Neil Freeman

[Neil Freeman]

Thank you all so much for you comments

Pauline, I am not using my close up lens much lately, If I remember rightly the only photos posted here recently taken with it were the second Dingy image Skipper from the 19th May and an Orange Tip underside from a couple of weeks back. I was finding the close up lens a bit too limiting in the style of photo that I was taking and personally looking for more variation in my photos.
That is not to say that I won't use the close up lens, I usually carry it with me and will use it if I feel the circumstances will give me a better photo with it. It is very good for giving me a certain type of photo e.g. the butterfly isolated against a blurred pastel shaded background, it is just that I do not want all my photos to look like that.
Having said that, I am finding that the FZ150 that I now use is better without the close up lens than my old FZ38 was, not really sure why, probably a combination of small improvements such as a smoother and more usable zoom.

Cheers,

Neil.

[NickMorgan]

Lovely pictures of beautiful butterflies. I think I am going to have to move down south!! I wonder if the family will mind!

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks for the comments Nick, I am in the midlands and reading the diaries of those down south proper e.g. Sussex, Hampshire etc. I sometimes feel I am too far north

Friday 31st May.

A Very Sad Week.

After three days of almost continuous rain, today the sun came back out.
The weather this week however had become irrelevant to me because, following a number of years of ill health, my father passed away during Tuesday night. I don’t want to go into details but he had heart problems for over twenty years and had an attack a couple of weeks ago and a further one on Tuesday night in hospital.

As is the case in these situations, the past few days have been rather hectic with contacting family and various arrangements to make.

During this time, after some rather stressful days, looking at various threads on these forums has been one of the things that has helped me retain a bit of normality so I would like to express my thanks to everyone who posts on here, whether in personal diaries, sightings or wherever.

Thankfully the sun came back out today and I managed to spend a few short spells in the garden, something else that helped me deal with things. At times like this it often the simple things that help the most.

Whilst out there I observed a female Peacock egg laying on my nettles.

Peacock laying eggs - Coverdale 31.05.2013

Peacock laying eggs - Coverdale 31.05.2013

Peacock eggs on nettle - Coverdale 31.05.2013

Later in the afternoon I managed to take my first Holly Blue photos this year.

Holly Blue - Coverdale 31.05.2013

Holly Blue - Coverdale 31.05.2013

Watching some Speckled Woods also bought back memories of my Dad and the fact that he always called them ‘Speckledy Woods’

A 'Speckledy Wood'

The weather looks good for tomorrow so I think that a day out will do me a bit of good after the past few days.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[David M]

Neil, I sympathise with you totally. So sorry to hear of your bad news and be assured that every moment spent at peace in the natural world will help to ease your grief.

[Pauline]

I am so sorry to hear your sad news Neil. Hope you can take some comfort from time spent in the outdoors at one with nature.

[Mark Colvin]

My thoughts are with you Neil.

Wishing you much peace and happiness at this difficult time.

Kindest regards. Mark

[Susie]

I am so sorry for your loss but in time I hope that the memories of your Father bring you comfort.

[Neil Freeman]

Thank you all so much for your kind words.

As I mentioned above, it is sometimes the simple things, like looking through the excellent postings on here, including those of all of yours, that can help at times like this.

Many thanks,

Neil.

[Willrow]

Deepest sympathy Neil, words are never really enough to express what we feel in grief. Just hope you find some small comfort with your 'butterflying' interests.

Kindest Regards,

Bill

[Wurzel]

So sorry to hear of your loss, my thoughts are with you and your family.

Wurzel

[Nick Broomer]

I am really sorry to hear of your loss Neil, i`m sure all your memories are fond ones.

All the very best, Nick.

[Neil Freeman]

Thank you again for all your kind words and thoughts, they really mean a lot.

I did manage to get out today, spent the day in the Wyre Forest, it was just what I needed.
I have over 400 photos to sort through, mostly of Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. I was a bit click happy, I think I managed a few good ones amongst that lot

Cheers,

Neil.

[Padfield]

May I add my sincerest sympathy for your loss, Neil. My thoughts are with you.

Guy

[dave brown]

Neil,
Its at sad times like this when we realise how much we miss our loved ones when they are no longer around, giving love and valuable words of wisdom. I hope that this great hobby of ours allows you gently to come to terms with your loss.
Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Saturday 1st June – The Wyre Forest.

I had promised myself a day out today and after weighing up a couple of options decided to spend it in the Wyre Forest. This is an extensive woodland containing grassland and meadows and at over 500 hectares in area is far too large to cover it all in just one day. This large area also means however that although it is a popular area for visitors it is also very easy to get away from the crowds.

Having been a few times before I headed for the Forestry Commission car park at the end of Dry Mill Lane as I wanted to follow the path along Dowles Brook to look for Peal-bordered Fritillaries in the meadows along there and also in an area along the old railway line which is a good spot for PBFs.

In previous years I had timed my visits here to see fresh Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries which meant that although the PBFs were still flying they were at the end of their flight period and mostly getting a bit tatty. Ironically although my visit today was at roughly the same time, the later season this year meant that the PBFs had not been out so long.

I had aimed to arrive about 10.00am but I forgot what day of the week it was and hit Saturday morning traffic going through Kidderminster and so didn’t get there until nearer 10.30.
Parking up, I started off walking down the old railway line and had only gone a few hundred yards when I saw a couple of chaps looking at something in the vegetation to the side of the path. Going over they showed me a nice Poplar Hawk Moth, possibly just emerged the previous night. That made a good start to the day.

Poplar Hawk Moth - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Carrying on to the area previously mentioned I soon saw a few PBFs but they were already warmed up and very mobile in the warm sun. I took a few record shots when they briefly landed and carried on with my wanderings.

Further along I took the path down to Coopers Mill and had a look in a meadow there where I saw a few more PBFs.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

I then followed a path up the other side of the hill which I had not been up before and came to an area where the scrub had been cleared back a bit from the path. Along a stretch of a hundred yards or so I saw at least a dozen PBFS. Some cloud had built up by now and I found that the best way to get photos was similar to Orange Tips in that if you could keep one in sight when a cloud covered the sun it would soon settle. Unlike Orange Tips the PBFS would keep their wings open giving you chance to get some shots before the sun came back out and the butterfly would immediately take off again.

Wyre Forest - 01.06.2013

PBFs along this stretch.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

I also saw the female below flitting about lower down in the bracken laying eggs.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary female laying - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

There were a number of Green Tiger Beetle along this stretch that seemed to spend as much time flying as on the ground.

Green Tiger Beetle - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

After spending a little time here I went back down the hill and checked another meadow by Coopers Mill finding some more PBFs and a rather worn Brimstone.

Brimstone - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillaries - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

I then carried on along Dowles Brook and crossed over by Knowles Mill and followed the path up the slope back to the old railway line.

Dowles Brook - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

I made my way back to the area where I first started and noticed that there were more PBFs about here than earlier, possibly a dozen or more. By this time it was about 50/50 sun and cloud which gave me chance to get some more photos.

Area for PBFs by old railway line.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, there are 3 in this shot.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillaries - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

As well as the PBFs seen during my wandering about, I also saw 2 Brimstones, 1 Orange Tip, 3 Peacocks(all rather tatty) and 4 Speckled Wood.

There were also a number of Common Heath Moths and lots of Speckled Yellow Moths about, the latter especially being more flighty that the Pearls and harder to approach.

Speckled Yellow Moth - Wyre Forest 01.06.2013

It was a great day that recharged my batteries somewhat

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Vince Massimo]

Another great report and exceptional images Neil .I'm pleased you had a good day after my PM.

I noticed that the female Pearl-bordered Fritillary has some unusual markings, in that one of the larger dark spots on the front edge of each forewing is quite pale and open.

Compare this with one of your standard males.

Not sure whether it qualifies as an aberration, but it would nonetheless make an interesting addition to the Species-Specific Album. Could you do the honours please.

Many thanks,

Vince

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Neil,

I`m really pleased you had a great day out. When you step out into the countryside, it is as if mother nature waves her magic wand and, everything is bliss,...........works for me every time. Lovely photos,...............but i think you might need a new camera, you seemed to have worn yours out

All the best, nick.

[Colin Knight]

Neil, so sorry to hear of your loss. Parents are so important to us, fortunately we have our memories to keep them close. The beauty of the natural world and the sharing of it with others is a blessing in difficult times.
Colin

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Neil,
Just caught up with your sad news. I'm very much in agreement with Colin. Every 'Speckledy Wood' you see from now on will carry a happy memory with it. Best of wishes to you at a difficult time.
Neil

[Pete Eeles]

My condolences also Neil.

Cheers,

- Pete