In Macro Mode

The only Large Skipper Butterfly found.

7^th July.  Yes I’ve at last gone and done it.  I’ve bought my Canon macro lens.  Thoughts of cash leaving my vaults had me in a sweat for a day or two, but don’t concern yourselves as the rain has cooled me down.

I met up with Sam who had been busy photographing for a couple of hours on patch today.  Birds seen included Great Crested Grebe and the now apparently resident male Goosander, now in eclipse. Common Terns and hirundines were about, but my main objective was to get some practice in with the new lens.  The chat invariably turned to photographic matters as well as birds and other wildlife.  My growing enthusiasm for photography owes much to Sam as does any improvements I may make, although he is I know too modest to take credit for this.

Anyway I thought I’d post a few of my trial photos as very much a beginner to real macro photography.  Sadly we only found one Large Skipper Butterfly where last year there were many in the same area.  The damn damselflies would not settle at all.  I eventually settled for some practice on the Bees, Hoverflies.  Very much a hand hold only photographer at present, I do hope to get into this macro and other photography more seriously as I go along.  I have to now, having spent cash on the best quality lens I have ever owned!

The patch is a bit of a quagmire in places.  At least one very large fish had been washed up and stranded and now lies rotten on the grass and another lay in the water.  I noted a few residents on the lake shore had the sandbags at their doors.