Blimey.........it's August already......gulp !!!

Well I notice it has been months and months since I have daned to post on the blog.....time and tide has no respect for a blogger. But today, I have time for a photo journey over the last few weeks as I have crossed England in the pursuit of the mighty airwaves.

June saw me on the Farne Islands. A fabulous day although we had to get off pretty sharpish as the wind picked up and we were in for a choppy return to the mainland.

The view from the hotel in Bamburgh wasn't bad either!

Nor the sunset on the causeway at Holy Island

And apparently there is a roseate turn in the middle of the arctic terns at the Long Nanny site up there.

further south I popped into Weardale for a botanical foray into the vampires of that dale

Later in June I popped up to Ingleborough to run about on slippy clints and deep grykes in limestone pavement country.

While in mid June we both managed to snatch a long weekend in Boscastle in Cornwall

The famous Valency river which although tranquil this visit, flooded Boscastle in 2004

The beaches of St Ives were stunning in 50mph winds but blue blue skies

The waves were therefore quite impressive around St Ives and seem to have washed up this mermaid cum seal on the rocks..........

July saw me back in Yorkshire, this time on Malham Tarn taking part in a research project to find Britain's rarest caddisfly, which is only found here.

Being given permission to be out in the Tarn at night with a light trap was just magical, as thousands and thousands of grouse wing caddisfly emerged from the lake all around us.

And I even managed to get to Newcastle to record the kittiwakes on the Tyne Bridge, or as our lovely Geordie contributor said.... kitti waaaaarks

Well just a flavour of where I've been, and why sadly the blog took second place to being out there and doing it as they say.

And so, if you want to hear more; the following Living Worlds are coming up on Radio 4;

Puffin - Broadcast last Sunday

Limestone Pavements - 07.08.11

Vampire Plants - 14.08.11

Caddisfly - 21.08.11

Go on......have a peek................ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qyz3

Our mobile sundays

Life often imitates art, or maybe it (life) is just an abstract being.

This weekend just gone was a "do our own thing weekend". As such we (Julie and myself) spent the weekend apart and of course then spent so much time on the phone and e-mailing, we may as well have been together. At least BT are making a profit.

Yesterday was a fine example of the changing face of communications. What did we ever do before BlackBerry's, mobiles and e-mail's. A walk in the country was something of a solitary pursuit for the likes of Wordsworth, BB and Peter Scott. Silent dawns, reflecting on the passage of nature and the insignificance of the human race in the bigger scheme of the things. Yesterday was all of the above, but all the photos here in this posting were taken on mobile phones and e-mailed to each other. One of Julie's e-mails to me had the title "Our Sunday" and that just fitted the mood so well.... so well in fact, those 2 words formulated this posting in my mind overnight. Julie was in Wiltshire doing whatever happens in Wiltshire to a young maiden; meanwhile I was on a day trip to Boscastle (photo above to prove my presence in that fair County) doing what a young blade does when unleashed into the community. Walking.

Pull up a chaise lougue and I'll elucidate our weekends............. or strictly speaking Our Sunday, May 16th 2010.

East Grafton is on the outskirts of Savernake Forest. The whole area is a wonderful jigsaw of classic English pastoral farmland with the added benefit of the Marlborough Downs as it's backdrop. As part of Julie's day, she walked out on a summers morn.... (with apologies to Laurie Lee), to refresh the sinues. Striding out with a-plomb from her domicile the tracks and farmland around the village are a wildlife pleasure ground and in particular the skylarks are just omni-present. Proceeding along an aptly named Dark Lane eventually Julie came across "Julie's Tree"...... there is a long story attached to this based on the first walk we had out over the fields together in February - I love the trees in that area and so named this stately oak after her. I like standing next to this tree and communing with the landscape.

Walking up the farm track the tree (and others) stand out against the skyline. I've not been up there myself for a few weeks and the differences in the landscape with the oil seed rape in flower, and herbage luxuriant, were noticeable. So it was a joy to get a collage of images from Julie highlighting the walk to, past (below) and beyond the tree.

Elsewhere on her walk she spied this tree in a field against a dark and brooding sky......

..... and then descended to the Kennet and Avon canal which winds it's way silently through the fields.

Last night while talking on the phone, another view of trees and roosting corvids took Julie's interest into an embryonic thought of hers for a painting. I'll look forward to that and when this is completed, in a future posting will post my own pencil drawing of another tree in this area which has special significance.

At the same moment in time yesterday, although I was unaware until later, Quicksilver found himself in Boscastle. Waking feeling restless and unraveled, I decided I needed a walk and sea air to re-ravel me. Lyme Regis was my aimed for port of call, however on reaching Junction 25 of the M5 I had a flash of inspiration to head further south and visit Boscastle. This is the first time I've visited this village since my 45th Birthday on April 1st 2009.

The weather yesterday was against me when I arrived, but that added to the mood, dark and brooding. So I trudged up to the view point and looked out over the sea. Wind buffeted me as squally rain showers hurled themselves against the cliffs, and of course me. Around the turquoise sea changed black and inky as the squalls came in, foam piqued on the wavelets and seabirds began calling and effortlessly soaring past my vision of the sea....... which is the image now being used as my blog banner.

I find being in inclement weather by the sea very therapeutic, those dark cliffs adding the the sense of foreboding that Man is insignificant in the might of the elemental forces of nature. For me being by the sea calms the emotions, I think it is because of the constant movement of tide, wind, seabirds and waves which almost mesmerises me into a sense of deep calm. I sat for a good half an hour looking at the view on my banner until the cold and a car park ticket about to expire drove me back down the Valency river, and reality!

One of the astonishing things I never tire of with the Boscastle area is the dramatic and foreboding mouth of the river to the sea, cutting through the dark rocks, and then upstream beyond the village, a lush and verdant valley cuts up through the hills towards St Juliot's church. The riparian contrast in so short a space of time is quite dramatic.

And yesterday it was made all the more contrasting as it was a just the most perfect time for spring flower emergence; ferns unfurling, wild garlic, bluebells, field campion, gorse, and a whole myriad of wild flowers in full show, nothing had begun to wilt and die, everything was in it's perfect condition.

Even the birds were performing. I watched a dipper dipping in the stream for a good 10 minutes (sadly my photos on the phone were disturbingly awful, I can't publish here), but also 2 yellow wagtails, pip pipped along the stream, swifts and swallows overhead, buzzard, crows and a plethora of little brown jobs in the trees. An excellent end to a 3 hour walk - not overly strenuous, just very pleasant and contrasting.

And finally this image from the Valency Valley.... not massively sharp as photo's go, the light was failing, but I love the fact that nature has composed an artistic canvass without trying.... moss covered trees, blue bells, primroses and the stream behind.... I just love walking through countryside and looking for the unexpected and of course beautiful. We should all look closely at nature, view the unexpected with joy, not least as we may never come this way again..... make the most of being there at that point in time.

So we've reached the end to Our Sunday. Two views of southern England, taken at the same time and shared. This is really a green and pleasant land, no matter what the doom-sayers may tell us.

Julie and I walked our own footsteps over countryside 200 miles apart, but at the time of walking each were thinking the same thoughts and those were thoughts of sharing the experiences of nature for each other when we got home. I like modern technology, it allows different experiences to develop without too much effort.... and then we can share...... although my battery did almost expire I'd taken so many photographs.

And as for my walk.... well of course it recharged my batteries wonderfully..... next stop Isle of May in Scotland on Friday for work, then up to Cromarty early next week; there will be a blog posting from there I expect....... keep mobile, that's my motto.

Birthday Dippers, you April Fool(s)

I had the day off yesterday as it was my 45th Birthday. And who better to spend it with I say than the one person you love the most, so I went for a coast walk on my own...ha ha! Well no one else can cope with my jokes for more than a few hours.

Boscastle in Cornwall was my destination and what a fabulous day which kicked off with an all day breakfast in a hotel and being me a long chat with the hotel owner. So long in fact half the breakfast was cold by the time it was devoured. Comestibles polished off a walk along the coast was required. Just a couple of photos from that, hope you have a head for heights???

I spent a long time here as this cove was packed with Jackdaws, Herring Gulls and a smattering of Fulmars, though most of the latter are found further out on a sea stack apparently. And above them all for a very brief moment, a Raven. Great stuff watching Jackdaws pairing up and also nest building. My guess is that only half of the nesting they flew in with actually made it to the nest, they're a bit butterfingers, or should that be butterbeaks.

And of course at this time of the year, Jackdaws are doing what comes naturally, best move on swiftly I think.

Nearly forgot this very obliging male Chaffinch. He sat next to me while I was admiring the view. Well it was a lovely day, so why not sit on a rock and have a rest. Often overlooked these are really stunning birds if one looks at the plumage properly.

Anyway after walking for a couple of hours, (took bit longer than planned as I was being text'd all through the day, thank you again for my Birthday messages if you are reading this, you know who you are) my circular route brought me back into Boscastle, and a leather shop. Now before you say anything, this was a leather goods shop, not something dark and mysterious...... however something mysterious did happen in there.

I was perusing the worked hide, when the phone rang. Shop owner answered and a conversation between mates happened, it was mate's birthday and they were planning a night on the tiles. So after the conversation I said to the owner, he's not the only one with a birthday today. Well "butter me" said the owner "that's really weird, what's your name?" Andrew I said. "Well "butter me twice" (presumably with a marmalade side order), my mates called Andrew. So he rang his mate back and eventually, Owner, myself and the other Andrew had a three way gawd this is odd, must mean something in a cosmic sort of way, chat. I then bought a kidney shaped purse and left.

So after all this excitement I had to steady the nerves with a "traditional" Cornish Pasty, spicy vegetable. This polished off, I then ventured up the Valency Valley for yet another walk, to Minster Church (where I met a couple, who told me it was Mrs couple's birthday as well.... that's three April Fools in Boscastle. Must mean something!!).

The Valency Valley was devastated during the floods of 2004 and I'd not walked up it since, though had done so many times before. 5 years after the floods one can still see the scars and makes you realise how much water must have come down that August day. But birdlife here was good, Chiffchaffs singing everywhere, usual smattering of Titmice, a pair of Grey Wagtails nest building and then...........I heard before then locating, 2 Dippers!!.

These fabulous little birds are wonderful, and when I lived "up't" north saw them all the time. But I've never seen a single one in 16 years of living down south, mainly as they prefer fast flowing streams with lots of gravel and stones to flick over hunting a morsel or two. Not many of those on the somerset Levels. These two were "an item" as the Male was doing a bit of flirting and the odd little butterfly flight they do to say to his chosen one, come on darling, look at me.

Sadly couldn't get any closer for a better shot, but a record photo of a wonderful little bird which has been missing off my Year list for a long while now. No wonder they're the national bird of Norway, just very cute, entertaining and live in nice places of course. I couldn't have asked for a better Birthday present than this.

Blues and Twos

Strange title I know and a strange week. Are the moons and planets in polar opposite alignment or something at the moment? Last 10 days have been to say the least interesting for a friend of mine, who in that space of time was made redundant and out the door. Brutal but in a way, allows her to move on. Border Reiver has been doing his HR/Staff Manager but more importantly good mate bit to calm the nerves over the days, and I always think positive things come out of adversity.

So yesterday we whisked off to North Cornwall, for some proper job, sea air, sun and sand. If you come to Cornwall, don't do the crowded south, hit the coastline twixt Camelford and Bude. Top Dollar scenery, and more birds than you can shake a smugglers spotted hankie at. The coast walking isn't half bad either.

Yesterday though was just about a day out to recharge her batteries, and mine for that matter. Helping her, while over the same time the number of people in my office crashed by 80% after redundancies and stress related sickness, the boy Reiver and the one remaining colleague have been fingering the dike continuously over the last 2 weeks to keep it from braking wide open. No more Wednesdays off for me for a while, and this explains the slow down in postings. I need sleep.

But even a non wildlife day brought the blogger out in me. After a few spots of rain, the sun broke through and the painter in me watched as the sea developed the turquoise - azure blue - purple - white colour mix I could have just watched for hours and hours. Incessant movement as an Atlantic Gale blew in, mesmerising. Those of you into seabirds could have watched for hours as they wind-surfed the waves.

Mind you some of the seabirds were a bit soft and preferred to perch inland next to the ice cream shop.

And lets not forget the plants, this Common Catsear clung onto a ledge in full force of the wind. No matter how good a garden designer is, this level of "it works" can never match a naturalised planting of plants finding niches to grow and survive.

And finally, a moth. No I didn't photograph this in Cornwall, but in the kitchen. This Riband Wave Moth (non banded form to be precise)had been on my kitchen ceiling for a whole day, so I thought in the evening I'll release it into the garden. Well sadly I don't know what happened but it slipped out of the egg-box and landed in the washing up bowl. My good Samaritan deed ended in death. So here it is preserved in my memory and the blogging community for ever.

And while I'm on about moths, a fellow blogger ST was kind enough to buy one of my charcoal paintings recently of a moth. He collected it this morning from my parents, and it now resides in sun-kissed Northumberland. Thank you ST.