Small Skipper - Favourite Photo of 2014

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 6:37 pm

Week 17

So continues sequence of posts giving one and all the opportunity to showcase their favourite shots of 2014 (or the last time you saw one)!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year 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

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 7:36 pm

I've found many batches of Small Skipper ova, over the years, but this was the first time I'd found batches from different females in the same grass sheath.

Cheers,

- Pete

MikeOxon · Post by **MikeOxon** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:27 pm

Behind bars? this individual was keen to display its orange antenna tips, proclaiming "I'm not an Essex!"

: Aston Rowant NNR, Oxon - 22nd July 2014
Nikon D300s with Tamron 90mm macro lens - 1/125s@f/11 ISO400

Mike

Goldie M · Post by **Goldie M** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:15 pm

I took my photo at Gaits Barrow on the 29th June, that day the hedges seemed full of them. Goldie

millerd · Post by **millerd** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 8:50 pm

What a photogenic creature this little skipper is. My abiding memory of the species in 2014 is seeing hundreds and hundreds of them at the Hampton Court Flower Show on a hot 12th July, along with probably as many Essex Skippers. Here is one of the throng, almost lost in a sea of alliums.

I have also chosen a brand new one from 19th June, the compensation for an abortive trip to Black Park in Bucks to look for SWF and White Admirals. The skipper was not so picky about the weather!

Finally, a sequence from Bedfont Lakes (27th June) showing the attraction of the species for me.

Dave

David M · Post by **David M** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 8:52 pm

During my quest to observe Silver Studded Blues at Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire on 28th June, I took probably my only image so far of Small Skippers 'in cop':

Neil Freeman · Post by **Neil Freeman** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 8:34 pm

I took loads of photos of Small Skippers last year, a good proportion of them as usual in an attempt to get the head on shot to confirm whether they were 'Small' or 'Essex'. Most of these shots had the usual grass all over the place but I did get a few that I quite liked,

: Small Skipper - Castle Hills Solihull 06.07.2014

: Small Skipper - Bickenhill Solihull 12.07.2014

The nice fresh male below was from Bowleaze Cove by Weymouth where there were loads of Small Skippers along with loads of Lulworth Skippers and where the brighter orange of the former made separating them in flight from the Lulworths fairly easy.

: Small Skipper - Bowleaze Cove Weymouth 29.06.2014

And a few more favourites from my local patch,

: Small Skipper - Castle Hills Solihull 06.07.2014

: Small Skipper - Castle Hills Solihull 06.07.2014

: Small Skipper - Castle Hills Solihull 20.07.2014

Cheers,

Neil.

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:40 pm

Small Skipper

This was taken on the same evening in June as my ‘Dark Green’ trip. After Spending some time with some Dusky Green maidens I headed back towards the main car park and I wandered down into the hollow and waded through the waist height grasses with the sun glowing as it was dipping lower and lower. It seemed that there had been a changing of the guard as on my arrival flighty DGFs marauded amongst the Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites . Now later in the evening these had already gone to roost to be replaced on the evening shift by the golden Skippers. They were everywhere I looked; clinging to the grass tops and swaying and swinging in the breeze. This was my favourite shots of 2014 of this species because it reminded of that stunning sight.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Goldie M · Post by **Goldie M** » Sat Feb 07, 2015 9:49 am

That's a fantastic photo Wurzel, love it Goldie

Philzoid · Post by **Philzoid** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 9:26 pm

I've been waiting for the chance to show off my Small Skipper again, that I'd posted on the June 2014 sightings thread. The main reason is that I'm seeking confirmation for what I am sure is an unusual aberrant, a paler than normal example. It was also my first Small Skipper of the year. Vince Massimo has been kind enough to add it under “unclassified aberrations” for that species (I think it might be Frowhawk's ab. intermedia) but I've been unable to convince other knowledgeable lepidopterists that it isn't just simply a faded example or a camera anomaly

.

As for a Favourite shot? I'm not sure now it's become a bit of an obsession

. At the time I remember it as being unusual and took 7 shots of it, all in the same pose, before it made off. Despite my best efforts I couldn't find it again. In those 7 shots I used Shutter Priority; Macro and full Auto settings with no discernible difference in the outcome. The picture shown is not the sharpest but the settings are virtually the same as that used on the Large Skipper taken 9 minutes later for an orange comparison. I'm convinced it is not a camera effect.