Forest Centre Lock-Down Cycle Ride

A more distanced cycle ride around the Forest Centre - I kept my distance from both other cyclists and from those travelling alone, or in small family groups whilst on this excursion ride around the numerous paths that wind their way around this woodland retreat. I had set out on this ride initially with a very different destination in mind, but had found that access to the local Anglers’ lakes had been curtailed, hence why I returned to the Station Road entrance to the park.

It was some three minutes’ ride before I even saw anyone at all, and so I dismounted, leant the bike carefully against a tree, and took out my camera from the front pannier. I had spotted some luscious green Horse Chestnut leaves with a cluster of candles which seemed to form a circle. I then spent several minutes capturing further examples of the burgeoning  and crinkly young leaves making the most of the warm sunshine to herald the new season. I walked around this small area for probably ten or so minutes, oblivious to any others that may have passed by, as I focussed entirely on the beauty of nature blossoming in this small area. I then put the camera in the front pannier, and cycled slowly deeper into the woods with only the minimal sounds of birdsong, and occasional clatter of pigeons flapping frantically to avoid nearby leaves as they flew from branch to branch.

Although the predominant colour was a vibrant green, the splashes of white, red and pink against the fresh green, was what caught the eye of my lens, then the occasional young insects, when I moved in closer. The first of those I managed to capture was a Ladybird, but there were others that were too fast or restless for me to capture.

I would stop at various spots where I had caught sight of a specific plant, and either lay down the bike, or find a convenient fence or tree to lean it upright, and take off the soft camera cover and scout around for likely subjects. On one such foray, I looked into the rounded scar of an erstwhile branch and was amazed by what I had found! The healed wound itself was interesting in itself, but what I spotted within was a delight — I had discovered an entire family of snails! To capture the scene did present me with a slight problem, but fortunately the camera I have been using of late, the LUMIX FZ 10002 has just the tool to come to my rescue — it has a pop-flash, and it was but a moment to decide which way to orient the camera to ensure that the interior of this small cave was illuminated by the flash without an annoying shadow — the over-exposure of the exterior of the tree trunk I would sort later when in Lightroom. The evidence of the history of the tree’s earlier wound that gave rise to the Snails’ home had a beauty and charm all its own! As I searched for other subjects close by, two family I felt groups came past, so I shared my discovery with them, as both had young children, for whom this would be fascinating. To one group I withheld the description of what to expect, the other I described what they might expect — both were happy for my sharing the discovery.

I could see the lazy turning of the Wind Turbine across the nearby lake, but from the path, it was obscured by scrappy branches, but the lure of the scene was enough for me to leave the bike partly hidden on the far side of the path whilst the camera and I made the slightly tricky descent to be clear of the trees to capture a shot of the turbine across the intervening water.

Returning to my bike, I packed up the camera again, to continue my journey of discovery.

I soon spotted a Peacock butterfly, and it was not as edgy as an earlier encounter with a recent butterfly, and I managed a couple of shots of it on the path, before spotting alongside some rusting iron gates the equally rusting evidence of four concrete, anchorages probably World War Two vintage possibly used to anchor a barrage balloon. It was not long before I returned to the point at which I had entered the Park and headed for home having enjoyed fresh air and exercise, and the chance to maintain my sanity and gain further valuable experience of this excellent camera and its foibles.

Burnham Bramble Burning and Butterfly

I drove down to Burnham to offer help to my nephew, Alex with his somewhat overgrown garden, so as I broke for lunch, I went to the car and took out my EOS7D Mk II camera and the 100mm macro to grab a few shots whilst the lighting was good.

I had spent the morning hacking back brambles that seemed as if they had been fed steroids for the past several years, until the break when I was able to reveal two tree stumps and two remnants of a privet hedge, one fairly healthy, the second less so; but at least now they stood a chance of survival, unimpeded by the thorny clutches of the brambles.

The abundance of roses, a buddleia and numerous other flowers demonstrated that the garden had once been well-stocked, so these hopefully will be returned to their former glory. The Peacock butterfly certainly felt the buddliea warranted its attention.

It is a shame that both he and his sister Virginia are now so more distant than hitherto, as it would be good to have spent more time there to help in the task of restoration, but I think I made the most of the short time I was there, helping him and his colleague from his nautical days, Amrit.

In his enthusiasm to burn the spoil I would have been grateful to be asked to move the car beforehand as it is now covered in white ash, and when I opened the boot, much that had been on the bootlid  was sucked into the boot space! I'll forgive him this time as he did provide me with a lunch and cups of tea. And, I now have a few more images that will serve as greetings cards at some future occasion – perhaps in the design of a Wedding gift label when he and Palka tie the knot.

Late but Welcome Garden Visitors

Writing over four gigabytes worth of files to DVD takes time, so I got the chance to grab a camera and go into the garden and capture some of the more than welcome visitors to my budliea. Till today, I had seen no more than a single peacock and a cabbage white and those only in the last few days. The warm wind that has blown today was a godsend. Bees and butterflies were at last in my garden.

I had to write three DVDs, so that gave me two photo breaks, I made the most of the opportunity and used the 300mm with the 1.4 converter, then changed to the 100mm macro, and for a change I even managed to get some sunshine some of the time, and I now had a tortoiseshell join the peacock and cabbage white. The three shots of the bee in the gallery was a bee simply struggling to climb through the leaves, perhaps he was drunk from all the nectar!

I have been running one of my cameras in a box at a Shell Service Station which has been undertaking a three-week refurbishment of its retail shop, taking a series of time lapse images, hence the mammoth writing of DVDs.

Luton Hoo Visit 26-7-11

Wednesdays are volunteer days at the Walled Garden Project at Luton Hoo, and the morning started very grey and cloudy, so I worked in the morning and only went over there once the sun was shining, because I had heard that a humming bird hawkmoth had been seen in the gardens a fortnight back, and I knew they needed bright sunshine to appear.

However, I was to be disappointed, there was no sign of it. I was told that I should take a look in at the Cactus house as there was a splendid flowering of no less than five heads from one. The gardeners tending this had never witnessed such a display in over thirty years of working with cacti. The blooms last for no longer than a couple of days, so I was indeed honoured and lucky that it should occur on a Wednesday.

I was also delighted to see large numbers of hoverflies who were equally excited, which gave me further chances of capturing them in flight amidst such colour. It was not just in the greenhouses that they abounded, there was a profusion in the garden as well, so I did not miss the opportunities. There were many bees, but few honeybees, and there were also several wasps. A few cabbage white butterflies could be seen, but only one Peacock that I could see.