Caen Hill (Sunday 1st September 2019)

It had been six weeks since my last trip to the Caen Hill locks to check on the swan family, so I drove over there and parked at the bottom of the flight in Marsh Lane, to walk up to the top. I took some landscape shots including one of some teasels that I considered for a Wild Flower Week entry (see Extra) but as the purpose of the trip was to see the swans I have blipped one of the teenagers. However, I have chosen an image that prominently features some bullrushes, so I am nominating that instead, with thanks to Miranda1008.
I took the grassed path behind the side pounds and on the way up I saw one and then another heron, fishing in separate pounds, and also, to my delight, my first kingfisher of the year when it flew up into a tree and perched there. It was a long way away and it wasn't until I looked at my severely cropped shot when I got back home that I could be 100% sure. I also fartnarkled one of my shots of a heron to post online.
I found both young swans near the top of the flight, now almost full size, and with the pen swan mother, and after getting a few shots I walked back down on the towpath where I had two surprises. Firstly I found one of the herons I'd seen earlier on the pathway that separates two pounds and munching on some wildflowers. I followed it up the path and it seemed unbothered by my presence (see second Extra). Then, further down I came upon the elusive second pair of swans that I'd seen on one previous occasion, but that I hadn't seen on the way up. They glided up to me and when I failed to have anything to give them they decided to do a spot of blackberrying (see third Extra). I had a couple of chats with other visitors including one couple asking me to name the bird that was watching the two swans. It was the grey heron - they'd tentatively identified it as a stork. A dogwalker told me she thought the cob swan was no longer present. I guessed he was probably temporarily absent but he wasn't there on my last visit on 21st July either, so perhaps she is now a single mother.

L.
2.9.2019 (1705 hr)

Blip #3026 (#2776 + 250 archived blips taken 27.8.1960-18.3.2010)
Consecutive Blip #008
Blips/Extras In 2019 #203/265 + #080/100 Extras
Day #3446 (769 gaps from 26.3.2010)
LOTD #2170 (#2011 + 159 in archived blips)

Swan series
Caen Hill series
Devizes series
Kennet and Avon Canal series
Canals series

Taken with Pentax K50 (Red) and Pentax HD P-DA 55-300 mm F4-5.8 ED WR lens

Caen Hill, 1 September 2019 (Flickr album of 56 photos)


Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Chrissie Hynde - Caroline, No (2019)
Back in April I pre-ordered a copy of the forthcoming solo album by Chrissie Hynde and had forgotten all about it, but in the car Guy Garvey played a track from it. It is to be released this coming Friday and is a collections of standards, in a departure from her normal style, with the Valve Bone Woe Orchestra. He played the Beach Boys' song Caroline, No, written by Brian Wilson.

One year ago:
Curzon Street Cemetery