Marek (The Annoying Czech)

[The Annoying Czech]

I started experimenting with shooting under the evening sun with two favourable results so far:

First I made many attempts on commoner Dryas species...

Dryad (Minois dryas), NPR Certoryje, White Carphathians (August 2, 2013)

...while this Damon Blue - very scarce (everywhere outside the Alps?) - is the only ex. I met.

Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon), southern Moravia (August 3, 2013)

This is not his biotope but view visible from the place.

Southern Moravia landscape character (August 3, 2013)

Nothing important was on flight here.

Návsí, Těšínské Beskydy Mts. (July 31, 2013)

[The Annoying Czech]

Now something completely different - "annoyness of the season" - damn Large Copper

They were washed down pretty badly during the late Spring washout, but I've seen 4 or 5 Summer generation ex. so far. That's still low. Photo taken 15 minutes before the sunset.

Lycaena dispar rutilus, Sedliste - foothills of the Beskydy Mts., Czech Republic (August 12, 2013)

SPBFs are still doing fine in the local mountains, if the biotope is wealthy and not too scrubby.

Boloria selene, Dolni Lomna, eastern Beskydy Mts. (August 11, 2013)

One of the rather botchy photos. Unfortunately, I clearly seem to have an extraordinarily high level of botching the SPBF photos, having 6 pics in my personal "near trash" folder

Boloria selene, Bukovec - Bariny, Tesinske Beskydy Mts. (August 11, 2013)

Swallowtail is reasonably widespread these years but solitary. Don't like the photo again.

Papilio machaon, Trinec - foothills of the Beskydy Mts. (July 31, 2013)

I'm hopefully driving at Croatia this Friday, see you next week

[Pauline]

Evening Marek, those are beautiful, artistic photos but you do make me laugh - I wish I had ONLY 6 photos in my 'near trash' folder instead of about 600!

[The Annoying Czech]

Hello. The Croatian trip (including 2x15 hours spent behind the steering wheel) was lined with problems but also with some great species seen. The whole country is very nice (maybe saving their tolls called cestarina ) and coastal city of Opatija is just great.

Since I was prepared to do everything for success, I was leaving the campsite (full of Germans, Italians, Dutchmen and obviously Slovakians and Czechs) at this time:

Sunrise over Presika, Istrian peninsula, Croatia (August 19, 2013)

This time, the list of "first ever seen" animals would be endless and Limenitis reducta was one of them that didn't give the slip, unlike Argynnis pandora or Libythea celtis.

Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta), Istrian peninsula, Croatia (August 18, 2013)

I haven't yet seen Melitaea didyma in CZE but they seem to be a total ubiquists in Croatia. When I found the mating couple, the valley was far after the sunset already.

Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma), Croatia (August 18, 2013)

Believe or not, I neither saw nor photographed Pyronia tithonus before.

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Croatia (August 19, 2013)

My best shot ever IMO. Cooperation of the particular imago was exemplary. All in all, greatest possible ending of a great (but still a bit rainy) season.

False Grayling (Arethusana arethusa), Croatia (August 19, 2013)

I'm definitely coming back next year, since it's not that far respecting all the species I may see - everything is so different.


To be continued later

[David M]

I shall look forward to the next instalment, Marek.

Wonderful images (as ever).

[The Annoying Czech]

Since I temporarily changed my priorities, I didn't do much butterflying since late September.

What remains to be posted from late Summer:

Presika, Istrian peninsula, Croatia (August 19, 2013)

Adonis Blue (Polyommatus bellargus), Istrian peninsula, Croatia (August 19, 2013)

Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades), Bruzovice, Czech Republic (August 30, 2013)

Again, Cupido argiades was the most abundant Autumn species 'round my village, once we counted app. 100 ex altogether with my colleague. Swallowtails were fairly numerous too.

In late August I found another dispersing Sooty Copper male just behind my house. I discovered another new local species this year, Cupido decoloratus, in 2 ex. (one of the northernmost findings), re-found Pontia daplidice (app. 3 ex.), a friend of mine re-found Argynnis aglaja (1 ex.)

In 2014 I'm intending to participate on mapping some open woods species and possibly tyrfophiles of peat bogs, as well as transect mapping. I'm also surely re-visiting Croatia - very affordable

Since I probably found limits of my camera/lenses, I'd like to switch to Canon soon: my macro photography needs to be improved and not stagnate.

Farewell in Spring

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Marek,
Very nice photos from this summer, and interesting to see the landscape photos at the same time.
Greetings from Marseilles.
CJ

[The Annoying Czech]

Thank you, I'd say I was 100% dedicated to our thing from April to September.

But today was time to switch the roles from author to object.

I'm so young for a butterflier, I know.

Btw, photos has been taken on the biotopes of Dusky Large Blues.

This would be possibly one of the last posts from me till next season, at least in my diary. Have a great winter

[David M]

What breed is the dog, Marek?

[The Annoying Czech]

Hi, David. Long time no see. Anyway, how on earth should I know? It was just a borrowed dog of some random passerby ladies. All I know is he was pretty ticklish

(EDIT - italy truffeldog, maybe?)

[The Annoying Czech]

Four more butterflies from Croatia.

Arethusana arethusa

Polyommatus bellargus

Pyronia tithonus

Melitaea didyma

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for the photos Marek. How is winter treating you?
Chris

[The Annoying Czech]

Winter's gone

Today at 5 a.m. I had to scrape the frozen windows of my car. When leaving the work, it was already sunny, nearly 20C

I'm also armed with Canon EOS 60D & Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM now. It cost me more than two monthly wages. I hope it'll help me with my long way to the top

Now I'm taming the beast.

[The Annoying Czech]

Early and premature Czech Spring as I've seen it with my Canon 180/3.5 L Macro USM lens.

However, the lens so modern, perfect and easy that one gets bored and decide to complicate his life a bit... With Carl Zeiss Jena Triotar 135/4 (1956) Cost me about $50 overall, an absolute bargain and steal considering its sexy bokeh and (sometimes) reasonable sharpness.

I also have a "new" Russian tele Tair 300/4.5 otherwise known as Photosn(a)iper to be tested in field later. So far seems to have surprisingly good optics and atrocious weight and ergonomics. Helios 58/2 was present too ($140 overall).

[The Annoying Czech]

Hi, I went nuts and bought three new lens (I am especially happy to overbid Germans two times) but none of them has already arrived.

So I have been practicing with my "old" stuff.

Probably no Boeing 747 (Triotar 135/4)

Tair 300/4.5 "velvet bokeh"

Before the storm (Triotar 135/4)

Erynnis tages with Triotar 135/4

Papilio machaon with Triotar 135/4

Papilio machaon with Triotar 135/4

Papilio machaon with Canon 180/3.5L

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Already scrapped Anthocharis cardamines with Triotar 135/4

Have a nice Spring


Marek

[Pauline]

Some lovely photos there especially the Commas and Orange Tips.

[Pete Eeles]

I am especially happy to overbid Germans two times

Love the Swallowtail shots, Marek!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Fantastic, as ever, Marek. You sure put the effort in.

[The Annoying Czech]

Hi guys, today I'm about to post stuff made during my trip to Brno and Palava Mts., southern Moravia, as well as from sunny April/May mornings around my village.

Since I suffered a couple of accidents, I've broken both my camera and two lens, including my 180mm macro Canon. It cost me app. 300 GBP including extra care for some of my "new" old lens - very unpleasant. I'm generally out of money once again and intend to move to UK in Autumn to get rich As we Czechs tend to say, I'm poor as a church mouse

That macro Canon won't be available soon, so I have a photobag full of old lens (two Tairs, Trioplan with missing EOS adapter), Triotar and Telemegor) I'm surely not ashamed to use and search for its limits!

The winner is not yet decided though, every lens seem to have some pluses and minuses, but cheap and not that sharp Telemegor 180 tend to have the nicest and most swirly bokeh under sunny circumstances.

Yours,

Marek the Lens Destroyer

P.S. I seem to be obsessed with photography and strongly depending on having/not having the equiment ready

[Chris Jackson]

I see you're enjoying yourself with your new photo kit. I did notice the images of your Russian equipment higher up - it does look like really solid stuff.
That photo of the 2 minimus is great but it makes me wince because coincidentally I had my first sighting of a minimus today, but the quality of my photos with my Panasonic FZ150 does not come up to your level!! Keep 'em coming.
Chris