ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Saturday 28 June 2014

ADONIS. (28/06/14)

Another guessing game today. I was out early but it poured with rain. I came back dried the dogs and had a shower. Just before lunch the wind dropped and the sun came out. Off we wandered to see if there were any dragonflies brave enough to risk flying. There were a couple of Blue tailed Damselflies but the flash refused to fire properly. I went back to the truck and got new batteries. I thought I'd changed flash batteries but I can’t have for over a year as the ones in the ring flash were Energizer and it’s over a year since I switched to Maplin batteries. When I got back I sat around for a half an hour but there was no sign of them, a damn Swallow had no doubt had them for lunch.

ragrob    I tested the strobe on this. I am 99% sure the ID is correct.

eyebright      Again 99% sure. I love this little plant and have never noticed it here before.

hawk     And a Flee Beetle. I am going to go for the Hawkweed with few leaves. There are lots of Hawkweeds. This whatever it is, is in perfect condition.

needle     This little fly was acting like a Needlefly on Mares Tail. It doesn’t roll it’s wings round it's body like the black ones do and it is a wonderful lime green colour underneath. I have loads of shots of Mares Tail leaves but none of the little tinkers upside down view, it kept staggering round the blind side…There are times when fly spray would come in handy.

Now Adonis…..not me but the Butterfly. I saw or thought I saw a common Blue on our way back home so I sat down and waited for it to pop back. It did after twenty minutes or so and brought another with it and they were both the same colour so hence my identification. I remember a naturalist saying last year that although the Adonis is only living in the south of England there is an Irish version which also lives up in the top of Scotland.

The next pictures have bonking content so send the children to bed.

Adonis

adonis4

adonis2

adonis3 There you are. He’s just rolled off. I was brave with the ID they could be a pair of Gay Common Blues. Whatever they are, it was a privilege to see them. I don’t get many butterflies up here.

Have fun.

25 comments:

  1. Beautiful flowers, Eyebright is my favourite. But, Adonis Blue.......................

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    1. Okay Bob, it's a Common Blue. Just testing.

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  2. HI Adrian Well you have excelled yourself. Great shots and all with ID. I will leave any corrections to the experts like Trevor! I like the way you have framed them. May I suggest if you left another space between each frame that might show them off even better. I hope your rain has rained itself out now adn you will have a better weekend of weather.

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    1. Margaret there is little point in my posting flaura and fauna if I don't at least try. I could post just one a day. they enlarge with a click into a new window. A left click you have to use. They are big files.
      This wind has died off now. I'll go and annoy some Puffins this week but tomorrow I would like to get arty farty with the waves.

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  3. You sure they are butterflies and not moths? Bit hairy ~ but pretty blue. Hmm ~ Bonking or bonkers? Off to sleep now ~ goodnight :)

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  4. Positive they are Butterflies and they are blue on top. The hairs only show because the shots are sharp. Sharp what is beyond me.

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  5. Oh, wow! That butterfly is absolutely stunning. Brilliant photos. Do you ever frame them (my horse sharer does)?

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    1. PS By that, I meant frame as picture

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    2. Frances, I rarely do, I used to but printing, matting and framing is expensive. I tend to forget about them after a day or so. The fun for me is taking them and processing.
      Thanks for the PS. I thought you were criticising the composition. There is room for improvement though I like the one with the two Ribworts and the buttercup. It would have been better if the strobe light had caught the second seed head.

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  6. A fine set of flora and fauna Adrian.
    Common Blue though.

    Ragged Robin is a beauty.

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    1. Keith, I seem to recall us agreeing it is a Common Blue last year. I think the chap I sent to find it was muddled up.
      Good Ragged Robins are hard to find, most of them are falling to pieces.

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  7. Great flower images and the butterfly is a cracker

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    1. Douglas it made my day finding the butterflies. They look brand new. It's still a bit windy. The strobe will freeze the motion but focus can wander a bit. I'll try using A1-focus.

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  8. Super images Adrian, especially the flower images...the Eyebright is a grand little flower!

    Sorry, but I agree with Keith...Common Blue butterfly.....[;o)

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    1. Trevor, I have always suspected that they are Common Blues. Eyebright is one of the more attractive small flowers.

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  9. Hawkweed - what a harsh name for such a pretty little flower! Very pretty. The little butterfly is stunning. Is it possible your photos are sharper?

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    1. Pauline, there is a similar plant called Goatsbeard. It has rounded ends to hit's petals.
      I haven't been sharpening as I noticed that Google had started to do so and they were ending up over sharp.
      It much depends on the lens I'm using. The cameras are very similar. These were shot on the 5DII. The 1DsIII is virtually the same.

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  10. You're a fountain of minute info. So you name flowers, flies and butterflies. As well you show some very interesting butterfly activities. It's not everyday you find butterflies initiating reproduction.

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    1. Red, I have got to the stage of realising how much I don't know.
      Butterflies are like pigeons, they are forever at it.

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  11. Lovely shots of the blue, whatever make it is.

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  12. Lovely blue colour whatever its ID tag says it is!

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    1. Thanks Monica, I'll go along with those that know. Common Blue.

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  13. Excelled today: Eyebright and Adonis Blue. I must get out and explore more.

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    1. Graham, I didn't go far for these. If I settle down on a wrm day then I can dream away and stuff comes to me. There are a couple of flowers half the size of eyebright but it will need a windless day or an umbrella to get pictures.

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