A Year in the Life of an English Country Garden - 2016 - The End

wallyboy · 1 May 2016

jennyb said:
Thanks, Walter @wallyboy . I like the idea of your "lazy wind".

Hope you enjoyed the tulip festival. They can make dazzling displays but sadly we can't grow them because the deer eat them

Naughty Deers.......it was a lovely display a riot of colour, and was an interesting garden,
Your baby squirrel shots are really cute.
We seem to have adopted a pidgeon, i think it has lost the race

jennyb · 4 May 2016

wallyboy said:
Naughty Deers.......it was a lovely display a riot of colour, and was an interesting garden,
Your baby squirrel shots are really cute.
We seem to have adopted a pidgeon, i think it has lost the race

Thanks for commenting, Walter @wallyboy . Hope your adopted pigeon is not causing too much trouble. Ours sit on our pergola and make a mess all over the patio below

jennyb · 4 May 2016

After several weeks of freezing weather it has suddenly warmed up and everything that was in bud has started to open up. I heard my first cuckoo last week and saw my first Orange Tip butterfly, but no swallows as yet.

The bluebells reached their peak last weekend so this is going to be a bluebell post. Sadly they are not quite as impressive as they are some years. I guess the weird weather has taken its toll.

Just trying to do something a bit different with the next one.

I am working on some other flower pics so will post more later this week.

Comments welcome as usual.

jennyb · 6 May 2016

There is so much flowering as well as the bluebells, so I have to be fair and post some of them, too.

I was just trying to do something different with this one. Not sure that it works.

The cowslips are on their last legs now so a last opportunity to capture one.

I really like the next one. I love the back lighting on the little hairs on the stem and the flowers are a gorgeous colour.

There are lots of dandelions around. They are very intricate if you look closely.

Lots of Wood Anemones around. Very pretty, delicate little flowers.

And finally, a couple of Sedges growing by the pond. I had to pick them and photograph indoors because they sway too much in the slightest breeze. Intriguing flowers.

Hopefully next week I will have some bird photos. I think quite a few will be hatching soon.

wallyboy · 6 May 2016

The Blubells are lovely, the blue sky with wood and Blue bells look stunning great combination.
Your second set, is superb you seem to have achieved the right balance, soft and radiant,
Dont you just love spring, :clap:

jennyb · 11 May 2016

wallyboy said:
The Blubells are lovely, the blue sky with wood and Blue bells look stunning great combination.
Your second set, is superb you seem to have achieved the right balance, soft and radiant,
Dont you just love spring,

Yes, Walter, I love spring. Everything is fresh and green with flowers bursting into bloom everywhere

We had the best day of the year so far last Sunday and the temperatures have been so high (in the mid-20C's) that everything in bud burst forth at once. We even saw the first swallows of the year, so they must think it is summer. Sadly, the high temperatures meant that the bluebells went to seed very quickly. They really did not last long.

This week I have a mixed bunch. Firstly, a photo of the pond. I thought it would be useful to include one so that I can compare it to how it looks in summer when everything has grown up in there. The plants in the pond have been very slow to take off this year. The photo looks a bit skewed but I think that is because the trees are growing at an angle and the pond lies at the bottom of a slope.

A pair of Jackdaws built a nest in a crack in the cherry tree. They recently started feeding the youngsters so I took the opportunity of a couple of photos. The Jackdaws were not happy and did all sorts of tricks to try to distract me, even though I really was not that close.

Next is a photo of the Greater Stitchwort, a very pretty little flower that is usually flowering with the bluebells, although it came out slightly later than the bluebells this year. I only noticed when I processed the photo that it is covered in aphids. So I got 2 for the price of 1 - Stitchwort and greenfly!

Finally, another that is usually out with the bluebells but missed the deadline this year - our gorgeous yellow Azalea. It smells amazing in the evenings but has been a bit battered by the torrential rain that we have had over the last couple of days.

I hope the rest of the flowers in the garden have survived the battering. I hope to post more flower photos later in the week.

In the meantime, comments are very welcome.

jennyb · 15 May 2016

There is so much flowering in the garden at the moment that I am struggling to keep up. There are already flowers that have passed their best before I got around to photographing them.

Lots of dandelion clocks around. Not particularly happy with this one and I tried converting a couple to B/W but they did not really work.

These candelabra primula are planted by the pond and they are really thriving. They have seeded themselves all over the place so they obviously like the conditions. They provide a very colourful show.

Spring is a good time to photograph leaves when they have first unfurled. They look so fresh and unspoilt before the weather and the bugs take their toll. These beech leaves and the little flower, I think, look very attractive. I love the little hairy fringe.

These Field Maple leaves also look very unspoilt.

Not very happy with the next one which is May blossom. The light was very disappointing but I will post it as a record shot.

Finally, I noticed that the blue tits which are nesting in one of our nest boxes have started feeding the youngsters which must have hatched in the last couple of days. The female seems to spend a lot of time in the box so maybe some of the eggs have not yet hatched. The male seems to be the one bringing the food. I got a shot of one of them coming into the box.

More in a couple of days. In the meantime, comments very welcome.

jennyb · 21 May 2016

I'm really upset

A few days after the blue tit photo was taken we came home to find wood chippings all over the patio and a huge hole in the nest box. The little birds are all gone

I hate woodpeckers - there is plenty of food on the feeders without them having to resort to little birds. Of course, I partly blame myself for not having fitted metal protection plates on the boxes. I have now ordered some and although it is too late for this year, we will get them fitted for next.

Anyway, back to this week - the weather has been very mixed, lots of very heavy rain and wind with some sun in between. Perfect for the grass which seems to be growing at an inch per day

However the flowers are still soldiering on despite the battering. Having to take the opportunity to photograph the flowers between the showers means that some of them are past their best.

Firstly, the lilac which flowered for a very short period this year because of the weather but still put on a very pretty display.

One of the things that amazes me about nature is how varied flora and fauna can be. I realise that some garden flowers are hybrids bred to be different but the basic plant must have existed in the first place. The next photo is Dicentra or Bleeding Hearts. I find this a really intriguing plant. It is doing very well in a shady spot by our back door. It does not get much sun and the conditions are quite damp but it has put on a spectacular display for weeks now.

We have a few Horse Chestnut trees which are currently in flower. I did not catch it at its best because of the weather.

There are lots of Rhododendrons flowering at the minute. They are really quite spectacular flowers and we have them in lots of shades of pink, white, red and purple. I tried a close-up of one floret focusing on the anthers and stamen (if that is the correct terminology).

Next I tried to capture more of one of the flower heads. I love the orange markings on the bright pink flower. They are so diverse. However, it is difficult to get the whole flower in focus.

Finally, the Peony has had a very hard time this spring. It has been in bud for a couple of months with the very warm winter. However, when the weather turned cold a few weeks ago and we had some hard frosts, it did the Peony a whole lot of no good. There are only a couple of buds left and this one finally opened.

I hope to capture something other than flowers next week.

Comments very welcome.

jennyb · 29 May 2016

A motley selection this week. There is so much happening in the garden and I just don't have time to capture everything.

Firstly, this little moth flew into the conservatory. Pretty little thing but the photo shows that my windows are not very clean!

Next, the female green woodpecker has been pecking ants out of the lawn with a very muddy beak.

I rather like the next shot. The Yellow Flag are flowering in the pond. I liked the light on this shot.

Life under the bird feeder has become a soap opera. Mrs Grey Squirrel (who I photographed a few weeks ago when the babies were in the drey) has brought the little ones to feed under the bird feeder picking up the scraps left by the birds. Along with the usual residents, the cock pheasant and his 2 lady friends, it has started to get crowed. On top of that the Jackdaw family has decided that the pickings are too good to miss. So, it is a bit like Piccadilly Circus out on the lawn. First, Mrs S.

Next, one of the jackdaws.

Finally, the field over the fence at the front is full of buttercups and roe deer love buttercups! Sadly, the light was not too good when I took this one but you can see that he has lost the velvet from his antlers and he is almost finished moulting his thick winter coat. His fur looks a real mess.

Comments are very welcome.

jennyb · 3 Jun 2016

Last Saturday the weather was beautiful and since then it has deteriorated. The last few days have been cold and drizzly and not good for photography. Most of these photographs were taken before it deteriorated.

Firstly, there are lots of blackbirds around at the moment. I think they have had a successful year for nesting. Here is one of the males.

Next, I find this Honey Garlic quite an intriguing flower.

The Ceanothus has been buzzing with bees and flies.

The photo shows quite clearly the Pollen Basket where the bee stores the pollen to take back to the hive. It was laden on each leg.

The Alliums are flowering at the moment. They make a gorgeous display and are also popular with bees.

Finally, my favourite photo of the week. Although the weather was really dull when I took it and the light really bad, I can't help but be amused by this roe deer having a lovely time among the buttercups.

Comments, suggestions, etc are very welcome.

jennyb · 10 Jun 2016

Hot and showery this week means that everything in the garden is growing like crazy. There are a mass of flowers and weeds!

My first image this week is a follow up to the honey garlic I posted last week. The bees have been all over it and I managed to capture a couple in this photo.

I got a couple of closer shots of the deer. I really rather like the next one. Not to everyone's taste but I love to capture close-ups of faces. This guy was staring at me over a bush.

The next is not so good but I am posting it because you can still see wisps of his winter coat that has not completely moulted yet. Pity about the fence in the background.

The roses are all flowering. We have a huge problem with roses because the deer eat them, so we can only plant climbers that grow up the walls of the house. They are slightly less likely to come right up to the house (except at night). Most of the climbers have now grown above grazing height. Here are a couple of pictures of a pretty pink one. Could not decide which I like best so I will post them both.

The Aquilegia seed themselves all over the garden. This is one of the flowers that the deer don't eat. Not particularly happy with this image but I did not have time to get another one.

Finally, a close-up of one of those buttercups that the deer love so much.

I am posting these using my laptop and strangely they don't look very sharp. They were certainly sharp enough in the right places when I processed them so hopefully they look acceptable on other screens.

That's it for this week. Comments are very welcome.

jennyb · 27 Jun 2016

I have been away so unable to post. Since I returned last week it has not exactly been photography weather - very heavy showers and blustery but not particularly cold. Ideal grass and weed-growing conditions

My first shot is not particularly good but I am including it because it illustrates the weather. Taken looking down over the valley during a heavy shower.

The lousy weather has meant that all the flowers have taken a beating. We have a lovely display of poppies but they are so beaten up that I have resorted to shooting the seed heads instead. However, they are very photogenic.

The Clematis is growing in a sheltered place so has taken less of a beating but I am still not particularly happy with this shot.

Two young hares have been hanging around in the garden. They are still quite small compared to the adults. Here is one of them.

Finally, the Muntjac buck did his daily tour of the garden hovering up fallen leaves.

Hope I can manage some better photos next week. Comments still welcome.

pjm1 · 27 Jun 2016

Hi Jenny

WOW! Your collection of outdoor shots are amazing. So much variety and what a wonderful range of subjects and, by and large, beautifully lit. You really do have a great eye for your subjects and an ability to compose and choose good times to grab the pictures. Especially impressive on those hard-to-capture animals too.

The only criticism I'd offer is that the pictures of flowers where you're putting them against a black or white background are relatively flat in comparison. I'm not sure why, because you've used natural light exceptionally well when they're frames in their environment, but 9 times out of 10 when they're against a black or white backdrop they seem to be lit very flatly? I'm not sure whether you're holding a black/white card behind them and shooting in situ or taking them indoors for a "studio" setup... but I think they're the only aspect of your collection that needs any particular attention - the rest is fantastic. To be fair, the poppy seed heads against a black background above is in the right direction, but I think more carefully controlled lighting would work wonders...

But that doesn't detract at all from a wonderful set of images you've captured. Brilliant! :clap:

jennyb · 27 Jun 2016

pjm1 said:
Hi Jenny

WOW! Your collection of outdoor shots are amazing. So much variety and what a wonderful range of subjects and, by and large, beautifully lit. You really do have a great eye for your subjects and an ability to compose and choose good times to grab the pictures. Especially impressive on those hard-to-capture animals too.

The only criticism I'd offer is that the pictures of flowers where you're putting them against a black or white background are relatively flat in comparison. I'm not sure why, because you've used natural light exceptionally well when they're frames in their environment, but 9 times out of 10 when they're against a black or white backdrop they seem to be lit very flatly? I'm not sure whether you're holding a black/white card behind them and shooting in situ or taking them indoors for a "studio" setup... but I think they're the only aspect of your collection that needs any particular attention - the rest is fantastic. To be fair, the poppy seed heads against a black background above is in the right direction, but I think more carefully controlled lighting would work wonders...

But that doesn't detract at all from a wonderful set of images you've captured. Brilliant!

Hi Paul,

Many thanks for your very useful comments. Glad you like most of the shots. Obviously I have been at the mercy of the weather so some have been shot indoors especially those on the white and black backgrounds. I have only been using natural light, with a reflector on some occasions. I like them to be back or side lit, if possible, but on dull days it is a struggle. Given the nature of the challenge I can't really afford to wait for the right light conditions because flowers don't really last that long.

I must give more thought to the lighting to see if I can improve them. Maybe it is not a good idea to reflect light on the front when they are already side lit?

That is just the sort of feedback that I need. Many thanks for taking the time to comment.

pjm1 · 28 Jun 2016

Hi Jenny... I can sympathise with you on the weather - I live in the West of Scotland so I've experienced the odd bit of rain

Interestingly, flower shots can look wonderful just after the rain - I know @susiejb takes some magnificent macro shots with water droplets hanging off petals etc. It might not be what you're after but it's worth looking at some of her images in those sorts of conditions! (Sorry for the call out, Susie but you know I love your macro flower shots...)

Indoor lighting is all about getting the quality and amount of light right. That's "all" there is to it... however, just those two things (especially the first) are actually massive areas with so many variables. For the size of subject you're shooting, natural window light is lovely because the window is many times larger than the subject, so you're basically getting a big softbox, especially since you're shooting on overcast days with diffuse light coming in through the window.

The downside is that because it's sunlight, you can't easily control it's power or direction, but of course you can cover the window with muslin if you need as well as move the subject closer and further away from the window and change the relative positions between camera, subject and window. You're introducing a reflector which adds some fill light into your images so that's another variable to consider. You can change the power of your fill by changing the size of the reflector and/or its position. Moving it further away from the subject (and further from the window) will reduce the power of the fill as well as make the area filled in with light smaller. Obviously reducing the physical size of the reflector reduces the area filled (as well as slightly reduces the power).

The other "issue" of course is I bet your room has white ceiling, light walls - basically making it one big light tent

So you're getting some amount of fill light bouncing around no matter what you do with your reflector...

Looking at your images, the ratio of main (key) light from the window to the amount of fill light from the reflector is a bit too even. I would start by taking away the reflector completely and looking at the image just windowlight produces. This is the least amount of fill you can achieve unless you start hanging up black drapes around the room! Do the shadows look a bit too deep? If so, you may well need to add some fill with your reflector card. Alternatively, aren't there enough shadows? If that's the case then your "room fill" is contributing too much light... so take a large black card (rather than white reflector) and hold it by the far side of the image - this will prevent as much room fill hitting the opposite side of the image and should create deeper shadows. Take a look at the image (either with your eyes or taking a photo) and compare.

The other benefit of sunlight is you can see you changes "in real life" so you don't necessarily have to take lots of photos - look with your own eyes at how movements to black cards/reflectors change the light that's falling on your subject.

Sorry, that's a bit of a whistlestop tour and apologies if I'm explaining stuff you already know. Putting black cards around your subject on the non-window side, back and potentially even front (with a gap or hole to shoot through) will help reduce the amount of fill if you are shooting in a white room. Once you've got the amount of room fill reduced to a level which is ok, you may find you need to add some specific fill - or not. Have a play!

jennyb · 28 Jun 2016

pjm1 said:
Hi Jenny... I can sympathise with you on the weather - I live in the West of Scotland so I've experienced the odd bit of rain Interestingly, flower shots can look wonderful just after the rain - I know @susiejb takes some magnificent macro shots with water droplets hanging off petals etc. It might not be what you're after but it's worth looking at some of her images in those sorts of conditions! (Sorry for the call out, Susie but you know I love your macro flower shots...)

Indoor lighting is all about getting the quality and amount of light right. That's "all" there is to it... however, just those two things (especially the first) are actually massive areas with so many variables. For the size of subject you're shooting, natural window light is lovely because the window is many times larger than the subject, so you're basically getting a big softbox, especially since you're shooting on overcast days with diffuse light coming in through the window.

The downside is that because it's sunlight, you can't easily control it's power or direction, but of course you can cover the window with muslin if you need as well as move the subject closer and further away from the window and change the relative positions between camera, subject and window. You're introducing a reflector which adds some fill light into your images so that's another variable to consider. You can change the power of your fill by changing the size of the reflector and/or its position. Moving it further away from the subject (and further from the window) will reduce the power of the fill as well as make the area filled in with light smaller. Obviously reducing the physical size of the reflector reduces the area filled (as well as slightly reduces the power).

The other "issue" of course is I bet your room has white ceiling, light walls - basically making it one big light tent So you're getting some amount of fill light bouncing around no matter what you do with your reflector...

Looking at your images, the ratio of main (key) light from the window to the amount of fill light from the reflector is a bit too even. I would start by taking away the reflector completely and looking at the image just windowlight produces. This is the least amount of fill you can achieve unless you start hanging up black drapes around the room! Do the shadows look a bit too deep? If so, you may well need to add some fill with your reflector card. Alternatively, aren't there enough shadows? If that's the case then your "room fill" is contributing too much light... so take a large black card (rather than white reflector) and hold it by the far side of the image - this will prevent as much room fill hitting the opposite side of the image and should create deeper shadows. Take a look at the image (either with your eyes or taking a photo) and compare.

The other benefit of sunlight is you can see you changes "in real life" so you don't necessarily have to take lots of photos - look with your own eyes at how movements to black cards/reflectors change the light that's falling on your subject.

Sorry, that's a bit of a whistlestop tour and apologies if I'm explaining stuff you already know. Putting black cards around your subject on the non-window side, back and potentially even front (with a gap or hole to shoot through) will help reduce the amount of fill if you are shooting in a white room. Once you've got the amount of room fill reduced to a level which is ok, you may find you need to add some specific fill - or not. Have a play!

Thanks, Paul, for such a comprehensive reply. This is just the sort of information I need. The main reason for this project is to learn and hopefully improve. Your feedback is invaluable. I will do some experimenting as you suggest

The indoor shots are taken in my conservatory so there is light coming from all directions. I did not think about using black card!

My main problem with outdoor shots is the wind more than the rain. It has been incredibly windy this summer. BTW I have just come back from West of Scotland so understand your experience with rain!

Thanks again for your hep.

jennyb · 29 Jun 2016

I was out again yesterday trying to catch up with some of the June wildlife that I have missed in the last couple of weeks by being away. The conditions were far from ideal, both light and wind, but I am posting them anyway to keep the record as complete as possible.

The Astrantia is looking very pretty at the moment and was buzzing with insects. Here are a couple.

The thing that amazes me about the last photo is the size of the pollen basket on its leg. It must make it very hard to fly.

Next, the poppies which are still beautiful.

These were also buzzing with life. The next photo is not particularly good but I wanted to include it because I have never managed a decent shot of a lacewing before and I think it is interesting to see it covered with pollen while searching for aphids inside the flower. It is a strange creature with striking red eyes.

The blackberries are flowering and they are always a great attraction for the butterflies. There were dozens of them fluttering all over. Here are a couple. Unfortunately, the highlights are blown on the flower but I am including it because we don't see Skippers very often.

I think the next is a Small Heath but I am not completely sure.

That is all for now but I will be posting more this week if the weather is kind enough.

Comments very welcome.

Ed Sutton · 30 Jun 2016

I don't comment, Jenny, but I do follow with interest and admiration.

At first glance I thought the butterfly was a meadow brown. But I'm no expert. :thinking:

jennyb · 30 Jun 2016

Ed Sutton said:
I don't comment, Jenny, but I do follow with interest and admiration.

At first glance I thought the butterfly was a meadow brown. But I'm no expert.

Thanks, Dave. Glad you are enjoying my project.

I think you are correct about the Meadow Brown. I record all wildlife on my web site and I see that I have already recorded these as Meadow Brown. There are no Small Heath on the web site. There are so many of them but they don't seem to open their wings so are very hard to identify. They also look very similar to Gatekeepers, which we get a lot of, but at least you can differentiate them because they have two pupils in the eye spot.

Thanks for keeping me right

blakester · 1 Jul 2016

Your project just goes from strength to strength Jenny, such a range of subject matter!
Your images with insects or animals in are particularly appealing. Keep up the good work, I watch with interest.

jennyb · 2 Jul 2016

blakester said:
Your project just goes from strength to strength Jenny, such a range of subject matter!
Your images with insects or animals in are particularly appealing. Keep up the good work, I watch with interest.

Thanks for your comment, Iain. I am trying to shoot a wide range of things in the garden - anything that catches my interest - because a garden is not just about flowers.

jennyb · 2 Jul 2016

The weather is proving challenging for decent photography - lots of wind and heavy showers. However, I am still trying to keep up the momentum even when conditions are not ideal. Just over half way through this project now. Hope I can keep it up!

The squirrels have been hanging around under the bird feeders for weeks now. It is usually the two youngsters that I photographed in the drey a couple of months ago and their Mum. They are no problem at all. The bird feeder is strategically placed so that it is too far for squirrels to jump from the trees or the house and it has a plastic baffle to stop them climbing up it. We have been using this particular feeder for about five years with no problems at all except for very frustrated squirrels

However, we now have a gold medal winning Olympic high jump squirrel which can leap vertically onto the lowest feeder or onto the baffle digging its claws into the plastic

I have therefore resorted to putting extra hot chili powder on the nuts (the RSPB advise this, so it is not cruel to the birds). The results were amusing and with a few shakes of his head he continued eating. He then made a beeline for the garden hose :LOL:

Anyway the reason for explaining this is by way of an introduction to the first two photos. He has been watching me watching him and taunting me to respond. We have a defunct bird house that has been wrecked by the woodpeckers which we have not taken down yet. He has taken to sitting inside it to watch me in the kitchen.

The current situation is that he does not climb onto the feeder so often. His mouth is probably still stinging!

Next, we have a new arrival on the bird feeder. Surprised he is able to hang on but he sometimes pulls out a nut and drops it to the ground to eat it. Jays are very shy and it is very difficult to get a decent shot.

The butterfly that Dave identified as a Meadow Brown is definitely correct. This is a female with its wings outstretched.

I have seen other butterflies but have been unable to get close enough to photograph them (Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and a Hairstreak).

Finally, I really love poppies so here is another shot taken today.

As usual, comments very welcome.

jennyb · 3 Jul 2016

GUILTY!

We have a beautiful flowerbed full of Heuchera and a few months ago something started to eat them. I keep spraying them with animal repellent but it does not do much good. Here is a photo of part of the flowerbed.

Last night after spraying, I set up my stealthcam to try to catch the guilty party. . . .

Sorry the quality is not much good - the sun was shining brightly between the trees and the camera is not fantastic.

It also records video. I want to scream every time I watch it

wallyboy · 3 Jul 2016

Lovely photography here jenny, you bring such amazing colour a joy to look at, keep em coming

jennyb · 3 Jul 2016

wallyboy said:
Lovely photography here jenny, you bring such amazing colour a joy to look at, keep em coming

Thanks, Walter. Your comments are much appreciated.

jennyb · 7 Jul 2016

A mixed bag this week. The weather is still challenging although it is slightly warmer and drier than it has been.

We let much of our garden grow wild while the wild flowers are blooming and seeding. Here are a couple of wild orchids which sadly were a bit past their best by the time I managed to photograph them.

Next a few from down near the pond. We have a huge Gunnera manicata which is more than 6 feet tall. It is difficult to tell the scale from this picture but it is an intriguing plant especially when you look closely.

While I was photographing the Gunnera, I noticed hundreds of tiny frogs (or are they toads?) less than an inch long. The tadpoles have obviously turned into frogs and have come climbing out of the pond. They were all leaping around in the grass. Difficult to photograph and this is the best I could manage.

Nature really does throw up some strange things. This is just a weed but it is so weird that I had to photograph it. It is wild garlic.

Next, the lilies are flowering so I experimented with a couple of shots. Not sure about the second one.

One other comment about the high-jumping squirrel - we were out all day on Tuesday at Hampton Court Flower Show. Well, while the cat's away the mice (or should I say squirrel) will play. When we came back, the bird feeder with the nuts in had been taken off the feeder and deposited on the lawn for easy access! There is only one possible culprit!

That's all for now. As usual, comments are welcome.

Ladystrange · 8 Jul 2016

I'm very keen on flora and fauna so looking through your fantastic images has been very enjoyable. I love the diversity in what you're capturing Jenny, it makes the fact that my sightings of the local flowers and wildlife are quite limited living where I do! Keep em coming please!! :ty:

jennyb · 8 Jul 2016

Ladystrange said:
I'm very keen on flora and fauna so looking through your fantastic images has been very enjoyable. I love the diversity in what you're capturing Jenny, it makes the fact that my sightings of the local flowers and wildlife are quite limited living where I do! Keep em coming please!!

Thanks for your comments, Claire. Gardens are not just about plants but are whole eco-systems. That's why my images are so diverse. Considering I live just a few miles outside a large town, the wildlife here is incredibly varied. I think that most people don't realise how much wildlife is right on their doorstep. If you look closely, I am sure you will spot much more where you live.

Ladystrange · 9 Jul 2016

My own garden is quite small but we do get plenty of visiting birds and I'm very proud to have my second orchid this year, I think they are either Marsh or Heath Spotted. Where I am is also close to the country so I do take advantage of that fact as much as I can. It's fascinating!

jennyb · 13 Jul 2016

The weather has been fairly horrible this week - definitely not good for photographs. It has been really windy with lots of very heavy showers. Anyway, I have done the best I can with the wildlife this week.

Firstly, I was in a rush to go out when I spotted this moth. It is really just a record shot because I didn't have time to get my DSLR out and try to choose a better setting for it. I am including it because I think it is pretty and I have only seen this particular moth once before.

Next is an animal that we don't see often but it does leave its mark everywhere it goes. I love its finger nails!

It has been a bad year for damselflies and dragonflies because of the weather but they have started to hatch. It is an interesting life cycle. The female lays its eggs in the water and these hatch into nymphs which can live in the water for up to 4 years. When they are ready, the nymph climbs out up a convenient reed in the water. Here is a picture of the nymph (ugly little creature).

The dragonfly hatches out of the nymph while still on the reed. Its wings are usually all crumpled and takes some time to straighten and dry out. The next photo shows one that has hatched and is drying out. There is also another nymph that you can see in the background on the right.

Its a pity I did not catch one with its wings all crumpled. I will keep looking to see if I can find one.

Next, the beautiful dragonfly flies away when it has dried out, ready to find a mate and start the cycle all over again. Here are a couple of shots. I think it is a Southern Hawker. I also have to admit that I put myself and my camera in great jeopardy trying to get these shots because they don't necessarily climb out onto reeds that are particularly well placed for photography. I had to lean out right over the pond to get these shots.

Next a close-up because I find faces fascinating. Would have been better with more DOF.

Finally, a couple of shots of the pond which shows all the vegetation has grown a lot since I posted the last pond photo.

As usual comments are welcome but please bear in mind that some of these shots were quite tricky to get!

Ed Sutton · 13 Jul 2016

The mole picture is great.

jennyb · 13 Jul 2016

Ed Sutton said:
The mole picture is great.

Thanks, Dave. I wish I had got a bit more DOF.

Ed Sutton · 14 Jul 2016

jennyb said:
Thanks, Dave. I wish I had got a bit more DOF.

You got its nose sharp. That's what matters.

Ladystrange · 14 Jul 2016

These are fantastic Jenny, I love the mole too and the dragonflies are just stunning. I've never seen the nymph before so that was brilliant! That moth has a great crop of hair!!

Your pond is amazing, can I come visit? lol

jennyb · 15 Jul 2016

Ladystrange said:
These are fantastic Jenny, I love the mole too and the dragonflies are just stunning. I've never seen the nymph before so that was brilliant! That moth has a great crop of hair!!

Your pond is amazing, can I come visit? lol

Thanks, Claire. Glad you like the photos. I was especially pleased with the dragonfly photos even though the quality is not the best. It was so difficult to access them.

jennyb · 22 Jul 2016

I have not had much opportunity for photography this week but the weather has turned very hot. It reached 32 degrees on Tuesday and only slightly cooler during the last few days. Great weather for butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. The pond is buzzing with them. I photographed what I could but I hope to have more time to experiment with different lenses if the weather holds. The problem with pond photos is access. It is really difficult to get close.

First this week, a not very good shot of a grasshopper. There are lots of them around both by the pond and inside and outside the house. I am not an expert so have not hazarded a guess as to which type. If anyone can identify it, I would much appreciate it.

Next, I went down to the pond the other day and saw three mallard ducks. Unusual that they are all female. I was wondering if maybe two of them were large juveniles.

There have been a lot of mating damselflies, making hay while the sun shines, I guess. The green one is the female.

Next, a first for the pond. I have never seen a Ruddy Darter here before - identified by the constricted abdomen and the black marking on the end segments. I am including two photos to show both its body and its face and wings.

Not the best, but showing its body shape.

I prefer this one which shows its face and wings.

I am sure there will be more Odonata photos next time because I have seen several more species. It's just a question of photographing them.

Comments are very welcome.

Ed Sutton · 22 Jul 2016

Dragonflies are fascinating subjects. I spent a summer photographing them and became fascinated to the the extent I made a pond in my garden to try and attract them. Without much luck.

I might well be wrong this time, but that looks more like a male common darter to me. They are very similar.

Ruddy - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49045640@N03/4983388921/in/album-72157624941540448/

Common - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49045640@N03/4957283395/in/album-72157624792204979/

Looking forward to see what others turn up by your pond. The hawkers should be on the wing soon.

jennyb · 22 Jul 2016

Ed Sutton said:
Dragonflies are fascinating subjects. I spent a summer photographing them and became fascinated to the the extent I made a pond in my garden to try and attract them. Without much luck.

I might well be wrong this time, but that looks more like a male common darter to me. They are very similar.

Ruddy - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49045640@N03/4983388921/in/album-72157624941540448/

Common - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49045640@N03/4957283395/in/album-72157624792204979/

Looking forward to see what others turn up by your pond. The hawkers should be on the wing soon.

Thanks, Dave. You are correct, it is a Male Common Darter. I looked at one of my other shots which shows the yellow stripe down the leg. They are very difficult to identify. I have already seen a Brown Hawker this year but have not managed a photo. There are also Blue-tailed and Large Red Damselflies.

Fuji Dave · 22 Jul 2016

Got to say, I think this is stunningly beautiful photography, very well done

Ed Sutton · 23 Jul 2016

jennyb said:
Thanks, Dave. You are correct, it is a Male Common Darter. I looked at one of my other shots which shows the yellow stripe down the leg. They are very difficult to identify. I have already seen a Brown Hawker this year but have not managed a photo. There are also Blue-tailed and Large Red Damselflies.

Sounds like you get plenty of dragonflies round the pond. Good luck with the brown hawkers. I found them very difficult to photograph as they rarely seemed to settle low enough down to get close to.

Keep the photos coming.

A Year in the Life of an English Country Garden - 2016 - The End

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