The Ducks of Langford - The Shoveller

This duck is apparently common, but until a couple of weeks ago I'd never seen one, and is obviously extremely peculiar.

It's a sort of Barbara Streisand of the duck world.

They typically feed by ducking their heads just under the water, and shaking their heads from side to side straining their food out from the water - I saw a single drake doing this on London Road Pond a couple of weeks ago - occasionally forming large rafts of shoveller working the water, their massed action stirring up more food.

This handsome fellow at Langford was more interested in cruising serenely about; unlike many wild duck species, this one was quite happy to come close to shore and let you get a good look!

I'm glad my nose isn't like that.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 17.11.16

A Windmill Walk

Hopefully you'll be able to read this one! It's a route that leads from the Willow Holt Nature reserve in Farndon village, along the river past the power station and then to the Farndon Windmill, and is another of my own "Walking for Wellness" series I've been doing for work.

But why am I telling you this? It's all here!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.11.16

The Asperger Child

I was trying yet again to get rid of a load of horrific clutter in my horrifically cluttered flat, when I found various notebooks that I have kept haphazardly at various times in various places.

Most of them are comparitively recent and full of various scrawls; the book of holidays, which is red, and the book of moon-a-mucks, which is brown, and horror and prose and thankfully no bad poetry whatsoever.

What I also came across was a very 80s design A4 notebook, which I was using in about 1987.

This was the book of planetary geology and economics, of flying saucer sightings, interstellar space craft design and a navy belonging to a nation and history that never existed.

These are all my designs. My stories, the external expression of what went on in my head and what still does, endless design of aircraft and navies and cricket teams and all sorts.

I had no idea back then, but thanks to reading Oliver Sacks I have since discovered that this is very much a trait of Asperger Syndrome, as is the obsessive bowling of tennis balls against trees while commentating on it in Richie Benaud voices. Which I've greatly enjoyed doing since 1980 and never will stop doing.

Tourettes and Aspergers do often run together, their spectrums ribbon around each other like friendly snakes, and both share OCD and ADHD co-morbids. What I am, and which bit of all this does what, is very unclear to me and doesn't matter anyway.

So here it all is, the created universe of Si!

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.11.16

Duckstravaganza

Today I had time for adventure, and on what was a glorious winters day, bright and still, indeed the sun was even too warm as I cycled along, I had one.

Well going to RSPB Langford isn't that adventurous, but I've never been this late in the year before. The reason I wanted to visit at this time of year was to try and see some winter ducks, the colourful, interesting quackers that would make a change from the mallards and tufted ducks that are the staple on the town waters.

(Realise - being harsh on mallards here - they are just as colourful, if not more so, that the other winter ducks).

So, off I went, getting annoyed with all the bad driving, and finding my legs slightly unused to long rides now I've been out of practice since the charity ride. But the weather was good and the wind slight, if in my face, and I arrived at Langford after about an hour.

I started off by making a sketch - terrible, but terrible with a distinctive style I think. I then started scanning the waters, and soon found goldeneye and shoveller to photograph. Further out onto the waters, there were pochard and wigeon, and indeed a lot of waterfowl sat on mudbanks that I couldn't identify at a distance.

Sitting down on the platform, I was stunnded to see a mating pair of common darter flying about. That is deep into the year!

I then walked around the lake, taking in the sights, enjoying the beautiful weather. Round the back of the reed bed there were more wigeon, and I fancy even a couple of gadwall, while off the boardwalk a flash of green speculum indicated my first ever sighting of a teal.

I studied every rustling reed, hopeful for a sighitng of a bearded tit. They bred here for the first time this year. But they stayed out of sight.

What exactly I saw, well, I haven't looked at my long range snaps yet. But you'll see this week. In the meantime, enjoy the shots and sketch I took to establish what a lovely day it was.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.11.16

The Mist Rises from the Waters

Some eerie views tonight as I headed out running late afternoon as the sun set, and around the two lakes mist rose from the water. I listened to some great stuff on Radio 4, including an interview with the artist Marina Abramovic, who's first meeting with an ex lover  - after 30 years - during the performance "A Minute with the Artist" is a very powerful watch on youtube.

Me, I find sitting still an ordeal, especially during a meal last night with our little work cohort where one of the attendees was so punchably loud and annoying it was unbearable. 

I don't know what degrees of roughness there are after "dog" but she was way beyond that. 

It left me so tired today my planned Shire Brook adventure was cancelled, will try again omorrow. But, I got some atmospheric shots and met a friendly cat, so hooray for that. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 12.11.16

My Mother's Triffids

Mum has always had her little army of plants sitting in the kitchen window, and everyone's favourite is this sort of purple inkspotted sort of creation that seems to flower in clusters throughout the year.

I'm not overly sentimental about domestic flowers, as it were, but I think this thing is wonderful. No idea what it is, but if seems to make all of us a little happier.

Then there is this new addition, this characterful flower that looks like a miniature triffid. Luckily it doesn't sting me in the eyes when I look at it.

The rest of recent events I shall speak of little; but to me it is like Brexit, the culmination of the "reality TV generation" who think that knowing who to vote for on X-Factor or American Idol means they are qualified to deal with complex matters of economics and foreign policy.

There we go.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 09.11.16

Squirrels in the Churchyard

Yesterday, I did a little tour round the church gardens, away from the library the other main party ground for those inflicted with addiction and not really a part of the world where I spend very much time.

But yesterday it was quiet and bright, and the only sign of bad behaviour was by the local squirrels, of which there were at least 7 careering around under the evergreen trees feeding off something or other.

Whatever that was, it was worth fighting over, as a couple of these quicksilver warriors decided to have a testosterone contest over a patch of fallen leaves identical to all the others around the tree.

It was a short lived contest; the loser being quickly chased up a less prizeworthy silver birch on the edge of the park. Meanwhile other squirrels busied themselves with their own rummaging, every so often coming up trumps with some sort of morsel to nibble on before engaging in some rather pointless looking tree-running-up-and-down.

No less pointless than me running 13km in the afternoon I suppose. The spirits sleeping along the edge of the churchyard have more sense.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 08.11.16