Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Thanks Hogger's that's good to know, I'll have to find out now where a bouts in North Kent, Goldie

[Wurzel]

Things have gone a little it quiet at the moment, I think everything's bracing ready for the next wave of species to emerge. What's the statue of - he looks like he's raking the pond or stalking something

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, I'm not sure about the statue, he looks better when the Autumn's here, raking in the leaves

Yesterday we decided to go to Meathop Moss, my Husband was better, has he say"s (" almost human " ) so we set off early morning.
The weather forecast wasn't good but I thought if I went any later I'd miss them, we'd only been there for a short while when we saw three but all out of reach and no way could we step off the wood walk, I've never seen so much water, the Moss was quite flooded, we were safe enough on the board walk and it was great to be able to walk all round in a circle which had been newly laid because last year it was just a short board walk and had apparently suffered with all the rain, ( it was quite sunk in some parts)
Any way it was hopeless trying to get any shots, the Butterfly was hiding in the brush most of the time, it would suddenly appear and then disappear just as quickly , the weather didn't help, there was a strong wind and then the rain arrived so that was that, at least we'd seen them briefly.
We decided being has we were up there we may has well take a look at Gait Barrow, the rain had stopped by the time we got there but it was still muggy. The first Butterflies we saw were the Ringlet's they were every where, they weren't stopping for any one, like the LH they flew into hiding but at least I got a couple of shots, my first Ringlet's of this year.
On our way back to the car having seen nothing but Ringlet's, I spotted a Large Skipper who didn't bounce off for a change
Other than that we only saw a couple of Speckled Wood, before the rain pelted down again.
When we got home the Sun was shining so we decided a quick visit to HLB was okay, we saw a couple of White's I think Small they didn't stop for photo's, then I spotted my first Female LS ( I think ) In spite of the weather we'd enjoyed being on the move again
and stay hopeful we'll see more Butterflies soon. Goldie

[Goldie M]

I forgot to mention this little Lizard I saw at Meathop not sure of the correct name for it, Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie,

Looks like when I went to Meathop Moss the other week I timed it just in time. It was fairly dry then but given the amount of rain most of the country has had since then I bet the moss has soaked it up like a sponge.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Neil, it was so wet up there that the Moss was unable to soak all the water up, there was huge puddles every where. I picked what I thought was going to be a dry day, the Sun came out momentarily but the wind was a killer, nearly blew us off the boards no chance for a photo although two brave souls had there wellingtons on and were sinking into the Marsh, not me though Goldie

[Wurzel]

Glad you got to see you saw the Large Heaths Goldie - that's a species that I need to catch up with

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel that's all I did what a day. Goldie

[millerd]

You've certainly seen more Large Heaths than I have Goldie - I've yet to knowingly see one ever...

Dave

[Goldie M]

You'd like it at Meathop now Dave, it looks a different place since they've put all the new board walks in, last year you'd to walk through very tall grass and prickles to get even to the entrance, all that's gone now and a board walk starts before the field making it much easier to look for the LH's.
I hope you make it to see them some day, looks like it will be next year for me now photo wise Goldie

[Goldie M]

We've had two reasonable days until 4pm today when the heavens opened again, I managed a few photos in that time but believe me the Butterflies are few and far between at present, my good news though is the Meadow Browns are back at HLB, not in great numbers but at least they're back
Also today I saw my first Green Veined White for ages, (but only one )
Yesterday I saw a Small Tortoiseshell, again Only one but I suppose it's a start, none today though and the weather was warmer today with more Sun
Also saw some Large Skippers but nothing on the scale of last year, hope fully the weather stays dry tomorrow and I'll see more Goldie

[MikeOxon]

Following on from our recent discussion in my diary, I can see that your photos are suffering from a lack of depth-of-field.

Taking your Skipper for example, the EXIF data indicates that you used an exposure of 1/500s@f/5.6 (ISO640) with your 300mm lens. For a subject like this, I would have chosen a smaller aperture (larger f-number), such as f/11. This would bring the shutter speed down to 1/125s, for the same exposure, which might be a bit slow if you aren't using some support, such as a monopod. I'm not sure if your lens has built-in stabilisation (IS), which would also help to eliminate camera-shake. You could also increase the ISO to 1000, which would allow an exposure of around 1/200s@f/11.

I did a couple of calculations, using the Cambridge in Colour website. For your camera, with a 300mm lens at a distance of around 2m (my guess), the calculated depth of field (DOF) at f/5.6 is only 8 mm, which is not enough to cover the butterfly, whereas at f/11, the DOF increases to 17 mm (nearly 2cm), which should be adequate.

Your GvW photo suffers the usual 'whites' problem of over-exposure. You used exposure compensation of -1/3 stop but around -1 stop would have done a better job.

Keep practising but don't let all this photographic guff stop you enjoying the butterflies

[Goldie M]

Hi! Mike thanks for your advice, I used my Micro on the 300 lens and Close Up setting on the camera which changes because it's auto focus, I know your right about the depth of field but I used f8 on some shots I took today. The GVW for instance.
This morning I took shots of my Lily in the back garden,( Like I say I'm always experimenting )
In the first shot I used ISO 100 on the close Up setting Micro .f5.6

On my second shot i used ISO 400 f11 Ap setting I was pleased with both but when I tried them out at HLB later I didn't get the same result.

Because of the vegetation at HLB it's hard to get too close to things, any way I'll keep to the A setting has you suggested because I've tried it and Like it, also the F11, I'm not too sure about the speed though because when I use the Close Up setting it changes the setting I've put on the camera, I think I'd be better not to use this setting and just try the A setting, if you follow me.

Any way I'm so glad of your help I love taking shots of the Butterflies no matter whatIf I can get better shots that'll be great, please keep an eye on me. Goldie

[Goldie M]

Yesterday I went to Southport Dunes , I don't know what I expected to see because really this year so far has been very disappointing with the exception of my two firsts, WW's and SSB's. In fact It's one of the worse year's up here I can remember at my local haunt Hall-Lee-Brook.

It's true I got most of the Spring Butterflies but the numbers were odd ones not loads like other years and in some cases I'd to go to other places to find them, I hope the rest of the Summer is much better, any way back to the Dunes. I saw a few Meadow Brown's and also present were some Small Skipper's, at least I think they are it's so long sine I saw them even I'm not sure and that's it really, ( what a Summer ).to put a cap on every thing I'm off to the Camera shop this morning because my camera's refusing to take shots on my 70-300 lens the joys of photography. Goldie

[Wurzel]

I reckon you're on the money with the Skipper IDs Goldie, the last photo is a definite Small, the brand is big and has a kink in it near the body

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, the weather here has been awful and what with my lens packing in and having to buy a new one which I can't use because of the weather, it's made me rather fed up, especially when it as been dry, it's been dull and cloudy, on a lighter note I read that the NBA and the High BF are out now at Arnside also the DGF,so with luck and a bit of Sunshine I might be able to try out the new lens. Goldie

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, the weather here has been awful and what with my lens packing in and having to buy a new one which I can't use because of the weather, it's made me rather fed up, especially when it as been dry, it's been dull and cloudy, on a lighter note I read that the NBA and the High BF are out now at Arnside also the DGF,so with luck and a bit of Sunshine I might be able to try out the new lens. Goldie

That's good news, I'm up there in about 3 weeks, can you try and keep it sunny up there for me please

[Goldie M]

Hi! Bugboy, Gait Barrow always seems to get the High BF's out last, don't know why this is so if you've no luck at Arnside try GB
Your up here in three weeks and I should be down in Kent in two weeks, you bring the Sun shine with you but PLEASE leave some South for me Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie,

I am going to be up in Arnside again in about three weeks time. When I have been there in the past at around that time I have always found the Knot to be better for HBF than Gait Barrows although at both places they are late in their flight period then. I understand they haven't done too well at GB the past couple of years.
The NBA have been out in that area for over a month now, I saw nice fresh ones at Warton Crag, Arnside Knot and Gait Barrows on my way up to Scotland in the first week of June as per the report in my diary at the bottom of page 87. I also saw some at Latterbarrow on my return the following week.

Here's to hoping the weather is good for us all during our travels.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

I agree with you Neil, the HBF have not been good at GB but I saw them there last year 15th July and they were fresh and didn't seem to have been out long. It's been the same with the PBF and Small PBF but the other way round last year they were very scarce, this year plentiful, the poor Dukes have really suffered at GB this year with only about six being seen.
The NBA were in a poor condition when on the same day I saw them 15th July, funnily enough the NBA that I've seen at GB have nearly all been Salmacis, species.
I planned to go to Arnside but the weather forecast in the last few days as given nothing but rain and right now it's pouring down, I hope we get better weather soon and that it's better when you come up again.
I've only been to Warton Craig once this year Neil, I know all the speries we've mentioned have been seen there but I'm afraid the place is for too steep for me, I can climb so far and then that's it (Age has it's draw backs) The weather for next weekend looks good according to long range forecast so we'll probably try again then. Hope you get good weather when you come up. Goldie