Nearing the end of the year

 

Looking back, it`s been a year of mixed emotions, dominated by our Dad`s declining health, leading to a long period of palliative care, and then his passing in June. This meant that between February and June in particular I spent a significant time away from home, and therefore many things took a back seat, including photography projects. 

This photo above is one of my "thinking spots" back home, a place to try and get some perspective back, feel the fresh air, listen to distant Curlew, and re-evaluate a lot of things.

But there have been a number of positives squeezed somehow into the odd gaps - the catching up with old friends; occasional projects (including work with the falconry); monitoring breeding Kingfisher for WWT when time permitted; meeting, for the first time, one of my long-time "heroes" - Don Powell of Slade, at a video shoot with the Don Powell Band; moving forward with my new Church; a bit of airshow photography; trying out new video work, etc etc. 

 

The `planned` list of projects for 2023 was quite extensive, but nearly all of them haven`t even been started. My wishlist kit wise stills remains a dream for 2024, but just grateful for what I did manage to see and do during what has been a very busy, emotional and occasionally difficult year. Onward and upward for 2024.

I`ve enjoyed carrying on my WWT volunteering when time permitted, which has included data collection on the Reserve, `Walk with the Warden` days, High tide watch, Dawn Chorus Walk, and (pride of place) the Kingfisher monitoring. In particular, it was great to have been able to have obtained actual proof (for the first time) that one of our Kingfisher families had a third brood, something that hadn`t been proved before for our site. I managed to track down a `new` young male Kingfisher (as opposed to one from the two previous broods), in mid September, looking as though it had only been fledged a couple of days. 

 

Spreadsheets of data were collated throughout the breeding season, all of which has become very useful for future work.

Looking forward now to starting 2024 with a bit of a new slate, and I should be assisting with the WWT tick event on New Year`s Day. Some of the projects from that lengthy list might be started too.

Lots of New Year resolutions from last time carried-forward again, plus (although i`ve said this before) I hope to get back to some art again too. 

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful 2024.

 

 

Happy Christmas!

 

I would just like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas, and a peaceful 2024.

Stay safe, and thank you for all your support.

 

a spluttery week

 

It`s been a bit of a strange week, as i`ve been full of an almost covid-like heavy cold since last weekend, losing my taste, hearing (what`s left of it), breathing (I went `amber` on my asthma readings), and just about everything else. Tested `negative`for covid twice, but it`s been a bit of a week "treading water" and just plodding on.

Last Monday I attended the WWT roadshow for us volunteers on their new strategy to 2030, with new branding strap lines, etc. The lure of cake kept me going, and the spluttering and coughing input I contributed at Q & A time probably mystified the Board who were down from Slimbridge. At least I made it, lasted until the afternoon, then collapsed in a chair when I got home! That set the tone for the rest of the week. 

Wrapped up in four or five layers, I did somehow manage to do a bit of photography on Tuesday, but that was me finished with the camera out in great outdoors for the week. 

So today, Saturday 9th, i`ve unusually been indoors all day, and looking through some recent shots from the last few weeks. I`ve also been looking back on other things too, including last year`s `New Years resolutions`, and found that i`ve not only not achieved them, but also not started them! So they`re going to be carried forward to 2024, and then a number of other things added on top.

Next Saturday is another Walk with the Warden day, and fingers-crossed i`ll be back at WWT for that. It`s only just over two weeks until Christmas, so next Saturday will be a bit of fresh air and exercise away from the succession of mince pies. In the meantime there are Advent activities and services, one or two personal appointments to attend (podiatry here I come), and number of other things in my diary that I hope my fuzzy and currently-blocked head can deal with. 

Looking forward to meeting everyone brave enough for the wander next week, and who knows what winter birds might be around? In the meantime, it`s back to the Vick, Halls cough sweets, Olbas oil and other remedies that will permeate through the house that I can`t begin to smell.

Stay safe.

R

Photography catch up

 

There`s been a cold snap this week, but it`s been good to do some photography again and catch up with some Short Eared owls amongst other things.

I came across a large flock of Fieldfare, and despite the numbers none where in a position to photograph, either against the light or dropping into the back of trees the other side. Very frustrating.

It`s only just over three weeks until Christmas, so free time is very limited. I still hope to be available for the WWT `walk` on Saturday 16th December, which will be good to get away from the pre-Christmas busy rush.

See you there.