Day 22 - August Challenge 14

Challenge - "Composite of land to be lost"

Suggested by - Simon via blog

"How about a composite photo of the open farmland to the east of Saffron Walden soon to be despoiled by unsustainable development, thanks to the combined efforts of our elected representatives and planners at Uttlesford District Council.

Possibly not your greatest challenge, but at least, it will provide a record of what we have lost for ever."


When I throw out the request for challenges for me to take on, I make it my policy to try not to reject any suggestion, unless it is clearly isn't within the brief. I will never reject on the grounds it might be difficult, but being difficult doesn't just relate to the execution of it, (and this one was going to be a bit difficult) it can also be due to the subject matter itself. When this one popped up, I knew it would be one that could be emotive amongst my potential viewers. I wasn't going to reject it on those grounds, as it would just amount to a form of censoring. I would prefer to allow everyone their view, whilst I merely provide an impartial backdrop to it. So maybe this post could be seen as failing the challenge - I will accept that but equally, hope you will understand.

Nationally, the housing shortage is creating quite a stir and equally, proposed developments to resolve the problem are proving just as contentious. Saffron Walden is not immune to this and I will leave you, the reader, to Google the comings and goings of the matter, as there is much available.

Following a short shower of rain this evening, I took myself to the area in question to capture just a snippet of the farmland spoken of, and reflected on the need for housing and the potential loss of greenbelt. Never an easy task. I thought of how the town has has already enlarged and filled so many building spaces in the 30 or so years I have lived here. Towns will always have a changing face. However, what needs to be carefully thought through is whether the final decision is for the good of the people and the town as a whole. Those in the determining roles are charged with making such decisions, and we and future generations will have to live with it. In that case, we can only hope it is all considered carefully and with understanding.

As I watched the sun go down over both old and new housing areas in this corner of town I just thought how fortunate I was to live in a lovely part of the country.

Today's image and all the other images from my August Challenge will be on display in Design Essentials during September

Tomorrow, Day 23

Will be drawn from a selection in the morning

Day 20 - August Challenge 14

Challenge - "Uttlesford wildlife"

Suggested by - Ca via Facebook

Those of you who regularly follow my blog will realise that this challenge would mean I would be able to indulge in the one thing I'm really passionate about - wildlife. Sadly, work has got in the way of this pleasure of late and I haven't been able to go out and spend the time in the field or blog about it. (Wouldn't it be lovely if I could combine work and pleasure here? Where are those commissioning editors who need wildlife shots and articles?!!) ...I digress. So with all the wonderful wildlife there is around in Uttlesford, how could I show it all here in one go? Simply, I can't but I can recommend catching up with The Essex Wildlife Trust which aims to protect all wildlife for the future and also covers the Uttlesford corner of the county.

So here today, I select one particular aspect of local wildlife that is dear to my heart (excuse the pun).

For a number of years now, I have been watching a particular herd of fallow deer not too far from my home. It usually involves arriving at my hide location in the hours of darkness and waiting for the dawn activity to begin. I have watched the coming, and sadly the going of the splendid white buck and usually caught the annual rutting activities. Many hours I have sat silently in the chill of the morning, waiting for some spectacular activity that would allow equally spectacular shots (actually, I'm still waiting for those). As with any wildlife photography, it takes time, patience and dedication to reap the rewards with a stunning photograph, unless being lucky just happens to gift a stunner to someone who may have a camera with them. It is possible to get some cracking shots of deer in the public parkland setting, and yes, I have done that but I'm more interested in the shy and elusive deer. They are much more of a challenge to me.

By following this particular local herd, I have got to know where their deer paths run and where their scrapes and rutting stands are. This means that my hide can stay in the one spot, although I'm seriously contemplating hiring a stonking 600mm for the approaching rutting season, just to gain a bit of distance without encroaching on their territory. It actually won't be very long before rutting kicks off though. Indeed, for the challenge this morning, I was watching as two sub-three-year-old bucks were testing their prowess with their single pronged antlers, in what would probably be their last season with the maternal herd. However, I didn't spy the big daddy of them all who is yet to start rounding up his group of ladies. This year, I am going to start the rut watch much earlier than previous years, to ensure I don't miss a trick. The weather plays a big part with the start, the colder temperatures triggering the annual behaviour. I will endeavour to bring regular updates to this blog, so if you have just the vaguest interest in deer then do drop by and see what might be happening.

This morning, as I sat in the warming morning sunshine, watching the last of the swallows skimming low over the ploughed field, a peaceful calm descended over the little corner where I sat. Apart from the very distant hum of the M11, I could hear nothing else except the sound of the real birds - not even a raucous metal bird punctuated this silence. Just then, a doe, still resplendent in her distinct spotty summer coat and camouflaged against the ploughed field, struck off from the ruminating herd and I took the opportunity to fire off a few shots. Being so close, the sound of my shutter alerted her and she made a comical backwards glance at me before pronking off across to the cover of the nearby woodland.
Just magical!


Today's image and all the other images from my August Challenge will be on display in Design Essentials during September

Tomorrow, Day 21

"Employment"

Autumnal Signs

Today we have reached the Autumnal equinox and there are some seasonal signs which are obvious. For example, the abundant hedgerow fruit, including these sloes. We harvested some beauties like this a couple of years ago and made sloe gin which has now matured to its best. Wonderful stuff! This year for a change, we made blackberry whisky for the first time and look forward to sampling that in 2014! (Thank you Tearlach for the recipe/ production instructions!)

Other Autumnal signs include damp, misty days, such as it was when I took mutt out for a walk yesterday.

However, there are some signs which aren't quite as obvious, unless you know what you are looking for.
One of my reasons for going for a walk where we did, was to actively go looking for these signs, and I'm pleased to say, I found them.

Tell-tale footpath...

Give-away footprints...

Distinctive p...
well, you don't need any help here!

However, how many of you spotted this sign back in the second image?

It was probably this sign which I was looking for more than the previous three, as this indicates that it is 'all systems go' with this year's fallow deer rut.

These areas of scuffed up ground are made by the fallow deer bucks and are called scrapes. Put simply, the buck urinates on this spot to entice the ladies in and warn the young pretenders away. Already, there is a distinct smell to the several scrapes dotted around the woodland edges, and the testosterone aroma will only get stronger as the season progresses. These scrapes are part of the larger congregating area and are known as rutting stands, several of which I have been seasonally watching for a few years now. These aren't 'easy to observe' parkland deer we are talking about here, where cracking shots are readily forthcoming, these are nervy, secretive, wild deer and so it makes it all the more of a challenge (and you know I like a good challenge!)

The stands always reappear in the same location which makes life easy for me as a photographer. I have a particular spot for my hide area, which today I gave a little bit of an Autumn-clean. Nothing too drastic though as the deer will know I have been there but just enough to ensure I don't have that one blade of grass in line of view.

So, for the next few weeks, this will be my view, off-and-on although through camo netting, and all being well, will finally come into clear focus! Sadly, due to the location, I have no way of getting closer, which I would dearly like to do but I respect the animals and their environment. My solution will be to use a longer lens this year, although I have a bit of a dilemma. Just as the rut is kicking-off here in East Anglia, we are due on our usual break away to West Cork. (The same thing happened last year and I missed a big chunk of the action.) Laying my hands on a long lens is possible but comes at a price. A price which has to be justified if (possibly) the main two weeks of the rut will be whilst I am in West Cork. I will be sad to miss the action again, so I will be sounding out the goings-on over a few mornings during this coming week and will make a decision from that.

On the up-side, I won't be missing out on the wildlife action whilst we are in West Cork. News is that the whale season is hotting up with minke whales and fin whales both being observed off the Cork coast, and although the humpbacks have returned to Irish waters, they are still further up the west coast. Maybe they will have migrated to our waters by the time we get there - we can but hope!

Meanwhile, back to the Fallow deer. My hope is to catch sight of the dominant buck, which two years ago, was a splendid white variant buck. Understandably, the recent increase in numbers of deer meant that a cull had to take place and I got wind of the fact that the local gamekeepers chose to take out all the white deer. I don't have any logical explanation for that but I really hope our white buck might still be the top man - unless he was ousted by his natural successor of course.

I will certainly keep you updated with all the deer action, here on the blog.

And what did mutt think about all this? I have to admit, she is an excellent photographer's assistant (although she has yet to offer to carry my kit bag!) With her lead left on, she knows it isn't play time, so she just settles down quietly and waits for me, although come deer-watch mornings, she will sensibly be left at home, of course.

Day 5 - August Challenge

Challenge - "A hare on the 5 August?
                     As a reminder of your participation in the Havergate Island exhibition at Snape Maltings one month later?"

Suggested by - Monika via blog

Another 4.30am start in the hope of completing my hare challenge nice and early today. However, the sound of raindrops outside my open bedroom window almost made me snuggle back down but I'm glad I didn't!

By 5.15am the rain had all but gone and I had bagged a nice portrait shot of a quizzical hare lolloping towards me but at 1600 ISO it was going to render very grainy. So once again, it was the waiting game for a better shot - and it was worth waiting.

I watched, as around a dozen hares would go up on hind legs to deftly nibble their way through the wheat stalk, just under the maturing ear. Letting the plump pickings fall to the floor, they  were easily able to enjoy their breakfast cereal. The hares seemed happy enough, although I doubt the farmer has the same feeling, judging by the ever-increasing bare area appearing in his field.

Around about 6.30am, the hares began to get rather fidgety, winding up to a quick bout of boxing, before they all went quietly back to their grazing again. With this shot in the bag, I knew I could make for home for my own breakfast and a welcome cuppa.

So, Monika, our hares may not be as laid back as the Havergate Island hares but they are still great to watch, although from a much greater distance. We are quite spoiled on Havergate!

The screen grab

My thanks to:

Monika for the suggestion

Himself for not moaning when I got up at dawn again

Tomorrow, Day 6

"Gothic"

Feeling Hot?

We mustn't complain about the heat as finally we are experiencing a touch of summer. However, my biggest issue right now is keeping mutt cool, and today, on a day when I heard that yet another dog owner had left their pet in the car for two hours (?!!!) and then dashed to the vet to ask if they could help their already dead dog (!!!), I was, as always, mindful of mutt + car.

However, I did venture out in the car on a 10 minute drive with the windows wide open, to get to one of my favourite walks, knowing that most of the walk is along tree-lined bridleways, and in the relative shade.

Along the walk, I pass the little meadow corner where back in May I observed the emerging leaves of the common spotted orchid and vowed to return to see it in full flower.

Fail!

By the time of this visit, it had already gone to seed, just like at the grass surrounding it. Then I realised how time had whizzed by since I was last at this little corner of nature heaven.
Still, the knapweed (above) was dazzling and playing host to the pollen beetles, butterflies flitted, sometimes even as conjoined couples, bees buzzed and crickets chirped. From the trees, the calls of the yellow hammer and the chiff-chaff punctuated the amazing hum coming from roasting grass around me. By now, Mutt had retreated and flopped under the shade of the surrounding trees, whilst I took in the view again. No longer all green as it was in May, but instead, a sandy tinged meadow, a sure sign of the summer progressing.

Simple pleasures.




Please do be aware during this spell of high temperatures, dogs can quickly die in hot cars.

Late May

Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea

We have all been aware of the completely barmy weather, wildlife and nature problems of late, and we are all fed up with guessing when Spring might turn up. Well, this morning I made the most of a beautiful morning, taking mutt for a walk in my favourite woods. Clearly we brought the good weather back with us from West Cork, and I'm not complaining!

I happily listened to the songs of the Chiff-chaff and Blackcap, punctuated by the 'keee' of the Buzzard up above, whilst down below, I marvelled in the creamy waist-high lace of the Cow Parsley surrounding me like a skirt as I walked through the deer paths. The Bluebells, although now fading, still gave a blue haze through this vegetative lace, lit by the dappled sunlight through the fresh green leaves.

The beauty of this English woodland walk compared with the beauty of a West Cork coastal walk, although different in feel, are both equal in my mind and I enjoy them in their turn. However, today I noted clear signs of this seasonal madness we have been enduring.

The fields of rape have germinated poorly, and where left to grow rather than being ploughed in as a bad crop, have flowered a whole month later than the last few years.

The Hawthorn Crategus monogyna is in most parts, struggling to live up to it's name as 'May blossom'. Buds are still tight and are notable by their absence in general.

Even the ever-hardy Common Nettle Urtica dioica appears to drooping under the strain.
















However, there were still glimmers of delight when I looked a little closer.

The intense blue of the tiny flowers of the Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys punctuated the green of the path verge.

The vivid pink heads of the slightly mis-named Red Campion Silene dioica popped above the swaying grass.

But the best secret, hidden away in the mixed vegetation of the meadow corner, were the darkly spotted leaves of a beauty yet to flower. The Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii.















I will certainly be back to catch these in flower, although who knows whether they will be on time, or late just as many flowers currently are. Still, that doesn't matter to me, as it means all the more reason to go back to my favourite woods, and I'm sure mutt won't mind either.

12.12.12

A colourful dawn on a notable day in the calendar.

The clear frosty morning created the perfect conditions for a sun dog (above trees on right)

 

  

Mutt went skating (Ice dog!)

People went walking. (Spot the sun dog)

 

Oblivious to the date, the coal tit pee-chew'd,

the long tailed tit barely stopped still long enough for a picture,

and Mrs blackbird sat elegantly in the tree, 

 as the hands on Saffron Walden church clock moved around to-

12.12 on 12.12.12

On a Winter Morning...

...I watched as the sun tried to peep through the branches of the bare trees along the horizon, doing its best to cast long, low beams of mid-winter light into the snow-covered fields. Just then, a flock of startled corvids rose lithely from a stand of maize.

Season of Mists and Fallow Deerfulness

For the last few mornings I have been picking my way through the almost pitch black woodland tracks, on the way to 'my spot' to watch (and hopefully photograph) the local Fallow Deer herd.
It is always dark at 6am.
By contrast, the time, light-levels and weather conditions can vary considerably on the return from my watch sessions.


This morning, the welcome shafts of sunlight were given away by a misty litmus as they cut through the Autumn-tinted chestnut avenue.

Yesterday, the dawn drop in air temperature caused pockets of mist to form in field hollows where the sun was yet to reach.

The day before... I was just glad to be on my way home after a damp and fruitless watch.

What I have noticed though is that we have had the first frosts of Autumn.
I was sitting out there as they formed at dawn!
At this stage, they are only in the frost pockets, but it won't be long before my tender plants will be making their way in to a sheltered place, to avoid the all encompassing kiss-of-death frost.



Meanwhile, back at the woods this morning, I had a track-side seat as a group of mums and juveniles sprinted along the field edge just a few metres in front of me. (You will just have to imagine as it was too dark for pictures) A little while later, they all came bounding back (still too dark for pictures) with all their little hooves combined, making less noise than one horse would. They jumped, flicked and skipped their way to the far side of the field where they finally stopped to rest.

The light levels were rising and I could clearly see when, in unison, they lifted their heads and looked my way. Surely from the distance of around 300 metres, they didn't hear my growling stomach?! Had they picked up on the possible entrance of The Big Man?

No, it was a juvenile buck, left behind on the return sprint, who had finally decided to catch up with the rest, and that was passing in front of me. He was very clearly a young male, as well as sporting the first baby horns - equivalent to the chin 'fluff' of a pubescent teenager. (Next year a more impressive set of 'first-finger' antlers will form, just as the young man would develop his first whispy beard.)

It wasn't long before he joined the rest of his family group, and started on a spot of play fighting with another young buck. Equivalent then, to the first attempts at shaving and all part of the growing up process.

The family group settled down at the woodland edge to ruminate in the narrow band of sunshine that was creeping along the treeline. How I wished for a drop of that sunshine myself as I sat wating on the cold side of the field. The extended watch today was all in the hope that the patriarch would come to join his family group.

Sadly it wasn't to be, but how lovely it was to watch this family interaction.


Post Script

15.10.12
After the Muntjac recording last week, this morning the Fallow does and/or juveniles were calling but no sign of the buck. (Apologies for the not so great recording)

The Battle is On!

Whilst my end-of-summer-season trip to West Cork was rather short this week, it has the advantage that it has got me back home at just the right time. There is also the added bonus that the weather is currently far better here in the east than it is in the rather wet west, so for once, I'm not too sad to have left West Cork behind, for now!

And the right time? It is the time of the annual rut of course, which means 'the battle is on' for these two lovelies and indeed, the rest of the Fallow (and other) deer country-wide. It also means that just as I did last year, I will be out photographing the happenings. So this morning, I was out on a recce, accompanied by my very well behaved photographers assistant (killing two birds with one stone as they might say) She, the assistant, will sit quietly by my side, alerting me to new sounds with the pricking of her ears but also knows when to stay quiet, just as she did when we were watching this small herd of fallow deer browsing in the open, in the warmth of the lunch-time sun today.

Sadly, on the return walk, she let me down badly. Not wanting to be pulled over, I had let her off the lead for a few moments whilst I negotiated a particularly muddy section of track. She dutifully paddled alongside me all the way but the moment we hit the dry ground, it was if the elastic band that was wound inside her had twanged. She was off on some scent and no amount of whistling or encouragement was to bring her back onto the straight and narrow.

Forty-five minutes.

That's how long it was before an exhausted and exceedingly muddy mutt arrived back at the car, where I had settled down to wait, flicking through the mornings collection of pictures (several times), knowing that she would return in her own sweet time. Needless to say she is currently in the doghouse and certainly won't be assisting me tomorrow morning when I go off very early to catch the rut in action. (Actually, she never is allowed on those trips anyway)

Yep, for the next few days, it will be early starts, bouts of cramp, needing the loo, cold extremities etc, all in the hope of catching some stunning shots of the annual deer rut.

The battle is on!



Post scripts
11.10.12

All this morning gave me was one proking doe, two barking Muntjacs and three running Fallows.
Clearly our local fallow deer herd are camera shy!
I did manage to grab a recording of the Muntjacs though and if you haven't heard them before, take a listen. These two were only a few feet behind where I was sitting and for their diminutive size, they can really pack a punch volume-wise!

12.10.12

Zero, zilch, nothing, not one!
No deer at least, on a windy damp morning when the patter of raindrops on the leaf canopy above me, increased proportionally with the rising light levels. Thankfully it didn't come to much. However, it was great to listen to the last few hoots of a retiring tawny before the local cockerel took over. The wren, the woodpecker, crows, pheasants and of course, the wood pigeons, all joined in on the morning wake-up call, and those Muntjac were at it again! Coming to the conclusion, after last year too, that our Fallow deer rut peaks earlier than the mid-October time that is usually stated.

Beautiful May

Why do I love this time of the year so much? Well, when the sun shines, the stunning array of colour, blossoms and insects is just a riot worth joining, and that is exactly what I did this morning.

Waking up to a blanket of mist, there was a feeling of anticipation as I ate breakfast that it would just burn off - and sure enough, it did. Rather than just the usual walk around the park, I took off to one of my favourite local walks in the woods. On the way I passed along the chestnut avenue, the road verges lined with cow parsley (hopefully the council won't come and cut it all back!) Admittedly both the candles and cow parsley were not as big or blousy as I have seen them on previous years, but a stunning sight none the less.

The field where I had watched the hares in the snow earlier in the year, now a blanket of yellow, edged by more cow parsley and punctuated with bushes covered in May blossom. Wheat fields were lush after the generous helping of recent rain, tram-lines still visible and graphically criss-crossing from side to side.

Arriving at the woods, I was able to sit quietly on a log under fresh green leaves, still yet just a light canopy and allowing the sun to gently dapple the last few bluebells left under the trees. Mutt, on her lead and now used to being a photographers assistant, sat quietly beside me as I used her as an extra pair of ears. She would hear any movement from the deer before me but today, not a glimpse. They no doubt were glimpsing me as they protected this years off-spring nestled somewhere in the undergrowth.

Butterflies flitted from flower to flower, the orange tips not sitting still long enough for me to catch a shot, small whites and speckled wood butterflies being more willing subjects.

Slugs, however were still in abundance!

As I sat, listening to the bird song, (the chiff chaff and the chaffinch seemingly shouting the loudest) I thought of what really makes May the best. From beginning to end, it has to be the flowers. Starting with the smaller ground-dwelling flowers such as bluebells, wild garlic, buttercups, cow parsley, and campion, up to the hedgerows and blossoms of chestnut candles, hawthorn, lilac, wisteria and laburnam- to name a few.

Add to that a drop of sunshine, as today - perfect!