There and Back

Ipswich is blessed with a number of park areas, including the great Christchurch Park. The Park we visited today is called Piper`s Vale, and is one we had not explored before. To quote Wikipedia - "Pipers Vale is a 19.7 hectare Local Nature Reserve on the southern outskirts of Ipswich in Suffolk It is owned and managed by Ipswich Borough Council. This site on the bank of the River Orwell is part of Orwell Country Park. Its diverse habitats include heath, reedbeds, scrub and alder carr. Over 100 bird species have been recorded, including Redwings, Whimbrels and Bullfinches" We went with the hope of photographing butterflies, and we were not disappointed. However, the major object that catches the eye is the magnificent Orwell Bridge, spanning the Orwell River. The Orwell Bridge was opened to road traffic in 1982 and carries the A14 (then A45) over the River Orwell just south of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The main span is 190 metres which, at the time of its construction, wa...

This is the second post of my swan story in picture. Incubation has been progressing for some 5 weeks now and very soon everything will change, I am sure. These birds have infinite patience when you consider the length of time they spend incubating their eggs. Watching them on an almost daily basis, I have come to appreciate how much time they invest in raising a family. Amazing. On the 5th May, a quick check, no youngsters yet. Then, on the 8th May, this is the scene that greeted me as I approached the nest - 2 cygnets! Later, the same morning as I passed again, there were 3 cygnets. On the 10th, the cygnets had taken to the water. As one of the adults approached the nest, there was another one hatched! The adult swan arrives back with five cygnets in tow. So, a total of six altogether, so far.  However, I only ever saw five on the water, so one vanished in the meantime, and the remaining eggs are still there. `These s...

In the early part of this year, a pair of Mute Swans settled on the river near our home. The mute swan is a very large white waterbird and has a long S-shaped neck and an orange bill with a black base and a black knob. It flies with its neck extended and regular, slow wingbeats. You certainly can`t miss it`s distinctive wing beat when they are approaching! The population in the UK has increased recently, perhaps due to better protection of this species. The problem of lead poisoning on lowland rivers has also largely been solved by a ban on the sale of lead fishing weights. Some birds stay in their territories all year, while others move short distances and form winter flocks. In cold weather, some birds arrive from Europe into eastern England. Over the months of February and March, we were treated to the spectacle of the swan pair and some Canada geese, arriving on our neighbours patio for feed. The swans eventually were so used to turning up for a feed, that they would, i...

The period that we are all moving through at the moment, is unprecedented, in my lifetime anyway. The Covid-19 pandemic is terrifying in its scope and effect it has on the lives of people that it touches. Although there have been pandemics throughout history, so we read, this one is real - to me, as it affects everybody around me, and will continue to do so for months to come. One of the ways people convey their feeling and thoughts during these times is in forms of art - messages, drawings etc. Below I have captured some local signs made by all age ranges from children to adults, but starting with one of my favourites seen in a farm yard. The rainbow colours, but in a flag and a smiley face - lovely! This from the youngster (13yrs old I believe) from Church Lane, Layham Her Rainbow of Hope. I believe the young lady was selling special keyrings on this bench, shame I missed them. Not far away from the above images, this rainbow balloon spotted...

During this time of semi-isolation and social distancing, the ability to pursue one form of exercise a day is of vital importance. The locality around our home is a real blessing in that it is on the edge of a small village with miles of lanes and footpaths to wander - usually with nobody else in sight. I can see nobody at all for most of my 2 hours walking and only, as I return to the village, see dog walkers and others. These images are of just one of the many walks around our area, and I will post, another time, photos of other walks to give an idea of things and places I am privileged to see. We are fortunate to live near this old watermill, which has the mill house opposite. There are records from Victorian times that the village supported a watermill and two windmills, a blacksmith, a wheelwright and carpenter, a tailor, a cobbler, two butchers, two brickworks and three public houses!. There was also a school and school house beside the church (both building...