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Fantastic DGF Nick Good luck with the stilts

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, the stilts arrived yesterday. The wife thinks i`m mad, and said, "i will probably fall over whilst using them and brake both my legs."

All the best, Nick.

July 9th. Dreams do come true......Part one.

The start of the Purple Emperor season always brings with it, great anticipation. Expectations are high and, there is a real buzz in the atmosphere, old friends and new gather, standing around telling stories of old, everyone listening intently. The one that got away before you could fire off a few shots with your camera, the nearly ones, three wings covered in blue but, never the forth, maybe today will be the day, or i always seem to photograph them on a smelly pile of dog`s poo, or on a mountain of horse dung. Then there is the, who will get the photo they dream of, the one they turn up for, hoping for, year after year, will someone get lucky, will someone go home with the gold medal. The only trouble is, no one really knows...and if who...

Today was the only day i could wangle off work at such short notice, and when i arrived at my destination within Chiddingfold Wood Peter Farrant and Paul Day were already there, shortly followed by Neil Hulme, with his trusty bike and, his bag off magic tricks.

Just after 11am we were rewarded with our first sighting, the Purple Emperor flying majestically down and then circling low just above the ground before landing. Our hearts pounding, we let the butterfly settle, then our camera`s were let loose, clicking away freely and speedily, not wanting to miss the moment, getting as close as we dared. But then, after a few minutes and, without warning, it was gone, flying up and into a Sallow tree, content to rest there, in the shade, out of reach of the scorching sun and, our camera`s lens.........Just before twelve i had to leave for an appointment.... The Purple Emperor still sitting restfully and quietly in the Sallow.........

Dreams do come true...........Part two

..........Three and a half hours later i had returned to the wood, and was slowly making my way back to where i had photographed the Purple Emperor in the morning, the sun by now was quite unbearable and, whilst i was sticking to the shade where possible, butterflies were still hurriedly flying amongst the vegetation and, sometimes risking the possibility of sunstroke to nectar in the full glow of the sun.Then around the corner came Neil on his bike doing the rounds, checking for PE on any given track, we spoke briefly, then he was gone. Two minutes later Neil was back, cycling past me,telling me he had recieved a message that the Purple Emperor that had flown up into the Sallow that morning was down again, all i could see of him and his bike, was the back wheel as he churned up the track leaving a cloud of dust behind him.

A few minutes later i had joined Neil and Paul at the scene of expectations, sure enough the male Purple Emperor was back, but sadly Peter had left. Again we let the butterfly settle, making sure his proboscis was still, so we new he was totally at ease with his surroundings. His wings were closed tight, up-right above it`s body. A few shots of the undersides were taken by all,and then the three of us waited........

Cracking shots and a cracking cliffhanger...though I reckon I know what's coming next

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, appreciated. So you think you know whats coming next, well i hope i don`t disappoint you.

All the best, Nick.

Great to see you on Sunday, Nick.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

Best wishes,

Lee

Thanks Lee, it was also lovely to meet up with you again.

All the best, Nick.

Dreams do come true...........Part three

........so while we waited,............... my mind returned to the butterflies i saw on my walk back here, Small and Large Skippers, Marbled Whites, Silver-washed Fritillaries, Speckled Woods, Brimstone, White Admiral, Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, and a flighty Large White nectaring on Thistle, dashing from one plant to another, which i managed to grab a photo of before he disappeared around the corner, in the opposite direction that i was walking. Anyway back to the present. As the minutes ticked by, and with the sun slowly moving west, shadows from the backdrop of trees behind us, slowly but surely crept across the sun baked landscape. Then as the shadows reached and, then engulfed the male Purple Emperor, his wings started to part, millimetre by millimetre, our hearts were in our mouths, still the wings opened, wider and..................

[So is that what you thought was coming next Wurzel]

I reckon it might be eventually if you stop teasing us with these cliffhangers

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:I reckon it might be eventually if you stop teasing us with these cliffhangers

Must confess, I'm beginning to wonder what the content of the next chapter is....

You're a real tease Nick. Very nice photos, so far...

All the best

Mike

Thank you for your comments Wurzel, David and Mike, appreciated. Sorry about the teasing, won`t happen again.

All the best, Nick.

Dreams do come true............... Part four.

............and wider, until the far tips of it`s wings touched the ground. Now it was the magic of nature taking it`s turn in the proceedings, the moment we had all been anticipating, waiting so patiently for, the glorious blue sheen to cross and cover the entirety of it`s out-stretched wings........and there it was, a hint of blue starting to hide the blackness of it`wings, like the rich blue of the sky awakening at dawn, becoming ever more present as the seconds past by......... it`s true beauty coming to the fore before our very eyes, our cameras catching it all on record, to reinforce our memories........and then at last..........

Dreams do come true.

.............the transformation was complete....the majestic Purple Emperor, the king of the Oak woodlands, in all his finery, his glory. Later that day i was pleased to meet Mike, [Maximus] and his lovely wife, who Neil had great pleasure in showing them, a dream come true. And i had my dream.... hidden within the depths of my camera.....................................Time to go home................

Fantastic image of a beautiful creature, well done Nick.

Your patience (and ours ) was well rewarded

Neil F.

I'm sure you could have strung that out another couple of days Nick but nice shot in the end

That was the image I was expecting but you've surpassed my expectations in the quality, lush, brill, stunning Totally worth the wait Who needs a magic paintbrush when you've got a DaVinci in your camera

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you Neil, Pauline and Wurzel for your very kind comments, greatly appreciated.

All the best, Nick.

Fantastic image Nick, well worth waiting for! Me and the Mrs are up at the crack of dawn tomorrow in search of........

All the best,

Mike