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Ullswater diaries. Day 1 part 1

Angus M
29/05/2023 11:11

SWMBO and I spent a week in Ullswater, staying near Pooley Bridge. After an 8 1/2 hour journey, 7 1/2 driving (should have taken 5 hours, but was held up through multiple roadworks on M6 by people who can't drive at 30 mph let alone 50 mph in a straight line through three thin lanes) we wanted to be outdoors. After a hasty supper, we took off at 18:30 on a 2 mile walk from our hotel.

Flat calm. No traffic as road was closed. Bird song every where. Birds mostly hidden by foliage, as they fed or brooded their young. Took the Canon R7 out for a test drive with new AF settings.

Chaffinches galore. This one was unusually brave (or stupid) as it happily continued singing, even though I was about 10m from it.

 

Light was fading during our walk, not helped by some cloud.

Yet another Chaffinch foraging for food.

Cropping out to get a close look at what it had caught.

I forgot to take my monopod on the walk. However, the Memsahib made a very good bipedalpod. JoyJoyJoy She gave me a fighting chance of photographing one of these.

I'll leave it to the experts to identify this beastie. I think it's a Dunnock, but can't tell.

Also one of these

Is it a Whitethroat?

There were an awful lot of them around.  Another Whitethroat, I'm hoping.

Lots of rude sheep

90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

  • 30/05/2023 08:50
    Jeezo that was some journey Angus..!
    Look forward to seeing more ;-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • 30/05/2023 11:25
    A very long drive you had to get to your destination. It was worth it though, nice photos. I bet you enjoyed the peace and quiet after that long haul!

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • 30/05/2023 12:44 in reply to Linda257
    More on the way.

    90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

  • 30/05/2023 12:50 in reply to Catlady
    I let the peace and quiet wash over me. One reason why both of us had to take a walk to experience it all. The flat calm conditions added to the atmosphere, as well as lack of any cars due to the road being closed.

    No aircraft noise either, unlike where we live which is under the approach to Heathrow. There were the odd aircraft i.e. RAF Hawk and Tucano trainers, what looked like a Tornado (might have been a Tempest) and the Memsahib spotted what I reckon was an Airbus A400M. Personally, I love seeing these fly along the valleys, hugging contours below the ridges.

    90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

  • 31/05/2023 09:21

    I'm envious of those brilliant photos Angus, the R7 is definitely perfomring well. But I'm not so envious of your prolonged journey, though I do sympathise. I've had to make that traumatic drive too many times over the years.

    My last visit to the Lake District must be 20+ years ago, and that was a busy time, but it was holiday season, so we expected it.

    But it was worth it looking at those photos, they really are very good.

    regards

    John