Transformative fog

On a recent foggy morning we walked past a pond that had increased greatly in size following an extended spell of rain. Quite a few of the pond-side bushes and trees now had their roots in water and were making good reflections. However, it wasn't the increased size of the pond that caught my eye as much as the way the fog was giving a different emphasis to the trees.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950

Stancheon reflection

Walking along Wye Street, past the seventeenth century pub, the "Man of Ross", I noticed our reflections in the steel posts holding up ropes that delimited the area of outdoor seating. So, never liking to miss a good reflection, I took a snap of our reflections. When I came to add it to my collection of photographs I realised I didn't know the name for such a post. Research came up with "stanchion", a word that means any kind of fixed vertical post that holds something up. Perhaps there is a better word, but if there is it has eluded me all these years.

The cormorant tree

A year or so ago the River Wye was in spate and the force of its flow knocked down a tree that cormorants liked to roost in. There was no obvious nearby tree that they fancied and so the sight of these birds perched above the river was no longer a regular occurence. However, as the months have passed one tree looks like it might become a substitute perch as birds seem to be favouring it. Cormorant trees are known for their dead branches caused by the birds' droppings. This tree is not yet marked in this way, but regular use will undoubtedly produce these characteristic features.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950

Frosted teasels

This group of teasels caught my eye when we went out for an early morning walk. The darkess of the large seed heads was turned brighter by the frosting that the cold night had added. The sharp shapes against the out of focus background was very appealing.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950

Foggy, flooded bandstand, Ross on Wye

A few times each year heavy rain causes the River Wye at Ross on Wye to spill out of its channel. This doesn't usually do much damage because it's done this for decades and buildings have, for the most part, not been erected where it floods. Or the structures that are flooded aren't damaged - like this bandstand that was recently subject to not only floodwater but fog, and made for an interesting photograph.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950

Decorative glass bowls

We bought this pair of decorative glass bowls from a gallery about fifteen years ago. They are pieces that display well in natural and artificial light and every now and then I try to squeeze a photograph out of them.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Roosting little egret

The little egret is a member of the heron family that has quickly established itself as a relatively common bird in the UK. It is found in the same sort of locations as grey herons but also favours, in my experience, field drains and salt marshes to a greater extent than its more numerous cousin. It is frequently found roosting in trees and in groups. I've seen as many as ten together in a tight cluster in a pasture near a river. The roosting bird in today's photograph drew my attention for the way it was surrounded and overlaid by  branches. Usually when photographing birds it is customary to seek a completely clear view; here I was attracted to the pattern in which the bird remains the visual focus.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950

Grey Heron

The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is one of the UK's taller birds (90-98cm) with a wing span double its height. It is relatively common with an estimated 13,000 nests being found in heronries annually. The population of herons increases in winter with a large influx of birds from the continent. Its diet is mainly fish so it is usually found by rivers, streams and lakes. The heron's plumage is an attractive and subtle mixture of grey, black and white against which the orange bill and yellow eye stand out. All these factors make it one of the easier birds to photograph.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950