www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Goldie: 18-55mm lens because I can take shots really close up but on the 70-300mm lens it's very changeable , I can take shots from a distance and bring the BF up really close with out disturbing the BF, this seems to be where I've got confused into what to use.

I can't really help a lot here as I don't use a SLR with interchangeable lenses. Mike Oxon does and he will know more about minimum focussing distance, etc. with SLR lenses.

My own observations here in north Scotland: Ringlet is becoming quite a regular in my wild garden. Ringlets happily fly in cloudy weather so long as temperature is above around 14C: clearly well adapted to northern climates.

Jack

My suggestion to Goldie, and anyone else trying to understand what different lenses can do, is to practice on something easier than butterflies! Flowers in the garden are a good subject and, with these, you can try different lenses at different distances and try various settings, until you find what works best for you.

One of the things that I found difficult to get used to, when using a Lumix FZ200, was that the closest focus distance varied with the zoom setting. Most (not all) SLR lenses have the same closest focus whatever the focal length setting so that's one thing less to think about.

Thanks for your help Guys, I tried out different settings today just to see what differences there was in the different shots, I'll keep doing this till I hit on what I think is best for me, it was just great to get out and enjoy the Sun for once, thanks again, Goldie

16th September 2016

We in north Scotland have escaped the searing heat of the south. Indeed, it has been a very pleasant summer.

Today in the garden several Peacock (they have had a good season - and bear in mind that distribution maps show that 40 years ago Peacock did not even occur in this area), one Tortoiseshell (most no doubt are already hibernating) and this superb Painted Lady.







Jack

Stunning Painted Lady, Jack. Fine camera work.

Trevor.

Gorgeous photos!

A very accommodating Lady you have there!

She flew a long way for her portrait but she was worth it - very nice pics

She flew a long way for her portrait

I saw a couple of tatty Painted Ladies in May after a spell of easterly winds. These might have originated in the Baltic region - don't know - but the few fresh ones I have seen in the past few weeks are undoubtedly the offspring of May immigrants.

When I began butterflying circa 1945, Mum would name locations where we would go for butterfly walks : Charlie's Lane, Humph's Hut. One was "Painted Lady lane" where we saw the butterflies by some cottages(**). Sadly today, "Painted Lady lane" has vanished under an industrial complex (Great Yarmouth).

(**) Gapton Hall cottages where a family of about 12 to 14 lived - bred like rabbits.
I remember as an eight-year old being very confused as one of the children had an aunt younger than herself. Work out that one!

Jack

17th September
More Painted Ladies today in Cawdor Castle gardens mixing with more numerous Peacocks and one Speckled Wood. I still hold out hopes for Comma (today's weather was ideal) but nothing yet.

Also saw what I believe to the the Thain of Cawdor - well there's a guy who looks the part in kilt, etc who hangs around hangs around the castle.

On a ferry a few years ago, a group dressed in kilts were on their way to some "do" in Mull.
We all wonder what Scotsmen wear under their kilts. It was quite windy on the ferry and all was revealed: tartan underpants

Back at home, Silver Y moth joined in the fun in our garden.

Jack

Good to see you're getting a few species this late in the season, Jack. Love the Painted Lady images. They get everywhere, don't they?

Do you mind if I join you?



Jack

A trawl through old family picture found this (school photo).

Me in 1947
Well, it amused me. It was about that time I got my copy of "South" . (The Butterflies of the British Isles).

Jack

Good to see you've emerged from under the ice-cap at last, Jack

It's not that cold an area despite being 57.5 degs north where I live. Local micro climate is good for arable farming. Certainly a very sunny area and too dry at times. For example a mere 2.00 mms rain so far this month. Today reached 20C.

But I do admit, this area is not especially good for butterflies. At the moment, lots of Green-veined Whites, a scattering of Orange Tips plus a few - very few - Speckled Woods. A good birding area though. In the past week I have watched Slavonian Grebes and Black-throated Divers on their breeding lochs. A little adventurous tomorrow when i am going to visit familiar territory on the east Aberdeenshire coast; hopefully fours species of Tern, Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins and maybe, the Ythan Estuariy's resident King Eider mixing it with the commoners.

Jack

Bird i/d help please. LBJ size of Chaffinch. Melodic three note song.
Jack

Whitethroat

That's what I thought, but what about the melodic, three-note song? Whitethroats can hardly be described as melodious. Is this a young bird?

My first thought at the time was Whitethroat. But when I checked on bird sings/calls, it was nothing like it. I have to wear hearing aids these days and one of the many drawbacks is great difficulty in determining where the sound is coming from. So maybe another hidden bird was doing the calling.

It's very difficult to remember sounds but as best I can recall, two shorter notes followed by a slightly longer one. Pitch lower than say Blackbird. Very persistent and musical.

Just had a Red Admiral in the garden watching me cut the grass. While not as hot as in the south (here 21C), I had to give up only halfway through due to the humidity (dewpoint 17C).

Jack

I guess it's not particularly melodic when compared to some of the other Warblers, but it's not unpleasant (also maybe Jack's version of 'melodic' has been altered from listening to too many bagpipes! )

Doesn't look like a young bird, can't see any sign of a gape.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... itethroat/