Saturday 15 October 2016

We Had Rain

Well, I said in my last post, it was getting colder and indeed it did, with every day until this morning having North East or Easterly winds creating quite a drop in temperatures. Not only that, we also had rain at last, several early mornings and late evenings were wet. It was never enough to make a zilch of difference to the water levels on the reserve but it has penetrated the soil to an inch or two, causing the grass to begin growing again. Not only that, it has wet the soil on the neighbouring arable fields and rape and winter wheat seed that has sat in bone dry ground for six weeks, has finally begun to germinate and grow.
This morning however, the wind had swung round to a milder SW direction overnight and it was a beautiful and mild autumnal start to the day. Below you can see my view across the marsh as I arrived at first light today, with a light mist rising and the sea wall in the distance.


 Looking westwards you can see some of the cattle and the wind pump.

 and here this calf was busy trotting through the mist, anxious to catch up with it's mother.

This direction sign at the foot of the seawall looked like some biblical cross against the dawn sky.

and the sea wall hide and the various colours of the brightening sky. I was tempted to enhance the colours but decided to leave them as they naturally occurred.

Getting on top of the sea wall I easily spotted this wildfowler out on the saltings, one of four, that was just packing up for the morning. Bird-wise it was a very quiet morning in the calm and warm setting, as the wildfowlers confirmed when I chatted with them. Very few ducks were seen and certainly none shot but their biggest concern was the hoards of mosquitoes that bit them non-stop as they sat out there.

12 comments:

  1. Yea for rain, then! If you get a heavier rain soon enough, the ground will be damp enough to soak it up.

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    1. Very true Wilma, hopefully we can expect a bit more rain now.

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  2. That's what a change of wind direction brings Derek - hordes of mosquitoes.

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    1. Yes Pat, the wildfowlers were covered in bites.

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  4. A joy to behold, shooters getting bites over them. There is a god and I knew there must have been a reason that mozzies existed!!

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  6. Now, now Marc, I haven't slagged off twitchers and camera men lately.

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  7. Derek - different subject than your post, but I wanted to let you know how much I liked your comments about Bob Dylan and his Nobel Prize. I should have known you would be a Dylan fan! I saw him live in about 2007 or so, well past his prime as a performer, but it was still a great experience. To me his lyrics are poetry and his command of language is beautiful to behold. Thanks for making your thoughts known. Cheers.

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  8. Thanks Wilma. When I saw Dylan last year in London, he was quite brilliant but I did find myself asking,if I was somebody younger watching him for the very first time now, I'd be amazed. How could anybody like this croaky old man with his twitchy mannerisms, etc. But his award is for a life time of work just as our fan support is, too many critics aren't aware of the width and depth of his work.

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  9. Hi Derek. I remember you from about 60 years ago would you believe! Please see my post on your Growing up in Sheppey Part II blog. Happy days in different times! Regards and best wishes.

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  10. Blimey Clifford, what a blast from the past! I recall the names of you, Heather and Nicholas as fellow children from up the alley but I can't place your faces after all this time. If I'm right I believe your garden had a large mulberry tree in it. The girl in the photo with my sister and I was our neighbour Margaret Fox, who had a sister Maureen. Nect to them were the Topsoms, Derek and Brian. After their father's death their mother married Ivan Winch's father and that's how Ivan came on the scene. Like you, I haven't seen him since those days but did come across him some years ago on Friends Re-united but didn't contact him. Maureen Fox died some years ago and Derek Topsom, many years ago. Margaret Fox has always lived on Sheppey as has Brian Topsom. Good to hear from you.

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