Tony Pioli – Nature on your Doorstep - 30 Sept 08

Tony is well known in the photographic world for his photography, particularly for his interest in the natural world around him. He began his serious photography after leaving school, and it was his bird watching activities which really started him off trying to record the natural world. Although he has traveled all over the world with his camera, his presentation on Tuesday was all related to the Peak District.

We began with fascinating shots of the Robin, the Blue Tit, the Cuckoo, the Blackbird, the Nuthatch, the Coot, and Moorhens (to list just a few!) We had a close up of Oak Galls and the damage (or patterns!) produced by these mites. We looked at Toads and Frogs, Grass snakes, Newts, and Lizards; before moving on to the flowers of the Peak district. The Orchid and where to find it in its various forms (common, Marsh, Bee, etc ) figured strongly in this section. A look at the variety of Fungi to be found finished off the 1st half of the presentation.

After tea/coffee Spiders and Dragonflies made an appearance. We looked at the life cycle of the Leaf Beatle, then on to caterpillars, Moths and Butterflies, before a final general section of images of Deer, Pole Cat Ferrets, Shield Bugs, and stink Horn Fungus left us gasping.

Phil Riley proposed the Vote of Thanks. We had witnessed a first class presentation: a Tour de Force of Nature locally: and Phil was impressed with how our speaker had been abreast of the names of all these creatures.

The images had been on slides throughout, though Tony confessed to having in his possession a Digital Camera.

Bill Chadband