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Chalkhill Blue - Favourite Photo of 2016

Week 2 - Here we go...again.

The second week and the second opportunity to showcase your favourite shots of 2016! Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos - just to make it easier to organise and keep everything on track so that we can enjoy this throughout the winter months? 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

Hi
These Chalkhill Blues were seen in July and August.
A pair on August 20th at altitude 1,000 metres. July 30th
This photo was not taken in flight. In fact this poor individual had some kind of wing damage but allowed me to get a close-up view of the intensity of the forewing marginal markings. July 30th (male) very pale undersides Chris

I'd say these were my pick of the bunch this year - not a particularly good one in some spots. Numbers seemed well down at Denbies and I didn't see any at all at Box Hill, though Aston Rowant appeared to hold up better. A male from Denbies on 8th August and a female from Aston Rowant seen on 30th July. Dave

I took quite a number of photos at Aston Rowant but chose this as a favourite, because it shows the beautiful silver scales on the wing, overlaid with fine blue hairs, which together produce that wonderful 'milky' appearance.
Mike

Above is one from the lovely Hills and Holes Reserve at Barnack on the Cambs/Lincs/Rutland/Leics border on 21st July.
Below is one from St. Pompom in Dordogne, France in mid-September.

Not the best year for these (like so many other species) but I found them in all the usual places. This pair on Malling Down made me smile, the male casually and quite literally leaving his mate hanging whilst he caught some rays

My nearest chalk grassland site is Therfield Heath near Royston, Herts and decent weather on 21st July provided an opportunity for some butterfly photography.

The Chalkhill Blues were rather active and flighty but this mating pair were generous enough to pose for me.

I don't know what happened, I thought I'd put my Butterfly into my post but when i've decided to look at every one else's post I find no sign of my Butterfly or my post so I must not have pressed submit so here we go again
I took my shots in August at Temple Ewell between the 8th and the 18th , I found plenty of Butterflies there and met Dave Brown which was great actually putting faces to posts Goldie

Chalkhill Blue

This was my favourite because t ticked many of the decision making boxes. First it’s slightly unusual in appearance, second it’s in an interesting pose, third it’s almost stained glass and finally it’s reasonably close-up. Also I didn’t have an awful lot of luck with Chalkhills this year – they didn’t seem to have a good year around this way and so the decision was made even easier due to the paucity of sigthings. Have a goodun

Wurzel

Had some good evenings with the Blues this past season, mainly Adonis and Common blues,i quite enjoyed being on the downs ,with the sun sinking,and the blues collecting on the grass stems to roost, I tried to find amongst the roosting blues ,some unusually marked Chalkhills,but no luck,i fared better with the Adonis though ! I,m lucky to have good Blues sites ,within 15 minutes of home,these pictures are from the wonderful Lydden / Temple Ewell reserve near Dover. If you,re anywhere near Dover ,give it a go ,you won,t be disappointed.
Regards Allan.W.