22nd July 2012

With another good forecast with plenty of sun decided to head out doin butterflies with the target being White-letter Hairstreak,Purple Emperor & Silver-washed Fritillary! so set of with good mate Andy Jones for Bedford Perlieus,Northants where we were soon watching Silver-washed Frits in good numbers but getting a pic was a lot harder with them always on the move!! also seen were plenty of Ringlets,Marbled Whites a cpl of Purple Hairstreaks! after getting the pics of the Frits we headed off to Fermyn Woods for the Purple Emperors & within mins of pulling up we'd had at least 5 giving fantastic views,then the call went up someone had got a photographable White-letter Hairstreak further up the track when disaster struck the 1D Mk111 packed up with a error 30 (Terminal shutter fault) What a bugger!! At least i'd managed to photograph the Emperors which were a lifer!! Photos from the day below...........

21st July 2012

With a few days off work & the weather looking ok I was determined to get out & about!! but what to go for? nothing in the way of bird news so either Dragons or Butterflies!! Dragons wins the vote & off i set for Cramer Gutter,Shrops with the target Golden-ringed Dragonfly & Keeled Skimmer!! spent a few hrs on site having a few Keeled Skimmers but no luck with the GR until I was thinking I was to late,2nds later & the 1st Dragon flew past & I spent the nxt cpl of hrs trying to get 1 to settle!! Eventually 2 gave themselves up giving me fantastic views!! also on site Small Heath & a late Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary  pics below

Keeled Skimmer

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Small Heath

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary 

 

9th July 2012

With an unexpected day off decided to have ago at getting some Marbled White photos! So packed my gear & headed off to Stockton Cutting nr Napton,Warks my 1st time at this reserve!! Almost straight away I could see the target species but getting pics was a lot harder until I found a coupled pair!! Lots of Ringlets & Meadow Browns on site aswell also 1 Four-spotted Chaser & 2 White-legged Damselflies!! After an hr or so I headed off to Ryton Woods where I had my 1st White Admiral of the year but no pics!!

Whilst getting ready for work found this little beaut by the back door!! Male Vapourer my 1st of the year!!

7th July 2012

With the weather yet again dodgy it was stay local or watch the GP Qualifying! so off i went back to Napton for what will probably be the last time this Year due to the fact the chicks fledged early afternoon & when i left they were just about out of the churchyard! Having got the shots over the last week or so i decided to have a play with the ext tubes on (The photos below are just resized & sharpened apart from the head shots which were just a small crop)