June 2012

[Rosalyn]

Trevor, it was good to meet you and Yvonne at Collard Hill on Tuesday. We also saw UKBer Bill (Willrow) who was great company throughout the day.

[Rogerdodge]

Your "rooster" is absolutely superb!

Surely it should be Little Red, not Large Blue?

[adrian riley]

David M in South Wales says:

This is getting depressing now.....

But absence of butterflies is not really a good enough reason to feel depressed.
There are FAR better reasons to become depressed ( I know - they are called Divorce Lawyers, Accountants, Civil Servants and sundry other Bureaucrats all after your money)

Just seen a single Speckled Wood and a single Holly Blue in a one-hour amble in good weather and good habitat. Wow. But that is an improvement over a similar walk this time last week!

Jack

Try being a Leeds United fan!

Adrian

[Neil Hulme]

Lovely Large Blue shots Rosalyn. It would be nice to see a Lulworth Skipper though!
Neil

[Willrow]

Collard Hill, Somerset. Superb weather throughout Tuesday's annual pilgrimage to see the wonderful Large Blue on the re-introduction site on the Polden Hills. The transect walkers were delighted to get record numbers, one young lady counted 32 in just forty minutes, what irony, the worst emergence weather probably since their re-introduction and they get record numbers, it cheers me no end to know this!

Not the best conditions for good photographs, the mid-summer sun was harsh overhead and many of the photographers searching out a good shot had to be patient, early afternoon saw a little cloud cover and then the butterflies allowed the occasional open winged shot. I cannot remember seeing more visitors at Collard Hill before, many had travelled from all over the country to enjoy the day at this lovely location, it was a great pleasure to meet Phil and Rosalyn who were on a 'butterfly break' in the region, their great images (see above) are testament to both their skill with the camera and an eye for the shot, hope you had a really great break and hope we meet again I also met Trev and Yvonne Sawyer who were also on a break, it was nice to meet you guys too, with so much going on time simply flies by and I would have enjoyed spending a little more time with you. Apologies to anyone who introduced themselves and I hav'nt mentioned but you get carried away on some real 'butterflying' on such rare days...

I'm only posting a few Large Blue images, but could someone please take a look at the photo of the insect on the Pyramidal Orchid and tell me what they think could be attached to it's tongue, it continued to nectar so I assume it was not causing any undue problems. My own thoughts suggest a nectar build up, then again it could be something totally new to me...which won't be the first time

My discipline is still intact, I've continued to use the Panasonic Lumix FZ150 for all my photo's this season, my trusty old Nikon D300 & Nikkor 105mm Micro has been left at home, the benefits of an articulated screen and the flexibility of the light weight of the FZ150 have done wonders for my knees and back but I'm still very much on a learning curve with it!!!

Bill

[Jack Harrison]

Bill mentioned:

...articulated screen...

I simply cannot understand why this is not the normal design. If you don't like an articulated screen then you don't have to use it (keep the screen folded flat). The only disadvantage I can see with an articulated screen is that it might be slightly more vulnerable to breaking.

It is interesting that most camera reviews mention articulated screen or lack of, in passing, as if it is unimportant.

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Willrow,
Glad to hear you had such a fantastic day with the Large Blue and UKB Massive. Great pics. Those are pollinia on the butterfly's proboscis - coherent packages of pollen grains 'collected' while probing the orchid flowers. They won't harm the insect but might cause a speech impediment.
Neil

[Jack Harrison]

They won't harm the insect but might cause a speech impediment.

Good point Neil. Do they still have Swedish accents?

Jack

[Willrow]

Thank you Neil...and it's okay to call me Bill...all my friends do among other names I was'nt too far off then, pollenia eh!

They won't harm the insect but might cause a speech impediment.

Nice one...

Bill

[Philzoid]

Great 3/4 shot of the Large Blue there Bill

I was going to say Pollenia but Niel beat me to it .

I have a Panasonic Lumix G series and cannot get photos anywhere near as good as other (FZ) Panasonic users . As a result I rarely use the Panasonic and instead stick with my bulkier Canon 1100D. Could anyone offer me advice

Phil

[Jack Harrison]

Phil asked for advice:

Could anyone offer me advice [about Pansonic G series]

Some while back I asked about Pixel Binning. Have you looked up Panasonic Binning? Might offer the advice you are seeking

The FZ150 is similar price to the G series and as you know, I swear by (not at) it.

My one and only Meadow Brown of the year.

Jack

[Willrow]

Thanks Phil,

I have a Panasonic Lumix G series and cannot get photos anywhere near as good as other (FZ) Panasonic users . As a result I rarely use the Panasonic and instead stick with my bulkier Canon 1100D. Could anyone offer me advice

Not sure that the Panasonic G series cameras are as good for butterfly photography as the Panasonic FZ series, I have both and now use only the FZ150, others may beg to differ, but you only have to look at some of the images taken with the FZ series cameras on these sighting pages to understand why so many DSLR users are being converted I'm still finding my way around the FZ150, but up to now I'm very satisfied with the results, perhaps you may consider investing in a FZ series Bridge Camera yourself. I'm sure you would'nt be disappointed.

Bill

[Jack Harrison]

Well - personal opinion of course - I think the FZ 150 does a pretty good job with non-butterfly pictures

Jack

[NickB]

Yep!
Canon and Nikon are quaking in their boots......

[Rosalyn]

Lulworth Cove, Skippers and Friend I still haven't got the hang of getting them in order Thanks to Neil for Skipper info

[Ian Pratt]

Well - personal opinion of course - I think the FZ 150 does a pretty good job with non-butterfly pictures

Jack

Lovely photos- where were they taken?
Also is the FX 150 noticeably better than the FZ 38 which I think you used to use?
Ian

[Rogerdodge]

Lovely photos- where were they taken?

Well, I can answer the first one for Jack. He was stood alongside the tap that I used to refill my camper van fresh water supply. It is Tobermory on Mull. When I was there a group of four Japanese students asked to me to take a photo of them draped artistically over the anchors. Thier camera was an FZ100.
The black building is the excellent Mishnish pub. After the barmaid had served me I informed her that she shouldn't have, as I was barred from the pub about 30 years ago!
That caused great hilarity.
At the time it wasn't so funny......................

[MikeOxon]

I was barred from the pub about 30 years ago!

I think we should be told the whole story!!!

Mike

[Pete Eeles]

I can't believe that a) I failed to bump into Rosalyn, Willrow and other UKB members, no doubt, at Collard and b) I failed to post the image of a Large Blue ovum in my personal diary

We really should think about getting T-shirts or caps or some other identifier made up

Cheers,

- Pete

[Trev Sawyer]

"I can't believe that I failed to bump into Rosalyn, Willrow and other UKB members, no doubt, at Collard..."

I told you on Wednesday Pete... "You should have been here yesterday mate!"

I do like the idea of a UKB cap or hat... On the rare occasions when the sun comes out, you and I could certainly use one as we probably get burned faster than most.
About as quick as this I reckon..... ...

Trev