Tringford Reservoir — Between Two Downpours!

I took a look at my nearest lake to see whether it’s birds had returned, but was disappointed; there was not a single bird on the lake that I could see as I scanned the entire far shores I could see from the junction of the two possible directions. Also, there were not too many anglers either.

I had a brief chat with one, to elicit what natural activity he had observed, but came to the same conclusion. So my destination was to be the more distant one — the Lake at Tringford, where I would be able to discuss motor racing with its Water Bailiff, Bob.

I took a non-motorway route to drive down to avoid any possible delays, and found just one lone angler whom I had not met before and learned Bob would be a while, so after a while I headed back to the car and set up my camera with my long lens on the Benbo, to see what I could capture, as I had spotted a couple of young Grebe reasonably close, but despite my not being too slow, they had decided I was a possible threat and put a good distance between us, and never came any closer for my entire time there. I also got shots of some young cygnets, and a gull.

I took some shots, but was soon overtaken by the forecast heavy rain, and retired with assembled camera, tripod and long lens to the refuge of my car. There followed quite a battering of heavy rain upon my roof which lasted probably fifteen minutes before subsiding. I got out of my now steamed up car, and there now followed light drizzle for respite, before a second onslaught which though heavier, lasted less long and final stopped completely, allowing me to continue shooting. The angler meantime had decided to come ashore to avoid any possibility of a lightning strike, and we had a further chat, and he mentioned he had let Bob know I was at the lake.

Although I did get my fix of a few photos, it was not destined to be particularly interesting, so it was not long before I was once again on the road, and since there was only a minimal delay on the M1, that was the. route I took to return to create the small single page entry on the blog. The images were completed by the early afternoon of the following day, and the narrative finished after a scheduled visit to the local Hair Salon, which was undoubtedly overdue!

A Visit to Tring Reservoirs and its Birdlife

          The sun shone hazily when I left from home, but by the time I reached the road towards Dunstable, cloud cover had become complete, and as I proceeded further south, mist came down getting denser till I reached Pitstone, when it began to lift, but any hope I had entertained that sunshine might prevail were dashed, as it simply became a typically dull British day.

          I drove to Tringford where I spotted the Water Bailliff, Bob Menzies  and another angler chatting by the entrance, and before I could get out to open the gate, Bob began doing so for me, allowing me to enter the field to park. Another angler soon joined the group before they all set off to the Pub. Before I could set up my camera and lens I had to close the gate as members of the Public just wandered into this Private Angling Club. I then began assembling the camera, gimbal head and tripod and closing the gate behind me headed across the road to Marsworth Lake.

          My trip got off a good start because the first bird I saw was a grebe, one of my personal favourites — it was at some distance which was a shame, but no worry I was going to be around for a while yet. I was using the Benbo tripod, and so did not close the legs to save time whilst moving along the path between the two lakes. I would stop every so often to change my viewpoint and thus the camera was immediately available. However as I write this piece, having edited the images, it is apparent that was probably not my best decision, as it meant that I was not carrying it well, as I am in quite a bit of discomfort from my back now. I just hope that a good night’s rest improves the situation.

          The tally of different subjects from the afternoon, covers a gull or two, a shoveller, swans and cygnets, a grebe and some pochard. So, considering I also broke off to chat to some other photographers, some of the anglers, and members of the general public, I had quite a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon.

Marston Lake — a Possible New Venue

         Since the rain had stopped, I decided to nip round to the lock-up and get the bike and reconnoitre a nearby lake just beyond the turn off to the station beyond the Allotments. I was heading towards Lidlington, but before there, there was a gated entrance to a lake reserved for anglers and just beyond, a small lay-by. I checked this out first because I had in mind that it would be ideal for me to park the car, if I were to visit with a heavy tripod and the big lens at some time in the future.

         On this occasion I travelled light; without any camera; there is a small pedestrian gap beyond the gate, that I wheeled the bike through, then I parked it beyond the bend, so as to be hidden from the road, and leant it against a tree, and followed the road around yet another bend, and came to a junction, where the track went around the perimeter of the lake in both directions. Ahead was a parked estate car with its rear door open and its driver engaged on his phone, I nodded that I’d wait patiently till he was free and withdrew to a distance to allow him the privacy to continue his call.

         Shortly he wound down his window, I enquired as to whether he felt that since I was not an angler, whether it was possible for me to enter the area to take photos. He answered immediately that there was no objection, and during the ensuing conversation I discovered that he was the local Water Bailiff; so I had definitely found the very best person to learn more about the lake and its wildlife. Most importantly I learned they did have kingfishers, and he even suggested where they were most likely to be found. He explained that the path to the right was short and only went as far as the last jetty from which the anglers fished.

         I decided to investigate this path first, and found it was a very short distance. I returned to his parked car and continued our conversation, and even in that short period of time I noticed that there was a fair amount of bird life. We chatted a while longer, then I set off around clockwise from the junction, having asked his name having volunteered mine and given him one of my business cards.

         I strolled slowly along the path, every so often taking paths towards the foreshore to get an idea of the viewpoints each offered. As I returned to the main path, I tried to remember the man’s name, and realised that it had not registered at all in my failing brain! I was going to have to embarrass myself, by asking him when I next met up with him! I refer to the route around the lake as a path, but it is in fact a road in that it is wide along its entire route with enough width in parts to accommodate cars being parked without blocking it for others going further round.

         Every time the route forked off to give access to a small area from which to fish, I would investigate, though in some cases, I did not go right to the water’s edge, because either I did not want to disturb the angler, or I could see that it was very muddy and steep due to all the recent rain. I soon reached the bank directly opposite to the bailiff’ car, and soon after that I spotted that on that side, there was no enclosing fence, and between there was an area of scrub with a public footpath beyond.

         I walked as far as I could in that direction then turned back and returned to the bailiff’s car, where I apologised for so swiftly forgetting his name, and learned it was Mark, which I realised was so easy to mark for the future, had I made that simple mental note on the first occasion! We chatted some more, before I then headed back to my bike and rode home.

         At that time I was not sure when I would return, but in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, I returned with my lightest long lens the Tamron 150-600mm and this time parked in the lay-by just beyond the entrance, set up the lens and camera on my carbon fibre tripod with the gimbal head, locked the car, and headed in towards the lake. I decided that as the sun was already getting low, I would head to the right and the short distance to its very end, where I set up the tripod on the short and somewhat fragile wooden jetty. After a while I heard the whistle-like call of a robin who came to investigate. I also caught sight of a blue tit, but it was far shyer, as was a blackbird, out on the water I spotted a couple of cormorants, several coots and a lone young grebe, and I was lucky enough to capture its good fortune to succeed to secure itself a reasonable sized fish for tea.

         I soon found that the sun was falling into clouds as it fell towards the horizon, so I took a few further shots as I headed for the gate and my car, and a couple of the setting sun over Brogborough. Though brief, it was a very good way to head into Christmas.

Birdlife at Tring Reservoirs

I met up with the Tringford Water Bailliff, Bob Menzies and a few Anglers at the Tringford Lake, and one of their number just leaving felt there was a chance of kingfishers along the Trout Stream, so despite never seeing any in the past, I decided I would fight my way through the nettles and see whether I might have better luck – to no avail. But, I did spot a Mallard Mum and her ten-strong brood keeping a low profile for safety in this secluded stretch of stream.

I then crossed the road to the path between Startops End and Marsworth Lakes, where I met far more of interest; a Crested Grebe that had dived with success and come up with a freshwater Crayfish that he spent some time with before consuming it. Later I was to see a pair of Grebes begin their ritual dance, but there was poor synchronicity and they seemed to mutually accept they were not meant for each other, and swam off in separate directions!

On the main Lake at Marsworth, a mother Mallard seemingly had been less successful in keeping her family safe as she was in close attendance to a single chick. I twice missed the noisy takeoffs of two pairs of swans, but placid singletons were easier camera fodder. Having spent some time by the lake at Marsworth, I returned to the car and found two Bluetits flitting between the branches of a Hawthorn tree and some tall spindly grasses, so I added them to the shots I had been taking on the lakes.

A Good Day – Despite a Dental Visit

What defines a Good Day? Sunshine helps. And after several typically grey English days, a bright and crisply nippy day is a good start. Starting with a Dental appointment is not really the precursor one might expect for a good omen, but hey, this is the real world!

I had not noted down the precise time for said appointment so was early by a wide margin and right outside the Dentists was a bus stop, so I stood by the entrance, but close to the shelter to lessen the wind, but in the sunlight and several girls turned up who obviously knew each other, but three coaches pulled up and left without any of their number boarding, then the answer came as one girl arrived obviously well-known to the others, but after greeting them turned to open the locked gate! They all moved towards the newly open entrance then stopped, said “Good Morning” to me and waved me ahead. I smiled and let the Key Lady pass and thanked them upon entry and sat down to wait.

I did not have to wait too long before my specific dentist arrived and greeted me with a handshake, but it was a while before he actually called me in for the examination. He was happy with my self diagnosis, and informed me that one tooth was going to be ‘tricky’ – a euphemism I recognise as ‘painful’ and ‘expensive’, but that would be at a later date…

I then returned to base, read the morning’s emails, sent a few off, flicked through my website regulars then assembled my rucksack with camera gear and a chocolate bar so that I could leave promptly and not squander this gift of bright sunlight. In my haste, I failed to consider that half-term meant the road to Whipsnade would be brimming with parents taking their children to the Zoo! Coming to the tailback I spotted a chance to use a driveway in which to swing round and take a circuitous route to reach my destination and a planned meeting with the Tringford Trout Fisheries Water Bailiff. I did make good time however and actually passed him walking along the road, but had not been certain it was him till he hailed me as I was getting the kit from the boot.

We chatted as we let ourselves into the anglers’ area and walked to the jetty; his task was to fire off a few blanks to scare the cormorants from the lake, then we both walked back across the road to take the path between Startops End and Marsworth reservoirs, where we parted company as I headed towards Bulbourne. Before we had met up a father and boy had been leaving a parked car just before my arrival and we exchanged pleasantries, well soon after I had left Bob the Bailiff, we met again and immediately he said he had seen two kingfishers in the direction I was heading and another by the weir near the entrance, I was delighted at this unprompted news and thanked him warmly with much more of a spring in my step – my first good omen! I made my way to my familiar spot and had barely strapped the monopod to the tree stump when squinting against the sun I spotted a kingfisher had landed on a far branch complete with fish!

 I was obviously over-excited as the first few frames were not sharp, but this beauty obviously felt for me because he hung around for the longest time I have ever experienced when they were within sight, so much so that I made several inadvertent burst through tension and as I waited patiently for signs of his departure, I was so stiff I was unable to move fast enough to capture his takeoff. I was to see him fly by several more times in the next few hours, but he never again settled. Not long after I heard rustling behind me and another intrepid photographer arrived, I said hello and commented that I took it he was here for the same reason as myself – to get shots of the Golden Eagle – he nodded sagely! Later we introduced ourselves and I learned he was Terry. We had seen the mink dive into the water after what we assumed were some of the Mallard ducks, but he came out with a fair-sized fish! When I was leaving later we spotted the mink again, and he did manage to get a few shots, but my camera was back in my rucksack! I left wishing him the best of luck.

Arriving home I found I had a message from a client agreeing to meet me on the following Monday, and as I was responding another message came through from him, asking me to quote on some retouching. I was definitely having a Good Day!

Warm September at Tring Reservoirs

Had the wind been stronger, and Windsurfers been on the water at Brogborough, I would have headed north and tried to improve upon the shots I took on my last visit, but a call to Sam Barnes forewarned me that no one was on the lake, so I went south to Tring reservoirs, in the hope that despite it being afternoon I might catch sight of kingfishers.

I did catch sight of a pair, but they were in Exocet mode; theirs was a non-stop flight, so any chance of capturing them was a non-starter. I did however spend a while at Tringford with the Water Bailiff as he mended anchor ropes and checked for leaks and rotting boards as I concentrated on taking shots of dragonflies in flight as they were in good supply.

Heading past Startops End I cautiously approached a heron, alongside a couple of egrets, but he took off before I was close and spooked both egrets, though I did manage to capture both in flight, later I was to see two robins, one familiar friend a very sleek and well-groomed one, and a slightly chubbier one, also a blue tit and what I think were spotted flycatchers. I was also visited by a squirrel on two occasions, as well as a flock of Canada Geese with two Greylags along for the flight.

So a reasonably satisfactory afternoon's shooting.

Tringford Tiny Wildlife

My first task for this Saturday was to ensure the house was presentable, so before showering, I put on Friday's clothes as what I had to do was going to be sweaty, as the morning was very close, and I was destined to be down on my knees pulling out stubborn small weeds embedded between the stones of crazy paving. A task that was essential if the house viewers were to feel that the rear garden was presentable.

After the shower and in new clean clothes I made for Tringford, so that the couple viewing were free to discuss whatever dastardly deeds they were going to perform on my house were they to consider purchasing. I had previously packed my camera bag with a choice of lenses as I had no clear decision as to what I might be photographing, but I did know from my last visit, that the corner of the field that serves as a car parking area was teeming with life in the long grass. Initially I simply walked around disturbing the grass to see what took flight, without getting out a camera, but it soon became obvious that the field which had now been harvested was still full of life.

I got out the 100mm Canon lens on the 5D MkII and set 1600 ISO as it was not exactly bright with heavy rain-bearing clouds scudding overhead, and set AV mode and f/10, and for the second time that day was back down on my knees, but I have to say, this was a lot more enjoyable than earlier! Even now several hours later as I write this entry, my thumbnails are still painful from tugging at stubborn weeds. I think I referred to these leaping insects as Crickets, but I think in fact they are grasshoppers. The only accurate way I have found of seeing them in the first instance is to disturb the grass, so they jump and then the stems they land on vibrate upon impact and then they become visible, though even then you have to be observant.

Likewise for these tiny frogs that I describe as froglets, I have no idea whether they are simply very young or they are a small species, but both the grasshoppers and froglets are certainly nervous of this lumbering human, and in reality I was being very stealthy and quiet, and banked shots at a distance before moving ever closer. As before, it was not long before the rains came, putting an end to my shooting and as I 'chimped' the shots I had taken, the phone rang and it was the Water Bailiff, who later joined me in the car for a chat. He is a Stamp Collector and so I showed him the sets in the series of 'British Auto Legends' and in particular, the Taxi that had been retouched by my fair hand.