www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Some more lovely photos Dave, more cracking Marbled White shots

Chris

Thanks, Chris. I was pleased with those two in particular.

Dave

1st July

As luck would have it, I was invited down to Dover for a day or two. It seemed like only a slight detour to drive via Canterbury, and only an even smaller detour on top to take in East Blean Woods. Leaving in sunshine, I passed through torrential rain in the middle of Kent, and reached the car park around half past three, with it only just easing off. I squelched into the woods and managed to locate one or two roosting Heath Fritillaries, one of which I tried to photograph with the flash on. As with the Orange Tips right at the start of this diary, the poor thing looks as if it was disturbed in dead of night. A few Meadow Browns were actually flying in the gloom.

But then the weather brightened, and the sun burst through the trees, sparkling off the raindrops adorning every plant. Within a couple of minutes, dozens of Heath Fritillaries emerged from hiding places all over the clearings nearby. They were a lovely sight in the sunshine-after-rain light, with their delicate flutter-and-glide flight, and basking on the low shrubs and the abundant cow-wheat. Many were quite worn, but some appeared freshly-emerged, so it must be still worth a visit for a little while yet.

Dave

Dave:

...I tried to photograph with the flash on. As with the Orange Tips right at the start of this diary, the poor thing looks as if it was disturbed in dead of night.

I have had exactly that problem. The flash with my camera, overrides the "natural" exposure, so eg if I am using F/8, the flash sets exposure at say 1/160. This is fine for the target butterfly but results in a totally underexposed background. I minimise the problem by using a wide aperture, eg F/4. The flash output is unchanged, but the background now receives 4 times more light.

Using manual settings would enable even more control but are frankly a bit of a hassle

This picture shows was taken at F/4.5 with flash. No crop or other treatment, merely re-sized. The picture lacks "sparkle" but that is correct in the circumstances: the weather was cloudy and very dull.


Jack

That's interesting Jack - and the result is excellent. I will certainly have to investigate the various settings that I can easily adjust (or remember at the appropriate time!). I'm afraid I like my photography to come reasonably easily, so that I can concentrate on the creeping up on the target without worrying that I've forgotten to twiddle knob "A" a quarter turn or press button "B". Every now and then I get some results that I really like and I can tell from the comments on this site that everyone's opinion of a "good" photo differs, so that's fine.

3rd July

A damp day, but warm. I ventured out locally regardless, and managed to see five Red Admirals, a dozen Meadow Browns, four female Common Blues (including these two - one rather tired and the other quite fresh) and twenty or more Small Heaths. I also clocked my first local Ringlet, perched several metres up in a tree.

Dave

One from Sunday I overlooked...

Dave

That's the kind of shot that I like to get....

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Jack Harrison wrote:Using manual settings would enable even more control but are frankly a bit of a hassle

Flash is difficult to use well with most cameras. Many have an option in the flash menu called "slow sync" (I know Lumix do), which adds flash to the background exposure. In the Lumix instructions they say "When taking pictures against a dark background landscape, this feature will slow the shutter speed when the flash is activated. Dark background landscape will appear brighter."

On-camera flash always gives very 'flat' (low contrast) lighting but, fortunately, in close-up shots, the flash is relatively well to the side, which helps a lot. Putting some sort of diffuser over the flash head (a single ply of tissue works well) also helps to soften the light and make the results less harsh.

Mike

Mike says:

Many have an option in the flash menu called "slow sync" (I know Lumix do), which adds flash to the background exposure.

I can't find that option but it is no doubt there. All I can find in the flash option is 1st or 2nd curtain. So where do I look?

Jack

Hi Dave,

Some good shots there, I really like the Small Heath with the angled horizon in the background.

Cheers,

Neil F.

I asked:

All I can find in the flash option is 1st or 2nd curtain. So where do I look?

A PM has pointed me in the right direction. Thanks Mike.

Jack

And I have found the option on my Sony. Let's see what happens - I have a feeling there will be a few more photos to be taken in dull weather this year.

Thanks everyone for the info, and for your appreciative comment about the Small Heath, Neil. No flash there, just a lowering sky...

Which has inspired me to have a "fiddle" in Photoscape. This photo was so much shades of grey, I wondered how the monochrome treatment would work.

Dave

4th July
Surprised to see a bit of sunshine around lunchtime, I ventured out and decided to extend my local walk further north along the River Colne to a point near Colnbrook known as the Mad Bridge. This is all still part of the Heathrow Conservation area and after the initial landscaping into gentle slopes and creation of the main path, it has been left wild. The poor soil has generated loads of flowering plants, and at present with all the rain it is a very colourful sight (and indeed site!).

The commonest butterfly is the Small Heath. Though numbers thin out a bit as you walk north, they are everywhere, and there must be hundreds of them here. Meadow Browns were frequent too, and I was surprised to see so many Common Blues today. These two species are also ubiquitous along this walk. In lesser numbers I found Large Skippers, plus one male Small Skipper; there were Commas and Red Admirals, including two of the latter egg-laying on the generous stands of nettle that border the river; a handful of Whites made an appearance, both Small and Green-veined. However, the highlight of the excursion for me was discovering no less than three Small Tortoiseshells. Two were very new, but the third was a little more careworn. They are the first I've seen this year anywhere I've been.

Dave

4th July (continued)

I found time later to see how the Marbled Whites were doing at Harmondsworth Moor. Despite large grey clouds spoiling the sunshine as I arrived, I saw at least a dozen flying and there were no doubt more tucked down in the grass. There were a similar number of Meadow Browns, plus a couple of Small Skippers, but no Common Blues. The colony here and the one a mile away nearer home are well out of synch with each other it seems!

Dave

5th July

A bright start with a hint of better, perhaps. I set off for Black Park (Strawberry Wood), adjacent to Pinewoods Studios in South Bucks, with the aim of seeing White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries. The initial lack of proper sunshine made them slow to appear, but I did glimpse several of the latter within a short while (mostly high up), and then eventually a couple of the former too. Blue sky was sighted on the horizon, so I waited...
Out came the sun, and with it, the butterflies. I saw at least half a dozen SWF, probably a few more, including one splendid individual that just kept coming back to the same patch of tall thistles. Of White Admirals, I saw at most five, but none obliged by coming down to the brambles to nectar. However, one came down instead to hover over the damp path; it then approached closer and closer before eventually settling on my lower trouser leg to take on salts - in the manner of a certain close relative (of whom there was no sign today).
As well as the main attractions, I saw a lot of Ringlets, plus Meadow Browns and Large Skippers, and one Red Admiral. Finally, I disturbed a small grey butterfly that made its way laboriously up into a birch tree, and then an oak. At its brief stop, I identified it as a male Purple Hairstreak.

Dave

Some nice photos there Dave.

I have yet to see any Marbled whites, Silver-washed Fritilliaries or White Admirals around here. I am hoping to get out to Oversley Wood or Snitterfield Bushes sometime soon for a look although I fear for the WA a bit following the low numbers in the midlands last year.

Neil.

Thanks, Neil.
I hope to have a look at Ryton on Saturday (weather and children permitting!), so I wonder if there'll be anything to see.

Dave

Weather on Saturday is looking reasonable so far.
Warks BC have their open day at Ryton Wood Meadows on the following Saturday (14th). I am hoping to make it over there then.

Neil.

Brill shots Dave I'm chuffed that you managed to get the SWF and WA, the White Admiral seems to be very attached to you - are you testing out Purple Emperor bait?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Well, Wurzel, I'm not washing that pair until July is out, if that's what you mean!

Dave