Pauline

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline,

I think your top photo is a female Common blue Damselfly.

Lovely Large Skipper photos in the last couple of posts

Neil F.

[Rosalyn]

You have some very nice pics Pauline

[Pauline]

Thank you Neil - I really must try to broaden my knowledge but the blue glinted in the sunshine and was quite lovely.

Hi Rosalyn. I have been following your travels and would say the same about you. I am envious of the species that you are seeing and your photos, especially the compositons, are lovely.

Today I decided to look for white butterflies but the ones I found were not my target. I wanted Marbled, I got Wood - I'm not really complaining. I couldn't get away until mid afternoon when the weather was changeable - humid, hot, rainy. I am wondering if this is the second brood of Wood White (Nick????):

I happened to see my first Ringlet of the season:

But it was the Skippers which amused me the most, zipping from thistle to thistle:

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Pauline,

Your Wood White is a late first brood. The second brood should be out the first week of July, normally between the 4th-7th.

All the best, Nick.

[Pauline]

Thanks Nick - thought it was something to do with having pretty legs and I thought these had pretty legs ............

I am getting a little tired of squelshing through mud or being soaked to the skin and today was no different. There is no need to be specific about my venue today except to say it wasn't the IOW and there were no Heath Frits - not that I could see anyway. There were still a few of these but unsurprisingly looking a little worn and tired - bit like me

The Meadow Brown seem to have replaced the Small Heath and given the sheer numbers of male and female I was surprised I didn't stumble upon a mating pair - but I didn't! My photos of this butterfly are particularly uninspiring so won't be posted.

I did manage my first photo of the season of a Small Skipper and although it was overcast it was warm and humid and they were very active indeed.

Another first for the season was the Marbled White who persisted in presenting an asymmetrical pose.

Despite the poor weather conditions there was quite an eclectic mix there today:

and last but not least the Large Skipper

[MikeOxon]

persisted in presenting an asymmetrical pose.

I like these diagonal compositions! Often with butterfly photos, the angle depends on how you are standing, so it's often worth experimenting with rotating the image for best effect when displayed.

Mike

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots And your fare is very similar to mine today - minus the Glannies of course. So no Heaths yet? I reckon another couple if days...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Debbie]

Hi Pauline,

first time I have had chance to catch up with your Diary and you never disapoint with you wonderful pictures.

Debbie

[Pauline]

I am still trying to get to grips with Photoshop Mike (and a lot of other stuff including from your website) but you know how fussy I am about my compositions

Thank you Wurzel - as always it is lovely to hear from you and we might meet up one day, you never know .......

Happy belated anniversary Debbie and thank you for your comments.

I have wanted to visit Pitt Down for a little while now as it is a good site for DGF. Although I have been there before with Alan T. I doubted whether I could find it again (that awful sense of direction) but armed with maps and sat nav I set out early and got as far as Pitt without mishap. Locals again came to the rescue and by 8.30am I was exactly where I had intended to be! Result! On the journey there was quite a heavy downpour but the skies were now clear, it was warm and muggy and within 30 seconds of getting out of the car I had seen and photographed my first DGF. These butterflies are difficult to photograph as they never seem to be still. I was not really sure how to cope with them photographically. It was clear that they needed a fair depth of field but by reducing the aperture I was getting a slower shutter speed which wasn't helpful given all the movement and the odd breeze. I know that increasing the ISO will give a faster shutter speed for the set conditions but wasn't sure what else I could try. In the end I decided just to enjoy the morning which was a beautiful one - you'd think it was the middle of summer!!!! The place was teeming with butterflies. A pair of Brimstones in less than perfect condition were attempting to mate (well, the male was), Meadow Browns were everywhere and both Large and Small Skippers in very good numbers zipped about the site. The odd Marbled White flew past as well as a worn Red Admiral and the beautifully fresh DGF glided around the site. The most I counted at any one time was 5 but I think the true number was probably double that. It was difficult to get any closed wing shots but when they did close their wings (usually due to the wind) the white markings glinted silver in the sun - truly beautiful and something I shall never be able to replicate in a photo. I am including a mixed selection of photos which I hope somehow captures the character and spirit of this lively butterfly.

The first photo I took!

[Pauline]

Whilst wandering around Pitt Down I found a mating pair - not DGF, but Meadow Browns which I had failed to find the previous day.

No sooner had I taken my photo than a male DGF tried to barge in. He was very persistant and despite the Meadow Browns flying off several times he doggedly pursued them. He was quite brutal to the point of knocking over the pair and trampling on them. This behaviour continued for almost 10 minutes and so intent was he on the Meadow Browns I was able to touch him without him flying off. He eventually gave up leaving a couple of battered and bruised Meadow Browns behind him. I have not witnessed quite such extreme behaviour before and I am wondering what triggered his determination - pheremones? Was he trying to mate with the female? kill the male? separate the mating pair? I have seen this type of behaviour before but what surprised me in this instance was the prolonged severity of the attack.

A few pictures taken to illustrate the event:

[Goldie M]

Fantastic shots Pauline Goldie

[NickMorgan]

Lovely pictures. Our dark green fritillaries and meadow browns haven't appeared yet! The way the forecast looks I don't think they will be around for some time, either!

[Pauline]

Thank you Goldie - it was an amazing spectacle to witness and there were times when I feared for the safety of the poor Meadow Browns. They looked a bit the worse for wear at the end of it all.

Thank you for your continued interest Nick. I hope the weather isn't toooo bad where you are.

Today it has been blowing a gale here and there seemed little point in trying to take photos in such conditions. However, after a day of washing, ironing, shopping, hoovering etc etc I was desperate to get out for an hour of fresh air and exercise. I knew I needed a break when I realised I had accidentally put my reading glasses in the washing machine and they had been through 2 complete cycles!!!! Mind, I can see through them much better now . I opted to visit the Silver Studded Blues today for no reason other than that they are close by and plentiful. Because of the wind Iincreased the aperture to give a faster shutter speed knowing that this would lose me some depth of field. I have been thinking about this and I seem to remember being told that using flash will help to 'freeze' any movement in the subject - there is just so much to remember. I have never used the flash on my camera yet so don't really know what effect it will have (on the photos or on the butterflies) but that is something else to try (once I have read the manual!). Anyway, a selection of photos from a blustery late afternoon:

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline,

Well done with your Dark Green Fritillary Photos, a butterfly that for me never seems to stay still long enough to get a good shot.

And a really nice series of Silver Studded blue photos, I especially like the soft lighting, it shows that even seemingly bad weather can have its good points.

All the best,

Neil F.

[Pauline]

Thank you for your kind comments Neil. I quite like the SSB shots myself and I think that the female is such a beautiful butterfly that she deserves a closer look. To that end I have cropped the photos a lot closer to provide a different perspective.

[Gothic_dreams]

Hey Pauline, lovely Silver Studded blue photos, I especially love the last 3 closer shots

Chris

[Pauline]

Thank you Chris, comment appreciated.

A few offerings from late afternoon. My target was a roosting Marbled White but ever the opportunist I was presented with this rather messy Meadow Brown:

... and then a Small Skipper settling down for the night:

... before finally finding what I was looking for:

It is frustrating that the wing tips of the Marbled White are out of focus so I shall have to venture out again on a calmer evening once the weather settles a bit. The frequent windy conditions that we are experiencing in the South reminds me of when I grew up in the North East and one of my over-riding memories was that it was always windy! Whatever the time of year! Perhaps it was because I lived near the coast but it has led me to wonder how butterfly enthusiasts in the North manage to take good photos under such difficult conditions.

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Pauline The Silver Studs in particular are sublime

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Thank you Wurzel - I'm actually beginning to believe I'm improving after my earlier confidence crisis. I had hoped to be taking photos of WLH this week but looking at the weather - and the forecast - it seems unlikely. To fill the gap I decided to look back at my photos from last year and decided to include a few by way of comparison.

Showing the white 'W' quite nicely

Background too busy and composition could be better.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline,

I would have been very happy to have taken any of those WLH photos

The last one may have a slightly 'busy' background but it captures the moment....and shows the same number of WLHs that I managed to see all last year

Keep on posting, it helps t brighten these grey days

Neil F.