www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi there, just stumbled onto this forum a few days ago, so i joined up pretty much straight away

Obviously i have an interest in Butterflies! but i also observe/photograph UK reptiles, mainly Vipera Berus (Adders). Im also keen on Birds and Bugs(Insects) too. Well, pretty much all wildlife really, one subject/species tends to open avenues for others!
Ive only been observing for approx 3 years now, so still a beginner i guess!

Im a keen wildlife photographer, and use both a DSLR(Nikon) and a bridge camera(Panasonic FZ45) I also use the Raynox 250 macro lens attachment. I have a Flickr account, which is where i host my photos. Once in awhile, BBC Springwatch(on flickr) picks one of my butterfly photos as a favourite, which is always nice.

Im rather lucky, in the fact that i have WLHs in/around my garden, and since this was a good summer for butterflies, i managed to capture photos of them on my lawn!!(1st pics for a couple of years though!). Ive also added 7 new species to my "garden list" this year, which were large and small skipper, SWF, painted lady, common blue, small copper, marbled white(fly through!). Not a bad haul, considering i live in a built up/suburban area, although to be fair, the bottom of my garden backs onto a wooden area!

Apart from the 7 new garden "ticks" for 2013, other highlights of the year include Purple Emperor sighting/photos(I even had a male perched on my hand!!) and finding a freshly emerged clouded yellow female, placing her on a plant stem, sitting down to eat lunch with my young son...then observing a male swoop in to mate with her!!!

Anyway, thats me, cheers Paul.

Welcome to the best website in the world, Paul

Looking forward to more posts.

Cheers,

- Pete

Welcome, Paul.

The obvious question is did you get any images of the Clouded Yellow pair?

Pete Eeles wrote:Welcome to the best website in the world, Paul

Looking forward to more posts.

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks for the welcome Pete.

David M wrote:Welcome, Paul.

The obvious question is did you get any images of the Clouded Yellow pair?

Cheers for the welcome David.

As you can imagine, I shot a fair few images on the day.

Here is one(which is the first time i have uploaded this photo anywhere) I really must sort through my stock pile of photos
This was from back on the 11/8/13

Cheers Paul.

Note- Panasonic FZ45 with raynox 250 used, no flash, macro setting, sub setting "Objects".

Ive probably got some better mating shots than this image, better light, because the sun did shine through the clouds!

Well, if that first image is anything to go by, you'll achieve legendary status on this site before next spring!!

Excellent shot and thanks for uploading it.

Just wish I'd been there - I've only seen 4 CYs in Wales and they've all been singletons.

Welcome Paul

Good to have you on the forum.

Lovely photo and it must have been a great experience too.

Welcome also from me Paul, and thats a great shot of the Clouded Yellows copulating. Look forward to many more.

All the best, Nick.

David M wrote:Well, if that first image is anything to go by, you'll achieve legendary status on this site before next spring!!

Excellent shot and thanks for uploading it.

Just wish I'd been there - I've only seen 4 CYs in Wales and they've all been singletons.

Cheers for that, the Clouded Yellows were within 15 miles from my home, so we didnt need to travel too far, in order to connect with them.
The previous day, on the 10/8/13, was the 1st time I had seen a CY, so to observe what we did the following day was a little unexpected, but fantastic.

Heres a shot of the female, which was being roughed up by a male in the long grasses on the ground. Since it would appear that she had not long emerged, I offered a hand, and she climbed aboard. After a few seconds i placed her on a plant stem(out of the strong wind) in order that she dry out.

Then onto the plant stem.

Susie wrote:Welcome Paul

Good to have you on the forum.

Lovely photo and it must have been a great experience too.

Thanks susie, and it was a real treat to witness what we did on the day, my young son was well pleased, as was I.



A macro shot.

Cheers Paul.

hideandseek wrote:Welcome also from me Paul, and thats a great shot of the Clouded Yellows copulating. Look forward to many more.

All the best, Nick.

Cheers Nick, I should have found this forum a long time ago

Thanks for the comment on the mating shot too. I do have many more mating photos to process, but i kinda give preference to my Reptile(Adder) images first.

Hello and welcome great images of mating cloudies, I've seen plenty of CY's in the past but never a mating pair. I look forward to seeing more of your photos.

Testudo Man wrote:Heres a shot of the female, which was being roughed up by a male in the long grasses on the ground. Since it would appear that she had not long emerged, I offered a hand, and she climbed aboard. After a few seconds i placed her on a plant stem(out of the strong wind) in order that she dry out.

Do you know, that's only ever happened to me with a Marbled White, so to have a Clouded Yellow emerge from pupation practically in front of you is a major privilege indeed.

Excellent images again.

What a great name and good to meet you on Saturday at Kingsdown Leas. I hope you get the chance to go and have another look for the LTBs in some better weather.
I hope to be back in better weather myself.

Welcome Paul,

Stunning pictures...

Not been lucky enough to see a CY in Shropshire - Great to see the pictues.

Debbie

Paul Wetton wrote:What a great name and good to meet you on Saturday at Kingsdown Leas. I hope you get the chance to go and have another look for the LTBs in some better weather.
I hope to be back in better weather myself.

Cheers Paul, nice to meet both you and your wife too.
I'd like to visit the site again, but the weather does not look good! Who knows, maybe we will get ideal conditions in the not too distant future?! Because of work commitments, i can only get down there on a weekend.


David M cheers for that...I guess we were in the right place, at the right time!


Thanks also to Butterflysaurus rex and Debbie

Cheers Paul