They would be coming down the trail or crossing the small meadows that lined this Qadesh Trail Valley. They would not heed my requests to stop, and allow me a better view, and the opportunity to capture a few precious images. Israel in March 2015, following a wet winter = good, very good.

As the tiny blue butterflies shot from here to there, I buzzed with expectation. Most would be commonly seen here, but every once and awhile, one of them would be lots more than that, uncommon to highly threatened species, and very, very photo worthy.

This male blue was good to me, pausing to very methodically nectar at these little yellow blooms. Alone there in this lush valley, my ID is Polymmatus Icarus Zelleri, the Common Blue. I’m not certain though, and I note those yellowish tips on the antennae. So, is it possible that . . . .

Truth be told, I too open those Youtube videos of lions, elephants and rhinos charging photographers in the field. When these diminutive blues swoop in, the level of excitement is measurable, very.

Oh, and I love the blues. Me and Frank.

Jeff