Introduction by Carl Cornish - when I was out leading a woodpecker walk at Sherwood Forest, I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting to Mick and Karen. When they explained their 'On Your Doorstep' project, I asked if they'd write a guest blog and it's below. I love the photos of the bark of ancient trees - a varied geography and can you see a face in the first photo?
As nature and wildlife photographers, Mick and I spend a lot of time in woodlands and forests with our dog, Bea. We take in the sounds of birdcalls. We love the feeling of the breeze on our faces, the heat of the sun, or more often, the feather touch of the drizzle on our faces and we love to watch the colour changes across the seasons – the stark browns and greys of winter, the vibrant reds and greens of spring and summer, and the painterly yellows, oranges and ochres of autumn. One place we particularly enjoy exploring is Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. In addition to appreciating the birdlife there, we are also inspired by the ancient oaks and birches along the trails in the reserve. The textures and shapes of the trees provide us with hours of entertainment and wonder. Below are a couple of close-ups of trees in the reserve that have particularly caught or our eye or imagination.
All photographs © Thurmanovich Photography
The benefits of being outdoors are many and varied. For us, it’s about the clean air, the relative peace, the sense of wellbeing after a nice walk and the enjoyment of the real beauty of Mother Nature. We enjoy all this so much that we want to encourage others to get off their couches, put down their electronic gadgets for a few minutes, and really appreciate the natural world around them. So, we’ve launched a photographic project, asking people to send in images of the nature that is on their doorsteps. You’ll find more information about our project here: https://karen-thurman-yiph.squarespace.com/on-your-doorstep-blog.