Riverside Birds, Bedford

          On this visit to Bedford, I parked very close to the river, and took a gentle stroll back to the bank having already taken the soft case off, and set the zoom and exposure in anticipation of what I might be capturing initially. This turned out to be one of the Greylag geese who looked up towards me in anticipation of my throwing a handful of seed in its general direction. The action of doing so caused others to react more speedily as all were far swifter and more nimble!

          It also attracted the interest of others on the wing, mostly gulls. My interest was in trying to capture some of those in the air, as the LUMIX, my camera on this occasion, is less easy to master in such situations.

          The LUMIX is far less obtrusive than my EOS cameras with the bulky Sigma telephotos, so the Squirrel in the tree felt safe and although it was very much aware of me, it was confident and not threatened, which allowed me to spend quite some time capturing shots of it, both in the tree and on the ground.

Bedford River Great Ouse Visit

After a spell without wind, the Lake at Brogborough was not enticing excitement on water, so the need to be out prompted me to visit the banks of the River Great Ouse in Bedford, and see what activity was to be found there, for me to capture.
Fortunately finding a place to park was not difficult, and from there I was able to walk by the river in less than a minute. I noted two small jetties that I presumed were for Anglers, but this seemed to be a small lake detached from the river as there was a vast amount of green algae covering a fair part of this pool, so I made my way to the far more busy river bank and was soon fully absorbed in recording the nature of life on and by the river. It was very apparent that far more people were desperately trying to return to normality and break free from the restrictions imposed by Covid.
It was pleasantly warm, but the sun which graced the earlier part of my day, soon retreated to spend more time behind the cover of clouds, but fortunately it did not prevent me from capturing the spirit of the day as life began to show signs of returning to the earlier norm, and the season showed evidence of the journey towards Autumn.
The images from my venture, capture the atmosphere I encountered whilst I was out with my camera. The camera to which I refer is the small LUMIX FZ10002; it is small, and has a zoom lens, which covers a surprising range, which I sometimes augment further by screwing on some small dioptre close-up lenses to allow me to move even closer on small insects, or flower heads.
It did not take long for me to find subjects for my camera, the first being Swans, with their new families of Cygnets, and it was interesting that one small area, close to the water had become a bird toilet — I have no idea whether this spot has always drawn the swans to this area, or that the restrictions imposed by Covid have simply kept the area free of human interference and allowed the swans to takeover this particular spot.
I spent some time at this area as the various birds felt safe; I found one spot where some four pigeons just stayed unmoving among a patch of weeds and daisies, quite unperturbed by my closeness, as if observing a Siesta! The cygnets and a lone swan close by the riverbank either were preening if awake, or dozing eyes-closed; the scene was somewhat surreal, but  I took advantage of the unmoving pigeons and captured images of both groups.
Whilst I was by the river many of the Sculls came only so far then turned around and afforded me some subjects, and I learned later this was as far as they were able to go, so this was the area that those craft tended to turn around. This I learned from a charming young lady whom I had recorded using this spot for just this purpose and later met up with her on the towpath.
Obviously this section of the river was the place to be, for I heard violent flapping of wings resounding from the water coming from the area by the nearby bridge. As the Swan came into view, I was able to capture several shots of its takeoff, and these feature in the associated gallery of images from that afternoon, and I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
There is something majestic about Swans; if you had never seen a Swan, and were asked: could a bird as large as this fly with elegance, a bird on water that seemed the epitome of grace and serenity, your answer might well be: "No!" — However, although takeoff required brute force and was noisy, the sheer power and will, allows this bird to prove you wrong. I hope that the few images I managed to capture are testimony to the power and beauty of this bird that has Royal protection and patronage. This does not excuse their abysmal toilet etiquette!
My walk along the river was not confined to just one side, I also crossed to the other bank which allowed me to witness the protective behaviour of a rook who had found some pieces of bread, and encountered a Mallard who made a failed attempt to steal them, but despite the size disparity, the rook prevailed!
This day's gallery ended with my salute to the architectural elegance of the white bridge with its avian group taking their advantage of the commanding views from its height above the river.

Marston Moretaine Church – Environs' Bird Life

I have been in pain due to inflamed bowels for several days, and now the medications are finally having some effect, and the lack of exercise gave me cause for concern — sunshine came to my rescue, and made it possible for me to give my bowels some gentle massage whilst being distracted by the onset of Spring around me as I concentrated on capturing some of the boundless beauty that was a mere short, gentle walk by the local semi-detached church — the tower and chancel are separate entities, with a story of an annoyed God punishing the Villagers by parting the two asunder!

The one thing of extra note is that Capability Brown definitely did Not design the surrounding environment, perhaps the angry God decided the church should be hidden from casual view, by enclosing it from most angles of view beyond, with trees and bushes. This is sad, since the architecture is quite appealing, though entrances deemed in need of being sealed do not appear to have been given much love, looking very utilitarian. l have therefore made a conscious effort to take the viewer’s eye away by choosing an angle that leaves the original arch visible, but the blank wall is obscured by a bush to spare the blushes of the diocese.

I have tried to find angles that show Nature giving us a glimpse of what the coming season offers, and details that caught my eye as I gave my body a gentle work out. I used a lens that gave a general view in my initial walk, then returned later with a longer lens that allowed me to isolate  a view of what I found of interest, and get something to drink to keep me hydrated and allow my body to recover.

By pure chance I spotted the courtship of a pair of pigeons, and the longer lens on the second trip was fortuitous. Since my walk was solitary, the camera provides both company and the chance to capture the scenes I find and share them to a wider audience whilst keeping my eyes attuned to the differing challenges in capturing the colours, atmosphere and happenings around me.

Whilst I was beyond the trees, on the early trip I was surprised to see an egret fly overhead, heading South South East between two other lakes to the south, and this was what had prompted me to come out for the second excursion with the long lens. I also spotted a flock of doves that circled the buttressed tower of the church before landing. This narrative is more than a day late, since I went to Elstree to collect my repaired EOS R from Canon, and  yesterday saw the return of my Sigma 60-600mm lens so therefore I had been delayed in completing the processing of  the shots taken from both trips as I wrote this. I will now let the pictures tell their own story.

Cold Marsworth Wind – deters not the Birdlife

Despite getting up early, the drive to Tring Reservoirs was delayed from the start – I managed to mislay a vital piece of camera gear, once found, I then faced more traffic than I had anticipated on the journey down the M1, I then took the wrong route off the motorway and when I arrived at Tringford, I felt I needed to catch up with the Water Bailiff  and one of the anglers before setting off for the far end of Marsworth Reservoir. My arrival time was an hour or more later than my initial intention.

I got myself settled to wait to see which birds might visit me, the main vista was populated by noisy and irritable Coots and numerous Mallard drakes, and for a change the single most quiet of wood pigeons, though many of its relatives gave out their normal chant: “My Toe Hurts, Betty” over and over…

I spotted a juvenile male kingfisher off to my right, for which I had to remove the camera from the tripod and which necessitated my trying to find a viewpoint devoid of intervening twigs and branches. Which reminds me one particular kingfisher annoyingly hid behind a myriad twigs in plain sight for at least twenty minutes, and he returned there later to rub salt in the wound! Or give us photographers – the bird!

A Heron headed towards where I sat, saw me and negotiated the swiftest of flying turns and headed from whence it came, which made me chuckle. I thought that the abundance of ducks might mean that kingfishers might avoid my chosen spot, but for a change, though a pair of males made at least a couple of fly-bys without pausing, individually   eventually my patience was rewarded, and not long after I was joined by a Nikon-toting photographer, who was to make me smile when he informed me he had a screw loose (fortunately, it was one on his tripod!) Well, not totally ‘fortunate’ as it did mean his tripod was less stable.

A while later and a further three other photographers arrived, one of whom it turned out, was a Brogborough windsurfer – what a small world I inhabit! By this time, my neck was stiffening, and the cold wind was taking its toll and I vacated my prime position and headed back up the bank and back to my car, but before finally leaving I took a last few shots of common Terns diving and swooping, but certainly could not match the shots I had been shown by Philip Luckhurst earlier. I did however take a shot of a humming bird, on the arm of a Scottish lass!

It was a surprisingly rewarding morning after all, but I got no shots of fish being harvested by the kingfishers. Another time maybe.

The Hope only Partially Fulfilled

I set out hoping to get better shots of kingfishers, in the plural, but after a long wait, despite catching flashing flypasts, I only photograph the one, but in two awkward spots.

I had arrived before sun up, set my tripod and gimbal head up, and although over the water's edge to get the best viewpoint, I would have to stand the entire time, it was over an hour before even a hint that there might be any kingfishers about, and as on earlier visits it was the 'plosh' of a dive for fish that alerted me, the first close to the bank to my left, and then I saw a flash of blue crossing low over the water to disappear on the far side. In the meantime I was visited briefly by a grey squirrel, who promptly turned about and scurried back from whence he came.

The pigeons were their normally noisy selves, with one couple in particular destroying the early morning calm by their boisterous mating ritual, moorhens and mallard sailed serenely along the overhanging reeds on the far bank.

In the past the only kingfishers I have seen were iridescent blue, but the one that paid me a visit this time, albeit fleetingly, was green in colour, it also chose a spot to my right on a tree stump, only just visible through the intervening branches, which proved to be painfully difficult to swing the camera to, so I took to handholding the camera as he patiently stayed in view.

After he flew off, it seemed permanent as a further hour passed with no sighting. By now I was beginning to feel the cold, so packed up and returned to the canal towpath, along the way I spotted a blue tit gathering twigs for its nest, and a really chirpy chaffinch, and golden reeds in the sun. Later still a different chaffinch cheekily stole a piece of bread a family had thrown to some ducks and geese on the the path. It swiftly grabbed it and moved to the safety of a tree branch to feast on its booty, and I just managed to capture it as it pulled a piece off it to nibble.

When I arrived back at the car, I was thinking I would text Lizzy, when the phone rang and she wondered what I might be doing! My reply was to get everything stowed and make my way over, and I spent the afternoon with her, Tilly and Joshua.

Poulteney Bridge Environs

I thought I would take a chance on parking in Bath, so set off along the A4, a route I used to use when hitchhiking to and from RAF Yatesbury, I drove right through the tourist-crowded centre and almost out the other side and found a spot at the very end of the road that would take me towards Chippenham, and which meant I avoided a lengthy queue when I finally left later on!

I walked back the way I came, then along Great Poulteney Street till the Bridge, where I took the steps to the riverside. Having navigated those who were enjoying alfresco coffee, teacakes and chat and being bustled by half of humanity, I arrived under the shelter of trees where an artist was well on the way to completing his watercolour of the scene, I checked to see that he did not object to my capturing his work in the foreground, and later was able to capture a couple fascinated enough by his work to discuss how long he had been labouring on it.

I was also able to encapsulate the scene by having a Japanese man directing his partner as to how to take his portrait, a man gently feeling his future offspring kicking or moving within his spouse’s womb, a young mum sunbathing whilst her child slumbered in a buggy, a two-child family resting and a couple ‘chimping’ the most recent digital shot on their point ‘n’ shoot camera by the railings in the background. I promise I did not stage it! Everyone was in their own world, yet part of the whole – bustling serenity.

The roar of the water over the weir was as fascinating for the birds as the human populace who were being brought to the very edge downstream in a pleasure boat, there were two types of gulls and innumerable pigeons and a lone cormorant flew overhead aloof to the smaller birds below. I walked back up the steps and once again passed the couples oblivious to the mass of tourists squeezing past, and walked around towards the centre to choose a higher viewpoint of the weir and the bridge. I spotted that some of the gulls did fly close to the parapet, and hoped in vain I could capture one coming straight for me from the direction of the bridge. Since it was not to be I simply practised catching them in flight regardless, and was quite pleased with my improving success rate.

I spotted a man shooting with an iPad! Maybe, I should consider doing handheld shots using a Sinar P with my old friend Scheimpflug at my elbow! I three times chatted to a photojournalist, Christopher which added interest to my afternoon.

Later, I walked towards the Gardens where the Portishead band was playing in the central bandstand, paid my fee, and joined them to savour the atmosphere and yet a different viewpoint of the Poulteney bridge. My sense of humour came to the fore when I spotted two organic statues, the first which brought to mind Oscar Pistorius of Blade Runner fame in the Olympics, and then another who I imagined to be a black belt in Judo!

The sky had been clouded over for some time, so I chose to return to the car and set off home, so that I could look forward to post-processing  probably 20GBs of raw images from the weekend!

Avian Visitors to my Garden

Every so often I find surprise visitors to the garden. On this occasion, the most attractive was a goldfinch. This is the first time ever; I have pigeons and collared doves, robins, blackbirds and blue tits.

I stopped filling the bird feeder for a while when I found I had a grey bushy-tailed animal stealing from it, and so I left it a week, before refilling it. Instead I have been putting out seeds and peanuts in the morning on the ground, but that rather favours the pigeons and collared doves, whereas it is the smaller birds I wish to encourage.

This small gallery of just nine shots was taken through the closed and dirty kitchen window. I then cleaned the window, both sides and found a number of very unwelcome but very dozy flies, which I swatted on the nice clean window! The corpses were then picked up and put out as an offering to the birds, and were obviously considered tasty as they were scoffed within a few minutes.

Christmas Birds at Burnham, Buckinghamshire

Inside wood logs burning in the grate provide warmth and a friendly glow, whilst outside the kitchen window it is cold, yet somehow inviting. To humans inside it is a pretty picture, but for birds it is a time of hardship, but fortunately thoughtful humans have provided food for them in the form of nuts and apples. The range of birds was wide, there were great tits, coal tits, blue tits, chaffinches, nuthatches, robins, green parakeets, jays, collar doves, pigeons and wood pigeons, all in the space of less than an hour. Crows flew overhead, but kept their distance.

For the most part I kept very still inside and tried simply to capture them as they fed, but when I went and sat equally still on the window ledge outside it took only a few minutes before most of the birds returned – the need for sustenance overcoming their fear of me. Oddly the pigeons were the most wary, the blue tits were the first to return, even before the robins.

Walking the lanes it was far quieter, so human kindness was definitely having an effect – the birds were very reliant on the food we provided when so much else was covered in a thick blanket of snow.

Pigeon Fancying

Although there are several pigeons in the area, they generally spend their time flying from one rooftop or treetop to another and occasionally dive into the privacy of the pine trees, but two came and relaxed in more open branches, and because of the wind and occasional drizzle these two snuggled down to rest. For a time they seemed to take it in turns for shuteye; I never saw both with their eyes shut. These two were noticeable as they had long and grey beaks and somewhat poor grooming.

Then suddenly in flew another, much plumper bird, better coat and an orange beak. I have no idea of the sex of birds, so I have no idea whether this was a male and the earlier pair males, but this newcomer landed alongside the upper of the pair and immediately began ‘tonguing’ with it! A few moments later the one that had been on the lower branch joined the couple to claim the attention of the incomer, but after a few shared moments the new bird turned back to its first choice after a brief threesome clutch, then it was all over and the original pair were back on their own. There seemed a short period when they nodded to each other, before the luckier one posed proudly and both flew off!

I have no real idea as to what just took place, and I have no better idea as to the relative genders! But it was fascinating behaviour whilst it lasted, and I had never seen it before.