White Admiral - 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

[Wurzel]

White Admiral
This was taken back in mid July at Alice Straits which was another cracking day all-round. It’s my favourite shot not because it reminds me of the day but because it’s the closest that I’ve ever got to the under wing shot. I’d spent what felt like weeks trying to get a view of the under wing of this species but no matter how many shots I took or how I positioned myself all the White Admirals I found kept giving me nothing but topside views. In the end I started crawling towards my targets on my knees in order to get a shot looking up from below as it seemed the only way. I don’t know where I was going wrong in that I tried different times of the day, different levels of light and shade, different climatic conditions but they always had their wrongs wide open. Oh well in the end I got this shot which I’m pretty happy with as I can see all the markings on the under wing and there’s always next year...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Only saw two White Admirals in the UK in 2012, so this is one species I must do better with in 2013!

[badgerbob]

White Admirals had a pretty poor year around these parts. These 3 shots were all taken on the same day in 2011 in Friston Forest, a wood with only small numbers of White Admirals. I was there to photograph the Dark Green Fritts and was lucky to get this fresh specimen!!

[ChrisC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6c2Va22 ... w&index=13[/video]

i've had some wonderful experiences with the white Admiral, last year was no exception. they are a wonderful butterfly

[Susie]

I found white admiral very scarce last year. This was the first one I saw. I wasn't able to get close to it but have John W of this forum to thank for seeing it at all.

[Neil Freeman]

White Admiral numbers were down in Warwickshire again last year, I saw a few at Ryton Wood, Oversley Wood and Snitterfied Bushes but only a couple or three at each site.

I rather like the photos below of the same individual taken from each side at a couple of different basking spots.

White Admiral - Oversley Wood 21.07.2012

White Admiral - Oversley Wood 21.07.2012

Neil.

[millerd]

They were scarce wherever I looked as well. I failed to see a single one at Botany Bay on four separate visits, but track them down both at Black Park in Bucks (5th July), and near the visitor centre in Alice Holt soon after a shower (8th July). The former was attracted to my scruffy jeans in the manner of its larger Imperial cousin.

Dave

[Goldie M]

I saw my first and last White Admiral's in East Blean Woods on the 12th of July. I took the first one from quite a distance a way, quite a few were flying that day in the car park near the Heath Fritillaries. It was great watching them gliding through the tree's and landing near some of the HF. I tried to get nearer but the ants kept me at bay Goldie