Monday 30 January 2012

Rain at sea and Pagham Harbour

On Saturday we saw interesting rain effects out to sea. After lunch we visited Pagham Harbour reserve and managed a short walk and admired the gorse in flower. Later we enjoyed home cooked fish and chips followed by home-made orange ice cream at Tom & Jill's - delicious.
On Sunday I attended a club metal detecting dig. I didn't find anything interesting - an 1861 halfpenny and a 1954 threepenny bit (with the portcullis).Sue said "I might have spent this during its life". It was discontinued when decimalisation was implemented in 1971.

Friday 27 January 2012

Wisley wonderland


Achilles Morpho, Morpho Achilles
Mark called me Wednesday to say he was planning a visit to the Wisley butterfly display again on Thursday so I immediately agreed to join him. Sue and I went last year and enjoyed the wonderful display of tropical butterflies in the glasshouse. Yesterday was a good day as many fresh butterflies were on the wing. I made a mistake by not taking my Sigma macro lens, instead I had the 70-300 zoom, which turned out to be a great choice as it pulled in the distant butterflies. Next time I will take both lenses. I also used the compact Canon G9 in macro mode.
last years visit: http://colinknight.blogspot.com/2011/02/wisley-butterflies.html

Asian Swallowtail, Papilio lowi 
Asian Swallowtail, Papilio lowi female
Asian Swallowtail, Papilio lowi male
Asian Swallowtail, Papilio lowi female
Asian Swallowtail, Papilio lowi male
Asian Swallowtail, Papilio lowi  courtship
Asian Swallowtail, Papilio lowi mating
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides
Clipper, Parthenos sylvia
Common Mormon, Papilio polytes
one of the many beautiful Orchids in the galsshouse
Emerald Swallowtail, Papilio palinurus
Emerald Swallowtail, Papilio palinurus
Emerald Swallowtail, Papilio palinurus male
dead specimen of Giant Orangetip, Hebornia glaucippe
Great Mormon, Papilio memnon

butterfly eggs laid on leaf



Indian Leafwing, Kallima paralekta
Indian Leafwing, Kallima paralekta wings closed
This is the most amazing camouflage I have seen on land

Malachite, Siproeta stelenes
Malachite, Siproeta stelenes
Malachite, Siproeta stelenes
Malachite, Siproeta stelenes
Malay Lacewing, Cethosia biblis
Malay Lacewing, Cethosia biblis
Owl, Caligo memnon 
Owl, Caligo memnon
Pink Rose, Pachliopta kotzebuea
Tailed Jay, Graphium agamemnon
Tailed Jay, Graphium agamemnon
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe
Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe