"Wild thing -

[David Paterson]

- you make my heart sing" (the Troggs, 1966) - in late May / early June each year I look for the little colony of spotted orchids in our field behind the house. Usually there are about a dozen specimens but this year just one, and it is much later than usual; I don't think there will be more.

But the next-door field is much more cheerful - buttercup heaven. I hope the cows know they are poisonous.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Ah, the Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorrhiza maculata). Beautiful to behold at any distance.

Livestock know to keep away from buttercups, that is the yellow ones on land pastures. The white water buttercups in rivers and ponds are eagerly consumed, however.

[David Paterson]

Thanks, Bjørn - the close-up was shot with the 70-200/f4 with a 15mm (or thereabouts) auto-extension tube. This combo gives almost 1:2 at f=200m at the closest focussing distance of about 40cm - much more comfortable than my 60 AFS Micro - and the quality and bokeh are both very pleasing. Currently I have the 60 on eBay, along with a few other things, and it was the zoom/ext. tube pairing that made me think I could dispense with the Micro.

[Jakov Minić]

David, you my heart sing. The colors and smooth background are lovely.
If you don't sell it the 60AF-S on eBay I might be interested (although it's an astonishingly sharp lens).

[David Paterson]

David, you my heart sing. The colors and smooth background are lovely.
If you don't sell it the 60AF-S on eBay I might be interested (although it's an astonishingly sharp lens).

Thanks, Jakov. If you have any more thoughts about the lens, just let me know.

[elsa hoffmann]

I LOVE THAT COW!

[Frank Fremerey]

I will not start a discussion with that magnificent breeding bull --- does anyone know the story "Birthday Cake" of Petterson and Findus?

[Akira]

While I'm pleased with the beautiful color of the orchid, I really love the idyllic feel of the second image.

[David Paterson]

Thanks, Akira, Elsa, Frank and Jakov - your comments cheer me up; I've been feeling quite bereft since the end of "Scotland 2016".   

Akira - those are my own feelings, exactly.

[Randy Stout]

David:

I like them both, for different reasons.  I would have been tempted to remove the one green stem that crosses in front of the orchid before I shot it. 

Cheers

Randy

[David Paterson]

I like them both, for different reasons.  I would have been tempted to remove the one green stem that crosses in front of the orchid before I shot it. 

Yes - I wish I had done that.