by Tina Claffey
July 12, 2023

Frogspawn Eye-Clara bog Co. Offaly Ireland

The first sign of life in the Spring is frogspawn appearing in the bog pools. So full of life. The sun lit a small reed underneath this frogspawn and illuminated one cell. Whe I looked through the lens, the living cell looked like an eye staring back at me, the eye of Mother Nature herself.

The bogs and wetlands are my sanctuary. They are the last true wildernesses in western Europe and are home to rare and extraordinary plant and animal species.

I have been exploring and spending time within them now for many years, and they really soothe the mind, body and soul.

Birch Shieldbug, Killaun bog, Co. Offaly Ireland

I was amazed by the beauty of this little Birch shieldbug in early Autumn. The morning mist has covered this little bug in droplets that looked as though its back was studded with precious jewels.

I remember when I first began to explore them. I had been inspired by a walk in my local bog with botanist and geologist John Feehan in 2012, and he had encouraged us to look closely at the flora and fauna with the small hand lens he had given to each of us. The wonder of seeing the intricate beauty of the living carpet of the bog in such close detail unlocked a door to another realm.

Caddisfly Case-Killaun bog, Co. Offaly, Ireland.

Caddisfly larvae are aquatic, and they must develop in the water to mature. The Caddisfly weaves this amazing structure on its back to reside in that serves two purposes, the weight of it keeps the larva submerged, and the structure also protects it from predators. When the caddisfly is fully grown, it casts off its wonderful house, and flies from the top of the water.

It was a walk that changed the course of my life. I invested in a macro lens, which allows me to see and capture the flora and fauna up close, just as I had seen on that walk in late Summer through that hand lens. Much of what I photograph can easily be passed by, and sometimes too small to be casually observed and appreciate with the naked eye.

Reindeer Lichen Tree, Killaun bog, Co. Offaly, Ireland

The bogs are home to some spectacular lichens, which are a symbiotic relationship of an algae and a fungus. They are so otherworldly, I love to get ‘lost’ in these wonderful scenes with my macro lens.

The journey to truly ‘see’ and observe took some time though. Free the mind. Slow down. Be patient. In order to truly see and capture these wonders, I have to slow down to the hum of life within the bogs & wetlands, and only then does Mother Nature reveal her gems to me. Adopting this new slow pace of mind and body within the bog has been so rewarding. It lifts a veil to allow me to truly ‘see’.

Round Leaved Sundew - a tiny carnivorous plant that has ingeniously adapted to survive in the sterile bog.

Insects are attracted to their sticky sweet tentacles, and when they land on them they are doomed. The tentacles close over the insect and is absorbed by the plant, receiving the nitrogen it needs.

I like to explore alone, in silence. All of the senses are alert as I wander. Each bog I visit has an energy or presence. An ancient soul. It breathes.

Frozen Sphagnum, Killaun bog Co. Offaly, Ireland.

In sub zero temperatures deep in the heart of Winter, I was walking by a frosted bog pool. The air was crisp and the sun lit the ice at my feet. I noticed a small green colour within the ice, and looked at it with my macro lens.  It took my breath away. There was a tiny otherworldly sphagnum, its limbs outstretched perfectly preserve in the ice, surrounded by frozen oxygen bubbles. Its beauty took my breath away.

Seasons come and go, flora and fauna emerge, flourish and die, and in each stage there is beauty. I like to visit the same bogs regularly throughout the seasons. I feel very much connected to the earth and to the bog’s ‘presence’ when I do so.

Mating Emperor Moths, Birr, Co. Offaly, Ireland

A female Emperor moth had freshly emerged from her cocoon, and was drying her wings, when a much smaller male arrived to mate with her. Freshly emerged females release a pheromone into the air, and the male can detect her from over 4 kms away. Such a special moment, their life’s purpose fulfilled, her to reproduce, and him to continue his bloodline.

Raft spider with her egg sac, Cloncrow bog, Co. Westmeath

The Raft spider is Ireland’s largest spider, it doesn’t build webs to catch its prey. It is semi-aquatic, hunting on and under the water and in the undergrowth. This female watched me cautiously as she carried her precious cargo, her egg sac. She carries this for almost three weeks until they have matured and she feels they are ready to hatch. She then lays down the eggsac, builds a small web around them, and guards them until they emerge.

Much of the flora and fauna that I like to photograph is at my feet, so am usually lying flat to stabilize myself, and the camera, and explore a tiny area of the living carpet looking through my macro lens. Macro photography forces me to slow down even further, as I may be drawn to a moss or lichen, then swivel the lens slightly, and see another beauty, so otherworldly. One beauty leads to another, and another, like dominoes. I sometimes feel like Alice falling down a wondrous rabbit hole, within this living carpet of wonders.

Reindeer Lichen Tree, Killaun bog, Co. Offaly, Ireland

The bogs are home to some spectacular lichens, which are a symbiotic relationship of an algae and a fungus. They are so otherworldly, I love to get ‘lost’ in these wonderful scenes with my macro lens.

By freeing the mind to absorb what nature is showing me, the bigger picture is revealed.
Rather than the world revolving around us, we are but one element within this world, co-existing with countless other magical worlds in unison. These other worlds, overflowing with beauty and mystery, declutter the mind, and feed the soul with wonder.

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Authors Biography & Contact Information

Bio: Tina Claffey is an award-winning Irish nature photographer and author of 'Tapestry of Light-Ireland's bogs & wetlands as never seen before' in 2017, and ‘Portal-Otherworldly Wonders of Ireland’s Bogs, Wetlands and Eskers’ in 2022.

Her observations and unique perspective through her macro lens of the flora and fauna of the raised bogs and wet woodlands of the Irish midlands are celebrated in her work. She has exhibited in group shows in the US, Botswana, Zambia and has had solo exhibitions throughout Ireland.  Her work is part of many art collections, permanent exhibitions, including the permanent collection at Áras an Uachtaráin, home of the Irish President.

She has presented her work on many worldwide online platforms including the Wildlife Habitat Council Online Conference in the US and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) to promote the importance of the Irish bog wilderness. 

LINKS

Find out more about Tina’s work and order her new book ‘Portal’ here:  http://www.tinaclaffey.com

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