Gatekeeper

My mission today was to photograph a gatekeeper; rather apt with my morning shenanigans!

Doors wide open have led to a few mishaps today. Firstly, a baby robin trapped in the fruit cage, refused to come out so left it with the gate open to come out at leisure - simples. He had been flying from side to side like a tennis ball at Wimbledon!
Came back inside to find a blackbird in the conservatory flapping and flying like lunatic with everything flying off the window ledges too! More open doors! Back to fruit cage to shut the gate and startled a young pheasant hiding under the raspberries inside! Our two Westies during all this were adding to the commotion and were a bit miffed at not being able to give chase and being chastised.

This male gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus is such a lovely deep orange with his dark patches of scent scales on the forewing. A bit hoppy and flighty - was pleased when he settled and I could get a few shots.

All's well that ends well! A bit of a gatekeeper myself!