Butterflies at Sheepwash Lane 15 July 2014

For the first time since I got the mobility scooter, we took it to Sheepwash Lane. We couldn't go before they had workmen and it became very muddy, then we had to wait for everything to settle down.

There's not much in the way of birds down there, although there is a Kingfisher about and one day I might get a photo of it. Instead there are more butterflies than I have seen all year.

After only a few minutes the first one presented itself, a Skipper on a thistle head.

1/320 @ f7.1, iso 400, 380mm

Not very far away was this Ringlet, but with a bit of a breeze most weren't happy to spread their wings.

1/500 @ f7.1, iso 400, 400mm

The skipper was still crawling around the thistle head so I took a pic of his back.

1/500 @ f7.1, iso 400, 400mm

and his front ...

1/400 @ f7.1, iso 400, 400mm

I always like to see Peacock butterflies, but again it would have been better if he'd spread his wings.

1/500 @ f8, iso 400, 400mm

In a more sheltered area the Tortoiseshell was happy to show off its colours.

1/500 @ f8, iso 400, 400mm

1/500 @ f8, iso 400, 400mm

All taken on a Canon EOS7d, fitted with EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

A surprise at Thornton - 16 June 2011

A trip to Thornton Reservoir started out fairly boring, there was very little wildlife even the squirrel wasn't there to rob the bird feeder. I was about halfway along the west side before I saw this Ringlet butterfly, it was accompanied by another brown butterfly but I haven't been able to identify that one.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/1000 @ 6.3, iso 800, 400mm

I watched a pair of grebe necking for a while, but they were too far away for decent pictures, martins were skimming the fields and water but too quick for me to get focus on them. I'd resigned myself to look for butterflies and was some way back towards the car park, before I saw a black and white shape on the shore.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/2656 @ 5.6, iso 800, 400mm

It wasn't until it turned round that I realised I was looking at an Oyster Catcher, a rarity for us, being so far inland.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/4000 @ 5.6, iso 800, 400mm

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/4000 @ 5.6, iso 800, 400mm

After a few minutes it took off and flew along the reservoir and I didn't see it again - maybe it went to look for the sea. Anyway what looked like an unpromising outing suddenly became very interesting and I entered the Oyster catcher on the record of unusual sightings in the local garden centre.

A note on equipment; I wear a Tilley Hat (you can see it on the photo of me in the right hand column). It is a well made Canadian hat, made of cotton. The brim, when it gets wet, goes stiff so it guides the rain away from your face. The reason I'm telling you this is, mine recently developed a small hole so I emailed them and a replacement will be posted to me first thing tomorrow. Tilley have a Life time guarantee - not the life time of the owner, but the life time of the hat. You can Will them on to your beneficiaries when you pop your clogs. I think I might take mine with me when I go :o)