A Dragon Boat Festival

 On one of those fine September days he had, he says digging through his archives, the town had a fantastic festival of Dragon Boat Racing lasting most of the day on the Trent in front of the castle.

36 teams entered, including a team from our workplace who represented us so brilliantly on the day, and it is probably the most populated event I have attended in nearly two years. 

Luckily it was warm and outside, so risk was low, and I felt pretty comfortable photographing and filming the event, while talking to the various charities who were present - who benefitted to the tune of £46,000 - and our crew.

It was an event the town can rightly be proud of.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.10.21

Out to Farndon Ponds

 More fine weather yesterday, and with my ankle by much less of a pain, I was able to plug my brain into a good Radio 4 sci fi drama and take myself out to Farndon to see what sort of waterfowl I might find in the little Farndon Ponds reserve next to the marina. 

It's not the most exciting trek to get there, along the old A46, but eventually you get to the church turn off and can make your way towards Willow Holt, which looked rather on the muddy side and was filled with sheep.

For some reason, the sheep were an enticing photographic prospect to a pro looking snapper, who was stood there with a tripod and a towel over his head. Maybe there was an interesting bird lurking. Or perhaps he is very shy. 

I walked past the marina, around the ponds and here things got rather muddy. I might have to buy myself wellies for Christmas. I managed to get a lucky half decent mobile shot of a long tailed tit, but the waterfowl weren't up to much; a few bored looking gulls and a couple of mallards. 

At least the river painted itself gold for the evening.

There's plenty of berries in the hedgerows, but there weren't any redwing like I sometimes see in this part of Farndon. It takes colder weather to the winter thrushes in town.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.12.20

Stopped being Lazy!

 Having had a late night watching the frankly disturbing "Cats" movie, I was surprised to be up nice and early and in a position to get some stuff done - buying hair clippers, doing a proper food shop, and ultimately having a lovely long walk to Farndon to have a look at the second hand bike shop. 

It was closed. Pity. I was prepared to buy a bike if they had a decent one in stock. 

No matter, I was enjoying my nice late summer slash early autumn walk, and even found a few butterflies willing to be photographed on the puzzled people of Farndon's flowers; let me state I did not enter anyone's garden, I did do a lot of leaning over though.

Ivy is now beginning to flower so late season pollinators have something to feed off. Chiefly honey bees today, and lots of more mundane flies but they do their bit too. 

The smell of the ivy is so strong at the moment. 

I came back in along the river; all the house martins and swallows seems to have left this area although they are being reported elsewhere. What hasn't left the river are rowers, plenty of them out training today. I'm not quite fit to run yet and need some new running shoes. 

Fishing is also a popular past time, most of the pegs along the Farndon reach were occupied. Other participants were also taking part; plenty of cormorants flying about, and also my first kingfisher of the year, shimmering neon in the sun. 

And I got a picture of a common darter at last, although a bit of an oddly angled one.

Lockdown looms again, although I don't think it will affect me particularly. I haven't been going to pubs so a 10pm curfew will hardly affect me. 

But it going to be more stress though.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 21.09.20

They Been Rowing

This is my first day off in 12, and oh boy am I tired. So tired in fact, that I spent the entire afternoon asleep and the few bits I wasn't asleep I was unable to move, almost as if I'd been drugged.

But I did get out at midday, had my haircut so I feel more human, and then went for a walk down the river and to the park.

There was a lot of traffic parked up on the Farndon Road for some reason, and as I got nearer the park I could see what was going off - a huge rowing regatta was being hosted at the town rowing club, and teams of muscley looking public school kids were lowering themselves into their skiffs and boats and navigating the final yards of the Devon before heading off racing on the Trent.

It's the first time I'd ever seen a spectacle like this in town, and I'm glad for them it was quite mild today, although a sinking wouldn't have been any fun out there.

Tomorrow we are heading off to Donna Nook to see the seals, which should be nice if the big flabby things are still there!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.12.19