Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Thanks James and Wurzel for your posts, it was a pleasure to see those Comma's before the weather turned nasty once again.
I must admit after the flooding some people have had since the weekend with gale force winds etc, it was amazing to see a couple of RA's Butterflies back again on Monday.

Monday was awful, indeed we've had heavy rain and gale force winds for the last few days but when I looked out onto the front garden I was amazed to see these two Butterflies hanging in there even in the rain, i managed a couple of shots before the two finally disappeared and thats been it , the weather was so windy yesterday you didn't need to close your car door the wind did it for you. If any Butterflies appear today I'll be surprised !!! Goldie

[Wurzel]

Interesting that they're sharing the same space and there doesn't seem to be any source of nectar around - could this have been a courtship?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, I thought the very same thing but I walked all round the bush examining it to see if I could see any thing, it's possible they'd mated and I'd missed it, it's more than likely though that they were sheltering from the rain which had started up again, it was strange though that no flower was near them.
While I've been posting I've just checked outside to keep an eye on my washing ( rain threatened again ) and I've spotted a Comma and a Red Admiral So I'm off out to get some shot's ( Hope fully )Goldie

[David M]

I've felt sorry for you for the greater part of 2017, Goldie, but right now I'd love to swap places with you. You are seeing butterflies daily whereas I'm lucky if I see one at all in a week.

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, with the weather we've had lately nobody is more surprised than I am that I'm still seeing so many Butterflies and in my garden. I'd hoped all year to see some in the garden but these butterflies seemed to have come at the wrong time of year some how, I mean in quantity , also in quality , most have been in mint condition.
I always thought that the Butterflies in Spring laid the eggs for the ones later in the year, when we didn't see many at all in Spring
it didn't bode well for the later emergence , when we didn't see many again in July and August ,I was sure I was right, then all at once in September they appeared , Red Admirals first, then one I'd not seen all year in the garden the Peacock, quickly followed by the Small Tort etc.., it's been the a mount that arrived that's astounded both me and my neighbour's, for instance on one day alone I counted 16 RA's in total on the back and front garden's and they've been here every day since ,not in the same numbers, but I'm still seeing them.

I was Writing a post yesterday when I spotted a Butterfly outside near my washing which I'd just hung outside, so I grabbed my camera hoping for a shot before it flew off, the weather was wild once again but it was still very sunny with rain forecast for later so I'd not expected to see Butterflies
I was pleased when I saw the butterfly was a Comma and right at the top of one of my four Buddliea's was an Admiral swaying about and hanging on in the wind, I'd to wait for the wind to ease a bit before I could get a shot but I managed some shots of both. When later the weather changed and rain looked like arriving I was bringing in the washing when I noticed an Admiral on my sweater which was on the line, I didn't want to move the sweater so I put my finger out for the Admiral to climb onto which it did before flying off, another unusual event to remember this Winter! Goldie

[Wurzel]

That is a lovely shot of the Red Admiral Goldie, I love the symmetrical nature

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thank's Wurzel, the Comma was in really good condition and very busy on the nectar, I made a close up shot of it but I still like the distant shot best. Goldie

[millerd]

I like the contrasting colours of the Comma against the mauve, Goldie - makes a nice change from the green background mine always seem to have.

Dave

[MikeOxon]

I agree with Wurzel about that Red Admiral pic. It makes a very 'artistic' composition, with the almost symmetrical effect, broken by the presence of the butterfly.

As Winter takes over, I often look through my photos and try 'improving' them, with a little Photoshop work, including re-framing. I was looking at your Comma shots and thinking a vertical crop might help, since you could show the whole flower spire, while keeping the butterfly 'centre stage'. I've taken the liberty of showing what I mean:

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, I seem to be getting my Comma's mixed up with my Red Admiral comments I'm glad you liked the RA shot!! I' d to wait quite a while to get that shot the Buddleia was blowing about all over the place Put my comments down to the fact we've started to decorate our living room and I've been in a bit of a fluster

Hi! Dave, thank you for your comments, I think the Boules Mauve makes a great background for Butterflies, I'm lucky in the fact they come into the Garden other wise like you I'd be having green back grounds.

Hi! Mike, your input is always welcome, I don't have Photo Shop, I just mess about with them for shape etc, I must admit I've taken so many shots of the Comma that I thought one shot with out messing with it was a change however I saw some Comma's yesterday in the garden and I've taken some effort with the shots again. Glad you liked the Admiral shot, it's surprising you can focus in on things and then just get a shot off hand, this is what happened yesterday, but it's back to decorating now, I'm being bullied Goldie

[Goldie M]

It's nice to sit down for more than ten min's, we've been busy painting and I'm finding it hard work hope fully the living room will look brighter when finished. Compared to today's weather, ( we've had rain all day.)
I was going to buy paint yesterday when I decided to go into the garden, I'd seen the Comma's arrive also the RA's and even though Iv'e loads of shots of them I couldn't resist even more. it's then I saw this lovely large White Butterfly fly over the fence, then, I realised it was a Female Brimstone, I was so excited It's the second time only I've had a Brimstone in the garden and this year I'd only got shot's of two, I waited patiently for it to land and when it did to my surprise it didn't land on the flowers but onto the side of an old plastic container, another surprise was the fact it looked exhausted and didn't move for over ten mins from there doing absolutely nothing but just resting.
I was hoping it wold fly onto a flower before I had to go, it did finally fly onto the Boules Mauve but only for a quick shot, then it did an unusual thing by landing on the Red Flowers ( i don't know what they're called I was given them by my neighbour ) but I'd not seen one Butterfly land on them until then
After taking nectar for a while it again rested in the middle of the flower with it's head seeming touching the petals, Ive not seen this happen before, I was beginning to wonder if it was alright has once again it stayed like that for over 15mins this time
I had to go then and it had started to rain, when I got back it had gone.
Also in the garden were two Comma's and four Admiral's which I took shots of whilst waiting for the Brimstone to move, I was pleased to get a couple of open winged shots of the Brimstone which gives you the Idea of just how laid back the Butterfly was, great for me, She was just a bit tatty on the edge of her wing but still looked lovely in the opened wing shot. Goldie

[millerd]

That's quite an unusual sighting for the time of year, Goldie. Normally Brimstones have tucked themselves away into hibernation by now. However, what's even more unusual is getting a shot of one with its wings open! Did it open up for long, or did you just take the shots at the right moment. They are not normally open for more than a split second when resting - if at all. Great photograph, whatever happened.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, I'd my Camera set for three quick shots and it so happened we both moved at the same time, thank you for comments and glad you liked the shots I was also amazed to see it especially since I'd chased them all year and just got a couple of shots this one looked like it was ready for hibernation to me and that's how I got the shots. Goldie

[trevor]

Definitely 10 points and a few mrgreens for capturing that open wing Brimstone, Goldie.
Your camera has frozen the action to perfection.
Like Dave say's most Brimstones have tucked themselves up for the Winter by now.

I can't pronounce the name of those pink flowers even though I had some once.

Trevor.

[Allan.W.]

Goldie, brilliantly composed Brimstone shots !! the open wing shot is quite stunning !! Nice One .
Regards Allan.W.

[MikeOxon]

Hi Goldie. Those open-wing shots of the female Brimstone on the red flower are absolutely stunning I'm certainly not going to presume to suggest any improvements!

Mike

[Wurzel]

A brill set of images Goldie especially the open wing Brimstone I know what you mean about the painting, I seemed to spend most of the summer painting walls, ceilings and skirting boards Still all done now...for a few years at least

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Image number 6 is probably the best image I've ever seen of an open-winged female Brimstone, Goldie. Well done for having the patience to capture it.

Superb!

[Goldie M]

Sorry it's taken so long to reply to your posts , I've been busy decorating the living room and it's been very active, we're still at it

Many thanks everybody for your posts , I appreciate all your comments and I'm glad you liked my shots , I must say the Brimstone was very co-operative, it seemed like she was ready for hibernation, not dashing from flower to flower like they usually do but taking her time with each flower, which was great!!

The last two days have been very active, also the weather has been atrocious, ( nothing but rain ) today however the Sun was out intermittently , although I was busy, when I saw a flutter in the Garden I was out with my camera
One or two Admirals were flying and a single Comma, things or definitely slowing down now and with Wurzel starting Favourite
Photo's Autumn is definitely here. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great set of shots again Goldie Do you think that if I started the 'Favourite thread' later next year it could extend the season? definitely worth a try

Have a goodun

Wurzel