www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Fantastic run of shots for that Puss Moth, like David says, Nature at its best!

Thanks Maurice. I didn't dare disgrace myself a second time by guessing Still missing out on shuteye - this time it was the cat who caught a little Wood Mouse as it ran in my bedroom window at 2.00am and subsequently dropped it on the bed. I can tell you they are the very devil to catch up, especially given all the stuff stashed away under my bed! Eventually it was safely released at 3.30am!!!!

Cheers Buggy. I admit I was disappointed to miss the end of the process but I never imagined it would happen quite so quickly Next year eh?

Thank you Goldie but I think you are seeing far more than me at the moment. Today, in blustery changeable conditions I visited Noar Hill again. We watched a female Hairstreak 30' up a tree for 1.5 hours and whilst we were ever so briefly distracted, she disappeared!!!!!! This was quite a bit more than my camera can comfortably handle so this was the best I came away with:
I was pleased to see my 3rd Hummingbird Hawk moth of the season and although the photo is dreadful it is the best I have ever taken of this insect. I really do need to learn how to take shots of things that move

Pauline wrote:..... I really do need to learn how to take shots of things that move

Were you, perhaps, looking in my direction when you wrote that?

Clearly, what you need is a fast shutter speed but what's the best way to achieve that? If you use Shutter priority and set, say 1/1000s, it can simply be a recipe for under-exposure, unless you check a few other things. The light must be bright enough and your ISO setting must be high enough. With a Lumix FZ, however, it's unwise to go much above ISO400, if you want reasonable image quality.

My method would be to set the lens wide open (smallest aperture number - e.g. f/2.8 ) and then set Aperture Priority (A on the dial). This will make the camera select the highest possible speed for correct exposure. You should set either ISO400 or ISO Auto, with an upper limit of, perhaps ISO800. Another option is to set 'Sport mode' on the camera, which ought to do most of this for you.

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Hi! Pauline, at least you've got some nice shots any way of the BH, even a distant photo would please me I was wondering if there's any BH's near us in Canterbury but no one has put shots up , I Havant seen any yet any way. Goldie

I appreciate that advice and explanation Mike. I shall certainly give it a try and let you know how it goes (you might well end up regretting this ).

Thanks Goldie. I believe you might have asked that question last year and I think that either Allen or Hoggers might have replied that there were no BH in Kent. However, I could be wrong and perhaps one of them might clarify.

I am hoping that there is still plenty of action yet to come on the butterfly front but my last couple of outings have had a very distinct end of season feel to them (even tho' it's only July!). Although many of the butterflies were suffering some wear and tear I can't complain about the sheer numbers and it was a pleasure just to stand and watch, or stroll among them. Below are a few shots taken without any consideration for their condition and with little care for composition of the photo. I was just enjoying the moment and their diversity, including the gorgeous subtle olive green sheen of the female SWF which I find so attractive in comparison to the brash orange of the male:

In spite of the 'end of season' feel, Pauline, you're still seeing Large Skippers!!!

The nicked and worn butterflies are often the best ones - they have a story to tell I know what you mean about the autumnal feel though hopefully the forecast weather will slow things down a littel and there will be some butterflies left by mid August

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Yes, I'm seeing an abundance of butterflies David (apart from Clouded Yellow which I can't seem to catch up with!). I think it is the plants that have much to do with the 'autumnal feel' - the ripe blackberries and some leaves changing colour. It certainly has been a strange season.

A bit like me then Wurzel It will certainly be interesting to see how things pan out on the butterfly front. An influx of migrants would be a fitting end

Lovely autumn colours and feel to all of the pictures Pauline. I love the Holly Blue shot. I always feel privileged when one stops for me to take a picture of. Mostly they seem too busy and bustle onwards. Hope your season goes on for much much longer.

All this talk of Autumn - but it's only July and the schools only broke up quite recently

Reminds me of last year when Doug and myself met you at Noar Hill.
Only one Brown Hairstreak was seen, but other Butterflies were everywhere.
As for the Autumnal feel, the large, ripe, juicy Blackberries I found this morning did it for me.

Trevor.

Yup, Autumn does feel like it's arrived early this year, SWF and WA all but gone. even the current weather has an autumnal feel to it, windy, rainy. I have a feeling there may be still a few surprises left for us yet though as long as it warms up again next month

Thank you Peter. I, too, hope the season continues as long as possible. BTW my favourite from your last post was that Skipper surrounded by all that spikey stuff

D'you know Mike, it freaks me out a bit. Up North, many, many moons ago we used to go Blackberry picking in the middle of October

I think that's the last time we met up Trevor and you were the first one to spot that BH - a female. Most of us would have been pleased with a female but I know you wanted the male and at least now you have some splendid images of them so I can stop feeling guilty (Say hello to Doug for me!)

I hope you're right about the surprises Buggy. The showers today reminded me of 2012 so they didn't keep me in and as usual in warm wet weather the butterflies were active. I only saw a handful of SSS at Oxenbourne but several of them were newly emerged as evidenced by the meconium dripping from them:
I was pleased to see a couple of newly emerged females too but my hopes of seeing a mating pair did not come to fruition;
There were lots of other butterflies on the wing. Loads of Chalkhills - fresh, worn and this one which was clearly dead:
Some nice Small Blues and a few Small Coppers which didn't seem to mind the rain at all:

Lovely Silver-spots, Pauline. They are such a delightful subject to photograph. I've been picking blackberries since the beginning of the month this year: they are routinely appearing in mid-July these days. My memory is of doing this on the last day of the school holidays, so they are much earlier than 50 years ago certainly.

Dave

Thank you Dave - my favourite Skipper too. In view of your recent posts perhaps you ought to look away now Male, female, worn, fresh, wings open, wings closed - had the lot today but not the mating pair I was looking for

That is a fine set of images Pauline, they really are putting on an excellant show this year aren't they

Fantastic shots Pauline - are those from Shipton? I still haven't gotten there and now I'm in Wales until the weekend so hopefully they'll last

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Delightful late summer images, Pauline! If only I could get out and see a few butterflies for myself! I'm highly envious.

Hi Pauline
just to say I have found some Frog Orchids in flower at Noar Hill and you can see the pollina which do look similar to the ones on the Ringlet. The flowers are very small on some of them though - sorry for posting photos on your diary but thought you might be interested?
kind regards
Mark