Allan,W.