ReflectingMe: Blog https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog en-us (C) ReflectingMe (ReflectingMe) Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:43:00 GMT Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:43:00 GMT Hints and Tips for Passing the RSGB Intermediate Amateur Radio Examination https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2020/8/hints-and-tips-for-passing-the-rsgb-intermediate-amateur-radio-examination Hints and Tips for Passing the RSGB Intermediate Amateur Radio Examination

So... you have your Amateur Radio Foundation call sign, and you're wanting to book the Intermediate RSGB Amateur Radio examination, or maybe you even have it booked, well here are a few sure-fire tips that whilst they won't do the work and get that pass for you - that's down to you, by following these simple hints and tips will undoubtedly improve your chances of gaining a pass and enable you to get your new call sign.

This next statement is obvious, but it really does deserve mentioning.  Everyone is different!  Many of us are able to breeze through examinations without a care in the world, while others feel intimidated, pressured and stressed.  We all begin to experience the effects of an encroaching examination, all of us - without exception.   A month away and the thought of the examination brings an occasional pang & release of adrenalin and a butterfly briefly appears in our stomachs, an hour away and our blood pressure and heart rate will be increasing, overall adrenalin levels will be rising, and though we may not be aware of it but we will be sweating more than normal.   20204318 x 2430-1-220204318 x 2430-1-2 Each of us will be beginning to experience the wide ranging effects of the exam on our bodies in varying ways and amounts.  Whatever way these affect you, whatever it is that you personally experience, try to remember this... embrace it, take it in, accept it, because these effects that we have little to no control of are designed by Mother Nature to help us in such situations.  They are all perfectly normal, healthy and expected bodily responses. Use them to your advantage.

OK, now that we have the psychology and physiology out of the way, let's get right to some specific hints and tips that are a proven aid in these circumstances, and will significantly increase your chances of passing.  These suggestions are not for everybody, and some I am sure will scoff and perhaps laugh at me, at this document and its contents - ignore those people, they are not important.  What is important is you, and how you prepare for your exam.  You are an individual, different to everyone else, different in the way that you learn, the way you embrace new knowledge, all of this together with your level of desire to enhance your abilities will of course be different from everyone else.  Use what I have included here as you wish, in whichever way you want, take it or leave it.  But however much you take from this brief document, a little or a lot or nothing at all, I sincerely send you my regards, and wish you the best of luck in your forthcoming Intermediate amateur radio examination.

73

John

OK, here goes... 

Prior to the exam - and stating the obvious!

  • Carry out research regarding what specific learning materials and resources are available to help you with your RSGB Intermediate examination studies. There are a plethora of materials available, and each of us will use these in varying degrees.  I am sure there are more resources available than are listed here, but I have linked to some examples of these resources below for you.
  • You know yourself best, so you will also know how to most effectively make use of your time and thereby determine which is the most effective way for you to learn.  Determine which of the available resources fits closest with your specific learning style. 
  • Ask yourself the question "Do I know enough to pass this examination"?  Those who are not honest with themselves in answering this are only fooling themselves - pretty pointless don't you agree?  Answer this honestly, and you will know what you need to do.
  • Make a plan.  OK, for sure this isn't a project where we are controlling a roving vehicle on Mars, but if you are so inclined it can help if you make a plan, scheduling times for when you will carry out your learning.  Note: this approach varies greatly from person to person, but if you are someone who likes to take a project-type approach to tasks, then it really would benefit you to make a plan, and more importantly if so - stick to it as much as possible.
  • Create as comfortable an environment as you are able to for when you take the exam.  Minimise the chance of interruptions, have all permitted materials available with you, ensure that you are settled, seated comfortably, and have a refreshing drink to hand.
  • Of course, specific and detailed academic knowledge is required for anyone to pass an examination in any subject, but using a combination of these other items can significantly improve your chances of getting through any exam.  Surely anything that can help improve ones chances of getting a pass and that desired 50W, is a good thing, yes?

 

Examination Hints and Tips

  1. You have plenty of time for the exam, 1 hour and 30 minutes to be precise.  Relax, do not rush, and take your time.

  2. Read each question 3 times.  Seriously, read each question slowly, 3 times.  Read #2 twice more (see what I did there :) ).

  3. It is advisable that you read and become familiar with the Ofcom License Terms Conditions and Limitations document.  Some examination questions can appear confusing if one only refers to the RSGB Intermediate training manual.  The correct and accurate answer to many questions can be found in the terms and conditions document.  Please ensure you download and read the License Terms and Conditions document linked above.  In so doing you may attain those few extra marks.

  4. Understand what the question is asking you.  The questions are not designed to trick you, but they are designed to seek out specific knowledge so make sure you clearly understand the detail in the question.

  5. Don't assume you know the correct answer - look at each of the 4 answers to ensure you can eliminate the other three.  Mistakes are easily made by not doing this, we're all human and prone to making this type of easily avoided error.

  6. Flag any question where you are not 100% sure of the answer.  Seriously, use the Testreach system to flag it, and in addition make a note of the question number on your notepaper.  You will have ample time to go back over any questions you have flagged.

  7. If you are totally unsure of the answer to a question, flag it and come back to it later.  It could be wasteful to spend any additional time trying to figure out the answer to those questions before you have at least taken a look at and attempted all of the questions.

  8. Obtain a copy of the booklet with the formulas and tables that you will have available in the exam, and get familiar with what is in it. You'll find it will help you answer several questions.

  9. If you are totally stuck with a question, try to at least eliminate some of the answers, so that you 'guessing' between 2 or 3 possible answers rather than 4.

  10. Mental preparation can be vitally important. Perhaps use this guide or any of the other resources available as a basis in preparing how you are going to use your time in the examination to complete the questions.

  11. Have a strategy for the time actually taking the exam, and know how you will use your 90 minutes.  

  12. A pass is a pass, there is no grade.  Remember that you only need 28 correct answers.  Set your goal according to your own assessment of your capability.
  13. Use your time wisely and revisit your flagged questions before you revisit those you may have taken a note of.  You may be able to figure out the answer to flagged questions more easily than those questions you have made a note of.

 


If you have any suggestions as to how I can add to or improve this document, please feel free to message me, email me, or leave a comment. 

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(ReflectingMe) amateur exam examination intermediate radio RSGB https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2020/8/hints-and-tips-for-passing-the-rsgb-intermediate-amateur-radio-examination Tue, 25 Aug 2020 10:41:27 GMT
How to use D-STAR with the ICOM IC-9700 https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2020/8/how-to-use-d-star-with-the-icom-ic-9700 IC-9700D-STAR on the IC-9700

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(ReflectingMe) 9700 amateur digital dstar D-STAR IC-9700 ICOM radio https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2020/8/how-to-use-d-star-with-the-icom-ic-9700 Sun, 23 Aug 2020 09:47:49 GMT
Building a prototype Robinson Moth Trap https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2020/8/building-a-prototype-robinson-moth-trap Building a Robinson type Moth Trap

Moth traps overview / summary

Robinson TrapRobinson Trap There are many types of moth traps available, all are obtainable from a range of online sellers, with some of the more common trap designs being of the Heath, Skinner or Robinson type traps. While commercial traps are available, it is very rewarding to design and build your own trap, and they are also fairly straightforward to build too.  Each of the designs incorporates to greater or lesser degrees, combinations of the three main elements of moth trap design which are the triumvirate of; 

  • attract
  • capture
  • retain 

It is generally accepted that the Robinson type moth trap - which utilises a conical design and mercury vapour bulb - is thought to be the most effective of the three, and often yields up to 8 times more moths than some other traps (see Note 2 below).  If you are making your own moth trap I have found it best to experiment with each design based on a combination of your budget, location and the results you wish achieve.  This rough guide shows how I built my variation of the robinson type moth trap. 

Note 1: I have also tried where possible to include links to the items I have used, or to items that are suitable as alternates.

Note 2: This figure is based on my experience, and is somewhat implied on the NHBS www site.  With my home made Heath type and Skinner traps, the yield varies between 20 - 50 moths, with 50 being a good night and an extremely good total.  The blog article on the NHBS www site here suggests that on a good night in excess of 500 moths can be caught in a Robinson type trap.  That is some figure, and is x10 compared to what I get in my heath/skinner traps.  I have yet to test my Robinson type design fully due to the inclement weather, but will update this stat section with my findings when I do.

Note 3: It is worth mentioning that if you plan on building and using this type of trap in the UK, where though our summers are warm, they are also shall we say, not always dry :) then it might also be worth considering adding some form of perspex rain cover to this trap.  MV bulbs are relatively expensive to replace and can easily crack/shatter if they are exposed to rain.  I have not included any form of rain cover in my design here.


My Robinson-esque moth trap build

50L Bin50L Bin You can use any type of container for your trap, square, round, all black or transparent – each has its own merits.  I have previously used plastic storage containers from B&Q / Hoebase which have worked very well, but for this trap I bought a simple 50L bin from Amazon, it has handles that lift up and over to lock the lid in place which is useful as it makes the trap a lot sturdier when carrying.  I cut out the centre of the lid, which I measured and cut just a few mm less than the diameter of the 10” funnel.

With this particular bin, it doesn’t matter that the lid is curved/rounded across the top but note that this curvature is not flat and has ridges which raise and lower in height.  This means that if you insert a regular funnel over this cut-out, there will be gaps between the lower parts of the lid and the funnel which will allow any moths and insects captured to escape relatively easily. To combat this, I bought a funnel that had a lip of about an inch from the top of the funnel downwards. FunnelFunnel  

Note the 1” section from the top of the funnel down – this means that the start of the chamfer of the funnel will be below the lowest point of the ridges in the lid thus closing off any opportunities for moths to escape.  If your container is flat and does not have the same ridges as in the lid I used, then this won’t be an issue for you.  You can see from the 3rd image where the 1” lip on the funnel covers the ridges on the lid of the bin which are still above the start of the chamfer and are not allowing any gaps to be seen.  I used a jig-saw to accurately cut out the hole in the lid of the bin such that the funnel was a nice snug fit and needed to be pressed firmly into place.  I will eventually install a rain guard/cover and in the meantime having this as a snug fit will ensure rain is not able to seep inside the trap.  it should be noted that some traps also incorporate a type of drain to protect the moths in case of water ingress.

Funnel in lidFunnel in lid Some experts suggest that a gap of approx. 2” to 3” is about right to capture and retain moths, and not allow them to escape.  I am using an E27 bulb holder which is going to be supported on a brass strip and situated pretty much at the centre of the hole in the bottom of the funnel (see in a later pic). With this in mind I made sure the hole was large enough for a 2” diameter spacing around the bulb holder itself, and again used my jig-saw to cut out the end of the funnel to the ridge you see on the funnel itself.  The actual size of the hole is important, but not critical: you don't want the hole to be large enough for the moths to be able to easily escape, and not small enough for them not to be able to fit through when captured.

Funnel 2Funnel 2
TIP: it is often better to have a transparent lid on your trap.  Many of the Skinner type traps will have perspex or acrylic sheets on the top for example, and also commercial Robinson traps have a clear lid too.  This is because when (as in my case here) the lid is black, the only light source the moths see having been trapped, is the light that attracted them into the trap in the first place which is of course, outside!  Until the moths are settled and resting in egg boxes or whatever material you have placed inside the trap for them to rest upon, they may still be attracted to the light and head towards it - right back out of the trap, defeating the object! 


Next we need to sort out any electrical wiring, the bulb, its holder and any cables needed.  Please note that if you plan on using the same type as I do in this design which is a mercury vapour bulb – this arrangement also needs a choke i.e. a type of ignition device similar to those used in fluorescent lamp fittings.  It should also be noted that you cannot use the same choke from a fluorescent fitting in these kits.  MV SetMV Set

I purchased this mercury vapour bulb, choke and wiring kit from an online supplier, a very helpful chap by the name of Paul Batty (just do a google search and you will find him) – who will assemble all the electricals and wiring for you if needed.

These mercury vapour bulb and choke kits can be expensive, but you don’t have to use this type of bulb for your moth trap, it is best to experiment with several of the alternate types, and you can alternatively use blacklight, UV or actinic type bulbs available from many online suppliers.  These bulb types usually plug directly into a regular E27 large screw in type bulb holder, and the holders can be obtained from most hardware stores such as B&Q, HomeBase and Amazon etc.  I have also built a successful trap that captures dozens of moths and uses a UV aquarium bulb, link here.  This might be a good option as a first test build, they do work very well.


DISCLAIMER - PLEASE NOTE: EXTREME CARE MUST BE TAKEN WHEN WORKING WITH ANY 240V AC ELECTRICAL SUPPLY – THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAN KILL YOU.  ANY ELECTRICAL WORK SHOULD ONLY BE CARRIED OUT BY A SUITABLY QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN.


You will need to decide which bulb you are going to use for your trap and then incorporate a suitable method for securing the bulb into place on your specific design.  The method of attaching/securing the bulb to your unit varies greatly.  Bulbs can be used either way - pointing up or down, just ensure the bulb, holder and any cables are safely and securely fastened on your trap.

Brass StripBrass Strip I used a thin brass strip which I drilled and attached an E27 bulb holder, then secured this to the underside of the funnel using M3 bolts and washers.  In other designs, I have also used a piece of wood... and duct tape - they all work well.

TIP: If you plan on using bolts, washers and nuts to secure the bulb and wiring to the funnel, I would suggest you locate the flat head of the bolt on the upper side of the funnel and the nut/washer on the underside.  There are then fewer potentially damaging protruding edges for moths to fall onto and possibly injure themselves as they are captured.

 

E27 Bulb HolderE27 Bulb Holder
Connect up all your wiring (see disclaimer above) and run any cables such that they are not protruding anywhere in your design.  Here is the brass strip complete with E27 bulb holder attached to the funnel with the wires securely attached to the funnel using white cable holders.  This helps to ensure no stress is applied to the electrical joints on the underside of the E27 connector when moving the trap.

Also note the heads of the bolts are on the upper side of the funnel.

Veins are utilised for a number of reasons - mainly as an object that the moths will bump into as they head towards the light source, and sometimes they also act as reflectors for the light itself.  Some veins are white, and some designs incorporate a clear plastic design.

Veins 2Veins 2 For the veins on this prototype design, I used foam board sheet purchased from HobbyCraft.  This foam board is a fabulous material to use for prototyping moth trap designs as it is very cheap and also very easy to work with.  Simply use a sharp knife and preferably a straight edge, taking care when cutting the sheet of course, and cut out to your preferred design.  

There is an ongoing debate as to if 4 veins at 90 deg angles or 3 veins at 120 deg angles is better for attracting moths - simply experiment with your chosen design to see which works best for your trap.

 

And pretty much, that's it!  Simply insert your bulb and turn the power on, with your design and a little luck I am sure you will be able to attract and capture many moths to your chosen trap.  All the moths I have captured using various traps this year, are catalogued in my Moths Gallery, please feel free to take a look and leave a comment, I always love reading any comments.

Lesser Swallow ProminentLesser Swallow Prominent Buff TipBuff Tip

Enjoy, and happy moth trapping!

 

Moth traps available here:

https://www.nhbs.com
https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/east-scotland-branch/moth-traps

https://www.angleps.com/mothtraps.php


Poplar HawkmothPoplar Hawkmoth

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(ReflectingMe) heath moths robinson skinner traps https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2020/8/building-a-prototype-robinson-moth-trap Sat, 15 Aug 2020 19:14:49 GMT
Birds, Butterflies and Beauty: Flat Holm, a short trip to a Jewel in the Channel https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2019/8/flat-holm-a-short-trip-to-a-jewel-in-the-channel Flat Holm LighthouseFlat Holm Lighthouse What a day, what a fantastic day! If you're someone who loves being outdoors, if you love birds, butterflies, all types of nature, if you happen to be in the vicinity of South Wales and you've not visited the island of Flat Holm previously - you really must pay a visit and do so, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

NB: Please note that this is the longer blog version of my trip to Flat Holm island. I hope to eventually draft several shorter and specific blog posts which I will link to here when and if they are released.


In a nutshell... Flat Holm is stunning!

A tiny speck, approx 600m by 600m in size, 6 miles off the coast of Cardiff, South Wales, in the middle of the Bristol Channel, Flat Holm is brimming with life, even in late summer.  I took a short afternoon trip to the island recently, primarily looking for shots to add to my butterfly collection, and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience.

My day started with an early morning call to Bay Island Voyages to check if the single remaining place indicated on their www site for the 3:00pm trip to Flat Holm was still available. It was, so with the £32 payment duly processed, my position on their [very fast] boat was promptly secured.  It is worth noting here that the staff at Bay Island Voyages were excellent, and my customer journey from the initial booking process through to the actual trip itself was first-class.

Cardiff BayCardiff BayThe two small islands of Flat Holm (my destination) and Steep Holm are just about visible in the Bristol Channel Of course, other companies offer trips to Flat Holm, but I was extremely happy with Bay Island Voyages, and would certainly recommend them to anyone considering a trip across.

With not too far to travel for my day out, I arrived early at Cardiff Bay and took the opportunity to grab a few snack items from Greggs, and to kill 30 minutes I decided a trip on the Cardiff Bay big-wheel and an attempt to capture the views across the bay towards the Bristol Channel was in order.  You can just about make out Flat Holm and its larger neighbour, Steep Holm, in the distance out in the bay (clicking on the image opens a larger version, Flat Holm is on the left, Steep Holm on the right).

Snack finished, shots taken and the big-wheel trip completed, at around 2:30 I headed down to the small dock area to meet the staff of Bay Island Voyages, my fellow passengers and prepare for the trip.  It's lovely to meet strangers who all share a common interest; everyone started to chat, sharing our excitement about the forthcoming trip to Flat Holm, and soon the 12 of us were all kitted out in life jackets and given instructions for the journey. Bay Island Voyages boat to Flat HolmBay Island Voyages boat to Flat HolmWhat a craft - two outboard 250cc Mercury engines, the thing flies across the waves, great fun!

Essentially... the boat used to get across the channel is fast, very fast, so sit tight, feet pressed firmly on the ground, and hold on!!  This didn't surprise me at all, as this is the beast we were travelling on.  What a totally thrilling experience traveling on this boat was.  OK, for those used to such travel it may be the norm, but for myself, who had until that point never set foot on such a craft, it was an exhilarating experience.  I have no idea how fast the boat travels through the waves, maybe someone reading this can enlighten me by sending me a tweet or dropping a comment on here, but by heck it sure was a rate of knots (see what I did there!!).

A little about Cardiff Bay Barrage

Once on board, leaving the dock, we ventured out into the bay itself.  Slowly of course as the speed here is governed by maritime law etc, and we set off for Flat Holm.  In the dock at Cardiff Bay BarrageIn the dock at Cardiff Bay BarrageThe water level prior to the dock being lowered. Of course, anyone who has visited Cardiff Bay previously will be familiar with the Cardiff Bay Bararge: a tremendous engineering accomplishment, and something that is a fascinating element of the travelling to Flat Holm experience.  The barrage comprises (I think) three docks that separate the always constantly maintained level of water in the bay area itself, from the huge - sometimes 13m tides (yes, you read that correctly, that's a tide, a swing in water levels of 42 feet) of the Bristol Channel.  I think the Bristol Channel has the 2nd or 3rd highest tidal range of anywhere in the world, though I am sure a quick search on Google will confirm this. Cardiff Bay Barrage - water level loweredCardiff Bay Barrage - water level loweredleaving the dock, water level some 20' lower.
 

You enter the dock, moor up, the gates close and you wait.  On the day of my trip the water level in the bay was around 20' higher than the channel tide, and so we dropped that amount in a matter of minutes, very impressive and quite an experience.

Heading out across the Bristol Channel was exhilarating, a memorable experience indeed and we arrived at Flat Holm in just 12 minutes.  The thing flies across the waves, for someone who hadn't experienced this mode of travel previously, it really was great fun!

Arriving on Flat Holm

Pebbled Beach on Flat Holm Pebbled Beach on Flat Holm The boat reversing, pulling the jetty safely back to the top of the beach. We were met at the island by the full-time warden and several members from the team of volunteers, disembarking on a mobile jetty which had been wheeled down from the top of the pebbled beach, to the water level.  Interestingly, once we had all started to make our way to the top of the beach where the steps led up to the main pathways, the team had attached a rig to the front of the boat which was now reversing out into the bay, simultaneously pulling the mobile jetty back up via a pulley system to the top of the beach. Straightforward and efficient ingenuity at its finest!

Heading up the steps towards the path, Jenny, one of the knowledgable island volutneers, provided us all with a brief introduction to what we could expect to see during our short visit, and what we should/shouldn't do whilst on Flat Holm.   Juvenile Lesser Black Backed GullJuvenile Lesser Black Backed GullVery low numbers of gulls contract botulism.
It is always prudent not to venture too far off off the sometimes difficult to find tracks or too close to any 'edges', as many of the cliffs on Flat Holm are pretty sheer and can appear from the bracken and copious plants as if out of nowhere.  The usual care should be taken and anyone familiar with our coastal islands will be aware of the dangers accompanying their visit.

On the path heading towards the museum and lighthouse we passed several juvenile Lesser Black Backed gulls looking worse for wear, hardly moving as we  approached.  Apparently there are a very small number of juveniles who succumb to the botulism bacteria.  This is apparently contracted by the juveniles as the parents feed at many of the land-fill sites situated locally on the coastal mainland.  Sad to see of course, but encouraging to know that only a small minority of birds fall fowl to this unpleasant killer bacteria.  More information on botulism on Flat Holm which was particularly problematic for the LBB gull colonies during the 70's - 90's, can be found online.

Mid August is late in the year for the lesser black backs to be rearing their young, and though there were still plenty of gulls about, only a few adults were in guardian mode, skwalking loudly and mobbing us as we walked close to their young.  Apparently if one visits in June, the team provide hats for visitors to wear, not so much for the inevitable guano projectiles, but in case of physical contact from one of the aggressive adult birds which could easily result in significant injury.  Hitchcocks', the Birds, springs to mind!

Weston Super MareWeston Super MareThe pier at WSM With all the visitors gathered at the museum, shop and pub area, this is also the time to pay the landing fee of £5.00 after which the warden provided additional information about the island, its buildings, Marconi, and history etc, after which visitors can choose to remain with one of the volunteers to be accompanied on a short tour around the exterior of the lighthouse and some of the many buildings and gun abatements located around the perimeter, or you are free to wander around the island as required.  I stayed for a short time with some of the guests and Jenny, then ventured out to explore further.

Being a pretty small island, it is easy to walk the circumference in little time. This allows for plenty of stops, note-taking, Collins complete reference book look-ups, and return visits to places spotted on the initial foray.  Fabulous views in any direction are to be seen almost from anywhere on the island, and I found myself stopped for refreshments on the cliffs at the South end, from where the town of Weston Super Mare and its pier could easily be seen.

Lesser Black Backed GullLesser Black Backed GullFlat Holm isnald has a colony of over 1,000 lesser black backed gulls. Plenty of birdlife is apparent, and I spotted several Meadow Pipits, and what I thought was a Linnet though these are usually seen in groups so I was unable to confirm this.  I did keep a keen eye for the Peregrine Falcon that has beed there this year, alas despite my sitting for 25 mins with binoculars peering out at its known location, I wasn't able to spot it.  There's always next time.  As ever though, there are always hundreds and hundreds of gulls to be seen along the coast and around the various cliffs. The island interior is mainly wild plants, long grass  and bracken, and the remnants of lesser black backed gull nesting sites are everywhere.

In peak breeding season (June) the Flat Holm colony of lesser black backed gulls comprises over 1000 nesting pairs, hence the provision of hard hats during this period.  It is easy to spot the remains of lesser black backed meals, the bones and skeletons of their prey are everywhere, and they do appear to be voracious hunters, scavengers and apart from the Peregrine Falcon, and single pair of Greater Black Backed gulls that bred during 2019, they are one of the islands apex predators!  Lesser Black Backed Gull adultLesser Black Backed Gull adultMean looking lesser black backed gull, giving me the eye!

I did wonder if this beauty, peering directly at me through the long grass was even considering a little piece of me for dinner!! I find them majestic, even beautiful and graceful birds, but by golly they do look mean.   It should also be noted that during the busy nesting season, many of the paths on the island are closed off to the general public which serves to minimise disturbance to the gulls, as many of the nests are actually situated on the paths or at least very close to them.  The wardens and volunteers will provide details of routes that can be safely taken and any paths that are temporarily closed off.  I was fortunate as by the time I visited (mid August) all of the paths had been reopened allowing the complete circumference to be walked.

For my trip though, I was also on the lookout for butterflies - this being my current photography focus of interest - and for anyone who may be interested, my butterfly gallery can be found by clicking here.  I am not the best at butterfly ID, and always use one of the experts I follow on Twitter to help with my ID's (@MothIDUK being one of the significant experts) but I managed to capture some shots of 4 species, namely: Gatekeeper, Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Common Blue.

GatekeeperGatekeeperFlat Holm Common BlueCommon BlueBeautiful light Red AdmiralRed AdmiralLate summer worn wings on this Red Admiral Painted LadyPainted LadyOn one of the paths across Flat Holm

I am sure there are many more butterfly species to be found on Flat Holm, it's just that this newcomer to butterfly spotting and their photography needs to gain some experience.  Hopefully I will be able to capture more species on my next visit - which may even be an overnight stay. Flat Holm can cater for families in the separate and newly renovated farmhouse, or for up to 24 individuals in shared dormitory style accommodation,  There is also an area set aside for anyone who prefers to camp out.  My feelings are that the prices are extremely low; I believe to camp overnight is £12 and to stay in the dorm accommodation is around £20.  Fantastic value, and is certainly something that I will be doing next season.   

Landscape on Flat HolmLandscape on Flat Holm
Newly rendered lighthouse

On a good weather day, the views from anywhere on the island, and the vista of the actual island itself are quite stunning.  This is the tranquil location where I sat for almost an hour trying to spot the elusive peregrine falcon, looking out for other bird species along the cliffs, and for the many butterflies basking on the rocks at the top of the cliffs adjacent to where I took this shot.  I managed one shot of a basking Painted Lady, but won't be posting it here due to, well... shall I say... photography errors and inadequacy on my part :)

In the distance on the top-image-left, is the fully functioning and operational lighthouse, which is operated and maintained by the coast guard I believe, and not by any of the staff on the island.  

The impressive lighthouse has recently been re-rendered and painted both inside and out, and looks quite resplendent in its dulux brilliant white glory.  Jenny, one of the Flat Holm volunteers, did mention during her short tour that they don't have the keys to the lighthouse otherwise we may have been privy to views from the top! Now that would have indeed been a sight to behold, though the climb to the top would have been quite an achievement!

Decommissioned fog horn There is also an aged fog horn which is no longer in use, though I will admit to not listening close enough and thereby not obtaining any useful information as to when this was decommissioned. I do recall a mention though that the roof of the building on which it is situated, is currently in a state of disrepair and being held up by strengthening beams and so visitors are not able to get a close look.

If you look closely I believe I also inadvertently caught one of the more colourfully dressed volunteers on the roof of an adjacent building, possibly carrying out repair work... sorry about that whoever you are sir/madam, but you did brighten the photograph!! :)

All in all, a superb day out on a beautiful island. A day I enjoyed immensely, and an island I certainly plan on visiting again.

Camera Gear

For anyone interested in the camera gear used to capture the images on my trip:  

  • Camera: Sony Alpha a6300
  • Lens 1: Most of the shots were taken with the Sony OSS 55-210mm
  • Lens 2: The landscapes and wider view shots were taken with the Sony OSS 18-55mm
  • iPhone6s: One shot of the barrage lock, and the vivid shot of the lighthouse were snapped with my iPhone6s 

If you were brave enough to read all this, and managed to get this far without getting bored, I owe you my gratitude and sincere thanks.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, and also let me know if you enjoyed this blog by maybe leaving a tweet @StraightTall, or by leaving a comment here on the blog itself.

For editorial comment, reporting errors or any inaccuracies, please do let me know by contacting me at my email address, which is [email protected]

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(ReflectingMe) alpha backed barrage Bay birds black boat Bristol Cardiff Channel coast coastal Flat gull Holm island lesser lighthouse Sony https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2019/8/flat-holm-a-short-trip-to-a-jewel-in-the-channel Sun, 18 Aug 2019 19:16:11 GMT
The Case of the dishevelled Green Woodpecker and the Goshawk https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2019/8/the-dishevelled-green-woodpecker Back in the days when I was learning about digital photography, when all my images were extremely poor and my keeper rate was around 1%, I was hiding away, as one does in ones hide, which I had positioned strategically and discretely in a small forest on a hillside a few miles outside the old mining valley village of Cwm, South Wales. NuthatchNuthatchCwm forest woodland

That day I was hoping to capture some images of nuthatches, tits and various other small woodland birds.  I recall plenty of them being about, I just had to lure them in to attempt to get some images.  Thought limited... I did have  some success - mainly due to the fact that this was Coal TitCoal TitCwm forest woodland
one of my first forest forays with my newly acquired digital camera, and also due to my total lack of experience with using it.

I was very pleased at the time with some of the images I captured, though of course looking back at them now they really are not that good at all, with most of them being record shots at best. However, being well intentioned, I wanted to post a few of the actual photographs I took that day.

I was pleased to capture my first images of many woodland species including nuthatches, greater spotted woodpeckers, chaffinches, thrushes, coal and marsh tits. Greater Spotted WoodpeckerGreater Spotted WoodpeckerCwm forest woodland

All of them taken not really knowing what ISO was, with an extremely slow lens, a camera not the best in low light, in dark woodland conditions. Ah well...

However, what I wasn't to know though, was that as mother Gump once said, you never know quite what you're going to get.  As I was sat in my hide snapping away, everything went quiet.  All the birdsong and singing stopped, noticeably abruptly.  I heard a commotion behind me, and typically there are no rear viewing holes in my particular pop-up hide, so couldn't quickly see what the fuss and noise was all about.

It was quite the fracas!

Not wanting to frighten whatever was the cause of the noise, I slowly slipped under the entrance to my hide, and without even thinking of putting the camera up to my face as a just-in-case for that one shot we all strive for, I saw what the fuss was about.

A Goshawk spotted me, immediately flew off through the trees in the opposite direction, and in the process of disappearing had inadvertently (due to my presence I would imagine) released the prey it was clutching and no doubt about to tear to shreds, from its talons. Green WoodpeckerGreen Woodpeckerhttps://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2019/8/the-dishevelled-green-woodpecker
Cwm forest woodland

Though the poor thing was shrieking and skwalking loudly, I didn't spot any bloody injuries, just a rather dishevelled, extremely bewildered and rather fortunate Green Woodpecker, who after shaking itself vigorously for a few seconds quickly shuffled off to the relative safety of the longer grass and brambles.

I watched it disappear, further shaking itself of the forest water and mud it had all over it following the short fight with the Goshawk, and quickly making haste to a safer location.

As quickly as it happened, that was it.  Peace and tranquility resumed, within seconds the singing commenced, and everything seemed to lower the state of alert.

I learned a good lesson that day: when out birding, or taking any photographs, know your gear inside out and always be on the ready with at least a 'quick-set-mode' available on your camera that you are able to access very quickly to get the shot at a moments notice. 
NuthatchNuthatchCwm forest woodland

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(ReflectingMe) birds forest goshawk green woodpecker https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2019/8/the-dishevelled-green-woodpecker Sun, 11 Aug 2019 14:08:00 GMT
The case of the Water Rail in a garden! https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2019/7/the-case-of-the-water-rail-in-a-garden Water Rail - very ususual for one of these to be seen in a garden!Water Rail - very ususual for one of these to be seen in a garden!Water Rail

Water Rail heads to suburban garden

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(ReflectingMe) birds garden rail rare water https://www.reflectingme.uk/blog/2019/7/the-case-of-the-water-rail-in-a-garden Sat, 27 Jul 2019 12:24:22 GMT