www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

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

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'm a birder primarily, but have an interest in all creatures really, so I'm happy all year round.

Going abroad for a couple of weeks is usually on the agenda though.

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

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.

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

Wow! Fantastic responses. Thanks all. Keep 'em coming!

Cheers,

- Pete

As a keen walker I tend to do a lot of landscapes in the Winter months. You can't beat a crisp Winter's day up in the hills

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.

In the countryside there is allways something worth photographing, but I'm heavily into cars as well. Here's a few of my pride and joy.









Martin.

That's one stunning motor Martin!

I bet it's a bugger to get the shopping in though

And now we know where your username comes from!

Cheers,

- Pete

Sell the car and buy a Canon 1Ds

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.

Wayne wrote:Sell the car and buy a Canon 1Ds

I'm very happy with my 1DmarkII N thanks

Martin.

I'm very happy with my 1DmarkII N thanks

Oho!!! Nice, fastest digital camera in the world isnt it?

Yes...but still not fast enough for some of those pesky butterflies!

Martin.

I thought about changeing mu username to XWT 502S, but somehow it doesn't have the same ring as V6GTO. And my car's a rust-bucket, too.