Brown Hairstreak - Favourite Photo of 2013

[Vince Massimo]

Week 2.

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2013 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter, eventually covering all 59 species which are regularly found in the British Isles. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

[Wurzel]

Brown Hairstreak
This was taken on the same day as my favourite Brimstone. I couldn’t decide between my open wing male or female shots that I got on the day but in the end I went for this one of the female. For several years I’ve been trying for a shot like this but have either not been able to get close enough, she’s been too high up or at the last minute she’s decided that she’s basked long enough and shut her wings. Just like with the Brown Argus I love the mixture of colours, the lovely chocolate brown with the vibrant orange, delectable!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[CJB]

Taken on the mobile my second trip to Steyning, but my first successful one!

BRH

A lifer well worth the effort.
Flutter on!
CJB

[David M]

I utterly adore this species; in fact, it's the only one where I thoroughly enjoy the period of patient waiting required to locate and subsequently observe it.

Luckily, I've seen 14 of them in 2013, all at the Pembrokeshire site in SW Wales. This one was the most pristine of those I photographed (taken on 22nd August):

[millerd]

Only one seen this year, found at Bookham Common in Surrey, and as with many such things there was a lot of luck involved. I had almost given up searching when I was led off the path by a couple of nicely posed Meadow Browns. As I approached, they typically flew up and away, but in the process disturbed another brown and orange butterfly that was very much not a Meadow Brown. It was a large individual, pretty near matching the other butterflies in size.

Dave

[MikeOxon]

This is from a memorable day on the Roman Road, Otmoor, Oxon, when there were several of these Hairstreaks at low level, waiting to be photographed

I went back with a friend two days later and saw none

Otmoor, Oxon - 21st August 2013
Nikon D300s with 300/4 + 1.4X TC - 1/180s@f/6.7 ISO400

Mike

[nomad]

Lots of nice images of females in this thread. Here is a male at Shipton Bellinger feeding at stinging nettle on some unknown substance, probably honeydew.