More fluttering at Wisley

I decided to have another crack at some flutter pictures at RHS Wisley yesterday; I now have a replacement tripod although it's not one of the easiest to use!

I'd kept the camera and macro lens warm in the car and "hugged" them to me as I made a dash to the Glasshouse. It paid off as I didn't have to wait too long for the lens to demist!

The sky was cloudy and little sun - this is an advantage as the flutters tend not to fly about too much without the sun.

These are so amazing in their markings. A complicated pattern of browns/reds and creams on the underwing and..

iridescent blue on the outer wing... very metallic and shiny when the sun is on them.

This marbled presented quite a photographic challenge..

This one was hard to capture as it wouldn't stay still but kept fluttering its wings to keep it close to the flower to feed... in a similar way that the Humming birds does.

and I just couldn't get the focusing right on this fascinating flutter. Its wings, in the main, were as transparent as glass and its body so tiny that you could easily miss seeing it.

In the glasshouse, the flowers too were blooming and colourful

and finally, outside, the dwarf irises were uplifting to see.

After that I went along to the birdhide... which was locked!! I came back and asked a very helpful lady in the Library and Information Centre, why was it locked and was it going to be open. She made some phone calls.... it was lunchtime and the relevant person not available. I headed off for a bite to eat and, as suggested, came back. I was advised that it was an oversight and it would be unlocked at/by 1.00 p.m. It was.....

I sat on my own ( :D ) watching and was rewarded with the sight of not one, but 2 Kingfishers - they were over the other side from the hide it was great just to sit there and watch them fishing. Definitely worth pursuing gaining entry to the hide.

And my thanks to the kind lady in the Library who really pulled out the stops to get some answers for me.