Sunday 19 August 2012

Local findings

With only two opportunities for photography since my last post I have little to show you this time. I did manage to obtain a couple more Holly Blue images so that was a bonus. there is a little story to tell about that so I'll save that to the end.

Common Darter featured this week again.


I was after the Hawker that I'd seen hawking around a small pit just about 200 yards from my house, its a drainage pit and very secluded.

I tried the shot with the flash, I like it but I prefer the normal light shot, what do you think?























Spiders have also been on the menu, mostly Garden Spider.
























But also Harvestman
















and also this, I cannot identify it from my books, I guess it must be a Harvestman of some kind as it's the same general size.
















Its a little out of focus, its a tiny critter and I cropped it to try and show the body and those weird pincer type things at the front. Any ideas?

Right, Holly Blue's. I was after bugs in the hedgerow over the road from my house, where I had seen the Holly Blue in the last post, I didn't expect to see the butterfly as I genuinely thought it was passing through. Imagine my surprise then when not only one but three were flitting around the tops of the bushes. Initially I just couldn't get close enough so I popped back in doors and got the 70-200 lens. I managed these three shots.

























There were Large whites and Speckled woods flitting around everywhere too, I then became aware of a Hawker dragonfly  buzzing around, I was praying that it would land so I'd get my first shot, but as I watched it I was amazed to see it set off after a large white, chase it and eventually catch it and then almost tumble to the ground where a struggle ensued. I only managed three frames which are not brilliant because the subjects were in longish grass, but this is one of them.

















I was amazed that after a few seconds the dragonfly gave up and flew off, I was over 6 feet away so I didn't disturb him. The butterfly did not fly off it fluttered around on the floor then seemed to bury itself into the grass and lay still. Have you ever seen that happen?

So thats it this week, sorry its a bit lacking in quality come back next week and lets see if I can improve on that. Thanks for looking.