Rainy Cambridge

Cambridge was the answer to a recent query 'in which City centre in England can you see cows grazing?' Add to this hay bales and it is a good description of Cambridge at the moment. Saturday was very wet and I felt the need for a bit of umbrella therapy. Although a lot less busy than a sunny day punting was continuing even if it meant looking like ghosts in their plastic wraps. It was Cambridge's Out of the Ordinary Festival which should have meant the streets etc were full of performers. Many were moved inside but this quartet continued around the City to the obvious amusement of shoppers.

Very Wet Thursday

 Yesterday was the monthly walk at Paxton Pits and, unsurprisingly, only a small group ventured round the reserve. We did manage to record 37 bird species including Garden warbler, Chiffchaff, Common Terns hopefully nesting on the rafts,  adult Cormorant ?teaching young about fishing and Great Crested Grebe pair. Back in the garden in the afternoon, many insects were sheltering on leaves and flowers while the spiders continued to monitor their webs.

World Pinhole Photography Day

Every year on the last Sunday in April, I try to take part in World Pinhole Photography Day. It is an international event to promote and celebrate the art of pinhole photography. These were taken in Oldbury Birmingham in the pouring rain under the canal bridge (no problems with rain drops on 'lens'!) using a home-made lens and old Fuji camera body and in the Travelodge with a unaware model.

 

Insects in the Rain

 With the wet and cooler conditions, most of the insects were resting up on or under leaves or in the grass during the last few days just coming out with the sun. Here a selection - most identified!

Very Wet Morning at Wicken

Definitely weather for ducks yesterday morning. This teal took flight during one of the lighter showers but the Mallards did not look happy when the rain was at its heaviest. The Coots are already paired off and showing territorial behaviour. The hundreds of Widgeon on the pools were fairly restless giving lovely atmospheric flight images along with Mallards, Mute Swans and Geese.