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Small Copper – Favourite Photo of 2017

Week 16 – From the Silvers and onto the Smalls! We’re flying thorough the species which is great because it means that the new season is fast approaching . Just a reminder then that in five weeks we will have the culmination of the 2017 Favourites thread with your overall favourite shot.

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

Another poor year for this little jewel in south Wales. I reckon I saw fewer than 30.

Here's a fresh specimen taken in Abergavenny on 22nd July:

Like the Small Blue, these popped up all over the place throughout the season but it was at my regular hunting ground of Bookham where I found the vast majority in 2017, like the previous year numbers built and by their third brood you were guaranteed in finding several individuals without any real effort.

The first two are interesting to compare the variation in spotting between individuals: A few stand out images, and off course the little nursery at Bookham was still proving to be very attractive to the females

These three photos are from the South of France. They also allowed me to get a bit of plant identification in.
20th October on Sticky Fleabane (Inula viscosa): 05th September on Common Heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum): 15th August on Field Eryngo (Eryngium campestre): Chris

I didn't see many Small Copper's in the North of England, infact my total was one, down in Kent however I got a lovely ab shot, ( I think so any way ) whilst at a Cricket match on the 16th July in Bossingham.
The weather was perfect, hot sun, very little breeze, lovely under the Trees in the shade. The grounds a round the pitch had been left to nature and butterflies were abundant so I couldn't settle until I'd wandered round taking shots, it was then I spotted this rich coloured tiny Butterfly not realising at first what it was, I quickly took some shots before the Butterfly disappeared it was one moment to remember through the Winter . Goldie

One of the things I like about this species is its habit of turning up when not expected. I was enjoying an end-of-season walk around Waterperry Gardens, near Oxford, when I spotted this small butterfly making the most of the late flowers:
Mike

A holiday in Poland at the beginning of August provided me with my favourite Small Copper image of 2017. It was taken early in the morning in a meadow opposite the house we were staying in.

Despite several visits to Bookham where the Coppers were prolific late in the season, and even a quick side trip to Dungeness at the end of August, I'd say that my best encounter of 2017 was up at Aston Rowant on 16th July. There must have been a sizeable emergence on the day, as fresh examples were popping up all over, their intense orange-red constantly distracting me from following other species. Amongst the throng was a mating pair which were most accommodating.There was quite a bit of variety, but all were new.A splendid surprise - I've not seen so many here before.

Dave

Some excellent shots everybody !! with some very unusual individuals,i found Coppers at several sights in 2017 ,here in Kent . The "old faithful " ie; Dungeness ,had a mixed season ,with an average first brood and a disasterous second, but things certainly improved with
the third,with excellent numbers ,and a pretty good final brood . I saw my first on the 9th April ,and my last (5) on the 5th November.
Posted 3 shots ,all from Dungeness. Regards Allan.W.

Worryingly low numbers of Small Coppers around my local patch again with no more than half a dozen seen all year. Saying that my favourite shot has to be this female which was the first time I had found a first brood example at this particular site.
For the rest of the season I only found odd ones and twos during my travels until early September when I saw more down in Dorset at Bindon Hill, Durdle Door and Osmington than I had seen all year up until then.
Cheers,

Neil

Some great images of this particularly photogenic species....with a smattering of caeroleopunctata thrown in! Let's hope they have a better year in 2018!

this was in the late Summer in a sheltered patch of calendula near Grafham Water.

Small Copper

This was taken at Durlston towards the tail end of the trip. Philzoid and I were down in the gully hoping that it would funnel in vagrants as they came in off the sea, perhaps a Painted Lady or a Cloudy maybe? Unfortunately none made the trip while we were there and so we drew a blank but a Small Blue and this lovely Copper offered consolation. It’s my favourite shot of this species as it’s the ‘most different’ one that I saw over the course of the year and possibly the darkest individual that I‘ve encountered over the years; the ground brown colour appears almost black.
Have a goodun

Wurzel