Like the Phoenix from the Flames, I Must Burn and Rise Again

 Every year that passes always brings new sights, new wonders and some new places.
2018 was no different as I continued my journeys through the natural world around us.

Let's not forget however, that the natural world is, us, and is within, us. We are part, not apart from it. Something which is all too easy to forget in the trappings of the current human paradigm we inhabit. It needs to be cherished and respected.

My wanders never left these shores in 2018 - well unless you include the Isle of Wight, which to some is another world (including me) rather than another country - but sometimes you don't have to travel to the ends of the Earth to find beauty and wonder. It can be right in your backyard without it literally costing the Earth, and quite often without a lot of people knowing about it.
I travelled furthest north to Cumbria, where glorious soaring Ospreys held me enthralled as I watched them raising a family from the shores of the Lake District in the Summer, furthest south as Devon to see the Teign Valley in all it's burgeoning early Spring glory, and to the Starlings at Ham Wall in Somerset, that thrilled me to the core and brought a tear to my eye in Winter with their mass murmurations.
 In between saw me pour through Dorset, Gloucestershire, Sussex, Surrey, Suffolk and Norfolk and my stunning home county of Hampshire which never fails to inspire. All in a year celebrating half a century on this blue ball. I was truly blessed.

This year will probably be best remembered for it's heatwave. Seemingly endless dry steamy days that almost dried my large wildlife pond to a puddle.
Whether in the short term it has helped nature or hindered it, only time will tell. Personally I worry about the long term effects and try to appreciate everything, every day because I fear the world in which we know it will change profoundly and very soon.

Rather than let this cloud my outlook, the focus of my attention and essentially my reasons for producing this pictorial journey through nature is firstly, to broadcast the amazing planet that we stride across and not least, to help myself realise the place I have in the great scheme of things and help me deal with the pressures that can consume us day to day. It really is one of the best medicines, and it's free too.

My thanks to all of you that have bothered to stop and take five minutes of your time time to look through my eyes and camera lens into our natural world via my blog. I've have been fortunate to have people view from across the globe : Iran, Iraq, Canada, Falkland Islands, Peru, New Zealand, Australia, Philippines, Russia, UAE, Bolivia and France to name but a few, and to the people who share my posts across the internet ether. Thanks Phil 'B' Badgerman, you're a real pal and to my beautiful wife Sarah who I adore and helps me stay afloat through the grey days.
I occasionally share my days out walking with my good friend Chris as some who read the blog will know, and whose dry wit, excellent taste in music and photographic skills make for a great walking companion, even in the dirtiest of weather and quietest of days sat in lonely hide somewhere, top man.

The title of this track I chose with regards to the cycle of the seasons and of life. Life resets and begins again but never stops... even if you reach the mountain. Let's enjoy the ride as best as we can. 

I hope you enjoy my yearly compilation on the link below, encapsulating a year and not a few miles into a few minutes.
Sit down and take a break for a while, put your feet up. Pour a glass of whatever and savour. There are some fantastic things to see out there. I intend to find some of them next year and meet you back here. You could always go and find some for yourselves too?

Enjoy X

My thanks, hope to see you next year,

All the best

Smudger xxxxx

 

The title of this post is a line taken from the track 'Mountain' by Dreadzone from their LP 'Dread Times' released in 2017.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPhCkaWRNro 

By Sandy Bar and Weedy Rock, I Frequent Meet Thy Roving Flock

It's been a while since my last post. Life takes over sometimes and certain things take precedence over others. My head hasn't been in the right place to sit down and describe my outings in the outside world due to personal matters, although I have been out walking and taking photos of my surroundings nonetheless, which has helped enormously in my mental health. I'm a firm believer in the NHS..  natures health service, and it serves me so well, seeing me through the dark times.

And so it was I took the opportunity from my business and life to have a day off at my local nature reserve.... Titchfield Haven just three miles away, which always brings solace and a place for escape.

As Autumn slowly ebbs away into Winter, there is a constant flow of wildlife through here, especially with the more aggressive weather systems that push through these days, which can throw up some unexpected sights.

I had decanted from the van upon arrival, to view the Solent before me by the sea wall. Out on the unusually calm waters I found a Slavonian Grebe feeding offshore and there were previous sightings of a Long Tailed Duck to discover also.
Almost instantly I received a message from my usual walking companion, Chris, who was frustratingly ensconced in his office a few miles away. A rare Snow Bunting had shown up on the Hampshire bird forum and it had been sighted only a hundred yards from my position. What a stroke of luck?!  Thanks mate.
As from the previous photos before me, you can realise I had found the aforementioned bird. They have a propensity to stay put and become very accommodating to close human presence.
They breed from Scandinavia to Alaska, Canada and Greenland and migrate this way in Autumn and Winter.  

I lay prostrate on the shingle beach, getting a low down view of this special little creature.

It felt so relaxed in my company, it stretched and fed before me without any worry or alarm.

I sat on the low beach wall as the bird fed below it, I anticipated it to climb for a more intimate and different views.
It obliged, eventually, for some rather wonderful closeups.
The first reports were of this being a male. It was actually a female. 

I was quite made up with my views as I rose from my position, not too distracted to ignore the female Stonechat that sat on the fence that borders the edge of the reserve though.

My final views were of the Bunting as the sun decided to peep through the clouds for a few seconds.

That was the Thursday. Fast forward to the Saturday when Chris had journeyed South to hopefully garner views of the Bunting and much more.
We met along the seawall. He had already had some wonderful views of the Bunting by the time I had arrived below the grey skies, so we set up our scopes to survey the Solent. It was fairly quiet so we ventured West towards Brownwich Cliffs for a more elevated view of the channel.

Being at such a higher point we could pinpoint so much more. Either birds sat on the sea or others moving along the coast such as these Red Breasted Mergansers.  

The static variety consisted of very distant sea ducks such as Velvet and Common Scoter and Eider that spend the majority of the lives out on the open ocean. As does the the Long Tailed Duck we caught up with not long after. This immaculate male was close inshore which is quite rare for this species. The majority I have witnessed have been very distant.

It quite often dived for food. Their diet consists ostensibly of shellfish and crustaceans.

Other times it just sat on the surface and preened..

Our attention shifted to the shore where overwintering Sanderlings scampered up and down along the shingle picking up tiny morsels.

The group of around 25 occasionally sparked off from the shore in alarm, only to settle nearby and begin feeding immediately.

In between the Sanderling where Turnstones and a few Ringed Plover like this one on the shore..

Chris and I headed to the visitor centre along the harbour wall where many people gather to feed the birds. Two Black Headed Gulls took my eye. A juvenile in the foreground against an adult.

Then the usual Mallard lined the harbour by the bridge. 

After checking in at the centre we headed off down the East side of the reserve and pitched up at the first Suffern hide overlooking the Meon River.
This can be a quiet place with consistent views of Kingfishers.
No Kingfishers this time but a female Marsh Harrier put in a really great display as it hunted over the reeds.

She had seemed to have caught  something deep down in the red bed as she was absent for a while. Then she emerged and sat on a nearby tree.

Back to the harbour where the Mallard lapped up the grain being thrown at them, we carried on to the West side, stopping briefly to capture the Sanderling that were now roosting at high tide on the beach.

They were constantly disturbed either by humans or their dogs..

We found our way to the west side scrapes and the hides where waders were either roosting or feeding. A Black Tailed Godwit was doing the latter before us.

A host of Golden Plover and Lapwing were performing the former as we looked out from the Pumfrett hide.

A keen eye is required to pick out the master of camouflage, the Snipe, that frequent the margins of the reserve.

Even the Teal were doing a great impression of concealment tucked into the banks.

Chris and I had seen the Harrier dipping and stalling towards us once more.
It circled the hide but I could only manage a silhouette shot through the windows..

My last passing shot was of the Snipe that was being brave venturing out into the mere.

We had had a great day and overall I had a real comforting few days out walking. Meeting up with Chris is always a good way to spend the day with banter and laughs and sharing the moment. Nature is a great healer too and I was thankful for it's soothing vibes. They were all much needed.

The title of this post is a line taken from the poem : The Little Beac Sanderling by Isaac Jr McLellan

https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/little-beac-sanderling