Beautiful summer day, and Paper Mill Lock Marina crowded with people, but walk along the river and they soon disappear. The swallows are here, nesting under the old concrete bridge at least a dozen, and they swooped and dived over the river and the buttercup meadow with such speed that it was impossible to catch them on the camera.
What else, the Demoiselle damselfly was equally elusive, they hardly settle on the long strappy leaves of the yellow flag before they are off, fluttering the deep aquamarine of their bodies and laced wings justifying their name as the European Beautiful Demoiselle. The blossoms of the hawthorn are fast disappearing, changing from their 'Omo' brightness to a softer creamy-brown, and the cow parsley lines the path with that abundant exuberance of summer. Will of the wisp lights danced on the water, perhaps a combination of sun and insects, but no fish rose to disturb the slow flowing current. One batch of yellow irises, that was all and because of the heavy use of nitrogen in the large (think it is 120 acre field) there are not many wild plants which is sad.
And talking of things disappearing, welcome 'Natural England' on the scene, apparently, yes apparently, robins, starlings and wagtails are a 'health and safety risk', therefore open house on destroying their nests and eggs, can you believe it? Hopefully the RSPB will show them the error of their stupid consultation. There is a Wordpress blog on the issue, which gives the reason that the chairman of Natural England, just happens (boys for the job syndrome) just happens to be a founding member of a company that build houses, and birds are a nuisance when it comes to nesting in the drain pipes under the eaves. In fact that is what most of the starlings do round here every year, and I have never heard of anyone complaining......
To gentler things, as already my blood boils with furious rage at the stupidity of greed...
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| Swallow bridge |
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| Buttercup field |
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| Envious place to live! |
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| two demoiselles |
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| old hawthorn |
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| Yellow flag |
Lovely photos! Here I am documenting autumn colours and falling leaves - though the Australian natives stay green. Jean
ReplyDeleteHi Jean, glad you enjoyed the photos, opposite end of the world with Autumn falling in Australia and everything tumbling into life here ;)..
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