Reportage Roundup - March

Saturday 19th March

Chris Baker - founder of B.R.A.V.E

March roared in like a lion with over 300 motorbikes joining 'The Bomb Run' charity ride from Coggeshall to Carver Barracks in Wimbish, to raise funds for B.R.A.V.E.  Bikers Respect All Veterans Equally
Chris Baker, a former Royal Engineer, who became paralysed after suffering injuries when his military vehicle was hit by an IED, founded the organisation which raises funds to be shared around various military charities.

The ride was led by Chris on his special Harley trike, and riders from all over the region roared onto the windswept airfield behind him for a group photograph in front of some of the military vehicles stationed at the barracks.

Give us a wave! Just some of the bikers for the group photograph.

The all-important charity patch, to sew onto the riders cut-offs.

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Saturday 19th March

Follow the instructions for the treasure hunt.

By contrast, the gentle pastime of an Easter Treasure hunt, took place at Thaxted URC, where children were given a booklet of clues, to help their in search for letters hidden around the church. Once these had been collected and re-arranged to form an Easter greeting, families were invited to sit back and enjoy tea and cakes in the newly opened-up community space within the church.
View the gallery

Hunt the letters.

Cakes and organ pipes. The new community space opened up after removal of pews.

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Saturday 26th March

Hunt the bunny - hiding in the pak choi bed.

Continuing in the treasure hunt theme, Saffron Walden County High School Farm Club held their open day on a cold and dreary Easter Eve. This didn't deter masses of families arriving for the indoor barn activities, in an attempt to dodge the unpredictable weather. Once again, clues were provided to guide the young visitors to the hiding bunnies.

All the usual farm animals were there for visitors to become acquainted with - Dexter cattle, goats, sheep, guinea pigs, ferrets...
There was some reserve when encountering this constantly wriggling mustelids but thankfully all children went home with all of their fingers, although the farm club crew-member had nicely scratched hands (and a smelly sweatshirt!) Despite their odorous faults, I do have rather a soft spot for ferrets myself.

View the gallery

"If I stroke it, will I keep my fingers?!"

Am I pretty or what?!

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Monday 28th March

Sponsor a duck.

From furry wrigglers to yellow swimmers. Easter Monday brought the crowds out for the 1st Rayne Scouts annual duck race. These quackers, some of them veterans of many races, were assigned to hopeful custodians and over 1,000 ducks were released into a fast flowing River Brain. Storm Katie had just passed through and so the trailing wind helped to rush the bobbing bath-mates along to the finish in swift time, with the crowds keenly following on alongside the river bank.

View the gallery

Under starters orders. Over 1,000 yellow ducks waiting to float away.

Crossing the finish line - come in no.1000, you are the winner.

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As March came in like a lion, so it had to go out like a lamb, and just to oblige, one of the four-week-old farm club lambs provided a cheeky baa!

 

Day 22 - August Challenge

Challenge - "duck" on 22nd (two little ducks in bingo I believe) in colour"

Suggested by - The Tax Father via Twitter

Two little ducks '22'

No? ...Well they can both swim and they were both eating the grain, which had joyfully been delivered at regular intervals by lots of little people.

However, when all had gone quiet again there was this secret life going on at the duckpond, and which the little ones wouldn't have been too happy to see. A whole family of rats inevitably inhabited this neighbourhood and were ducking and diving to collect the 'easy-pickings food' which was falling from the sky (as was the rain falling from this morning)!

The local moggy, whilst sitting watching the goings-on from the vantage point of the pond fence post, certainly didn't wish to appear to be too efficient in the control of these grain-fattened rodents.

Meanwhile, the ducks just dabbled away, unabashed.

The grab shot

My thanks to:
The Tax Father for the suggestion






Tomorrow, Day 23

"Seasonal plums"

Mad March Hares

Hey, Listen-up all you sleepy-heads!

Spring is with us, and with Spring come the hares.
You know you have always wanted to see hares from close quarters, and even more so, you would love to photograph them, but don't think you have the skill or equipment to do so.
Well here is your chance.

On Sunday 17th March, there is a unique opportunity to visit Havergate Island in Suffolk, a haven for hares - and much, much more.

With exclusive access to the island, owned and managed by the RSPB, hares, birds, landscapes and nature in close-up will all be workshopped in this series of one day photographic events.

"Photography: Day of Discovery"  (Click for more details)

Places are filling up fast, and with only a few days to go before the first event, there is no time like now, to hop over to the link above.

If you can't manage that date, then tell someone else about it!
If you can't manage that date, then no worries. What about the April or May events?

Whatever, this is a unique opportunity to observe wildlife at close quarters, whilst four differently experienced tutors are on hand to guide you in aspects of photography.


Wake up to Spring!


Photography: Day of Discovery has been co-ordinated by Monika Koch in association with the Vodaphone 'World of Difference' programme

(Transport suitability and wildlife spotting subject to weather conditions)

Bird Brains

(Taken with handbag-cam!)

So, what are these two lovelies up to?

Trying to build a nest in the prime neighbourhood of the local supermarket carpark, that's what...

...but after this amount of failures on the floor beneath, could someone please put them out of their misery and tell them that it perhaps isn't the suitable des-res location they thought it might be.

(We will watch to see if they have a bright idea to try elswhere or stick it out!)

Mind you, the ducks were non too clever this morning either, choosing a paddling puddle with a cosy view of a rear nearside wheel, when only a matter of a few hundred yards away, there is a perfectly good duck pond.