Purple Emperor

At last we've seen what we've been looking for at Bookham Common since our first serious foray a little later than this last year. It was always on the calendar to try again this year. This is a male that seems to be taking minerals out of the soot under a car bonnet. In late afternoon the males go in to the tops of their favourite oaks to scrap with others for territory. These butterflies have attitude. More about them here.

As a bonus we stopped at Fairmile Common near Cobham on the way home and saw some silver studded blues, one of which I've included here. I liked the lines of this purple emperor pictured on the car but I did get a few in foliage which I suppose makes for a more natural shot. One even landed on my shorts.