What do you do from October to March?
- Pete Eeles
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What do you do from October to March?
OK - I know the summer is at its peak. But the butterflying season just gets shorter and shorter, as I get older and older
So I was just curious as to what other enthusiasts do (especially photographers) during the quieter months. I know a lot of folk are also ornithologists (birdies!) but I'd be interested in any other suggestions that would help keep me occupied that combine wildlife and photography. Looking for immature stages can only take up so much time ...
Cheers,
- Pete
So I was just curious as to what other enthusiasts do (especially photographers) during the quieter months. I know a lot of folk are also ornithologists (birdies!) but I'd be interested in any other suggestions that would help keep me occupied that combine wildlife and photography. Looking for immature stages can only take up so much time ...
Cheers,
- Pete
- markatbath
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the winter months
hi pete
I agree with you that the butterfly season seems to be getting shorter.During those long dull winter months I spend most of my time sorting and cataloging all the pictures taken during the summer,why waste time doing it during the summer when you can be out there watching butterflies and taking photographs! Oh and I do a bit of birdwatching for an excuse to get of doing work in home
regards
mark
I agree with you that the butterfly season seems to be getting shorter.During those long dull winter months I spend most of my time sorting and cataloging all the pictures taken during the summer,why waste time doing it during the summer when you can be out there watching butterflies and taking photographs! Oh and I do a bit of birdwatching for an excuse to get of doing work in home
regards
mark
- markhows
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Mammals,
sometimes they can be much easier to find during autumn and spring and some in winter (not all hibernate).
With Scilly fot white toothed shrew and orkney for Orkney vole and loads of places in between there's lots to see
Mark
My website http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/birds.htm
sometimes they can be much easier to find during autumn and spring and some in winter (not all hibernate).
With Scilly fot white toothed shrew and orkney for Orkney vole and loads of places in between there's lots to see
Mark
My website http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/birds.htm
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Angling, which like butterflying I've done since I was in short trousers. Consider this:-
1. It's an excuse to be in the countryside all year round.
2. It keeps you in touch with certain types of wildlife, ie. fish, that would otherwise be very difficult to observe.
3. If you sit still enough, long enough, often enough at the waterside, all sorts of photographic opportunities present themselves (see below). I've had an otter literally within spitting distance, a grey wagtail picking up maggots from beneath my chair and on 2 occasions a kingfisher has perched on my rod.
4. It ties in very nicely with butterflying - many of my butterfly photos are taken during fishing trips.
1. It's an excuse to be in the countryside all year round.
2. It keeps you in touch with certain types of wildlife, ie. fish, that would otherwise be very difficult to observe.
3. If you sit still enough, long enough, often enough at the waterside, all sorts of photographic opportunities present themselves (see below). I've had an otter literally within spitting distance, a grey wagtail picking up maggots from beneath my chair and on 2 occasions a kingfisher has perched on my rod.
4. It ties in very nicely with butterflying - many of my butterfly photos are taken during fishing trips.
DJT
Well as a gardener I think there are plenty of opportunities to capture wildlife on film. Sweep the leaves, clear the pond, tidy the shed, turn the compost. All these activities bring up allsorts - bugs, beetles, butterflies, moths, birds, bees etc and keep you warm whilst you're looking!
Put out fat balls for birds in winter on one of those window sticky feeders and you don't even need to get cold taking the bird's portraits! Look at a dedicated bird site (ie the RSPB) to get advice as to what sort of food you should put out to entice some really interesting birds over winter
Join the phrenology folk so you're actually looking for something to record. This year for me it was red tailed bees! Never heard of them before and certainly never seen one! I looked for them on the pulmonarias in February and there they were! Perfect for taking a picture with my new (first ever) digital camera! The phrenolgy folk don't want your pictures but heh, a new species to add to your personal record, isn't that exciting!?
Also plant loads of late autumn/winter/early spring flowers and watch what visits - an early (or late) butterfly or two no doubt!
DM
Put out fat balls for birds in winter on one of those window sticky feeders and you don't even need to get cold taking the bird's portraits! Look at a dedicated bird site (ie the RSPB) to get advice as to what sort of food you should put out to entice some really interesting birds over winter
Join the phrenology folk so you're actually looking for something to record. This year for me it was red tailed bees! Never heard of them before and certainly never seen one! I looked for them on the pulmonarias in February and there they were! Perfect for taking a picture with my new (first ever) digital camera! The phrenolgy folk don't want your pictures but heh, a new species to add to your personal record, isn't that exciting!?
Also plant loads of late autumn/winter/early spring flowers and watch what visits - an early (or late) butterfly or two no doubt!
DM
- Pete Eeles
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October isn't the end of the season. Red admiral, speckled wood, peacock and comma will hang on until then. I also photograph dragonflies, and some of the darter amd hawker species are still around until frosts kill them off. Once that happens then there's still the woodland birds in my local patch to look out for, or watching squirrels burying or retrieving horse chestnuts.
- Pete Eeles
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- Trev Sawyer
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I agree with David Tipping... Angling is a wonderful way to blend into the countryside. I have had many magical memories whilst sitting by a river with wildlife of all kinds. My 2 peronal favourites being a water vole nicking my bait from under my feet and a tawny owl actually landing on my head (no, HONESTLY!!) whilst I was fishing at night in the winter. Luckily, i had a hat on at the time and avoided a trip to A & E!
Trev
PS: David Tipping.... I have sent you an e-mail. Hope you can see it in your messages box.
Trev
PS: David Tipping.... I have sent you an e-mail. Hope you can see it in your messages box.
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