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Thanks for the comment Brian.
Yes, I have camera in manual mode, and manual focus preset on 8ft as near as I can tell (modern lenses have crap focussing scales).
I use the 28mm wide angle end of the lens which gives me a better chance of capturing the Bats.
Then I point the camera in the general direction where the bats come from, and hope for the best.
I've had dozens of out of focus shots, but I get the occasional 'good' one.
You need fairly fast reflexes as they don't stop to pose for you! 
At present I'm only using the built in pop-up flash which is rather barmy to say the least. 
, but I'm getting a slave unit so that I will be able to use my old jessops hot shoe type flash.
Also I'm looking into the possibility of building an IR beam break unit (Maplins) or movement detector which should trip the camera when a Bat flies through it.
Spent this morning ripping apart and rebuilding one of my four raised beds.
All built with the same tanalised posts and pressure treated planks yet this one had rotted though in around 4 years (the others still seem solid)
Of course it was the one that was the most difficult to get at and I'm as "Stiff as a Plank" now (pun intended )
A bit ironic to think that I built these raised beds to prevent too much bending with associated bad backs for me and my wife!
Anyway, we got it finished before the rain arrived so I suppose I should be grateful for small mercies
I haven't posted on this thread before, don't know why because I love my garden. I get out in it whenever I can either to garden or with my camera to capture flowers and insect life. I designed and rebuilt the garden a few years ago not long after moving in and I am delighted to have recently been awarded a prize in the Matlock in Bloom competition. I don't know what yet, to discover that I have to wait till the presentation evening in October!
Happy gardening everyone,
Jude
Hi Jude. Welcome to the thread.
Don't know about anyone else, but I've had more daddy long legs everywhere - in the house, in the shed, in the lean to - everywhere, than I've ever had before. They're pretty delicate and don't intrude but I've never seen so many, ever. Must have been the strange weather this year. I'm dying to clear out my garage etc. but I don't want to disturb them. Hopefully they'll die off in autumn and I can have a clear out. It's like Miss Haversham's house around here in places.
x
Have been feeling pretty bad all day, but this-evening saw a Wryneck in the garden and that really cheered me up (also photographed a Peacock butterfly for the first time this year, but they always look disappoiningly out of focus to me). I didn't manage to photograph the Wryneck - somewhat beyond my competence level - but it's just nice to know that they are about. My wife mentioned seeing one earlier this year chasing off a pair of magpies - she said it was moving very fast, head shaking from side to side etc. (putting the jinx on them!) and looked magnificently vicious. Hopefully their breeding was successful.
I dont know a huge amount about gardening but I do like my garden to look respectable. I moved into a new house in Dec last year and the garden needed a little sprucing up. So I planted some trees , 2 peach and 2 pear. I got the grass lokoing reasonably well and I put down a flower bed. I used the seeds in image 1 here. A mix of wild flowers. They came out quite well and have been flowering since July or so. I was wondering though, are these the type of flowers that will come back next year or will I have to re-sow them.
most of them look to be self-seeders so they should re-generate next year, although not necessarily in the same place.
By the looks of them hanging down over your lawn, you may find they start to grow in the lawn next year.
If you don't need so much lawn, why not dig some of it up & make the borders a bit bigger?
Quote: Most of them look to be self-seeders so they should re-generate next year, although not necessarily in the same place.
By the looks of them hanging down over your lawn, you may find they start to grow in the lawn next year.
If you don't need so much lawn, why not dig some of it up & make the borders a bit bigger?
Thnaks Adrian.
They are hanging over. They originally grew upwasrd but weight took over and the started to hang. I was thinking of putting a small picket fence to support them a little for next year. Nice to know some of them at least will regenerate. The poppies will anyway, Im pretty sure of that. Thanks again. Paul
A gorgeous sunny day, so I've been out and planted some Parrot Tulips (all different colours hopefully!) - I'm hoping for some good photographic opportunities next April/May!
Mind you, I was only out there a little while, I've come back in with ruined nails and shaky legs......................coffee time I think!! 
Not sure what HAS been going on
Hardly ever get any butterflies, the occasional white one, but several have appeared over the last couple of days and this morning whilst hanging out the washing I counted over two dozen.
Quite colourful with a red / orange band around the edge fof the wings with what look like black & white spots nearer the tips of the wings
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