Brown Argus - Favourite Photo of 2011

[celery]

A thread in which to post your favourite photo(s) taken in 2011 of Brown Argus.

Part of a series inspred by ChrisC's thread about 'Favourite Photos' and hopefully growing throughout the winter until all 58 British species have been covered.

Details of places, dates, times and circumstances also appreciated. Feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, personal encounters, anecdotes, anything really...

[dilettante]

This was my favourite of the year:


Brown Argus, Bedford Purieus, Cambs, 20-Jul-11. Sony A700, Tamron 180/3.5 macro @ f/8 1/125s iso200

And although it's a rubbish photo, I liked the Brown Argus Tree:


Brown Arguses, Bedford Purieus, Cambs, 20-Jul-11. Sony A700, Tamron 180/3.5 macro @ f/8 1/250s iso200

[ChrisC]

I think there were a few of us who liked your argus tree

this cropped image was my first Brown Argus of the season and the freshest one i saw all year. unfortunately it was before my close up lens was ordered and only my 2nd trip out with the camera. it really was a lovely butterfly (one of my favourites)

Chris

[millerd]

Definitely. One of my favourites of the year.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Indeed I looked in every garden centre I came too and never found one!

The fave Brown Argus from collection this year was this one taken at "Five Rivers".

Nikon D-60, 18-55 Nokkor lens, f8, ISO 100, 1/125sec (whatever that means?) 17-07 Fiver Rivers

Nowt special but I was out enjoying the summer weather with my girls who were hiding from tigers in the long grasses at the edges of the path when this little butterfly popped up and almost begged me to take a photo of it, so I did. Lottie my younger daughter carried on growling at it while Kitty showed a bit more interest!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

I think that the Brown Argus is an enchanting little butterfly and definitely one of my favourites and therefore I make no apologies for posting a number of photos.

A couple from Prestbury Hill.

Brown Argus male - Prestbury Hill

Brown Argus female - Prestbury Hill

One from Bernwood Meadows.

Brown Argus male - Bernwood Meadows

And one from one of my local spots, Sheldon Country Park by Birmingham Airport.

Brown Argus - Sheldon County Park.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[John W]

I like this one because of the dandelion head it's resting on:

Also it's a nice reminder of my first trip to Kithurst Hill, a lovely site, where I also saw my first ever Small Blue and a solitary Duke of Burgundy!

[Vince Massimo]

Some lovely images on this thread. My own favourite is this of a roosting male at my local site.

Brown Argus Male - Chaldon, Surrey 22-July-11

Vince

[celery]

It must have been a good year for brown argus - they seemed to pop almost every place I went. Here in Nottinghamshire they seemed to outnumber common blues on a lot of sites where they are usually much the scarcer species.

Two pictures both with a similar composition. They differ in terms of the individual specimens and the lighting conditions.

The first is from Holwell Reserves, just down the road from me in north Leicestershire. A fresh individual, taken in morning light on May 8th. The iridescence on the wings leads me to wonder why this species wasn't named 'purple argus '



The second is from even closer to home - Bingham Linear Park in the Vale of Belvoir. In recent years this site may have lost its green hairstreaks and its walls, but at least the brown arguses have moved in to provide some consolation. This is a quite worn individual taken in the 'golden hour' before the sun sets on the 5th of June. What iridescence is left reveals only yellows, ochres and muddy browns.

[millerd]

My favourite was encountered up on the Yorkshire Wolds on 29th July. Up here is close to the boundary between this and the NBA, and also where "southern" BA with it's licentious double-brooded ways is encroaching on the single-brooded "northern" BA. Or that's how it was explained to me at the time... This one had to be one of those southern females.

Dave

[MikeOxon]

Spring was in the air on 25th April 2011 at Aston Upthorpe Down, Oxon. I had already photographed pairs of Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, when I spotted these two Brown Argus:

Aston Upthorpe Downs, Oxon - April 2011
Nikon D300s with Tamron 90mm - 1/350s@f/9.5 ISO400

These two did not achieve a pairing - the female seemed to be warding off her pursuer so may have mated already.

Mike

[Lee Hurrell]

I was really pleased with this shot taken at Denbies in July.

In context:

And this individual taken at Aston Rowant in August showed some lovely colours.

Cheers

Lee

[Rebecca]

Just 6 months later than everyone else but I have 2 favourite Brown Argus pics from last year.

Taken 31.05.11 in the field in front of my house.




Taken 02.06.11 Perrymead meadows, Foddington.