Early Visit to Marsworth Reservoir

Arriving at the water's edge, I immediately spotted a lone Muntjac across the water on the far bank, and just before it returned to the undergrowth managed to grab a quick shot, albeit with foliage and branches obscuring its hind legs, then moments later, a squirrel, scurried down a tree trunk and disappeared into a bush with its mouth full.

The air was filled with the unmistakeable sounds of pigeons' flapping their way through the leaves all around me. The next visitor was far too quick for me, a heron landed momentarily on a high branch of a dead tree, spotted me, and was away back the way it came, in a trice; sadly, never to return that morning. I got to sit down with the camera on a monopod and my hand on the camera with the 70-200mm lens. I have to own up, that was not by choice; I had been careless when packing the case and chose it mistakenly for the 100-400mm, but so be it, it did at least offer an extra full stop of exposure to make up for the far smaller image!

The light was kind to me, it had a softness due to slight cloud cover thereby avoiding the harshness of full sunlight on potential subjects, in this case I was hoping to glimpse a kingfisher. Glimpse was all I got initially, as an orange and blue blur passed across my field of view at high speed, but it was not long before a kingfisher alighted on a far branch, looked around, then dived, and disappeared from view; whether it met with success, I had no way of knowing.

It was quite a while before another visit, so I captured an amusing piece of pigeon life, and it seemed to me as a human observer that a male flew to a branch ostensibly to drink, but in the hope his presence would bring a female admirer, and certainly soon after another pigeon alighted further along the branch, but instead of waiting patiently for a short moment, he immediately sidled along the branch and the second bird simply flew off, he seemed dazed and remained quite still musing on his failure before flying off in the same direction.

I had two more kingfisher visits, and several flybys, together with one quick circling of a bush, and in the lulls, I took shots of some of the fungal growths and the beginnings of autumn in some of the trees, and a charming slim robin gave me the once-over. After four hours I stretched my aching legs and headed for Tringford to meet up with the Water Bailiff, before heading home, but on reaching the turn for Aldbury, changed my mind and took the road heading for Wigginton Bottom.

Small World Insects at Tring Reservoirs

I went hoping to catch sight of dragonflies at Tringford reservoir, but what caught my eye almost as soon as I had parked my car, were tiny orange beetles flying amongst the long grass and wheat. This gave me a further chance to use the image-stabilised 90mm Tamron Macro.

I am aware one should not apply human attributes to other species’ behaviour, but I did notice that on more than one occasion a lone beetle would observe a copulating couple quietly going about their procreation activities, and he would move in closer and investigate said couple by moving his antennae and gently touch the male on its carapace, then move around and investigate from a different angle. I felt this was either voyeurism or educational interest. In one instance the lone beetle flew around to different viewpoints rather than stroll.

As I was observing this activity I also spotted other stirrings and flitterings; a tiny moth, several damselflies, mainly male, and of far greater interest a cricket, which I spotted initially only from the movement of grass blades six or so inches apart. Only when I moved in much closer was I able to spot the reason for the movement – a beautifully still cricket, who so long as I moved smoothly and slowly simply ambled along the stem.

I then spotted a mating pair of damselflies; out of range of the macro lens, but just close enough for the 70-200mm Canon lens to be of use. The remainder of my time was spent on the far bank of Tringford before moving to Marsworth, where the Tern were diving often successfully for small fish, and I was lucky to catch one. I also heard a squawking Mallard behind me and so swung around and panned and somehow the light had dropped way down and so I found that I had taken a few shots at a mere 1/40th of a second, but my panning must have been spot on, because surprisingly I even managed one shot with it obviously mid-squawk!

Autumn and Remembrance

The weather for Sunday was forecast fair, so I was up and out early; not quite up with the lark, but certainly early enough for the mist to still be hanging around, and for me, it was early!

I knew only the general direction I was heading, as it seemed as if there was a corridor of early sunshine, and I meant to stay in the sun! Coming down the hill from Whipsnade and Bison Hill, the sun shone strongly on the roadside Indian restaurant, so I took the opportunity of its capture as there was a nearby lay-by just beyond the roundabout. I then continued towards Aldbury to the Pitstone Hill, before returning to Bulbourne and on to Tringford and the reservoirs, where I came across two more camera-toting photographers.

All the reservoirs at are at the lowest for several years, with Tringford falling victim to a score of cormorant who were manning a spit leading to the outflow towers and presumably gorging themselves on the hapless fish who had no depth of water in which to hide. Startops had many different varieties on the newly uncovered sandbanks, but most were lethargically preening themselves or dozing in the unexpected warmth of the sun. The most active birds were the gulls, the coots and the grebe, and just twice a pair of swans took to the air, I therefore tested my panning skills to capture them at takeoffs or landings.

Around the time of the two minutes silence the wind rose somewhat and there was a new chill in the air, and for a while I regretted not wearing fingerless gloves, but I soon found that dropping to the foreshore brought me slightly closer to the birds and out of the wind.

Later, I drove back to watch a delayed recording of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and first and third for McLaren and a welcome return to form for Lewis Hamilton.

Tringford Pumping Station Equipment

Arriving at Tringford Pumping Station in dismal drizzle is far from disappointing for two reasons; that I shall be working inside being one, but for a few of the shots, I do not have to fight with the sun’s high contrast to get some of the shots.

I met up with Ricky Tyler, the engineer responsible for controlling the routing of the water to and from the reservoirs under his control. I was amazed at just how complex the decisions he has to make were, when faced with the various needs of different parts of the canal. In summer these needs are driven by the popularity for one portion of the canal over another and how many times the lock gates are used. In winter, it might be which gates required maintenance, or which reservoirs needed more or less water, yet keep disruption to a minimum. This pumping station is the link to the four Tring Reservoirs: Wilstone, Tringford, Startopsend, and Marsworth (Click 'Tring Reservoirs' in the line above, for zoomable Map). None of these provide drinking water, they are devoted entirely to support the preservation of water supply to the summit of the Grand Union Canal.

The machinery is not in its first flush of youth, so needs constantly watching and given attention. The financial situation for British Waterways brings added pressure, putting financial constraints on what can be repaired or replaced as well as increasing the overall workload on the diminishing workforce. I found it sad to see the overall dilapidation of the premises which is both a grade listed building and a vital workhorse in the maintenance of the Grand Union Canal.

I wanted very much to see these pumps and learn something of their roles, and record as much in the short time available. What is very obvious is just how much change has been wrought to the building during its lifetime. At one time it had a full extra storey; this was in the time of the steam-driven beam-engine. That was replaced by diesel-power, prior to the current electric pumps. An electrician visiting today would have to be coming towards retirement to recognise the power supply controls!

I hope that the photographs I have taken give some idea of what lies beyond the closed doors of this fascinating building, but more than that I hope it can see a new lease of life – it needs a heart transplant to maintain circulation in the canals it supplies.

Another Visit to the Reservoirs

Getting up early for a change, because of the confident forecast of a bright and frosty start to the day, gave me the chance to visit both Tringford and Marsworth lakes, and being there early gave me a chance to capture swans both taking off and landing. I also got a couple of shots of a grebe’s successful catch whilst on Marsworth.

Back on Tringford the herons were also taking to the air and one in particular caught my eye as it seemed young and also bright white, not grey like most of the others. There were already two hardy fishermen out on the lake, and Bob, the bailiff was busy tidying and cleaning the frost-encrusted boats. I soon spotted Rob’s line was curved under tension, so watched and waited for him to reel in a trout, he later reckoned it to be around three pounds, and he worked hard for it!

To Bob’s dismay the cormorants were on and around the lake in abundance, and he is likely due for a very sore throat as he bellows like a rutting stag to scare them off, but several landed on the water at the far side from the landing stage despite his displeasure. There a few tern flying leisurely but consistently around a small inlet, so I can only presume there was food around.

Bob rowed me out on the lake for a spell as he inspected the banks and the far end of the lake by the pumping station, and for a while the wind dropped somewhat and the sun began to warm us, but that soon changed as the wind direction veered and got up in strength just as we returned to shore and by that time having just drunk a cold coke I began shivering so I called it a day, and it was only half-past one!

I have split the shots into three galleries: Fisherman Rob’s catch with herons and a grebe, A swan taking off, doing a circuit and landing, and another taking off and flying past.

Three Counties Afternoon

I went to Tringford Reservoir first because a friend John was fishing at Marsworth, and as I returned to Tringford I took a look at Startops reservoir and spotted that due to the  low level it almost resembled a muddy beach, and a heron was perched on one leg on a branch over the stream entering the lake.

Bob, the bailiff for Tringford, was taking the opportunity for a spell fishing, so I took a couple of shots in case they were of use to him later in the month. I stayed awhile before setting off to Maydencroft Manor to meet up with Tom Williams to collect a camera I had lent him and to let him try out using my 80-400mm Sigma on his newly-acquired 550D.

He had friends around, so after a cup of tea and a chat; with lens handed over, I asked whether he objected to my taking a wander round the gardens again. He was fine with that, so I strolled around and spotted some discarded peacock feathers before I caught up with the owner, he was very quiet for a change! I came across a lovely cock strutting his stuff, looking as if he had fluffy boots. I then drove off down Maydencroft Lane towards Charlton, birthplace of Charles Bessemer, the inventor of the Besemer Converter.

I stopped for a while in the lane where I came across first a really tatty butterfly and fleetingly a beautiful and tiny blue specimen. I tried in vain for a while to get a shot of it and meanwhile found a similar sized butterfly with a beige underside with beautiful spotted detailing, only to find that when it opened its wings, it was the elusive blue one! Whilst following the butterflies I also spotted a cricket.

I took some shots of straw bales in a sloping field and later caught sight of a family taking to the field with children on their bikes. I called in at the Windmill pub for a swift half of cider by the stream in Charlton where they were rearing some ducklings, before returning to Bedfordshire near Wandon End as the sun was low over fields of ripe wheat.