Dingy Skipper DSC_2812
Dingy Skipper / erynnis tages. Derbyshire. 18/05/16.
These tiny, moth-like butterflies are far from dingy in my opinion. Look at them closely and they have the most beautiful subtle greyish-brown / cream markings. There is a small colony on a brownfield site close to my home and I've been seeing them on the wing for the last 10 days.
On a mostly wet day there was a break in the weather and an opportunity to walk the dogs again locally. I took my smaller camera with macro lens on impulse, not even thinking about butterflies - (more about wildflowers, raindrops and bokehs)!
At the waste ground we mooched about slowly and in one particular spot I noticed this little beauty launch itself from ground level and eventually land on the seed head.
A stealthy approach and slow drop to the (wet) ground had me laying right beside it! Couldn't believe my luck and with camera gently raised I started to make images, praying the dogs didn't come nosing over to investigate. I need not have worried...they didn't and the DS was ultra confiding. After firing off many shots I dared to shift position and view it from different angles - still it sat there, unbelievable. I am sure that the weather conditions actually helped with its lethargy although it did fly again and landed on a twig closer to the ground.
I wish I had changed camera settings in order to get sharp focus on the whole of the subject but I clean forgot to :-(
However, what I have achieved are some close, detailed and relatively sharp head shots. I hope you enjoy looking at the cute little hairy face and big eyes as much as I do.
Dingy Skipper DSC_2812
Dingy Skipper / erynnis tages. Derbyshire. 18/05/16.
These tiny, moth-like butterflies are far from dingy in my opinion. Look at them closely and they have the most beautiful subtle greyish-brown / cream markings. There is a small colony on a brownfield site close to my home and I've been seeing them on the wing for the last 10 days.
On a mostly wet day there was a break in the weather and an opportunity to walk the dogs again locally. I took my smaller camera with macro lens on impulse, not even thinking about butterflies - (more about wildflowers, raindrops and bokehs)!
At the waste ground we mooched about slowly and in one particular spot I noticed this little beauty launch itself from ground level and eventually land on the seed head.
A stealthy approach and slow drop to the (wet) ground had me laying right beside it! Couldn't believe my luck and with camera gently raised I started to make images, praying the dogs didn't come nosing over to investigate. I need not have worried...they didn't and the DS was ultra confiding. After firing off many shots I dared to shift position and view it from different angles - still it sat there, unbelievable. I am sure that the weather conditions actually helped with its lethargy although it did fly again and landed on a twig closer to the ground.
I wish I had changed camera settings in order to get sharp focus on the whole of the subject but I clean forgot to :-(
However, what I have achieved are some close, detailed and relatively sharp head shots. I hope you enjoy looking at the cute little hairy face and big eyes as much as I do.