Hat. Gloves. Raincoat. Thick trousers. Woollen socks. I’ve had to wear them too many times this spring. Temperatures were a few degrees below average in April and May and ths month was also characterised by endless rainy days. So I’ve long been waiting for summer, sunshine and skippers.
Over the past few years you have seen some posts on the Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae). The Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) now makes its first appearance on Red Admiral Butterfly Photography.
Yesterday I drove to NP Groote Peel in the south of The Netherlands, a well-known area for these skippers. It is only a small walk from the visitor center to the place-to-be. Years ago I learnt a lesson that it is almost impossible to find sleeping Chequered Skippers as they can be in the grass, but more likely hidden in bushes and trees. I forgot that lesson , but relearnt it again yesterday at 6 AM or so. Nothing. So I spent some hours birding, as I have done for most of the winter and spring.
Around 10 AM the sun was high in the sky and the skippers appeared. About the first shot is the one you see below. I used flash and the background is nicely even. That is a miracle in itself as the skippers fly very close to the ground, drinking nectar from flowers surrounded by ever present grass.
The second shot was taken right after a cloud blocked the sun for a few minutes and this Skipper warmed itself again. I had maybe a minute to compose a shot with the best possible background, sharp from wing to wing to eyes.
For another hour or so I tried my best to produce a picture of the underside and the chequered pattern, but to no avail. Maybe next year? We’ll see. For now, let’s celebrate the arrival of summer and hope it lasts!
