Just for fun -
30 Jul 2012
27 Jul 2012
Enter the New Camera
One of my passions is taking the great photographs that appear on this blog.
The Monarchs and other small creatures are fun to photograph, however you need a good camera in order to get clarity in close-up shots.
I've been using a Panasonic TZ7 and a Panasonic FZ100. They give ok results, but I'd like to achieve better.
Well, maybe I can - to my delight, I've been given a Nikon D5100 for my birthday - lucky me!
Just look at these - the first pics taken with the Nikon. What I like about this camera, is its ability to take a wider focus view, so you get a lot more clarity into your shots.
There's not a lot happening around the property, at this time of year. Whilst our Winter might not be as severe as in other parts of the country, or other parts of the world, during Winter everything seems to stop - or at least take a rest.
The caterpillars have all gone to be butterflies and the swan plants (their food) are regenerating. Mine are looking a bit scraggy at the moment, so I hope they'll come right in time for the next season of caterpillars. In the meantime, the Monarch butterflies are getting together in clusters, to Winter-over in parks, in trees.When temperatures warm up, they'll mate, lay eggs and begin their life cycle all over again.
The Monarchs and other small creatures are fun to photograph, however you need a good camera in order to get clarity in close-up shots.
I've been using a Panasonic TZ7 and a Panasonic FZ100. They give ok results, but I'd like to achieve better.
Well, maybe I can - to my delight, I've been given a Nikon D5100 for my birthday - lucky me!
Just look at these - the first pics taken with the Nikon. What I like about this camera, is its ability to take a wider focus view, so you get a lot more clarity into your shots.
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| This is a telephoto shot, looking across our valley - lovely depths. |
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| Dove in Bottlebrush - look at the great clarity of the front branches and the blurred effect of the background. |
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| Tui enjoying bluegum flowers - see the lovely leaf colours and clarity of the flowers. |
The caterpillars have all gone to be butterflies and the swan plants (their food) are regenerating. Mine are looking a bit scraggy at the moment, so I hope they'll come right in time for the next season of caterpillars. In the meantime, the Monarch butterflies are getting together in clusters, to Winter-over in parks, in trees.When temperatures warm up, they'll mate, lay eggs and begin their life cycle all over again.
18 Jul 2012
A Dove in the Hand
I tend to talk a lot about our ducks, I know, but what about the lovely doves?
I know it's all about food, for all the creatures that have 'adopted' us, but that's alright with us.
When we arrived back, after 3 weeks away, the doves were right there on day one. They really are amusing to watch. At the feeder positioned against the wall, they stand on top of one another to get to the food.
The doves underneath, don't seem too bothered about being stood upon and just carry on eating.
In the hanging dishes, they also stand on top of one another, but there is at least more room for them there.
It is said that Ringneck doves exist more happily when domesticated and rarely survive for long in the wild, unless located close to people. Ferral populations establish themselves readily as the result of escapees or releases from captivity. That may actually be the case for our doves because I've heard that the ringnecks in our area were released by a former resident.
We can understand all of this an heartily agree. "Our" doves are very friendly and most expectant of the food we put out each day. Having said that, we also know that another 2 households in our street, also put out food for the doves - no wonder they're so friendly.
A dove in the hand............................
I know it's all about food, for all the creatures that have 'adopted' us, but that's alright with us.
When we arrived back, after 3 weeks away, the doves were right there on day one. They really are amusing to watch. At the feeder positioned against the wall, they stand on top of one another to get to the food.
In the hanging dishes, they also stand on top of one another, but there is at least more room for them there.
It is said that Ringneck doves exist more happily when domesticated and rarely survive for long in the wild, unless located close to people. Ferral populations establish themselves readily as the result of escapees or releases from captivity. That may actually be the case for our doves because I've heard that the ringnecks in our area were released by a former resident.
We can understand all of this an heartily agree. "Our" doves are very friendly and most expectant of the food we put out each day. Having said that, we also know that another 2 households in our street, also put out food for the doves - no wonder they're so friendly.
14 Jul 2012
Monarch Emergency now OK
We're back home to find the results of the emergence of the four chrysalis' we left to open while we were away. I had placed them out on our deck, tucked well under cover and out of the wind.
One chrysalis was open and its occupant gone - we hope successfully. One tried valiantly to emerge. but must have got stuck half way and couldn't accomplish the rest and therefore died partway out. The little chrysalis, made by the immature caterpillar, had turned black and was quite hard (dead).
The fourth was still an intact green chrysalis, which I took into the house and placed in a sunny window.
The next day, the chrysalis began turning black, with wing colours were showing through - hooray! The process took 2 days and on Friday morning our new butterfly plopped out. Luckily I saw this happen because, emergency! emergency! the poor thing fell right out of the chrysalis and flat on its back on the floor of the caterpillar castle. With it's wings not yet pumped out, it was clearly too much of a struggle for the butterfly to right itself. I found a little square of foam, poked 2 toothpicks through it, then held this next to the butterfly and she hooked her tiny feet onto the foam. I lifted it carefully and poked the toothpicks into the florists block, to give our new butterfly enough hanging space to pump up her wings without any hindrance.
As she hung there, she otherwise seemed fine. Each time I went back to check on her, she flexed her wings a few times and swiveled her head towards me, acknowledging my presence. Nice!
After a few hours, her wings had pumped up fully and seemed ok.
That all happened on Friday morning and so today, Saturday, we took her outside.
First attempt at flight wasn't the best - she gave a few wing flaps and dive bombed into a tree.
I moved her to higher up onto the leaves, to give her a better launching position for the next try.
It's been an hour and I just went outside to check and she's still there. Hopefully all is well for this beauty.
By the way - I decided not to tag this butterfly, out of concern that her wings might not be as good as they could be and I didn't want to hinder her flying ability in any way. They say the tags add only a minute amount of weight, but I wasn't prepared to chance anything.
Wow, aren't Monarch's just amazing?
One chrysalis was open and its occupant gone - we hope successfully. One tried valiantly to emerge. but must have got stuck half way and couldn't accomplish the rest and therefore died partway out. The little chrysalis, made by the immature caterpillar, had turned black and was quite hard (dead).
The fourth was still an intact green chrysalis, which I took into the house and placed in a sunny window.
The next day, the chrysalis began turning black, with wing colours were showing through - hooray! The process took 2 days and on Friday morning our new butterfly plopped out. Luckily I saw this happen because, emergency! emergency! the poor thing fell right out of the chrysalis and flat on its back on the floor of the caterpillar castle. With it's wings not yet pumped out, it was clearly too much of a struggle for the butterfly to right itself. I found a little square of foam, poked 2 toothpicks through it, then held this next to the butterfly and she hooked her tiny feet onto the foam. I lifted it carefully and poked the toothpicks into the florists block, to give our new butterfly enough hanging space to pump up her wings without any hindrance.
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| It's a girl! Here she is with wings still bent, just after I managed to get her clinging to the foam. |
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| I was concerned about the big kink to the underwing, in case damage may have been done when she fell from the chrysalis. |
As she hung there, she otherwise seemed fine. Each time I went back to check on her, she flexed her wings a few times and swiveled her head towards me, acknowledging my presence. Nice!
After a few hours, her wings had pumped up fully and seemed ok.
 | ||
| Looking fine - the big kink now gone, wings pumped and drying. |
That all happened on Friday morning and so today, Saturday, we took her outside.
First attempt at flight wasn't the best - she gave a few wing flaps and dive bombed into a tree.
I moved her to higher up onto the leaves, to give her a better launching position for the next try.
It's been an hour and I just went outside to check and she's still there. Hopefully all is well for this beauty.
By the way - I decided not to tag this butterfly, out of concern that her wings might not be as good as they could be and I didn't want to hinder her flying ability in any way. They say the tags add only a minute amount of weight, but I wasn't prepared to chance anything.
Wow, aren't Monarch's just amazing?
5 Jul 2012
Butterflies Butterflies
Butterflies are the focus.
We've been to two butterfly places in the last two days. One at Stratford-Upon-Avon, the other at Ross on Wye.
There's not much else to say except "wow"! The colours and patterns in the butterflies are just lovely and amazing.
These are just a few of the pics I've taken.
The Malachite
Blue Morpho (inner wings are an amazing bright blue)
The Glasswing
The Owl Butterfly
Banded Purple Wing
White Morpho
The Tree Nymph
The Autumnleaf (outer)
The Autumnleaf (inner)
Swallowtail
Tiger Longwing
The Clipper
Banded King Shoemaker
Swallowtails
There are more, but they are for another day.
Posted via DraftCraft app
We've been to two butterfly places in the last two days. One at Stratford-Upon-Avon, the other at Ross on Wye.
There's not much else to say except "wow"! The colours and patterns in the butterflies are just lovely and amazing.
These are just a few of the pics I've taken.
There are more, but they are for another day.
Posted via DraftCraft app
1 Jul 2012
Butterflies at Mottisfont, Hampshire
Mottisfont is a magnificent stately home near Romsey, in Hampshire, SO51 0LP (just set the post code into your GPS and it will take you there).
It began in 1201 as a priory, so the first people to live there were Augustinian canons.
Medieval pilgrims would call at Mottisfort on their way between Winchester and Salisbury. Eventually the community struggled to survive, writing to the Pope asking for financial aid, at one point claiming that an earthquake had hit Hampshire and badly damaged their buildings.
The canons left Mottisfont when all monasteries were abolished in 1536 and Henry VIII gave the estate to his Lord Chamberlain, William, Lord Sandys.
From then on it became home to several major families who turned it into a very comfortable home. It was passed into the care of the National Trust in 1957, so today the public can enjoy time in the house and the grounds.
Read more of the history HERE
At this time of year, the Mottisfont property is magnificent.
The walled Georgian garden is completely ablaze with the blooms of hundreds, if not thousands, of roses and traditional English flowers.
Having said that, it seems my main enjoyment in being at Mottisfont, was wandering through the uncut meadows in search of butterflies.
I was fortunate and saw a Red Admiral and a Meadow Brown. What a thrill.
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) female.
Scarlet Peacock (Anartia Amathea)
I also saw Mallard Ducks. One striking male, and a female with 3 ducklings - seeing that few is certainly different to the 23 ducks we get on our lawn at home, twice a day.
It began in 1201 as a priory, so the first people to live there were Augustinian canons.
Medieval pilgrims would call at Mottisfort on their way between Winchester and Salisbury. Eventually the community struggled to survive, writing to the Pope asking for financial aid, at one point claiming that an earthquake had hit Hampshire and badly damaged their buildings.
The canons left Mottisfont when all monasteries were abolished in 1536 and Henry VIII gave the estate to his Lord Chamberlain, William, Lord Sandys.
From then on it became home to several major families who turned it into a very comfortable home. It was passed into the care of the National Trust in 1957, so today the public can enjoy time in the house and the grounds.
Read more of the history HERE
At this time of year, the Mottisfont property is magnificent.
The walled Georgian garden is completely ablaze with the blooms of hundreds, if not thousands, of roses and traditional English flowers.
Having said that, it seems my main enjoyment in being at Mottisfont, was wandering through the uncut meadows in search of butterflies.
I was fortunate and saw a Red Admiral and a Meadow Brown. What a thrill.
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) female.
Scarlet Peacock (Anartia Amathea)
I also saw Mallard Ducks. One striking male, and a female with 3 ducklings - seeing that few is certainly different to the 23 ducks we get on our lawn at home, twice a day.
The Mottisfont ducks.........
Location:Romsey, Hampshire, United Kingdom
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