"Exploring the art of Photography"
"Meet-Up-Field Trip-Monarch Ranch- Tewksbury, MA"
by Image by Jay Richard Monarch Ranch Ambassador- Lesley Mattuchio-Trip Leader
Saturday, September 12, 10:00 AMMy thanks to Lesley Mattuchio for putting this all together and for Ken Jordan who scouted out the place for Lesley. This will be our first function of the year. A chance to meet up with new and old friends and do some photography. Even if not a nature photographer there is always something worth shooting. We hope the Super Monarchs are reaching their final stages -in chrysalises now- and will be Migrating to Mexico starting approximately September 9th -20th so the 12th should allow you to photograph the Monarchs themselves along with the chrysalises that have not opened yet.
From Lesley- Hello everyone
We will all meet up in the library parking lot at 10am and venture out to shoot at that time, so plan to be there about 15 min early so we can see who has come and plan lunch and time of departure.
A few days ago, Kenny Jordan, Peter Curcis , and Mike Bramley went to the Monarch Ranch in Tewksbury to check it out. They enjoyed it a lot. Apparently, there is not only a field of milkweed, host plant for the super Monarch butterflies, but a pollinating garden , a little pond, birds, bees, butterflies and I guess occasionally very early in the mornings, a bobcat.
The Monarch Ranch is on 300 Chandler St. on Hospital Road behind the Tewksbury Library. We are planning to meet there at 10 am, Saturday, September 12th, weather dependent. I have been told you can park in the library parking lot. If the weather is lousy on Saturday, we will meet at 10 am on Sunday, September 13th.
Kenny said they had lunch after photographing at a nearby Cracker Barrel and that there was a Ninety-Nine restaurant and some fast-food chains nearby as well if anyone wants to get together for lunch afterwards.Here is a link to the Monarch Ranch's website so you can read a bit about the place. It sounds like a fun time to see what we can find and do some photography with flowers, insects, and birds. https://www.monarch-ranch.com
Suggested lenses are anywhere from a macro, to say a wide angle like a 24-105mm, perhaps a 70-200mm, and or a long lens if you own one, for birds, and butterflies as they ( butterflies) don't always like you getting too close to them. Tripod if you wish is fine and or a flash system for macro if you own one.
There is a donation box to help support this habit on land that is owned by the Tewksbury State Hospital. The club will be making a donation to the organization as our support and in payment for whoever goes on the meet-up. Of course it would be helpful to the organization, if anyone who wishes to make your own personal cash donation that day and put a couple of bucks in the donation box as well. Our Monarchs and their habitat are quickly disappearing and anything we can do stop or slow down their disappearance would be a gift to us all.
I hope to see anyone who would like to join us for a morning of nature photography and camaraderie on Saturday Sept 12 in Tewksbury at the Monarch Ranch. They also have a Facebook page ‘Monarch Ranch’ with video clips about the place. https://www.facebook.com/monarch.ranch.2025
If you have an issue that day or get lost here is my cell number-617-733-2174 however you can only text me as if the phone doesn’t recognize your number it won’t ring through so please text.
See you all soon. Lesley