Red Darter.

The Red Darter was taken at Cliffe Pools in July of last year. On the same day I also took my first photograph of an Avocet.

Pale Beauty.

I write this poem some years ago after walking through Senacre Wood, Maidstone.

Pale beauty, dawn of spring awakening

in early daybreak softness.

Who planted you on wild or woodland bank

to bloom in lone seclusion,

revealing all your glory?

The glory of a princess, queen,

the glory of a primrose.

View from Filey Brigg.

This shot was taken from Filey Brigg on the 1st of October 2008. It pictures part of Scarborough and half way up on the right hand side of the picture the famous castle can be seen. Filey Brigg streaches into the North Sea for about half a mile and is a unique feature of the East Yorkshire coastline.

A scene from the cliff top at Bridlington taken in June 09. Part of a meadow like area left to grow naturally in the middle of grass that was cut at regular intervals.

A pleasing feature of the whole scene along the cliffs is the seating dedicated to deceased loved ones who enjoyed the view.

Trouble in class.

"So", our teacher said, "We humans are evolved from other species, at least that is the theory." I raised my hand and was given the go ahead to speak. I raised the issue of the missing link and the fact that if there was one it had never been found only to be told that I could be the missing link, giving the class a laugh. "Anyway", I said, " You sir might want to believe that you originate from a monkey but I don't have to believe that I do. " The class laughed again but I got no marks for my contribution.

On another occasion Our science teacher was talking about gravity being different on a mountain top to in a valley and asked for an example. "Does that mean," I said, " that if you go to the top of mount Everest you will be less dense there than you are here?" "Good example Sargeant but wrong subject." Was his reply. Again no marks.

I do believe in creation and in a young earth as do many scientists, physicists and geologists. I also believe that some day, in the Lords time, there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

Kingfisher taken in Maidstone close to where the River Len flows into the Medway.

Little Egret

For the third winter the Little Egret has visited Mote Park pond. This photograph was taken about a year ago.

Little Egret

Skylark.

This little beauty was taken at Bempton Cliffs June 2009. The closest we have been to a skylark for some time but there was no shortage of them at Bempton.

Into the Darkness.

"Come on up," he said, "And make sure you step on the beams and not the ceiling." I reached out for the strong arms above me and allowed myself to be lifted into the dark interior of our loft. As I rose up hooks were visible, though no sides of bacon hung from them as was usual when we had just killed a pig.

"It's black in here Dad." The words were uttered with no sense of fear for he was with me and Mum was in the kitchen. A torch sent a weak beam of light across the loft, probably the same torch that, for the first time in my life, I was allowed to shine into the night sky in May 1945. My eyes noticed a thin line of natural light in the distance at a slightly lower level than I was.

Dad halted, made sure that I was standing in the right place, and pointed the light upwards. "These are the reasons for the noises in the loft son." All around us were birds nests, all the same, there must have been a score or more. Each nest was occupied by a sleek black bird, a screaming one when in flight. Sitting on their eggs they were almost oblivious of the two alien intruders. Dad reached down, picked up one of the birds, handed it to me. "Handle it like a pigeon son only with a lighter touch." I knew about pigeons, we kept them, knew how to hold them, knew a good racer when I held one.

Apart from the sparrows that we caught using a dustbin lid, a length of string and some bread crumbs this was the first wild bird that I had actually held. That is why the swift will always be a bit special to me. No longer would I throw stones as they flew round and round the green across from our front garden, no longer would I be a collector of birds eggs.

Suddenly the swift made a movement, escaped, flew through a gap in the eaves and did a belly flop on our lawn. Was it dead? We went downstairs, outside, Mum joining us. Dad once more picked up the bird, handed it to me. "Let it go David. Let it fly." I did. The swift soared off into the sky only to return to its nest while we stood watching.

This and three other Redpolls were on a tree close to where I was walking in Mote Park. The picture was taken about twenty minutes before I saw the Jack Snipe on the 1st of February 2010. Not a bad mornings work.

Jack Snipe.

This is my first photo uploaded- more of a test trial than anything else.

June and I went to Mote Park today, again it was cold and a breeze from the east made for a lazy wind ( one that goes through and not round you ). We looked together for about an hour then split, June to look for the Little Owl and lake birds, me, well I went to the pond in hope of seeing the Water Rail and Jack Snipe. A Wren was darting about and the Grey Wagtail showed well. Eventually the Water Rail made an appearance as did a Tree Creeper, Jay and a couple of Magpies. June counted thirty six different birds in her (our ) trek. We met Phill and chatted to him for a while before we made our way to the car, on rout a Little Grebe was seen on the lake, among the various ducks was a Pochard, Canads Geese and two Mute Swans. We had spotted a Mute Swan just beyond the 2nd bridge, the first time we have seen a swan at that end of the park. We were now very cold so June drove us home avoiding the potholes in the roads, it was like an olympic ski run. Well try again to upload a photo.

Garden birds.

Our back garden is classified as of medium size, we also have a small front garden. On Friday 12th my wife June spotted eighteen different kinds of bird including Green Woodpecker, Blackcap, Wren, Two Gold Crests, Blue, Coal,Long Tailed and Great Tit and a black headed Gull. I was over in Essex at the time though in the morning had seen the Jack Snipe in Mote Park.
This morning we visited Jubilee Church in Maidstone and it was full to overflowing. Great welcome and good ministry. After the service we were going to pay a visit to Mote Park but it was bitterly cold and we were very tired having had about six hours sleep so went straight back home, June to sleep me to watch rugby and football.

Jack Snipe- Mote Park Maidstone

This morning I visited my local patch Mote Park Maidstone. On Monday 1st Feb I had discovered a Jack Snipe there. today I went again, met a guy called Simon ( Red Gannett blog ) I pointed him to a Water Rail . Simon used his bins and almost shouted "A Jack Snipe." There he was, though resting more than bobbing today he still showed well and we were able to take some good photo's. For some reason I am not yet able to upload photographs. This is my first blog, please do not expect perfection. Another Simon does the blog-Mote Park-a patchwork quilt. A very good read. Dave.