Clouded Yellow - Favourite Photo of 2024

[Wurzel]

Clouded Yellow - Favourite Photo of 2024

Week 3

The clocks have changed but the butterflies are holding on…even if they weren’t the Favourites threads await!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years 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

[millerd]

With virtually no reports of Cloudies arriving at any of their usual South Coast haunts, I was beginning to think I might not see one this year for the first time in many years - and I'd only seen one in 2023. However, at the start of September other migrants were arriving in numbers, so there was still time.

I really didn't expect that I'd find one on my local patch rather than on a trip to Sussex, but on 11th September a Small Copper I was watching here set off after another butterfly - a male Clouded Yellow. For once it didn't disappear into the distance but skipped from flower to flower at short intervals and allowed some close approaches and even attempts to achieve a few open-winged shots.

Considering how infrequent sightings of the species have been countrywide this year, I was very pleased to have seen this butterfly.

Even more extraordinarily, on 19th September, I found another one, a female - and then two days later a second male appeared. Neither of these two allowed more than very blurred record shots, but three distinct sightings in such a poor year far exceeded expectations.

Dave

[David Lazarus]

This was an easy choice for me as I only managed to get one half-decent photograph despite a lot of effort. Wow, they are very fast flyers

I was very fortunate with my sightings of Clouded Yellow. I managed to come across 7 in total. They were all happy accidents whilst carrying out my Wall survey around the Essex Saltmarsh Coast. On the 19th September I came across what can only be described as a butterfly nirvana along the Thames Estuary Path near East Tilbury where my target species was in abundance. But actually I was more excited to find three male Clouded Yellow in a year that sightings were very few and far between. This was my first attempt to capture a Clouded Yellow and I learnt very quickly that this was not going to be very easy given that I was trying with an iPhone and not a high powered camera. I spent a lot of time running up and down after them. As it was mid-day and very hot I found it to be impossible
Undeterred, I visited the site the following day and earlier enough to find a couple of them still there and one was stopping to nectar. I managed to get a couple of shots which were okay but I was really disappointed as I was so close. After running up and down a 250-metre section of sea wall well over 5 times, shirt off as I was sweating so much, I had to admit defeat once again, and thought that was it for the year. At least I got something

How lucky I was then to come across another four whilst walking the Dengie Flats sea wall from Bradwell to Burnham. At Bradwell Waterside on the 07th October I came across a couple of fresh-looking females. As it was early morning and one was nectaring rather than flying up and down at high speed, I followed her around for an hour or so and finally managed to creep up slowly and get the half-decent photograph below which made me so happy. Not perfect, but nearly.

Clouded Yellow - Bradwell Waterside on the 07th October 2024 at 11.38

Clouded Yellow female
Bradwell Waterside 07/10/2024

And would you believe it, just before 4 o'clock when all the butterflies were settling down for the night I came across a couple more at Halliwell Point along the southern tip of Dengie Flats. They were both tatty males. This time I was able to get some really nice close ups while they had their turbo engines off. But it was the one in the morning, in good light, of a beautiful female in near perfect condition with pink-tinged fringes to her wings that was my favourite moment with this species during 2024.

[David M]

...I was very fortunate with my sightings of Clouded Yellow. I managed to come across 7 in total. They were all happy accidents whilst carrying out my Wall survey around the Essex Saltmarsh Coast...

On the contrary, David, I don't know of anyone more deserving of a domestic Clouded Yellow sighting this year.

The miles you've put in wandering around your local coastline made it quite likely that sooner or later you'd stumble across a migrant.

As Gary Player once said: the harder you work, the luckier you get.

[David Lazarus]

On the contrary, David, I don't know of anyone more deserving of a domestic Clouded Yellow sighting this year.

The miles you've put in wandering around your local coastline made it quite likely that sooner or later you'd stumble across a migrant.

As Gary Player once said: the harder you work, the luckier you get.

Too kind, David. Thank you.

I’m just hoping that I am physically and mentally able to put in the miles to visit the places identified this year during next year’s Wall season(s). And that there is a bonanza year of mass Clouded Yellow migration next year for everyone to enjoy.

[David M]

...I’m just hoping that I am physically and mentally able to put in the miles to visit the places identified this year during next year’s Wall season(s). And that there is a bonanza year of mass Clouded Yellow migration next year for everyone to enjoy.

Sure you'll manage it, David and yes, I think we all wish for a better year in 2025. We're certainly overdue one.

[Matsukaze]

...a Small Copper I was watching here set off after another butterfly...

They do this so often, I make a point of following them where possible.

I don't think I saw any Clouded Yellows in Britain this year.

[David M]

Still a tiny possibility I might see one in the UK this year (about 1%), but failing that, here's one I photographed in N Greece in early June:

[David Lazarus]

Still a tiny possibility I might see one in the UK this year (about 1%)...

With 17 sightings in the last month [4 of which were mine, I am pleased to say ] and the latest recorded sighting one week ago on the 22nd October at Roskestal West Cliff, Porthgwarra in Cornwall, I am afraid it might be a little less than 1% David but I have my fingers crossed for you. Lovely shot of one in Greece though

[David M]

Thanks, David. You're probably right regarding the percentage likelihood. I'm not aware of any sightings this year in Wales, but there have been several in Cornwall, so one lives in hope!

[David Lazarus]

Thanks, David. You're probably right regarding the percentage likelihood. I'm not aware of any sightings this year in Wales, but there have been several in Cornwall, so one lives in hope!

Not a great year, David with just 2 sightings recorded [not everyone records their sightings via iRecords] with 1 seen on the 1st September at Llangyfelach, and the other seen on the 18th September at Llangernyw

[Wurzel]

Clouded Yellow

These were a little sparse this year and just when they were flying down at Southbourne (along with a Long-tailed Blue) I wasn’t able to drive. Luckily I’d seen a few in the south of France and so I spent a very enjoyable afternoon looking back through my photos from the trip. Despite my several encounters I only managed a few shots of which this, my selection, was the least cluttered and so made it onto the Favourite roster. In any other year it might not have even made the long list, but beggers can’t be choosers!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Not a great year, David with just 2 sightings recorded [not everyone records their sightings via iRecords] with 1 seen on the 1st September at Llangyfelach, and the other seen on the 18th September at Llangernyw

Thanks, David. Not a great worry - we've had them the two previous years, and in any case I see them routinely in Europe.

Coming to something though when I see more American Painted Ladies than Clouded Yellows on home soil in a year!!