A Sculptor's Garden

John McGill is exhibiting his work in his garden in Toft as part of Open Studios for all the weekends in July. A wonderful treasure trove of bronze, stone and wood sculptures set in a wild garden where pigs fly and trees have ears. Enfolding Seasons (Book sculpture) and the Rooted Hand are my favourites. Well worth a visit 

Back at Welney Wildfowl Trust

Welney Wildfowl Trust are open for prebooked visits including the hides and summer walk (the cafe remains closed). We enjoyed a visit there on Thursday on a less than ideal cloudy and windy morning but great to see lots of species that we have been missing during lockdown Avocets, House Martins, Little Egret (seen off by Moorhen) and Black-Tailed Godwits. The house Martins and Swallows were busy catching insects etc from the water surface.

Bug's Eye View of My Garden

I wanted to try and portray the feeling of being surrounded by the huge variety of flowers in the garden at the moment, especially in the wildflower areas. Using my favourite legacy Olympus Zuiko 50mm with 16mm extension ring, I shot at F1.8 getting in close amongst the flowers. Here some of the yellow flowers which work well with this soft approach. 

 

Marbled Whites at Wimpole National Trust Estate

Wonderful to see so many Marbled Whites at Wimpole NT Estate yesterday. Every patch of thistles had some feeding along with Small Skippers, Small Heaths, Meadow Browns and Small Whites (also Ringlets)

Wimpole Estate Through a Pinhole

Wonderful to be able to walk through the Wimpole Estate again. Here seen through a pinhole - it was quite a gloomy morning but perhaps not quite as foreboding as these images suggest. 

  

Banded Demoiselles and White-legged Damsels

As well as Banded Demoiselles, I caught a few of the White-legged Damselflies in flight. They have very blue eyes. The male Banded Demoiselles sit around on perches or reeds waiting for the females and then they will pounce on her on the water and often look as if they will drown her in their enthusiasm.