Derwentwater circuit

We are so lucky to live here! It was a Sunday, so  there were quite a few people around, but who can blame them! 

Catbells nad MaidenMoor.

The Millenium Stone.

Chinese Bridge towards Castle Crag, Borrowdale.

Skiddaw..and below.

..and Castle Crag .

Wedholme Flow textile collage

Inspired by our visit to Wedholme flow the other day, click here for that trip, I spent a day creating this colourful hand stitched collage - where to take it next (probably the framers) - I mean in a design sense, I'm not sure  - maybe I'll abstract some shapes and colours to do a 1970's style gelli print onto fabric which can be hand stitched, or maybe photograph it and do create some momigami 'fabric' to embellish....

Black Grouse and Fungi ...Upper Teesdale

Great to see so many Black Grouse,  on our way down through Langdon Beck....

and the fungi were nice too.....

..and a final breath of summer....Mountain Pansy.

Teesdale ...

With a better forecast in Teesdale than home we headed over to the River Tees for an autumnal riverside walk from Bowlees and Low Force up to High Force. As always worth the early start to have the river to ourselves ....

Low Force...

Not in full spate, but plenty of water.

Downstream from Wynch Bridge.

Upstream from Wynch Bridge.

The Tees has to be one of the most picturesque rivers ...

..amd High Force ...

Leighton Moss

Other than the Bearded Reedlings, we were treated to two Otters, lots of noisy Water Rail squawkings, Gadwall in abundance and the general Teal, Wigeon etc. A visit to the hides on the coast yields Great White Egret and numerous Snipe. The fungi were pretty good too...

Bearded Reedling.

Cinnamon Teal x Shoveller hybrid.

Swans with an Otter in the background...

Distant Otter.

Sleepy Gadwall.

Gadwall patterns.

Misty ...

Mainly Snipe.

..and different fungi...

Ink Caps.

Jelly Ear. 

Leighton Moss - reeds and Bearded Reedlings

Not the perfect day weather-wise, but it was going to be dry, albeit misty, so we headed down to Leighton Moss in the hope of seeing Beared Reedlings ....and we did. Just the two, but they are adorable! Not brilliant photos and I would love ot return on a better day and go earlier in the day to photograph them on the reeds before they descend onto the grit trays. In the autumn they swap from eating insects t o eating reed seeds - they come to the grit as the grit aids seed digestion - clever! 

Waiting ....

..and pictures of reeds - because I like reeds! 

The colours of Wedholme

Looking around - the colours of Autumn are beginning....