Wednesday 12 August 2015

Gatekeeper

I try to remember to have the little Nikon in my shirt pocket when I am pottering round the garden. Fortunately I had remembered before I hauled out the garden hose to give my potted plants a good soaking. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a small brown flutter land nearby. Several seem to visit but rarely settle. Of course this one landed with wings closed and in a awkward spot to get a clear view without disturbing it:

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Then it moved higher up but again with wings closed. At at least the viewing angle was better:

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I had expected it to fly away but to my delight it stayed a while and opened it wings so I could take some better shots:

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Eventually it moved on but only when the hose spray got too close for comfort. At least it stayed long enough for me to identify it as a Gatekeeper by its colouring and the twin white spots near the front tips of its wings.

5 comments:

  1. A grand sight. You got the shots and it helps not having a dog to sniff what you are trying to snap.

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  2. Adrian: Fortunately Penny doesn't often poke her nose in. She supervises from a distance and then goes to investigate what I have been doing when I move away.

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  3. A female I think, judging by the lack of scent patches. Lovely and bright little butterflies, often rather taken for granted along with the other grassland species I reckon!

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  4. One of my favourites - so simple, not gaudy but one I know well.

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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