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Boards.ie nature outing to Mothman's pond

  • 16-06-2010 10:37pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭


    Following a half serious suggestion on dragonfly thread
    I've thought why not!

    Dragonfllies are sun creatures, but weather seems like it will be warm and sunny this Saturday, so I'm organising a boards nature forum meet at my pond in Ashford Co. Wicklow this Saturday 19th June at 11am say to 2pm


    No admission fee :)

    Bring your own food drink plenty space for picnic, be prepared for the odd wayward nettle and some mud underfoot

    I don't expect big numbers, but just in case I'm limiting numbers to a reasonable* amount


    *my discretion


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 21,404 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Would love to come but will be out hiking that day :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    Gosh, I wish I could be there.
    I could only spot one Banded Demoiselle on Morelands Meadow on the Lagan the other day. Might go and have another look this morning. They are spectacularly beautiful.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,584 ✭✭✭PCPhoto


    gonna rent a macro lens for this... am defo up for it


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Great idea and hope all goes well on the day. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    PC, I have two macros, I can give you the Canon EF 100 ƒ2.8 (non is), or if you hire one, someone with a canon mount cam can use it for the few hours.

    I'm in for Sun definitely, almost sure for Sat.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Following various Pms, I've changed it to Sunday 11am
    That's this Sunday 20th June.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭wildlifeboy


    I would love to attend, if there are newts there id love to see one. an you pm me details


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    I would love to attend, if there are newts there id love to see one. an you pm me details
    There are newts but they are not easy to see in the ponds in the garden. I mentioned a flooded vehicle track before and there may still be some in it and there is another pond nearby with newts that are easier to see but I may not be able to grant you access to it.

    I'll send you PM

    I'm happy for more to come if you want to kill a bit of time tomorrow.
    I still think tomorrow is likely to see sunshine though it is cloudy at moment, but even if cloudy I'm sure whoever comes will feel it worthwhile.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,989 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    would have liked to have gone, but we're having people round for lunch...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Fantastic and extremely educational day up at chez Mothmans. Well worth the tenner at the door.
    Many thanks to Mothman and Alun for a very enjoybale day indeed.

    Walden eat your heart out :)


    Four-spotted Chaser
    4717988592_c11960d43b.jpg

    Four-spotted Chaser
    4717997926_dfd5abff8c.jpg

    Male Azure Bluet/Azure Damselfly
    4718005204_92d2e5f116.jpg

    Female Blue Emperor/Emperor Dragonfly
    4717371479_2d223341bb.jpg

    Four-spotted Chaser
    4717381599_96bd88e619.jpg

    Male Common Bluet/Common Blue Damselfly
    4717391029_35e8a8b63a.jpg

    Poplar Hawk-moth
    4717494005_0e9d67c5e8.jpg

    Elephant Hawk-moth
    4717504065_1d361053a5.jpg


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Delighted you felt it worth while. Its great to see others get enjoyment from the wildlife here.
    I've abused my Mod powers to label the photos ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Cheers Mothamn,

    I knew all of them bar the female emperor, so rather than guess I just left them all out :o

    Thanks once more, it was great!


  • Registered Users Posts: 354 ✭✭Helium


    Looks like it was a great day guys!

    Quick question for Roen,fabulous pics was wondering what lens you used.

    I have a canon 400D and interested in taking pics at my own pond.
    Any recommendations?


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    That elephant hawk moth looks amazing! It looks like it is covered in warpaint.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,601 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    I'm seriously gutted i was working today:(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Helium wrote: »
    Looks like it was a great day guys!

    Quick question for Roen,fabulous pics was wondering what lens you used.

    I have a canon 400D and interested in taking pics at my own pond.
    Any recommendations?

    Hi Helium,

    Any macro lens that can do 1:1 will do you for shots like that. There's no need to be brand specific to Canon either as any of the Sigma or Tamron macros are fantastic lenses also.

    The lens I used was the 180 ƒ3.5 L for the record. The longer the lens the greater the working distance, comes in handy for skittish bugs, although we had a moth whisperer on hand today to look after that side of things ;)

    Cheers,
    R.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Valmont wrote: »
    That elephant hawk moth looks amazing! It looks like it is covered in warpaint.
    I've never heard this description before, but its quite apt.....

    And to others who felt they missed out, I'm sorry that it can't work out for everyone. It was at short notice, and it just had to be this weekend because I knew the weather would be good and frankly it really is peak season at moment for the dragonflies here. Its been many years since there has been such abundance of some species.
    while I say it is peak season, some species are not even emerged yet and there will be dragonflies here till November.

    I'll consider having another gathering in a couple months.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,404 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I also have to say thanks to Mothman for the warm welcome and all the expert knowledge not just of dragonflies and moths but all manner of wildlife that inhabits the area. To call this just a pond is doing it a grave disservice! I'll go through my photos as well, and post a few later, but I'm not sure they'll come up to Roen's standard .. and again most of mine are of the four spotted chasers as they were the only ones that'd stay still for more than a millisecond to be photographed!

    EDIT: Here are the highlights from my photos .. only had a Sigma 70/300 in macro mode but still manage to get some decent photos nonetheless.

    Blue Emperor
    9B710251A8AD4A509ABD62ADE306EB9D-500.jpg

    Azure Bluet, female ovipositing, male hanging
    40DE222B3FEA48B1BC51A90A78B496CE-500.jpg

    Common Bluetail
    9C9DF56E2F444992B107B945E1EE108D-500.jpg

    Common Bluet
    0255A728859746EDBE9FA3ED1EF09B61-500.jpg

    Female Blue Emperor
    0C498C4D9696419EBC414045C48F3026-500.jpg

    Four-spotted Chaser
    0E06A0AF0A1649BF8D57B2F07E347E01-500.jpg

    Four-spotted Chaser
    CA834997AC874AE4BED61BDD6A485B19-500.jpg

    Elephant Hawk-moth
    EE7A75A68E9B4636B1E313A1C60ED0A0-500.jpg

    Peppered Moth
    7A9BF0BA56AF40989DAD80C38B63128B-500.jpg

    Poplar Hawk-moth
    C3632DDFEA5E442A90615346BF09DCDE-500.jpg

    Burnished Brass
    1E52ABE4AE444B3DA6375782877CFFB9-500.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭wildlifeboy


    i couldnt make it in the end due to my own gardening needs


  • Registered Users Posts: 354 ✭✭Helium


    Roen wrote: »
    Hi Helium,

    Any macro lens that can do 1:1 will do you for shots like that. There's no need to be brand specific to Canon either as any of the Sigma or Tamron macros are fantastic lenses also.

    The lens I used was the 180 ƒ3.5 L for the record. The longer the lens the greater the working distance, comes in handy for skittish bugs, although we had a moth whisperer on hand today to look after that side of things ;)

    Cheers,
    R.


    Thanks Roen!

    Thats a serious piece of equipment that lens of yours and a tad out of my price range.
    Might go for something like Alun had down there. BTW Alun some beautiful pics there too.
    Mothman your the envy of many with a wildlife sanctuary like that outside your back door.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Great pics there Roen and Alun. I have the same lens as you Alun so it must be talent and ability that I'm lacking :o

    Can I ask what size those moths are in real life and how in the world you see/find them and what's the secret to making them stay still?!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    Any sighting/pictures of the Little Grebe family at "Lough Moth"?


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,404 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Any sighting/pictures of the Little Grebe family at "Lough Moth"?
    They were certainly there, but proved pretty elusive as far as photographing them, diving underwater and reappearing in the middle of a reed bed at the slightest hint of anyone coming close. Roen was planning on getting his monster lens out to try and catch them unawares but I don't know if he got any decent shots. All I got was one very fuzzy shot that wouldn't warrant being put up here :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    I just left the macro lens on and stashed the long tele near where the Grebes were so I could grab it if they were feeling like modelling.

    They didn't, so I just stuck to the more willing models of the insect world. Cute little guys though :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    littlebug wrote: »

    Can I ask what size those moths are in real life and how in the world you see/find them and what's the secret to making them stay still?!

    The 2 hawkmoths are large about 5cm across, as is the Peppered Moth.
    The Burnished Brass is about half that size. I run moth traps, UV light in a funnel over a box.
    As for the last question, I'll refer you back to a post (#65) in the epic moth thread


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Ahh I see.... they're some you prepared earlier rather than just spotting them on the hoof :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Any sighting/pictures of the Little Grebe family at "Lough Moth"?
    I visted Lough Moth today, put on my camo gear and shuffled along behind a willow screen. Stuck up my hand holding camera like a periscope and took some snaps with my little camera. It was in the shade and with plenty of light reflection. Colour didn't come out well.
    7200AF64B8114390A3405920B9D2EBAB.jpg

    Now they were looking at the periscope :)
    0D53C1DC3CB641668F43468CB2549282-800.jpg

    When they realised that the periscope was attached to me they dived and went to other side.
    ABC3FD263A7E40A7822427E6639D9CC4.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    Excellent stuff, will have to pay a visit to Lough Moth the next time you have a tour, might get some ideas for my own patch...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Mothman - watch your back I'm green with envy! Your pond sure beats the pants off looking out over the rooftops of downtown DG Enniscorthy with the sun blotted out by dense flocks of Passenger Feral Pigeons. I'm coming next time you have a bash and I'll even bring the ginger beer. :D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Alun, those Four Spotted Chasers are definitely the pick of the bunch. They are such tricky things to get good shots of. Fair play!
    Although I think I'll keep struggling without my rent-a-background or popping the poor things in the fridge before I run up the white flag.

    Actually Helium, I totally forgot that there's a whole world of low cost macro available, reverse rings, close up filters and extension tubes will all get you macro functionality with your existing lenses.


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