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White Admiral - Favourite Photo of 2024

Week 19

So close to the finale now…so close…in fact this is the penultimate week! Just a heads up that next week there will be Wood White, Vagrant and The Overall Favourite.

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

I found reasonable numbers of the species at both Bookham and Chiddingfold last year, and my favourite shots came from a visit to the latter when I found a very nice individual down on the ground when everyone else was huddled round a Purple Emperor waiting vainly for it to open up.This female was rather splendid too. Dave

My favourite photographs were taken during a visit to EWT Great Holland Pits when I was able to watch them for quite a long time circling and settling on brambles during a lovely butterflying day. A wonderful experience to see them in glorious flight.

Lovely shots Dave and David, wish mine was has good but I found them few and far between I'd just about given up of seeing one when this one flew down landed then flew quickly away I just got the Quick shot photo taken in Blean Wood, ( not East Blean Wood )
on the 7th of July.
I didn't see any at all in East Blean which was unusual and that rounds me up for last year which was very poor for me Goldie

As Millerd above says, an ok showing from them last year. This is the freshest one I found, at Chiddingfold.

I had a similar situation as Goldie in my neck of the woods. The White Admirals were few an far between. There was just the one opportunity that arised to take a photo. That's my lot for 2024 with 33 photo's from 35 different species of butterflies seen in my county Bedfordshire.

The only White Admirals that I saw in 2024 were when I had a drive over to Grafton Wood in Worcestershire on June 26th. I saw a dozen or so scattered around the wood on a warm sunny morning that heated up to become the warmest day of the year so far. I managed a few decent photos before they warmed up and by mid-morning they were constantly on the go.
Cheers,

Neil.

Beautifully fresh, Neil.

White Admiral

I only managed a single trip to Alners Gorse in 2024 so I had to try and make the most of the day…a feat not assisted by the unseasonal and ill forecasted weather. However despite not catching up with a couple of the local specialities I did have a very good session with the White Admirals. IN the centre of the reserve in a recently cleared area there was a tall patch of Bramble with various Honeysuckle strands growing through it. A couple of other people were here, with shop set up awaiting the White Admirals to drop in at various spots. There were at least 5 of them doing circuits around the various floral feeding stops. As a butterfly would land we’d call out to each other as they would spend a good while feeding up once they’d chosen a likely looking spot. For several seasons I’ve been trying to get a closed wing shot which would show off the amazing red and oranges which contrast so vividly with the almost monotone of the topside. This season I got as close to capturing this particular image and so it had to become my Fave.
Have a goodun

Wurzel