Buttermere - new photos

As we often walk round Buttermere in poor weather, it's difficult to get new photos as the best views are the best views and if you don't have the camera out as it's drizzling you don't get any photos anyway. So yesterday I tried a few new shots ...and some classics.

Tufted duck.

Grune Point

A fairly typically dull January day, with  the clouds down on the fells, so a wander round Grune Point - nothing spectacular - lots of Redshank and Teal and some bright orange Yellow Brain Fungus (Tremella mesenterica).  This is also known as Golden Jelly Fungus and Yellow Trembler.  This also highlights the need to consider the issue of capital letters for species names - capitalising clearly shows it is called Yellow Brain Fungus and avoids confusion. 

Towards Skiddaw.

Teal.

Redshank.

Towards Criffel.

Yellow Brain Fungus.

Back to Skinburness. 

Solway waders

 A walk out along the coast from Mawbray to Allonby gave us some spectacular views of waders: oystercatcher; dunlin; knot; turnstone; sanderling; bar-tailed godwits; and curlew - all in good numbers - especially the knot. 

Oysercatchers in the sun....

I really need to see if I can do a design where they tesselate!

Dunlin.

Dunlin and turnstones.

Oysercatchers again - I just like the waves as a background. 

Lots of knot, with a bar-tailed godwit at the right hand side. 

The roadside pond at Dubmill - curlew and teal. 

A full sky....

Rydal Caves

 After wandering along the shores of Grasmere I was joined by Tom, as so we went for another wander this time a loop u onto the flanks of Loughrigg Fell before descending to Rydal Cave. 

From inside a small quarry at the bottom of Ewe Crag.

An obliging crow.

Looking across to the Langdale Pikes.

Looking across Grasmere.

The approach to Rydal Cave. 

The entrance. 

The acoustics inside were wonderful! 

The stepping stones.

Colourful patterns and reflections. 

White Moss Common wander

With a spare hour and a half, while Tom was in a meeting with the Wordsworth Trust, I decided to park up across the road from White Moss Common and head alonng the lakeshore back towards Grasmere. A very pleasant stroll. 

River Rothay.

Towards a hidden Dunmail Riase.

Distant goldeneye.

Grey wagtail.

Dipper....all along the river I had expected to see one - this one was just as I crossed the river to head back. 

Aughertree fell

A brief dog walk amongst some very sparkly grass....

Aughertree Fell summit - looking across  the Solway and a dense fog bank.

Looking into Central Lakes.

Striding Edge in the snow

So I have been wanting to attempt something a bit different for a while and today was the day...a friend had posted a picture of Striding Edge in the snow when he went up recently - sadly I wasn't there, but at least I know it from summer visits. Anyway, I had to paint in the conservatory to get decent light particularly when dealing with subtle variations in the colour of snow...

Anthorn peninsula

Being as it was due to be sunny and high tide was at a convenient time - a trip round the peninsula - nice to see so many birds. Mainly long shots ...

Whooper swans on the airfield at Kirkbride....with quite a few mute swans amongst them (below).

Pinkfeet.

Golden plover.

Lapwing.

Pinkfeet.

Pinkfeet.

Wigeon.