There will be more Gatekeepers around next year

[Geoff F]

Found this pair beside the cliff path so no time to set up the tripod etc; just quickly take my camera from the backpack insert a battery and shoot hand held.

7D with Sigma 180 macro lens 1/160 F11 Iso 400. That OS stabilisation really makes a difference with slow shutter speeds on such heavy equipment.

And while I was photographing this pair a Rose Chafer landed on my camera!

Found another one later on but it refused to cooperate and just hung upside down underneath a honeysuckle flower.



Always a difficult subject so I increased my Iso to 800 and just used a fraction of fill flash

The other butterflies were just as uncooperative. I needed an underside shot of this Small Pearl-bordered Butterfly for identification but it kept itself among the grass where I couldn't get a suitable angle. This was my best effort when I went hand held to quickly follow it through the undergrowth.



1/320 F11 Iso 800 and as I followed it around the cliff top I had to keep reminding myself 'When it gets to the cliff edge it can fly - you can't!'

Another struggle was with a Grayling, the first I have seen this year. It kept flitting around in the gorse preventing me from getting a wings up view to show the two dark wing spots. And when an opportunity finally arose; operator error intervened and I over exposed the shot. But eventually restored most of the scene with some editing. The outer edge of the forewings are pale like this.



Another instance of having to go hand held to follow its undulating flitting around the foliage.

[Shadowman]

Nice efforts.

[joebranko]

Great shots. Perhaps the Rose Chafer expected you to stand on your head for the shot?!

[JohnRostron]

Excellent shots. Your butterflies were on brambles, presumably at a convenient height. Last month I was trying to photograph Glanville Fritillaries on Alderney, but they insisted on sitting at ground level (despite the convenient brambles). Unfortunately my aged knees prevent me getting down to their level.

John

[Geoff F]

Great shots. Perhaps the Rose Chafer expected you to stand on your head for the shot?!

I tried, Joe. Got as low as possible with a slight upward angle for that shot. Kneeling among the gorse on a steep slope at the cliff edge and wondering if I would be able to stand up again!

Here are a few more struggles from the same day.

Eristalinus sepulchralis. I had to get the correct angle on those eyes for identification and it kept flitting from flower to flower always just ahead of my focusing speed.



A tiny Grass Fly Meromyza species just 5 mm long but very active and I needed another low angle to show that distinctive hind leg.



This one is rather strange. Probably a variation of Syrphus vitripennis but the abdomen markings are wrong. Looks like it has suffered an injury or emerged under difficult conditions.



There were also a few simple straight forward shots but in some ways it is the difficulties which make for a memorable day.

My knees and back are also a bit of a struggle, John; I can get down there without too much difficulty, but getting back up again is a totally different matter. If I have to lie down for a shot I now have to lie on my back.