White-tailed Fish Eagle in flight by Gill Cardy FRPS T IrIs · White-tailed Fish Eagle in flight by Gill Cardy FRPS. Chairman’s Day 2015 Saturday 24th october 2015 10.30 hrs - 16.00

The

Magazine of The naTure group of The rpS

issue no. 121 / Spring 2015

IrIs

ISSN 1757-2991

White-tailed Fish Eagle in flight by Gill Cardy FRPS

Chairman’s Day 2015Saturday 24th october 2015

10.30 hrs - 16.00 hrs

The old Schoolhouse oldbury, West Midlands (nr Junction 2 of the M5)

Speakers:

Mike Lane FRPSRoger Hance FRPS

Chairman, Richard Revels FRPS

Recent successful Associateship and Fellowship panels will be on display

Full details and a Booking Form will be in the Summer edition of The Iris.

David Osborn FrPs invites you to join him on one of his

Photo-tours 2016 January 2016 - Yellowstone in Winter

Explore the splendor of Yellowstone National Park in winter. Photograph spectacular winter landscapes, wildlife and geo-thermal features.Travel within the park by exclusive private snowcoach.

March 2016 - Birds of Florida Photo-tourPhotograph Herons, Egrets, Pelicans, Ospreys and a wealth of other bird species at some of Florida’s hot spots for bird photography, Travel in Florida by air conditioned MPV people carriers (max 4 per vehicle).

Always small groups; always limited availability. Book soon.

Contact David Osborn for a brochure at:

Email: [email protected]

Web: davidosbornphotography.co.uk

publication information

‘The�Iris’�is�published�by�the�Nature�Group�of�the�RPSthree�times�a�year.�Copy�and�publication�dates�are�asfollows:

Spring� Copy�deadline�8th�DecemberPublished�mid�March.

Summer Copy�deadline�30th�AprilPublished�early�July.

Winter� Copy�deadline�31st�AugustPublished�early�November.

All�contributions�should�be�submitted�to�the�Editor.Items�covering�any�aspect�of�nature�photography�and/ornatural�history�are�welcomed,�including�reviews�onequipment�and�relevant�books.��The�Editor�can�becontacted�at:��[email protected]

Copy�should�be�sent�as�.txt�or�.doc�files�by�email�or�onCD.��Please�do�not�send�hand�written�copy.�

Digitally�captured�photographic�images�are�preferredbut�scanned�transparencies�are�also�acceptable.�Images(whether�vertical�or�horizontal)�should�be�supplied�onCD�as�sRGB�Tiff�files,�6”�x�4”�at�300�pixels�per�inch(1800�x�1200�pixels,�file�size�approx�6.17MB).�If�yourimage�is�selected for�use�on�the�cover�of�The�Iris�you�willbe�requested�to�supply�a�file�size�with�dimensionsapprox�3000�x�2000�pixels.

No�payment�will�be�made�for�material�used�and�whilstevery�care�will�be�taken,�neither�the�Editor,�the�NatureGroup�or�the�Printers�can�accept�liability�for�any�damagethat�may�occur�to�photographic�material�submitted.

The�views�expressed�within�The�Iris�are�solely�those�ofthe�contributor�and�do�not�necessarily�reflect�the�viewsof�the�Nature�Group�Committee�or�the�Editor.

Distribution:�

‘The�Iris’�is�forwarded�to�members�using�address�labelsproduced�by�the�RPS�Membership�Dept�in�Bath.�Anymember�not�receiving�their�copy�should�contact�thatdepartment�so�that�their�name�appears�on�a�label�in�thefuture.�However�the�Secretary�will�be�pleased�to�postsingle�copies�to�members�who�have�failed�to�receivethem.

Copyright:

©�All�rights�reserved.�No�part�of�this�publication�may�bereproduced,�stored�in�a�retrieval�system,�ortransmitted�in�any�form�or�by�any�means�withoutprior�permission�of�the�copyright�holder.

©�Photographs�and�articles�-�individual�contributors.�Allother�material�the�Nature�Group�of�the�RoyalPhotographic�Society.

printed by

Stanley�L�Hunt�(Printers)�LimitedMidland�Road,�Rushden.

Design & layout by�Dawn�Osborn�FRPS

2 editorial

3 from the Chair

4 Spring Meeting, agM andannual exhibition opening

5 field Meetings Scheduled for 2015

7 field Meeting reports

10 aspects of Bird Behaviour - a fellowship panel by Gill Cardy FRPS

14 photographing foxes in Devon by Andrew McCarthy ARPS

18 Starting outby Sue McGarrigle LRPS

21 flora & fauna of Thailand’s Scrublandby Nicholas Reuss ARPS

25 Book review ‘understanding the flowering plants’Reviewed by John Weir ARPS

26 nature group Membership Statistics

27 announcement of nature advisory Day

28 psychological-photographical aspects of photographyby Bev Ward

30 Letter from Derek Dewey-Leader LRPS

31 What’s in the Long grassby Russell Edwards ARPS

Contents

The Iris - Spring 2015 1

Cover shot: White-tailed Eagle in flightby Gill Cardy FRPS

Committeeofficers

Chairman: Tony Bond frpSLeigh,�Lancs�WN7�3LJTel:�01942�674773�Email:�[email protected]

Secretary: Margaret Johnson LrpS53�Mapperley�Orchard,�Arnold,�Nottingham,�NG5�8AHTel:�01159�265893��E-mail:�[email protected]

Treasurer: Margery Maskell arpS Bishop's�Stortford,�Hertfordshire�CM23�5DWEmail:�[email protected]

Vice Chairman: richard revels frpSBiggleswade,�Beds.�SG18�8EETel.�01767�313065��E-mail:��[email protected]

immediate past Chairman: John Bebbington frpSLangport,�Somerset,�TA10�9SE��Tel:�01458�253027��Email:�[email protected]

Committee Members

editor of The iris: Dawn osborn frpS Dereham,�Norfolk,��E-mail:�[email protected]

exhibition Secretary: ralph Snook arpS Bristol�BS32�4EJE-mail:�[email protected]

ng rep to advisory panel: David o’neill LrpSReading,�Berkshire,�RG1�6DG�Email:�[email protected]

programme Co-ordinator: richard revels frpSBiggleswade,�Beds.�SG18�8EETel.�01767�313065��E-mail:��[email protected]

Kevin elsby frpSAylsham,�Norfolk,��Tel:�01263-732839��Email:�[email protected]

John Jones arpS Kegworth,�Derby,�DE74�2FWTel:�01509�672125

Barbara Lawton frpS Wolverhampton,�West�Midlands,�WV9�5QG��E-mail:�[email protected]

Sue Mcgarrigle LrpS Worcester.��E-mail:�[email protected]

geoff Trinder arpS Belton,�Doncaster,�DN9�1PGTel:�01427�872051

ex officio Committee members

President�of�the�Society;�Vice-President�of�the�Society;�Director�General�of�the�Society;�Hon.�Treasurer�of�the�Society;�Chairman�of�the�Nature�A�&�F�Distinctions�Panel�

nature group exhibitions

CDs/DVDs�of�Nature�Group�Exhibitions�are�available�forpurchase�by�camera�clubs/photographic�societies�for�use�intheir�programme.�Please�contact�the�Exhibition�Secretary,details�above.

editorial

Is it just me, or do you also find that time passes muchquicker than it used to? Already it is March, winter ismore or less behind us and signs of spring are every-where. I find that photo trips seem to take up quite abit more time than the actual time you are away fromhome. The preparation and packing takes up time, asdoes the laundry and putting it all away again whenyou return home, not to mention the downloadingand sorting of the images one captures. Then there isthe work at home that needs catching up on. At leastholidays in the winter, especially if they are tosomewhere in the southern hemisphere, make theBritish winter seem shorter with the added benefitthat the garden hasn’t gone berserk while you havebeen away. Certainly preparation of The Iris seems tocome around very quickly.

The Iris needs articles for both the Summer andWinter issues. Reports of trips to places both at homeand on distant shores are welcome, as are reviews ofkit or books. Several people who said they wouldprovide articles have yet to deliver and more arerequired otherwise there will be little to include in thenext edition other than the award winning imagesfrom our 2015 Annual Exhibition.

On that subject, please do try to attend the SpringMeeting, AGM and Annual Exhibition Opening onSaturday 11th April. It will be held, as usual, at TheOld Schoolhouse, Oldbury, home of SmethwickPhotographic Society. There is no charge to attendthis day and you will see some excellent photographytoo. Full timetable given on page 4.

Congratulations to Gill Cardy whose successfulFellowship submission is shown in this issue. (Seepage 10). If you have recently succeeded with anAssociate or Fellowship distinction in Nature, wewould love to publish your images and story withinthe pages of The Iris.

By the time you read this the Spring Equinox will havepassed and maybe the clocks will have been putforward an hour. I sincerely hope that you will all findplenty to focus on this spring.

2 The Iris - Spring 2015


It was good to see so many members at myChairman’s Day, including many new faces. I received many favourable comments during theday and following by letter and email. From themany animated discussions taking place during thebreaks it was clear that many members were takingthe opportunity to meet old friends and make newones. The only snag was that it was difficult topersuade them to break off and resume their seatsin the meeting room! My thanks go to thepresenters and the Smethwick PS team who keptus well fed and watered.

Meanwhile the trials and tribulations of the openexhibition scene rumble on. From the 1st. of Januaryall exhibitions receiving PSA, FIAP, RPS, PAGB orBPE sponsorship will be subject to the Definition ofNature Photography. To understand this you needto have read the expanded definition which waspublished in the September edition of the PSAJournal and in the previous edition of The Iris. Asnoted by Fiona Mackay, the expanded version is allabout regulation. And yet of all the potentialentrants to the Nature sections of exhibitions allover the world the only people who will have readthis will be members of the PSA and yourselves. I wonder how many exhibition organisers andentrants are aware that the removal of a single bladeof grass could result in disqualification. And how areorganisers expected to police the acceptances? Dothey have the resources? It does not take muchthought to see that this is unworkable. I think thateither the new structure will eventually be ignored orthat many exhibitions will realise that they cannotmeet the requirements of patronage and drop theNature section as is happening with Travel.Fortunately there is a refuge for you in that as theGroup does not receive patronage from anyone weare free to adopt our own rules. As you may havenoted from the previous edition of The Iris, for our2015 Annual Exhibition we have kept faith with therules which have evolved over the years and haveserved us well. We did so in the belief that this wasin the best interests of you, our members. And Irepeat that in one respect, titling, we are morestringent than the Definition. If nature photographyis to be taken seriously by naturalists, ecologists andacademics we need to do better than give ourimages titles such as “Nice Lunch”.

The three year survey of waxcaps on the WestPennine Moors is which I have described inprevious editions of The Iris is now finished. My site, the cricket field, had eight species inNovember which is not enough for SSSIdesignation. Until the final report is issued I do notknow whether any of the other sites will qualifyeither. Still, I remember the words of the lateDerek Turner Ettlinger, FRPS and ex RAF who usedto say that “time spent on reconnaissance is neverwasted”. The waxcaps did better than the largerfungi which in my area were a disaster due to theextremely dry September.

This is the last ‘From the Chair’ from me as I handover the chairmanship into the capable hands ofRichard Revels at the AGM. When I assumed thechairmanship at the 2013 AGM a previouschairman who will remain anonymous to avoidembarrassment promised me “two years ofhassle!” Well it has not been entirely free of thisbut I have been proud to tell all and sundry that Iam chairman of the Group.

Membership at the 2013 AGM stood at 768. I amcomposing this on New Years Eve, 2014 with themembership standing at 933. I take no credit fromthis as it is due to the collective efforts of all themembers of the committee. I hope that you willcontinue to give the new committee your fullsupport.

from the chair


NATUrE GrOUP

39th annual general Meeting,

Spring Meeting and

annual exhibition opening

Saturday 11th april 2015

Smethwick photographic Society,

The old Schoolhouse,oldbury, West Midlands, Ba69 2aS(for directions see below)

Timetable

10.30hrs - assemble for 10.45 hrs start

11.00hrs - ‘nature photography Through the Year’ a digital presentation by Jill Packenham FRPS

12.00hrs - Break for lunch.Please bring a packed lunch as lunch will not be available as in previous years.There is a dining area available. Tea, coffee, drinks, etc. will be available at the bar.

13.00hrs - 39th annual general Meeting

agenda1. Apologies for absence.2. Minutes of the 38th AGM 2014, printed in issue 119 of ‘The Iris’.3. Matters arising4. Chairman’s Report 5. Treasurer’s Report.6. Secretary’s Report7. Any Other Business8. Date and Venue of the 40th AGM 2016

13.45hrs - opening of the 2015 exhibitionPresentation of the Awardsfollowed by a showing of the accepted projected images.Accepted Prints will be on display for the duration of the day.

DireCTionS:-

Leave the M5 at Junction2 and get into right hand lane. At the roundabout (with traffic lights)approximately 200 yards from motorway take A4034 right towards West Bromwich and immediately getinto left hand lane of dual carriageway. At first traffic lights (approx 1/3 mile) turn left into Park Street.After a hundred or so yards turn right into Churchbridge (cul-de-sac). The Old Schoolhouse is the last butone building on left.

Date: Saturday June 13th 2015 Time: 09.00 hoursLocation: Lakenheath rSpB reserve

Lakenheath fen, Suffolk, ip27 9aD

Meeting: The Visitor Centre. Directions:From Lakenheath village, travel north on

B1112 for about 2 miles (3.2 km). Go overthe level crossing and after 200 m, turnleft into reserve entrance.From Hockwold village, travel south onB1112 for nearly 1 mile (1.6 km), go overthe river bridge and after 200 m, turnright into reserve entrance

Leader: Ann Miles ([email protected]) Tel: 07710 383586

Cost: Non-members: £4 per motor vehicle. RSPB Members can park for free butplease display your membership card onyour dashboard on arrival.

Subjects of interest: Marsh Harriers, Hobby, Bittern,Kingfisher, Bearded Tits, Warblers,Dragonflies, fenland landscape andmarshland plants.

items to bring: Stout shoes, waterproofs, drink and packed lunch (limited refreshments at thesite). Sun protection - site is very exposed.

additional information: The reserve covers a large area so be prepared for walking andcarrying lunch. Visitor centre has hotdrinks and good toilet facilities.The RSPB has converted an area of arablefarmland into a large wetland, consistingmainly of reedbeds and grazing marshes.The new reedbeds have attracted hundredsof pairs of Reed and Sedge Warblers, aswell as Bearded Tits and Marsh Harriers.Bitterns have been seen increasingly in allseasons of the year and Cranes also neston the reserve. In early summer, dozensof Hobby catch insects high over themarshes. The Golden Orioles that bred inthe remnant poplar woods on the reservefor many years were not sighted last yearbut there are abundant Blackcaps, GardenWarblers, Cuckoos and Woodpeckers. BarnOwls and Kingfishers are regularly seen.

Website:http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/l/lakenheathfen/about.aspx

Date: Saturday June 6th, 2015Time: 10:00 hours.Location: The ainsdale Discovery Centre,

The promenade, Shore road, ainsdale-on-Sea, nr Southport, Lancs.pr8 2QB

Main subjects of interest: Orchids and other dune flora, amphibians, reptiles and insects etc.

Leader: Trevor Davenport ARPSTel 01704 870284Mobile: 07831 643844Email: [email protected]. Phil Smith, MBE, has kindly agreed tojoin us again on this field trip; Phil is anoted expert on the Sefton Coast andauthor of ‘The Sands of Time’and ‘The Sands of Time Revisited’

additional information: The sand-dunes of the Sefton Coast provide the largest sand-dune complex in England covering anarea of approximately 2100 ha. It is afascinating and ever-changing habitat withmany photographic opportunitiesthroughout the seasons; however, earlysummer is usually a period when thedunes are richly rewarding for bothbotanic and entomological subjects. Weshould find Northern and Southern MarshOrchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Bee Orchid andprobably Marsh Helleborines plus theendemic Dune Helleborine although theselast two may not be in full flower at thistime. There are many other botanicspecialties to be found in the dunes andon the “Green Beach” at this time of theyear. Last year there was a spectacularirruption of White Satin moths near theDiscovery Centre. We expect to find themagain this year and the date should bepeak time for caterpillars and emergingadults. If the day is warm we should findthe Northern Dune Tiger-beetle - asuperbly photogenic insect; and thereshould be a plentiful supply of earlybutterflies and dragonflies. The frontaldunes and the “Green Beach” are alsowell known for sightings of migratorybirds and there may be some latecomerspassing through. The area is also notedfor having two increasingly rare species:

field Meetings 2015


ainsdale Dunes, continued:the Sand Lizard and the Natterjack Toad.As these are not easy to locate, someprior research into suitable locations willbe done. In addition to the flora andfauna the Sefton Coast is itself veryphotogenic with sand, sea and dunelandscape opportunities. The dunes arealways changing, physically and with bothsubtle and dramatic lighting, and thereare locations where ʻsand blowʼ hasscoured large ‘Devil Holes’ further downthe coast.There is plentiful accommodation in thenearby seaside resort of Southport. This is a popular field trip with a maximumnumber of fifteen so early booking isessential.

items to bring: There are few natural hazards but the area is exposed so light warm clothing andwaterproofs are ideal in case of rain. Stout shoes orwellingtons are required. There are no charges but apacked lunch and something to drink is advisable.

Date: Tuesday 09 September 2015Time: 11.00 hrsLocation: risley Moss, Birchwood, Warrington,

Cheshire Wa3 6QSDirections:From junction 11 of the M62 turn onto

the A574 (Birchwood Way). Turn left ontoMoss Gate and straight on at the nexttwo roundabouts. Risley Moss isimmediately after the second roundabout

Meeting : Car Parkgrid ref: SJ664920Leader: Nina AgnewCost: NoneSubjects of interest: Birds / insectsitems to bring: Stout shoes; Waterproofs;

Packed Lunch.additional information: Free parkingContact: Nina AgnewTel: 07811403125e-mail: [email protected]

field Meetings 2015


insect photography Workshoppreston Montford field Centre, near ShrewsburyMonday 3rd – friday 7th august 2015Course Tutor: John Bebbington frpS

The course is designed to demonstrate techniquesand solve problems for newcomers to insectphotography whilst giving excellent opportunitiesfor more experienced workers, in a region ofexceptional species richness. Both digital and filmworkers are welcome, but we regret that facilitiesfor film processing are not available.

We will examine the problems faced by theinsect photographer in general and by groupmembers in particular - points raised will be dealtwith in some depth during the week. It is intendedthat everyone will finish the course with somepractice and confidence in at least basic photographictechniques and ways of approaching potentialsubjects. A range of local habitats, all of which haveproved rich in subject material, will be visited duringthe course.

Course members are encouraged to bringprints, digital images (ideally JPEGs,1024 x 768pixels) or slides for viewing and comment. Therewill also be the opportunity to review imagestaken during the course.

As a current member of the RPS Associate &Fellowship Distinctions Panel (Natural History)John is able to give advice on the suitability ofimages for submission for A or F awards.

If you would like to discuss the course contentyou can contact John by email:[email protected]

For more details or to make a booking contact FSC Preston Montford directly.Tel: 0845 330 7378E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.field-studies-council.org/prestonmontford


Eight members of the nature group joined me at ArneRSPB Reserve ahead of the start of the residentialweekend. Most of us arrived at Arne at around 9ambut a couple of us set our satnavs and ended upabout eight miles away from the reserve. It was nicemeeting old friends as well as making new ones.

There were many subjects to keep us all busy forthe morning! The species photographed includedGatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) butterflies, Sika deerand quite well behaved Grasshoppers; there was alsoplenty for the birders among us to photograph.

Lunch time soon arrived and we went back to thepicnic area to eat our lunches. We caused havoc withthe hot drinks machine in the RSPB hut but eventuallysettled down to eat our lunch and have a friendly chat.

After lunch we set off in the opposite directionand found the pond, which was very productive.Creatures found included Emperor Dragonfly (Anaximperator) Common Blue (Enallagma cyathigerum),Azure (Coenagrion puella) and Large Red (Pyrrhosomanymphula) Damselflies as well as Spiderlings. Theboggy area proved good for Sundew - a bog specialist.On arrival at the Kingcombe centre I was met by oneof the wardens who checked the weather forecast tosee if it would be worth setting up the moth traps.The weather forecast for our first night was forthunderstorms so it was decided to set just one mothtrap up in an outdoor barn.

After a very pleasant dinner it was time toprepare for the evening presentations which includedHealth and Safety, Risk assessments and apresentation on the sites we were going to visit overthe weekend. After that it was time for bed and awell-deserved night’s sleep.

Saturday morning soon arrived. The moth trapsdid not produce many subjects for us, although wewere surprised to find that there was a Butterflyinside. This turned out to be a Purple Hairstreak(Favonius quercus). There were just two moths.

After breakfast we collected our sandwiches andset off for our first day’s photography at RyewaterNursery with the kind permission of Clive Farrell. The morning weather was quite good and there wereplenty of subjects, including Emperor Dragonflies(Anex imperator), Four-spotted Chasers (Libellulaquadrimaculata), Broad-bodied Chasers (Libelluladepressa), Ringlet Butterflies (Aphantopus hyperantus),Common Blue and Azure Damsels as well as Hoverflies.

During lunch the heavens opened and clearlythere was little chance of the rain stopping for quite a while so, again with permission of Clive Farrell, wewent in to the tropical butterfly house and once ourcameras acclimatized we were photographingGlasswing Butterflies along with others species. Afterleaving the tropical house we all decided to headback to Kingcombe for an early tea and cakes.

field Meeting reports

rpS nature group residential weekend 2014

Following our evening meal we all met in the Barn fora review of our day’s photography and then set uptwo Moth traps before heading off to sleep..

During the night there was some very heavy rainand when we woke up there was no power, weassumed this would mean no cooked breakfast - justcereal, bread, butter and marmalade. How wrong wewere! Due to the ingenious thinking of the Chef, whocooked a barbecue breakfast while we photographedsome of the moths found in the moth traps - fifty orso at the Centre and double that at the Cottage.

Following breakfast we set of for Cogden Beachwhich is near to the famous Chesil Beach. The weatherwas nice but with quite a strong breeze. Among thesubjects we photographed were Rosebay Willow Herb(Chamerion angustifolium), Common Blue(Polyommatus icarus), Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown(Maniola jurtina) butterflies, ladybirds and Green Grasshoppers, Spiders, Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima).

During the afternoon we found Yellow HornedPoppies (Glaucium flavum). Three of us sat by a streamphotographing Emperor Dragonflies and Marsh Frogs(Pelophylax ridibundus) At one point one of the Marshfrogs tried to catch one of the dragonflies and missed.All three of us missed the photo too!

For our evening’s entertainment we reviewedsome of the super images we had taken during theday.

On Monday morning breakfast was back tonormal and after collecting our lunches we droveover to Powerstock Common. However, we found themain pond had become overgrown and the other wasclosed due to cattle grazing. Instead we decided totake a slow walk along the railway cutting. Our mainsubjects here were Marbled White (Melanargiagalathea), Common Blue, Peacock (Aglais io) andSpeckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies. On myway to a pond in the Railway cuttings I could seethree female figures laying down in the mud - theywere photographing Blue Damselflies and RuddyDarters. By the time I had made my way there it hadbecome a lot busier and the girls were photographingEmperor Dragonflies in flight. Then a newly emergedGolden-Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii)was spotted and in order to photograph it we all hadto lay down with our elbows in mud and water.

All too soon it was time to head back to theCentre, get cleaned up and say our goodbyes. Agood weekend was had by all.


field Meeting reports

rpS nature group residential Weekend 2015friday 5th June to Monday 8th June 2015

preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 1DX

Leader: James Foad LRPS

Cost: £210 Single Room, £180 Shared room

Subjects of interest: Spring Flowers, Insects

Contact: James Foad LRPS, 24B Queens Road, Ramsgate, Kent. CT11 8DZ

Tel: 01843 580295 Mobile: 07810 306365 Email: [email protected]

additional information: It is advisable to book as soon as possible after ‘The Iris’ appears, to avoid

disappointment – last year’s weekend was overbooked.

A waiting list will operate once the weekend is fully booked 16 available places.

Deposit of £150.00 secures your place and is required no later than 17th April 2015

Wicken fen - July 12th 2014A dozen people met in the National Trust Reserve'seducational area where there are old brick pits,excellent for Dragonflies and other insects. It was acool dewy morning so the insects were quite sparsebut we gradually got our eyes in and photographeda variety of flies and roosting butterflies anddamselflies. Two plants were also of interest, the rareMarsh Pea and the insectivorous Bladderwort in fullbloom in the ponds. Giant Diving Beetles in aholding tank presented a great photographicopportunity. As the clouds cleared, the dragonfliesbecame active and gave us the expected challengeof capturing them in flight, especially the impressiveBrown Hawker. We found we were sharing the sitewith a young man who was filling a huge net tentwith captured dragonflies and hoverflies. DavidAttenborough had visited and been filmed the weekbefore for a new Sky series and the film crews wouldreturn the following week to film the sequences ofmating and capturing prey for which David hadalready done the commentary! We helped with theidentification of various species and he shared someof the perched dragonflies with us. The hotafternoon took its toll and gradually memberswandered back to the cafe for drinks and thengentle strolls around the rest of the reserve.

Devil’s Dyke - 29th June 2014Devil's Dyke, near Newmarket, is a 7.5 mile longAnglo-Saxon earthwork consisting of a bank and ditchbuilt out of clay and chalk. The Dyke is notable for itschalk wildflowers, with several species of orchidincluding our target species, the impressive LizardOrchid. Unfortunately the weather was not kind to us– the forecast predicted a mostly dry overcast daywith rain arriving around 4pm. Eight of us met mid-morning and already there were dark threateningclouds approaching. We decided to give it a go andset off for the mile-long walk to the orchid site. En-route we discovered quite a few chalk specialitiesincluding Greater Knapweed, Sainfoin, Harebells,Rockrose, Milkwort, Restharrow, Bellflowers and WildMignonette. 2014 was a good year for PyramidalOrchids at many sites in East Anglia and we foundcolonies of large specimens to photograph. The windincreased and rain began to fall just as we arrived atthe Lizard Orchid site. Lizard orchids can be up to ametre high but the flowers are mainly green and growin tall grasses so are very difficult to photograph but Ithink we all got a few reasonable images. The rainhad set in and we abandoned the trip at lunchtime.

Hydrotaea irritans

Lizard Orchid

Giant Diving Beetle

I know this is a popular theme, and I tried to avoid it.My first Fellowship application was of WinterWildlife, but when that failed I went back to my firstthought and my abiding interest in the fascinatingactivities that happen when you take the time towatch birds.

During my attempt to gather winter images, Ibecame particularly aware of the immense struggleall wild creatures have to find food in winter. Thisincreased my respect and admiration of birds,sometimes in extreme conditions. Of course thismeans that photographers have to face the samedifficulties, and some trips to achieve these images,though very enjoyable on the whole, meant somefairly tough conditions too. Lugging a heavy tripod,heavy camera body and 500mm lens across a field ofdeep snow was an extreme challenge for me butresulted in some exciting moments with a Great

Grey Owl. No comfortable hide for this species!Images in the snow often result in flying birds, inparticular, being lit by light reflected from below,which helps to lighten shadows, and gives a specialwinter feel. I much enjoyed the chilly daysphotographing the dancing display of Japanesecranes, a particular species I have long wanted tosee. Nearer to home, Scotland provides a wealth ofopportunity and though it doesn’t always snow inthe winter, I have been lucky.

A trip to Spain in Spring was somewhat warmer andthe special facilities set up gave me close views ofsome of the specialties of the Pyrenees and theSteppes during the breeding season, though Icouldn’t resist including an introduced, though nowtruly wild, Great Bustard displaying on SalisburyPlain, near my home in Wiltshire.

aspects of Bird behaviourby gill Cardy frpS


1

I hope this panel will encourage people toappreciate some of our less well observed speciesand encourage them to spend time watching thefascination of bird life in general. I have been luckyto be able to travel to places where the moredifficult species are easier to photograph than in ourown country. My aim in Natural HistoryPhotography is to encourage interest in theconservation of wildlife, through simply watching -and photographing.

2

3

4

5

Statement of Intent

ASPECTS OF BIRD BEHAVIOUR

For many years I have been fascinatedby wildlife, particularly birds, and havebecome passionate about the role ofphotography in bringing the naturalworld and its conservation to theattention of the general population,

This panel shows some of the variousand fascinating behaviour of birdsthroughout the seasons, and inparticular the skilful use of wings andfeathers to accomplish this. Thephotographs have been taken inseveral different countries from theUnited States to Japan, includingNorthern and Southern Europeincluding some habitats closer tohome.

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Image Titles:

01. Steller’s Eagle

02. Japanese Crane display

03. Great Grey Owl sitting in snow waiting for voles

04. Peregrine with prey

05. Capercaillie attaching intruder

06. Bald Eagle taking off

07. Lesser Kestrel hovering

08. Little Bustard Displaying

09. Red Grouse taking off

10. Great Bustard display

11. Redshank calling to proclaim territory

12. White-tailed Eagle catching fish

13. Japanese Crane in flight

14. Goshawk plucking prey

15. Black Grouse fighting at lek

16. Tawny Owl in snow storm

17. Great Grey Owl hunting vole

18. Osprey with nesting material

19. Golden Eagle on Willow Grouse prey

20. White-tailed Eagle in flight

I have long had an ambition to spend time with andphotograph a family of wild foxes, but finding goodphotographic opportunities in a rural setting such asmine can be difficult.

Whilst the urban fox population has expandedconsiderably in recent years, localised persecution inrural areas means that foxes often occur at relativelylow population densities. Cubbing dens in particularcan be very hard to find, as they tend to be locatedon private land where access permission can bedifficult or impossible to obtain. Even my day job as aprofessional ecologist has not brought me intocontact with foxes on a regular basis, despite havingsurveyed many urban and rural sites. In fact only oncein the past few years have either I or my ecologistcolleagues come across a den with cubs.

It was therefore with a great deal of excitement that Ispotted a dead fox cub at the side of a local roadduring mid-May 2013. Whilst this was rather sad, itindicated that there would be an active cubbing den

nearby, so over the following few days I kept watchacross local fields for signs of foxes and a week later I was rewarded with the sight of a vixen and fouryoung cubs at play in the early evening sun.

The local landowners willingly gave me permission towalk their field boundaries in order to search for theden, which I soon found. The single entrance holewas on the edge of the arable field in which I hadfirst seen the vixen and cubs a few days earlier and,judging from the levels of vegetation disturbance inthe immediate vicinity, I assumed it was the maincubbing den (vixens will often use more than oneden).

I chose a bag hide as the most appropriate methodof concealment, since this would be light, easy tocarry and would not involve leaving anything semi-permanent (and visible) on the field boundary, whichwas close to a nearby public road. On the first visit Ipositioned myself up wind and so the emerging foxeswould be lit by the evening sun. After an hour or so

photographing foxes in Devonby andrew McCarthy arpS


Vixen and cubs socialising

of inactivity, I heard rustling behind me and turnedround cautiously to see all four cubs watching my hidefrom a distance of around 20 metres. After slowlymoving round 180 degrees I managed to get a fewshots, including one of a very confident cub thatspent several minutes stalking me, before settlingdown to keep an eye on this strange camouflaged‘lump’, in case it moved, eventually disappearing intocover.

A few days later, and after a number of unsuccessfulphotographic attempts outside this den entrance withno further sightings of the family, it was becomingclear that the vixen had either moved the cubs, orwas preferentially using a second nearby den. Achance conversation with a landowner provedextremely helpful and I was shown a den on their landin a derelict area of overgrown outbuildings, under apile of rubble and old tyres. Not quite the photogenic‘outdoor studio’ I was hoping for, but it was quiet andlocated away from the road, making it a suitable sitefor photography. More importantly, the land ownerswere kind enough to allow me more or lessunhindered access to this area during the comingweeks, during both early mornings and evenings.

Some two weeks later, by mid-June, and afterspending regular time with the vixen and her cubs,the family was sufficiently relaxed that I was able to sitquietly with them and shoot without the hide. Thevixen in particular would seem to pose for picturesand her confidence seemed to relax the cubs. By theend of June the original litter of five cubs had shrunkto three, with a second cub having being killed on thenearby lane as increasing independence caused theanimals to explore further afield. It was wonderful towatch the cubs mature and eventually the mostconfident cub became so inquisitive that it wouldcome right up to my camera and investigate itsreflection in the glass. My photography continuedinto early July, when it became clear that the cubswere almost independent of the vixen. By this stagethey were spending much of their time away from theden and opportunities to photograph them werebecoming increasingly scarce.

From a photography perspective, whilst the animalsthemselves were accommodating, the site proveddifficult to work. My main aim at the start of the shootwas to produce clean, simple images of foxes withnice uncluttered backgrounds and in good light;ideally with the animals interacting with one another.This sounded simple but proved easier said than done.

Fox cub stalking

Fox with rabbit prey

Backlit Fox

Fox in cereal crop

The site was small, very cluttered with piles oftyres and concrete rubble, and with a backdrop ofsome rather unprepossessing garage doors! Also,although the site was on the edge of a field, itsorientation meant that there were very few longviews that would give the nice clean backgrounds I was after. Further compounding the challengewas the presence of a line of tall trees nearby.This meant that the ‘window’ of good light wasrestricted to a maximum of 45 minutes eachevening. All-in-all it was a tough shootinglocation.

With the above in mind, I found the best way tocapture the images I had originally envisaged wasto first spend as much time as possible reassuringthe foxes by sitting quietly and watching them.Eventually the animals relaxed and allowed me toreposition myself often during each shoot, inorder to try differing camera positions as thefoxes moved around (which was frequently). Istarted by using my 500mm f4 Canon on acropped sensor 1D Mk4 body, but it quicklybecame apparent that this focal length was toolong for many shots. Many of the later imageswere captured with a 70-200mm f2.8 lens, whichproved a better focal length for this particularsite; the zoom capability also meant moreversatility, which was very useful for such highlyactive animals.


Fox on tyres

Fox

Relaxed Fox cub

The short evening window of good light complicatedmatters further by necessitating an early evening start,i.e. before the sun had dropped behind the trees andwhilst it was still very bright. This, coupled with thefoxes’ habit of chasing each other in and out of brightsun and heavy shade, made nailing focus, exposureand composition tricky. Once the sun was behind thetrees (by about 7.30pm in mid June) and the site wasin shade it was still possible to shoot of course, but itwas often difficult to obtain a shutter speed fastenough to stop motion blur, whilst enabling a depth offield sufficient to maintain focus across the faces of allthe animals if there were several in the frame. Despitethese challenges, by the time the cubs had becomeold enough to disperse and my photographicopportunities were over, I had taken a large numberof images; many of which I am very pleased with.

Notwithstanding the challenging technical issues atthis site, the experience of sitting with and being ableto watch, close up, a family of wild foxes going abouttheir daily lives, often within touching distance, waswonderful and is surely what nature photography isall about. Whilst I am aware that my enthusiasm forfoxes is not shared by everyone, I am captivated bythis handsome and ecologically highly adaptable andsuccessful mammal, and next spring I will be outsearching my local patch in an attempt to findanother group of cubs in order to continue theelusive quest to get that perfect fox image!

Vixen

Vixen


For anyone just starting out in photographyNorthumbria is a good place to both learn and putinto practice a range of photographic techniques.Northumbria is rich in history and has more castlesper square mile than any other county. For aspiringnature photographers both the Farne Islands and thesurrounding areas are particularly good as thewildlife is very much ‘on tap’. The Farne Islands,located just off the coast near Seahouses, are ownedby The National Trust and cited as possibly the mostexciting seabird colony in England with unrivalledviews of 23 species and a large colony of Grey Seals.

Early in 2014 two of my friends expressed aninterest in learning about nature photography andso armed with my kit we initially made a couple ofoutings on our local patch - The Malvern Hills anda local WWT reserve - for practice and to seewhether it was for them. We reviewed the dailytakes on the computer and they began to pick upan understanding of framing, depth of field,backgrounds, lighting and the rest of the basicsneeded for flowers, birds and anything else thatcaught their eye. Soon they were wandering offexperimenting on their own.

Starting outSue Mcgarrigle LrpS


Bamburgh Castle

Puffin with Sand Eels

I remember their raw enthusiasm while out in thefield and when seeing their shots displayed onthe computer at home and recall their delightwhen everything came together and they wererewarded with the odd ‘gem’ .

Soon thereafter we were making trips to camerastores and trawling a variety of websites withRuth eventually opting for a new bridge cameraand Nicky following with a pre-loved DSLR andjust one lens for a starter due to her budget.Their enthusiasm grew and we agreed to meetonce a month to get accustomed to the new kit.

Shortly afterwards I suggested we make a visit toNorthumbria in late June for five days with theparticular focus being two full day trips to theFarne Islands, for nature images. The FarneIslands are a particular favourite of mine becauseof the stunning location and the wealth ofwildlife. In summer the Farne Islands are ‘home’for over 100,000 pairs of breeding seabirds.I have made several previous visits with otherphotographers. I had warned my friends thatbecause of the small jetties it might not bepossible for us to go ashore if there was a heavyswell on the sea.

We duly arrived at Saint Aidans Hotel, set backon its own from the shoreline at Seahouses andoverlooking the Farnes. Our first stop was a visitto the nearby harbour to check on the boattimings (Billy Shiels) and weather forecast whichwas a bit choppy for our first day, however wemanaged to land on one island and toured therest by boat getting excellent views of a variety ofinaccessible seabird and seal colonies from thesea. Our fellow shipmates were a mix of visitorsfrom various countries - the amount of expensivekit onboard was a real eye opener for Ruth andNicky!

Guillemot and Kittiwakes nesting on the cliffs

Atlantic Grey Seals

Common Tern with chick

The Farne Islands

Our second visit to the Farnes was more fruitful andwe were able to land on both islands. We found anabundance of nesting birds and flying birds in theirthousands, mainly Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills,Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Cormorants, Shags, plus fourspecies of Tern and their young, often almost tooclose to the designated boardwalks. The shots fromour first day were reviewed prior to our second visit,so any obvious errors were picked up on and tipsnecessary for photographing white birds/black birdswere shared. Field craft was developing as well astheir appreciation of the do’s and don’ts from theNature Photographers’ Code of Practice. Nickyborrowed some of my lenses to use with her DSLR inorder to help her decide what lens she needed topurchase next.

We finished our trip with visits to two other locations.Our first was to Holy Island and Lindisfarne Castle - itstidal mudflats, saltmarshes and sand dunes combiningto create an ideal environment for flora such as theDune Helleborine. We enjoyed the spectacular displayof Red Valerian at the castle’s rocky base along withSea Campion, Biting Stonecrop and Thrift. Holy Islandis reached by a causeway and can only be visited atlow tide. The second visit was to the stunning beachbelow Bamburgh Castle which stretches as far as theeye can see, with its rock pools and dunes yieldingplenty to practise our techniques on.

Their verdict? Awesome! Results? Much improvementand a picture worthy of hanging on the wall at home. Cost? Around £250 for five days including the hotel,(shared room), two boat trips, travel and food. We have already planned a visit to Norfolk in 2015.

Black-headed Gull collecting nesting material

Shag parent and chick

Kittiwake at nest with chicks

Red Valerian growing on cliffs

Razorbills and chick

At GPS coordinates 12.7919580 N and 100.9508870E in Thailand’s Chonburi Province lies a nondescriptarea of scrubland. Google maps will give you a viewof the place. This site lies about six kilometres fromthe sea at an elevation of only 30 meters and issandwiched between two roads and next to a largelake. The term ‘nondescript’ doesn’t do the placejustice for, on closer inspection, a wide variety ofanimal and plant life can be found.

Thailand’s climate is driven by the monsoon, awind which reverses direction due to the TibetanPlateau being heated at different rates resulting in highand low pressure areas being created above theplateau in different seasons. The plateau is a barrenand highly elevated landmass of 3,000 Km2 (about30% of the size of Europe). The clear air and heat losscaused by the high reflectivity of snow and rock lead toa high pressure zone in winter but, in the summermonths, a low pressure zone results. Low pressurezones suck in air from surrounding areas whereas highpressure zones have the opposite effect. ConsequentlyThailand has a dry season from November to May anda wet one for the rest of the year. Despite being only12ºN of the Equator there is an appreciabletemperature drop in December and January as cold airflows into Thailand. In these tropical savanna regionsthe change from dry to wet season has the greatestinfluence on plant cycles which in turn cause all animallife to flourish. Many trees flower from February toMay, the hottest months, so their seeds fall at the startof the wet season; other flowering plants tend tobloom during the wet season. Pollinators are active inthis period and the wet season provides a time forinsects to breed and their predators to feast.

Human activity has affected the area throughclearing forests and leaving the denuded landexposed to torrential downpours and the direct blastof the equatorial sun both of which significantlyremove nutrients from the soil, the grains of suchleached soils are composed of 95% quartz, very sandy,and excessively well drained and of low fertility. Fewcrops can survive in such poor soils but cassava is anexception. The absence of an extended period of

flora & fauna of Thailand’s ScrublandBy nicholas reuss arpS

Water Monitor Lizard

Green or Indian Vine Snake

cold weather allows detritivores, fungi and bacteriato be active throughout the year so humus is unableto accumulate in the soil. This combined with the lackof an autumnal leaf fall results in no improvement tothe fertility of these soils and man-made fertilisers aretoo expensive to be an economically viable solution.Once the forest is cleared it is farmed for one or twoyears and then it is left fallow and it’s the plants thatcan survive in these conditions that determine whatanimals can live here.

Over the last 3 years I have visited this site twoor three times each week and photographed many ofits resident species. There are four main species oftree growing here; two species of acacia, Senegaliacatechu and Climbing Wattle, plus Yellow and RoyalPoincianas. The main shrubs are Jack-in-the-Bush,Chan (Pignut) and a number of Mallows. Many varietiesof vines live on these shrubs and in the woodland andTouch-me-not carpets much of the grassy areas. Thelarger grasses include Marsh Foxtail and Phragmites.

The only mammals seen were a Burmese Hare(Lepus peguensis), 3-stripped Palm Squirrels and aspecies of rat. Birds are numerous and all fall into theLBJ category so a hide is necessary. I am not up forsitting in an airless hide in 40ºC temperatures sothere are no bird images.

There are 7 spider families from 3 superfamiliesrepresented in this scrubland:Superfamily/family Salticoidea Jumping Spidersaraneoidea Orb Web Spiders

Long-jawed Web WeaversLarge-jawed Spiders

Licosoidea Lynx SpidersWolf SpidersNursery Web Spiders

Insects are here in glorious abundance and theirstructured bodies make them wonderful photographicsubjects. I have shot on this site Owl flies (1),Cockroaches and Termites (3), Beetles (11), Flies (11),True Bugs (13), Ants, Bees & Wasps (13), Butterfliesand moths (36), Mantids (5), Dragonflies &Damselflies (18), Grasshoppers & crickets (21), andCaddisflies (1) giving 133 insect species in total.In the dry season reptiles and amphibians are scarcebut even when they are about the number of speciesis low. I have found four snake species; Ornate FlyingSnake, The Indian Vine Snake, The Common Cobraand a King Cobra that climbed onto the back of mypick-up truck which made for a tricky situation, onethat was happily resolved with the use of insectrepellant spray. Normally snakes are not a problemas long as you don’t threaten them by leaving no

Coreidae species mating

Blue Mud-dauber Wasp

Thai Flower Mantis

escape route or accidentally treading on one. Theirmain ambition is to get away from people as fast aspossible. I always wear knee high rubber boots as aprecaution against bites and scratches from Touch-me-not-plants. Blood attracts insects which can causeserious infection. The lizard population is highdensity but species poor; there are innumerableGarden Lizards (Calotes versicolor) which, as theirscientific name suggests, come in many sizes andcolour variations depending on their gender andwhether it is the mating season or not. There is alsothe Common Sun Skink but the best is the WaterMonitor Lizard; a two metre long monster that nestsin the site and feasts on the large fish in the adjacentlake. Amphibians found include the Common andGrey Tree Frogs, the Painted Frog and AsianCommon Toad. I have also filmed four species ofsnail and giant millipedes which are harmless; it’s thecentipedes that are lethal.

In these latitudes the window of opportunity tophotograph without wind and in good lighting isbrief. Usually the first two hours after sunrise arecalm and the temperature not too high but it soonwarms up significantly which creates air movement.Fortunately most diurnal activity takes place at thistime of day and in the hour before sundown. Aboutone hour after sunrise the light becomes harsh andcontrasty so I try to work in the open for the firsthour and in the woodland shade during the second.In the evening there is usually still too much windfor photographing small animals or plants close upwithout using flash which I mainly use to freeze themotion of fast moving creatures like weaver antsand bees. The variation in daylight hours betweenthe longest and shortest days is only 1 hour 29minutes and the golden hours are just one hourlong. The lowest recorded temperature is 24ºC(76ºF) and the highest is 40ºC (104ºF) so insects andreptiles don’t need to sit around long to dry out orwarm up.

One doesn’t have to expend much effort beforesweat breaks out and makes a beeline for the eyesso a hat and sweat band are recommended.Smarting eyes make focusing impossible. I use anexpandable diffuser to reduce contrast when feasibleand necessary. The other essentials are: insectrepellant spray, I use Citronella which is totallyeffective, long trousers, socks and rubber boots.

Any camera with a lens that can be manuallyfocused close up and has a long throw and effectivepixels of at least 12 million will suffice for this type ofimagery. I use a Fujifilm X-T1 mirrorless camera witha 90mm macro lens most of the time but if I am

Common Dragonfly

Bur-fruited Urena

Common Tree Frogs mating

going to be using flash then out comes my NikonD3x DSLR with 105mm macro lens because theirlighting system is second to none for close-up work.A polarising filter can be an image saver when usedto deaden light reflections from leaves. A strongtripod is essential unless one is going to use flash.Very few of my images are truly macro (1+:1magnification) as my preference is to see the wholeanimal and include, where relevant some of itsimmediate environment.

Mating animals and those that depend oncamouflage for concealment are the easiest tophotograph; once you have spotted them. See theimages of the mating Common Tree Frogs, Long-headed grasshopper and Indian Vine Snake.Camouflage can go wrong if the seasons changesignificantly from the norm. In 2014, the rains lastedin to December which is 4 or 5 weeks later than usualso animals whose colour scheme is designed to hidethem in umber coloured grass can be doomed whenthe grass is bright green (the image of the mothTrigonodes hyppasia illustrates this problem). Tomanoeuvre a tripod into position without scaring offthe subject is always tricky. I find it best to adjust theheight of the tripod to the appropriate level about 2or 3 meters away from the subject; another reason tolook ahead. Once in position it is impossible to lowerthe camera so I tend to set the height a little belowthat of the subject and then raise it if necessary usingthe central column as this causes less disturbancethan adjusting the legs. I move in holding the camerain front of my face so the subject doesn’t see myeyes. A cable release is vital.

A full account is included in an iBook which Ipublished in November 2014 and is available free ofcharge. Many of the images have been focus stitchedfor which I tend to use an aperture of f5.6 whichgives a shallow enough depth of field to blurbackgrounds whilst giving a pleasing bokeh. Itincludes images of 180 animal and 30 plant speciestogether with biological notes. There is also a directlink which can be typed into a browser and thendragged onto the iBooks icon:http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/isbn9786163744593Alternatively search for isbn9786163744593 in iBooks.

If any of you are planning to visit Thailand forNature or Travel photography then I would bedelighted to answer questions or, if asked, makesuggestions on where and when to go. If you needhelp navigating the iBook please send me an emailand I will send instructions. Email: [email protected] Tel: +66-(0)83-116-2156.

Green Lynx Spider

The Plain Tiger Butterfly

Blow Fly

Morning Glory

author: anne Bebbingtonphotographs by John Bebbington frpSpublisher: The Crowood pressiSBn 978 1 84797 758 8 published price £24.95 256 pages

Understanding the Flowering Plants by AnneBebbington has its origin in a series of workshopsgiven by the author and colleagues to help studentsof Botanical Illustration relate better to their subjectby increasing their knowledge of the plantsthemselves. Hence the subtitle, A practical guide forbotanical illustrators. There is however no doubt thatthe increasingly large number of people participatingin botanical walks with Wildlife trusts and localNatural History Societies will gain much from thecontents of this book. Too often in my experiencesuch outings result in simply identification with littlefurther information. Photographers too, and with thealmost universal ownership of digital cameras thatincludes most people, will benefit fromunderstanding more about their subject, and mightbe encouraged to look at it more closely before theypress the shutter.

Of the twelve chapters only 2 and 3 relate mainly tobotanical illustrators and the latter does containuseful information about images obtained with a flat-bed scanner and a stereo microscope. Each chapterbegins with a full page photograph or painting,about A4 size, followed by a brief summary of thechapter content on the next page. Each followingpage has photographs of flowers or parts thereof, (allphotographs by John Bebbington FRPS unless statedotherwise) mingled with sketches or paintings, all onhigh quality white paper. Colour reproduction isgood. Text is dispersed among the illustrations wherepossible, and generous line spacing makes for easyreading of block passages. The immediate impressionis one of considerable clarity, equally so for theGlossary and Index.

Each of the chapters covers one of the major partsand functions of a flowering plant: leaves, flower,reproduction and so on. The numerous photographs,which complement the brief text descriptions, ensurethat information is presented in an easily memorableway. For example, in the chapter on sexualreproduction images of vertical sections of aFoxglove flower clearly demonstrate how the plantavoids self-pollination. Similarly a macro-photo of anEyebright shows vividly how its colours guide aninsect pollinator to the nectar. Such examples arenumerous throughout the book. Headings andSubheadings are frequent within a Chapter andconsequently selective browsing is an excellentmeans of absorbing the information. There is noneed to read a Chapter from start to finish.

Most readers of this review will be members of TheRoyal Photographic Society and will view their workas an art form. Many may gain satisfaction fromphotographing flowers which often demandsconsiderable skill to capture and retain detail thatcan easily be lost. Some basic knowledge offlowering plants, in addition to the name, is surelydesirable for a full appreciation of the result. Thisbook will provide that knowledge in a very accessibleform, along with much enjoyment.

John Weir ARPS

Book review

understanding the flowering plants



Shown Below are nature group members per rpS region

together with regional codes and other statistics

Membership Statistics

regions

CE - Central 78EA - East Anglia 79 EM - East Midlands 59IRL - Ireland 07LN - London 33NI - Ireland (North) 04NO - Northern 28NW - North Western 56SC - Scotland 44SE - South Eastern 111SO - Southern 85SW - South Western 32TH - Thames Valley 79WE - Western 73WN - North Wales 14WS - South Wales 18YO - Yorkshire 42

Total uK 842overseas 110Total Membership 952

These statistics are prepared from data supplied by the RPS Membership Department January 2015

Distinctions

Honorary FRPS 04FRPS 86ARPS 240LRPS 209None Distinction holders 413

Total 952

Map courtesy of the RPS JournalJanuary/February 2001 revised 2014


Setting up galleries on the rpS website

Galleries are a good way of showing your workto other people, but the contents should berelevant to the groups that they appear in.

For example - you have set up three galleries ofimages, one of landscape images, another ofnature images and also one of heritage images.Within the gallery editing page you see a list ofthe region and groups that you belong to. Letssay that in addition to your Region and theNature Group, that you also belong to theArchaeology & Heritage Group. Please, do notput a tick against them all for each gallery, justbecause you belong to them all.

In the above example, all three galleries canappear in your Region, but only the gallerycontaining nature images should appear in the

Nature section - the other two galleries are notrelevant to natural history. Likewise, the heritageimages should appear in the Archaeology &Heritage section, but not also in the Naturesection. Therefore the landscape gallery shouldonly appear in the Region, and not in either ofthe two specialist groups.

I would ask all members to check the contents of their galleries already loaded on the RPSwebsite. Are they relevant to the specialistgroups that they appear in? If not, pleasedeselect the appropriate galleries from thegroups concerned.

Thank you. Margery Maskell ARPS, Nature Group Treasurer and Webmaster

announcement

natural history advisory Day

for associateship and

Licentiateship Distinctions.

Sunday 8th november 2015 at The old Schoolhouse, oldbury, West Midlands.

The event will be hosted by the rpS Central region.

a member of the nature Distinctions panel and the Licentiate panel

will be available to offer guidance and advice.

full details will be given in the Summer issue of The iris.


The Nature Group excelled themselves again in2013 with an absolutely brilliant weekend. Thelocations were excellent with plenty of wildlife andscenery to be had. It was the second time I hadbeen on such a weekend and it had set up a patternwhich I am hoping not to end but tocontinue annually. It has helped to hone my natureskills, macro and landscape but this trip also helpedme understand something else, something aboutbeing a photographer and about skills learned andused.

From my previous weekend away with theNature Group I was motivated to find the money topurchase a Sigma 105mm lens, second-hand, to useon this year’s trip and it served me well. Inanticipation of the next Nature Group weekend Ihave purchased a 150mm macro lens that I lookforward to using. Most of the images here weretaken with the 105mm lens.

In fact it occurred to me that quite apsychological component was involved in myphotography this time and so I have been lookinginto it. I wasn’t sure if the weekend improved myskills markedly or if I became more aware of thembecause of the intensity with which I approached theweekend, intent on developing the skills i had. Itook a number of images and although I took mytripod I barely used it. I very rarely use it actually.

The only use I have found for it is for landscapes ormultiple focus stacking. I tried to take some imageslast year, close ups of bees in flowers and wasn’tvery successful. I had my tripod but found it veryrestricting and noted I had more freedom using amonopod. While my images were still not thatsuccessful I was impressed by the freedom of usinga monopod. If I carry a tripod now, it is usually awaste of time, I don’t use it. I think I only carry itbecause of convention and so many photographersswear by it.

I work with a Sony Alpha 900 camera, purchasingit because it had built in sensor stabilisation whichmade my old lenses compatible without the addedexpense of specifically purchasing stabilised lenses. I think this in itself encouraged me to despatch thetripod and to develop my hand holding techniqueswhich I think I have been successful in. Most of myshots are hand held and I have been surprised athow effective this technique has been especially forbutterflies. Almost all my butterfly images have beentaken using a handheld technique. What I noted onthis trip was that I was tuned in to what I was doingmore so than in the past. I didn’t seem to need tothink about what I was doing and much of what I hadlearned in the past seemed to come naturally to me.I felt as though I had internalised what I had learnedand it had become a part of my photographerpersonality and this worked for hand holding thecamera. I very often find that if I am stalkingsomething, by the time I’ve set up the tripod, thething I’ve been stalking has gone. The use of themonopod came into it’s own recently as I happenedto spot a water vole within 4 feet of my location. Mycamera was on a monopod and it was a case ofslowly setting it down, focussing and shooting. I wassuccessful but it was dark, and focussed despite thelight. Had I a tripod attached I believe things wouldhave been different. I not only would have had to setit down but also arrange the legs and adjust theplatform which I think would have scared thecreature off, so I was glad of the monopod,especially as the 70-400mm lens is very heavy too.

psychological-photographicalaspects of photography.by Bev Ward


There are a number of psychological factors thatI have personally found come into play in myphotography. The first is the expert theory. Tobecome an expert or highly accomplished in a tasktakes 10,000 hours. So while I, like many of myphotographer colleagues, decry the images we take (I have found many photographers who feel they lackconfidence in the images they produce), I cannotdeny that my experience and knowledge in the lightof this makes me better equipped to be aphotographer than most people. My photography isbetter than I give myself credit for. The second is thatthere is a ‘zone’ theory, that when concentrating on atask you lose yourself in that task, becoming quiteimmersed in it and practising your art. This zonetheory is what I equate to ‘tuning in’ to a task. It hasalso been referred to as ‘flow’, a concept discoveredby Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and explained in his book‘Flow, the Classic Work of How to AchieveHappiness’ (2007). He says happiness or the optimalexperience is one which is not a passive process, butone which a person works hard for. Someoneinvolved in photography, for example, whose talentsare developing and who becomes inextricablyinvolved in what they are doing could be said to bein flow based on the learning and experiences ofphotography in the past. Certainly, manyphotographers will have amassed over 10,000 hoursof study and practice to hone their skills. I think many

photographers (as wellof course as otherexperts) experience thisamount of practice andit is something I canidentify with when I amon a Nature Groupweekend, or any othertype of photographicadventure. So I amimmensely pleased withthe images I have takenon the Nature Groupweekends. They arefascinating, informal,social weekends withmuch learning involved,much practice involved,and whether wephotographers areaware of it or not,much psychology isinvolved too! Long may it last!


The articles in The Iris concerning cheating by digitalmanipulation raise many additional questions as dothe new rules. We seem to be equating naturephotographers with scientists working in these fieldswith the current debate raising issues not only ofensuring accurate unaltered renderings of nature andwildlife subjects but putting on trial the personalintegrity and honesty of members who transgress inany of these areas and perhaps raise questions aboutthe services of professionals working in this field.

While there has been extensive comment on whatis permitted in a photograph, there is no debate aboutphotographers who use professional printers,elaborate professional mounting, or framing. Credithas never been given, for instance, to those photo-graphers who embrace these skills. Whether workingin film and chemicals or digitally, surely those whomaster all the craft are more deserving of distinctions,or should at least be recognised as bringing an extradimension to their photographic skills.

In this digital age those who bring unnaturalsharpness to their images by stacking - certainlymore than a straightforward photo would achieve -find their activity endorsed. With many plug-ins forPhotoshop available to all, what attitude should nowbe taken regarding their use by nature and wildlifephotographers? Indeed there must be many whocould probably find a whole lot more things toobject to other than cloning, HDR and cropping.

To achieve a level playing field is virtuallyimpossible. There are those who have just PhotoshopElements, Picassa or other cheaper programmesavailable to them while others can afford the verylatest versions of any number of programmes. Somephotographers use professional cameras and top ofthe range prime lenses, while many amateursstruggle with lower cost equipment.

Turning to definitions, can we really definewildlife as anything existing in zoos, game farms,botanical gardens, and aquariums where they aretotally dependent on human intervention? Otherimportant questions surround photographers who goon safari in motorised transport to pre-baited sitesor (as I have known) drag a carcase behind theirvehicle, go to provided water holes on reserves, orembark on any number of professionally guidedevents such as photographing ospreys at a hide

provided by a fish farm. Is this the true spirit ofwildlife and nature photography?

What of those who go on tours or visit siteswhere well-known professionals virtually guaranteeyou can photograph a specific species, and oftenprovide it? I have stood in cages with wolves, foxes,badgers, wild cats and even been offered theopportunity to photograph a grizzly now veryaccustomed to posing for the camera. I know ofphotographers who have obtained RPS distinctionsby visiting special bird lodges in rain forests wheretropical birds are encouraged to take providedfoods.

The hope of maintaining that most basicprecept encouraged by Nature Group - that thesubject is always more important the photograph -is long gone. I have personally witnessed photo-graphers lying flat on the sands in Lincolnshire totake wide-angle photographs of Atlantic seal pupsdespite being told of heavy losses of pups causedby human disturbance. I have seen wild orchid sitesand rare chalk down-land sites for Pasqueflowerstrampled by photographers and members of thepublic alike.

A much wider debate and educationprogramme for photographers in general is calledfor before we can establish the approach that theNature Group does so much to encourage. A startwould be to make its Code of Conduct more widelyavailable to camera clubs and wildlife and birdingenthusiasts.

I do not agree with many modern methods ofwildlife and nature photography but I am not settingmyself up as a purist and I am more than grateful tothe many dedicated wildlife and natureprofessionals who pass on their skills. I fear,however, that if we become much more prescriptivein what is permitted many may leave our ranksrather than face the censure currently proposed orthe restrictions on their activity. I do not believe thecurrent witch-hunt to find those who break the rulesis the way out of this problem. And I say that after alifetime of photography as an enthusiastic amateur.

Yours sincerely.

Derek Dewey-Leader LRPS.

Letters

Commentary on scandals and new rules


“We don’t know the half of what goes on in the longgrass,” remarked a lady as she saw me aiming mycamera at apparently nothing but long grass.

It has been a splendid summer and I have spent muchof it enjoying the English countryside. I had beenlooking for wading birds at the local reservoir butwithout success as it was full to overflowing with rainfrom the winter storms. The water proved to be toodeep for waders. However I became intrigued by theswarms of very small blue Damselflies hovering likeminiature airships coming to rest on their grassmooring masts. They are very small about 2cm long(otherwise known as an inch) with a body 2mm dia.

This had to be a photographic challenge. For close-upwork I have been accustomed to using an SLR witheither a 90mm Tamron or Nikon 105mm Macro lens.With either of these lenses it is imperative to get asclose as possible to the subject. On this occasion Idecided to use my Bridge camera, a Fuji HS 50, whichhas a zoom lens with a very wide range of focallengths. Using the longest focal length (1000mmequivalent 35mm) enables close-ups to be taken

What’s in the Long grass?by russell edwards arpS

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without getting close-up! At approximately 2 metresfrom the subject, this focal length gives amagnification of about 0.7, which means smallcreatures can be photographed at a distancewithout disturbing them. With this particular cameragetting closer and using a smaller focal length onthe zoom does not yield a greater magnification.However different Bridge cameras have differentcharacteristics. Worth checking. The downside is thatthe auto-focus sometimes finds it difficult to focus on such a small slim subject andat times I resorted to manual focus. The Fuji has aconventional focusing ring, which magnifies theimage to produce more accurate focusing. I have ahunch that the manual focus produces a sharperimage. I plan to use it a lot more.

Although this procedure produced good results,especially for identification purposes, I hankeredafter greater magnification. Fortunately I have aNikon 6T two element, 2.9 dioptre close-up lens,which I can screw into the filter thread at the front ofthe lens (not all Bridge cameras have a filter thread).

After plenty of trial and error I formulated aprocedure which will produce magnifications from1:1 up to 5x magnification but now I have to get closeto my subject.

A tripod proved to be useless as moving it intoposition frightens the creatures away. Instead I lieon the grass and use my elbows and body as atripod and work my way slowly and carefully towithin 30 cm. (12 inches) of my subject. The camerais set at aperture priority, ISO 400, the focusing tomanual, the on- camera flash raised and the zoomset at the wide angle end. I focus the image byrocking the camera slowly forwards and backwardsuntil the subject is in focus. Thank goodness forvibration reduction! I can now use the zoom toincrease the magnification up to about 5 x. Thecamera is now difficult to hold still but the flashhelps to stop camera movement.

Having now taken many close-up pictures of thedamselflies, I have ended up with an array ofpatterns and colours. Identification is now theproblem. It seemed simple enough at first. Thepredominantly blue and black damselfly could beidentified as the Common Blue (Enallagmacyathigerum) but it turns out that not all CommonBlues are blue. The females can be blue or greenwith various patterns on the thorax and abdomen,

while immature or teneral Common blues are pinkor straw coloured! Then again not all bluedamselflies are the Common Blue e.g.the Blue -tailed damselfly, which can have a blue head, blackabdomen with a bit of blue at its end. It isrecognised as the Black-tailed damselfly by thetwin-coloured spot on its wing.

Then I came across tragedy. A honeymooningcouple attached to each other in the tandemposition were so besotted with each other that theyfailed to notice the spider’s web - however, thephotographic record has given them immortality.

Of course, there were other creatures besidesdamselflies claiming my attention. It seems thebench mark for judging macro photography are theeyes of a fly and one particularly large one, a FleshFly, with bright orange eyes came close enoughand stayed long enough for a photograph of itseyes.

Spiders are not everyone’s choice of pet but the socalled black and yellow wasp spider lookedstunning as it re-enforced its web with a tough zigzag web pattern. Whilst I was down amongst thegrass a handsome Roesel bush cricket climbed agrass stem and rested while I photographed it.

As the lady said, ‘we don’t know the half of whatgoes on in the long grass’. But guess where I willbe next summer - yes, back in the long grass.

Photo Captions:

1 Mating Common Blues trapped and beingeaten by a spider.

2 Common Blue Damsels mating in tandemmode.

3 Common Blue Damselfly blue male4 Common Blue devouring a fly it had just

caught. The fly was quickly transformed into agooey mess.

5 Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagmacyathigerum) female green form.

6 Common Blue immature showing some pink.7. Common Blue female green form resting with

wings spread.8 Roesel’s Bush Cricket. 9 Wasp Spider - Argiope bruenichii

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More images from

gill Cardy’s

fellowship panel

14. Goshawk plucking prey

15. Black Grouse fighting at lek

16. Tawny Owl in snow storm

17. Great Grey Owl hunting vole

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The Iris - Spring 2015

Documents

White-tailed Fish Eagle in flight by Gill Cardy FRPS T IrIs · White-tailed Fish Eagle in flight by Gill Cardy FRPS. Chairman’s Day 2015 Saturday 24th october 2015 10.30 hrs - 16.00