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Yesterday my day started delightful between orchids, birds and butterflies but ended dramatically. Together with a fellow photographer from the ‘Palinka’ club, I visited some ‘old’ favourite spots in the Eifel. About this trip I will write another time. Together with two former colleagues, I had a dinner and while we were sitting outside on the terrace having an interesting conversation, we heard a loud noise, squealing brakes and witnessed how a small car made a full stop against a tree. The loud noise was the collision in full speed between the car and a young man on a scooter. Immediately some people from the terrace started with first aid and informed the emergency room. The first ambulance arrived soon but despite all the efforts of everybody, the young man, 18 years old, died.  Fragrant orchids - Canon 7DMKII, remote release, 180 mm, 1/85 sec, F 3.5, ISO200 The day ended with feelings of disbelief, sadness and grief that within one second a young life was taken away. Today I’m still silent; hoping that I will never never never receive a message like the parents of this young man did yesterday. My thoughts are with them!
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Sometimes I'm happy that the well-known meteorological websites are wrong! Today a windless and sunny morning was forecasted and because it was four weeks ago that I photographed 'my' last butterfly, my alarm clock went off very early. Bas Mandos joined me and by the time we arrived at the first area, instead of a beautiful sunrise, some dark clouds 'welcomed' us. Due to the bad weather of the last days and because it is the end of the flying-time almost all Bog Fritillaries were disappered. By the time we found the first Bog Fritillary, my trousers were soaked.  Bog Fritillary in habitat What a pity that the sun was absence as the scenery was perfect. Next to some Bog Fritillaries we found dozens of freshly emerged Silver-studded Blues.
On our way home we visited an area were a small population of the Cranberry Fritillary can be found. It was still raining and we both had soaking trousers and boots but the unpleasant feeling was forgotten when we found a butterfly on Common Cottongrass.  Cranberry Fritillary on Common Cottongrass Back home after a warm bath and a hot cup of coffee I am very happy with the result of this wet day!
After 12 days, last Monday morning Grabou was sitting at the back door and I was very happy to see her; but immediately I noticed that she was in a very bad condition. A part of her frontleg was missing and what's left was looking gruesome. Probably she was stucked in a trap and had to leave a part of her leg to get free....it's awful to consider what she's gone through. The vet could only amputate the complete leg to safe her life.  Grabou recovering from the operation Like I wrote before, it's inconceivable that someone nearby is killing and/or hurting my animals. I contacted a special department of the police and I will take some actions to catch the one who did this. In the meantime I did not touch my camera until today. Due to a bad physical conditon (headache) I only visited an area near the Kleine Beerze. I searched for some butterflies but could only find two Small Heath and one Large Skipper....also there are not much dragonflies to find. Fortunately I could photograph some orchids which are growing in the wet part next to the creek.
It's a Dactylorhiza majalis subspecies 'praetermissa' and it's nice that within a few years nature is recovering and that orchid species can be found again!
In March and April this year, I wrote some blogs about the two Little Owls who visited my birdhouse daily until they decided to breed somewhere else. A few days ago, I received a message that 'my' female owl was found with three owlets nearby (350 metres). Unfortunately there is a mouse (food) shortage and two owlets already died. This photo of the last living owlet is taken just after ringing.  Owlet - Canon 7DMKII, tripod, remote release, 180 mm, 1/30 sec, F 5.6, ISO200 I'm not sure if this little Owl will survive. Also I'm very curious why there is shortage of mice? Would there be a connection between the pastures treated with Glyphosate?
On the day I arrived in France, I received the bad news that my tomcat Herman was disappeared. Disappearing in the village where I live means that I will never hear or see a sign of my cat again. All my cats are microchipped. It hurts a lot knowing that somebody kills them. I found Herman in the summer of 2012; he was crying for help. After I rescued him he became the most cuddly animal I ever had. As a kitten he always slept under my chin; when he was a grown cat he still tried to sleep in the same position.
Due to this situation my mood has changed and at the moment (nature) photography became meaningless; so probably my next blog will take time! Unfortunately, it does not end here. Since almost one week my cat Grabou is missing. Grabou always stayed nearby; when I called her name, within a minute she came. Like Herman, I rescued Grabou when she was in 2011 a little kitten. I'm very very sad that within a few weeks I lost two of my beloved cats and that somebody nearby, probably one of my neighbours, is killing my cats.  Herman, November 2014 Beyond the door, There's peace I'm sure, And I know there'll be no more Tears in heaven I must be strong And carry on, 'Cause I know I don't belong Here in heaven © Eric Clapton  Grabou, June 2014 |
Jibt dir dit Leben mal een Buff, denn weene keene Träne. Lach Dir'n Ast und setz Dir druff und baumle mit de Beene.
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