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Essex Skipper - Favourite Photo of 2016

Week 5

Week five time to showcase your favourite shots of 2016! Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos - just to make it easier to organise and keep everything on track so that we can enjoy this throughout the winter months? 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

So I wanted to post a favourite Essex that wasn't a 'classic head-on proof of ID' shot but then flicking through this years set I saw this one and couldn't resist it, Skippers do have the cutest faces!

Although I have quite a few puddling images from France that might include Essex, I shamefully didn't see it at all in the UK in 2016.

Must put that right next year.

Here are my personal favourites of the year from the reliable mini-colony right on the southwest corner of Heathrow Airport (about a couple of hundred metres outside the perimeter fence and on the verge of a busy main road). They are so similar to Small Skippers, but somehow seem adopt cuter poses. Dave

Both Small and Essex Skippers seemed to be down in numbers at my local spots this year and I didn't take may photos of either species, the two below probably being the best Essex Skipper shots that I managed.
Cheers,

Neil

Essex Skipper
This was taken during the end of July at my Larkhill stop off. I’d previously gotten the X-wing shot revealing the ink dabs on the antennae, females, males, open and closed wings and a pair in cop. This was my favourite this year as I loved the background and how it made the butterfly jump out. It also nicely shows the straight, thin and smaller sex brand which can be used to identify the males should you not wish to crawl around in the undergrowth to view the butterfly from below. I did exactly that so I definitely knew it was an Essex but next time I can save my knees!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

This pic was taken at the Seven Barrows reserve on the Lambourn Downs. I'm constantly amazed by both the flexibility and controllability of the proboscis on butterflies - what an amazing tool.
Mike