It's been a rather gloomy day at Strumpshaw, but sometimes the bleakest days conjure up the most magical wildlife encounters. For my lunchtime stroll I decided to venture into the woodlands to enjoy their dark, mysterious atmosphere and search for hidden surprises among the tangled ivy vines and rotting tree stumps.
When I emerged from the dark woods into the light of the open meadow, a pale shape caught my eye as it slipped from the twisted tree limbs and sunk silently over the meadow. Its broad wings beat so low they almost brushed the grass. For a few seconds it flew straight towards me and it seemed, briefly, that those black eyes locked with mine. Then it curved away, shrinking to a blurred silhouette against the low winter sun.
Take a quiet moment, alone, at the woodland's edge. Who knows what might unfold between you and the wild?
Photo by John Bridges
Fantastic sighting! I assume you'll be walking along there more regularly when it's gloomy.
The photo is a beauty.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.