Chalkhill Blue - Favourite Photo of 2012

[Vince Massimo]

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2012 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter until all 59 UK species have been covered. 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 friends 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

[Neil Hulme]

Chalkhill Blue taken at Springhead Hill, Storrington on 18th July. Photographed from the steep road bank, I used the tarmac below to achieve a colour-matched background.

[MikeOxon]

I used the tarmac below to achieve a colour-matched background.

What an inspired use of a road surface! I thought for a moment that you had taken my advice to use a grey card, in order to achieve the plain background needed for competitions

Mike

[Nigel Kiteley]

My first trip in search of Chalkhill Blues was to Aston Rowant on July 21st. The weather was good with spells of warm sunshine and i managed to find eight males all of which looked very fresh, including one that was happy to pose with his wings wide open.

The hillside at Aston Rowant was teeming with Chalkhills when i returned on July 28th. I was pleased to find several mating pairs including these two on scabious.

My favourite female image was taken early morning on August 18th at Swell's Hill just as the sun was emerging.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Nigel,

I love the first two in particular .... which pose the common question: which is more beautiful, topside or underside?

BWs, Neil

[Nigel Kiteley]

Thank you Neil i'm pretty undecided and think upper and underside are equally as beautiful.

The tarmac background suits your cracking image really well.

[MikeOxon]

My photo was taken in the Juniper Valley at Aston Upthorpe Down, Oxon. I watched the pair circulate slowly around the flower head in cop.. For this photo, I concentrated on the beautiful female, which has left the male somewhat over-exposed (in the photographic sense).

Aston Upthorpe, Oxon - 29th July 2012
Nikon D300s with Tamron 90mm + 1.4X TC - 1/180s @ f/13 ISO400

Mike

[PhiliB]

Excellent photographs everyone.

This photo was taken at Barnack Hills & Holes which, I believe, holds the country's most northerly colony of CHB.

[ChrisC]

despite the abundance of Chalkhills at Denbies on the UKB walk i only took 6 shots and 2 of those were of deceased in a spiders web, but it was an experience i'll never forget. so here's one from Martin down, i liked the naturalness of this action shot. "i'm drinking but i'm still watching you"

[Susie]

Chalkhill blues are one of my favourite types of butterfly and this year was spectacular for them because of the huge numbers there were. It will last in my memory for a very long time and they are the stand out species of 2012 for me. Being greedy I couldn't choose just one favourite image!

All photos were taken at Denbies Hillside near Dorking in Surrey.

[Wurzel]

My favourite Chalkhill shot was taken at Stockbridge Down during a fantastic day back in early August. I'd taken the girls to Martin Down in the morning and was then told that I could go out on my own in the afternoon as well! Whilst there I had many fantastic moments with Silver Spotted Skippers, Small Coppers, Brimstones and also the too numerous to count Chalkhill's. They were everywhere and small dog turds could hold anythig up to 14 males, all nectaring away. My favourites however fall between a standard closed wing shot and one of an aberrant form, which I think I can get away with as there isn't a thread for "Favourite Aberrant Chalkhill .

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

I cannot make my mind up between the shots below, both from Aston Rowant.

Chalkhill Blue - Aston Rowant 16.08.2012

Chalkhill Blue - Aston Rowant 16.08.2012

Neil F.

[millerd]

I am still overwhelmed by the quantity seen in this one shot, taken at Denbies on 22nd July. There are about 50 butterflies here.

Dave