For the last couple of days I have been plagued by an electronic buzzing noise in my bathroom. I have a false ceiling with low voltage down-lighters and thought it must be the transformer, but that seemed ok. Yesterday morning I traced the noise to the outside wall behind my w.c. Investigating from the outside I discovered a three centimetre hole in the house wall next to the kitchen door. Bees are busy, as is their wont, flying in and out, so I've got a bee's nest in the cavity wall - problem solved
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| The bee hole. I've no idea what its purpose has been before but the bees ae welcome |
I am still walking from home a few miles most days, but with the plaster it is all a bit of a compromise and the next hospital appointment is not until 15th June, when hopefully the plaster will be removed. I suspect after that there will be a long haul of physiotherapy.
Yesterday, after solving the buzzing problem I walked over Arnside Knott and down to Bob-in café. Inspired by Beating the Bounds recent magnificent post,
Teesdale, an Embarassment of Riches,
CLICK I vowed to take my time and try and photograph some bird life, but that was a dismal failure. My antipathy to standing still for any length of time, my difficulty of holding the camera still when on zoom with only one hand, and the inconsiderate behaviour of most birds to stay in the same place for more than a few seconds conspired against me.
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Ash tree at top of my drive - I look at this when I am writing my posts.
Every so often the telephone wires get disrupted and BT or whatever they are called these days have to come out and lop off branches |
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| These are at the foot of the tree. I garden under protest, and for the moment everything is going back to the wld. It will become an onerous job when I can get back to it |
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| Just a it further up the road |
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| Just before I leave the road to enter woods and make the ascent of Arnside Knott there is the cemetery with these fine old conifers - not sure of the species |
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| The cemetery chapel, now used for parish council meetings and the occasional exhibition |
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| Just beyond the chapel this entrance to some of Dallam estate's forest. I chatted to the guy who told me the last time they had culled the forest was 17 years ago, and he was here. Today was the first time in the 17 years I have lived in Arnside that I have seen that gate open |
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| My entry for Bird Photographer of the Year competition |
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| The cliché photo from Arnside Knott: railway viaduct across the Leven estuary |
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| Across the estuary to Grange-over-Sands |
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| Lots of these ancient remains about up on the Knott |
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| My favourite bench and view from the Knott. Across the bay to Morecambe. Normally you can see Ingleborough but it was too hazy today |
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| Starting the descent to New Barns and the Bob-in café |
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| Zoom. About two hundred yards away. It was still for so long I suspected it may be artificial |
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| Bob-in café |
Conrad, I think you should you should stick to photographing flowers.
ReplyDeleteConrad, I empathise; generally I take four types of bird shot:
ReplyDeleteOut of focus, to the point of being indistinguishable even as a bird, let alone what variety
In silhouette against the sky (sometimes also combined with out of focus)
Partly obscured by undergrowth
Already flown away, leaving an empty branch
Thank goodness for digital cameras allowing for the possibility of the odd fluke.
BC - ...or buy a portable hide, comfortable camp stool, a tripod, and some very expensive camera equipment. Seriously, if you want to achieve success with something like this you have to dedicate your time and energy exclusively making it the main objective rather than trying to slot it in on a walk which itself is the main objective.
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Dave - a familiar list. The original photo of that half bird was in silhouette but I tweaked it with Photoshop bringing out a surprising amount of colour: pity there wasn't more of the bird!
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ReplyDeleteI too sympathise Conrad. Here in Kenmore, young swallows are darting in and out of the stone work of an old ruin and won't stay still for a second to allow a decent photograph. Delightful though.
Lucky you having bees in your cavity walls 🐝🐝
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Exactly the same problem with birds. Wildlife photographers must have the patience of saints!
ReplyDeleteafoot - my previous residence in Preston 17 years ago was adjacent to a golf course where I walked the family Springer, Barney. He went berserk barking and chasing swallows flying close to the ground as he tried to follow their eccentric jinks, swoops and turns - it was a fine sight, especially as he never had a chance of catching one.
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Ruth - yes, stick to sheep, and cows (from the other side of the fence).
That Valera 8550 is a nice piece of kit.
ReplyDeleteAlan R - that was just an incidental tractor, but of course you miss nothing.
ReplyDeleteHalf a bird is normal and acceptable, Conrad. But half a tractor?
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to find you in good humour. Roll on mid June and the plaster removal...
Ha!
ReplyDeleteYou're right of course - flowers (and tractors!) are much more cooperative. I don't think I'd get any birds if I were trying to do it one handed, and some days I don't get any even with two. I take a lot of photos and sometimes, some of them come out okay. Butterflies are just as awkward and bees even more so. Then there are days when the birds seem to be prepared to let me get some shots - yesterday morning was like that. Admittedly I did a two and a half hour walk in more like four hours. And I still missed the Marsh Harrier.
Keeps me happy however!
Phreerunner - I reckon I didn't see that as a tractor by definition but something much more specialised, and therefore not qualifying to help satiate our resident tractor expert's hunger for rare tractor beasts, but it seems his passion is more wide ranging than I thought.
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bratingthebounds - Hi Mark - you are too modest.