2023 Project 52 by Geoff F - Part 3

[Geoff F]

Once again I am attempting to post at least one image each week. No general theme, just a random selection of things which I have seen in each week.

The previous part 2 is here

2023 Project 52 by Geoff F - Part 2

Week 36 - Malborough Airfield where I was recording insects today. It was a WW 2 airfield but there are just a few small privately owned aircraft there now.



7D with Canon 24-105 lens. 1/500 F11 Iso 200. Merge of two bracketed exposures.

And nearby, some cattle were sitting in the shade and pining for the cool Highlands



1/200 F6.3 Iso 500. Merge of two bracketed exposures.

[Geoff F]

The best find of the day. A Grey Bush-cricket. I had to stand in a gorse bush and twist sideways to get a shot of this rare insect climbing through a nearby bush. Only a third rate image but it is a first rate species and I am delighted to simply get an identifiable image of it.

[billtils]

I tried Project 52 a few years ago; I didn't do at all well at it but it gave a good insight into what's involved. Your story and the shot you managed to take are a super and not in any way "third rate" - very well done Geoff.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments, Bill.

Now, another day and another wildlife reserve. Andrews Wood (a Devon Wildlife Trust site)

Week 37 - Just sitting on my leaf.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens

'I am not a wasp'



Sericomyia silentis hoverfly

[Geoff F]

Week 38 - Views from Woodleigh Wood. Where I was recording the insects this week. A day of sunshine and clouds which made a reasonable background but the foreground light kept changing.



7D with Canon 24-105 lens. 1/250 F11 Iso 320. Merge of two bracketed exposures.

[Geoff F]

And some insects doing what came naturally.



Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/320 F9 Iso 400

Tipula paludosa craneflies



1/200 F10 Iso 400. Flash used.

[Geoff F]

Week 39 - Salcombe Harbour with sunshine & clouds. A mostly cloudy morning, then a spell of sunshine tempted me outside for a couple of hours.



7D with Canon 70-200 lens. 1/500 F11 Iso 320. Merge of two bracketed exposures. I was chiefly attracted by the clouds.

[Geoff F]

Also on the same day and nearby. Towing the crab storage boxes.



Canon 70-200 lens. 1/400 F11 Iso 320

And mooring up the boxes

[Geoff F]

Week 40 - Rebuilding after a landslip. The wall collapsed and a load of soil slipped onto the road. After a couple of weeks, rebuilding work has started and the road is now fully open.



Fuji X20 1/400 F7.1 Iso 320

[billtils]

I really enjoyed the story telling in this set, nicely done Geoff.

[Geoff F]

Thanks Bill.

Week 41 - Salcombe Harbour. After a cloudy morning some signs of brightness tempted me outside so I decided to try a rocky point at the harbour entrance. Only half a mile away but road works forced me to divert and drive to the next village then along some very narrow country lanes making it a 5 mile journey.

The Harbour Barge lifting moorings at the end of the boating season. I took some closer shots but I also wanted to show the wider scene including some sky. Maybe I will 'move' that small blue boat and crop a little closer to the top and left side?



7D with Canon 70-200 lens. 1/320 F9 Iso 250. Merge of two bracketed exposures.

A nice looking old yacht called Orthops entered the harbour.



1/400 F10 Iso 320. Merge of two bracketed exposures

Also some fishing boats including the Claire Louise

[Geoff F]

An alternative crop to the first image.

[Cantab]

Hi Geoff, you alternative crop in #12 works well -- possibly because it provides a primary subject in the photo?

The photo of the yacht Orthops works really well. When I look at it, I can almost feel as if I am on board. Because of the visible wave action it's easy to have a sense of the boat's movement.

[Geoff F]

Thanks Bruce.

From the same day, how about this one for wave action and boat movement?



7D with Sigma 150-600 lens at 600. 1/640 F10 Iso 320.

[Cantab]

A great shot! It gives the presumably false impression that the boat is about to be swamped, so you timed your shot very well.

[Geoff F]

Something a little calmer today - looking along the coast path where I was recording insects.

Week 42 - Coast Path near Bolberry Down. The day started cloudy but some mid morning sunshine tempted me outside, only to be met with more cloudy conditions after I arrived at my destination. However some warm sunshine eventually appeared during the afternoon.



7D with Canon 24-105 lens. 1/250 F11 Iso 320. Merge of two bracketed exposures.

It is getting a bit late in the year for Meadow Grasshoppers but I found a group of 5, although none of them were willing to pose in an area of clean backgrounds.



Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F8 Iso 500. Flash used.

And a female Stonechat was sitting on a barbed wire fence.



1/500 F11 Iso 500

[Geoff F]

Week 43 - Looking up the valley from Watkins Wood where I was recording insects today.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/640 F11 Iso 250. Merge of two conversions from a single Raw image.

And a few of the little insects. Starting with a pair of 7 spot Ladybirds



Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F11 Iso 400. Flash used. Merge of two focus points.

Rhopalus subrufus



And one of the brown lacewings - Micromus variegatus

[Geoff F]

Week 44 - Unexpected find in the woods. At this site the Woodland Trust have begun removing mature Larch trees, which were part of a commercial plantation, in order to replace them with native broad leaved trees. This particular monster was an unexpected find. The site had been closed to the public while they were working but opened up for the weekend.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/100 F8 Iso 400. Merge of two bracketed exposures.





And a closer look at the business end of the tree grabber.



1/60 F8 iso 400

[Geoff F]

Week 45 - Some hungry caterpillars.

This is where I was recording insects yesterday.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/320 F11 Iso 250. Merge of two bracketed exposures.

A Knot Grass moth caterpillar nibbling on a leaf.



Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F8 Iso 500. Flash used

The early stage of a Drinker moth caterpillar



1/200 F11 Iso 320. Merge of two focus points.

And a Ruby Tiger moth caterpillar

[Cantab]

An interesting set of caterpillar photos. I was surprised to see caterpillars at this time of year. The climate here is very similar to that in the southern part of England, but I always associate caterpillars with late spring/early summer.
Are the caterpillars in the photos unusual at this time of year?

P.S. As usual, your insect photos are high-quality, so nothing much to say on that front!