On the second day of the new year 2022 I managed to get out for a short photo walk around Aldermaston Wharf, returning as the rain arriving from the west set in. I didn’t see an awful lot, but managed to capture these two Robins in the mild New Year’s sunshine high up in a tree:
Robin frontal view
Robin in full voice
Robin singing away
Robin sitting in a tree
Robin looking up
Robins in the New Year’s sunshine
As usual, click on the pictures to view the larger version and visit the gallery. I hope you enjoy the pictures of the two Robins, if I remember correctly the most popular bird in the UK.
Last year I wrote a series of posts about bands I discovered that year, they were The Mysterines, Dream Wife and The Big Moon. I quite enjoyed writing that series, so I decided to repeat this for 2021 (and if I discover three good bands again next year I’ll aim to have one in 2022 as well). The first one for this year was new to pretty much everyone, as they had their breakthrough this year: Wet Leg. They burst on the scene this summer with this song with a famous movie quote and more:
Wet Leg – Chaise Longue (Official Video)
This was followed up by another song with a video filmed at the same location and weird lyrics and references:
Wet Leg – Wet Dream (Official Video)
It doesn’t come with a full fledged video (yet?), but I also quite like this recently released song:
Oh No
And finally, they also perform brilliantly live, as shown in this Tiny Desk (Home) Concert for NPR:
Wet Leg: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
I hope you’ve enjoyed Wet Leg, for the next band we’ll travel across the Atlantic to Chicago and something beach related (kind of). Planning to publish that post on Friday.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been watching a pair of Blue Tits in the trees opposite my windows. I think they’re nesting somewhere under the roof of my block of flats, although I can’t see that from my window as they are entering from the side. I can see them very well in the tree opposite my window though and with the warmer weather this weekend I used the opportunity to take a few pictures. They are only about 4 metres away, so I was able to take some nice close up shots, especially when they sat on one specific branch:
Two Blue Tits at the fresh shoots
Two Blue Tits talking
Blue Tit with its beak open
Blue Tit on a branch
Two Blue Tits back to back
Fluffy Blue Tit
Pair of Blue Tits from my window (click on the pictures for the larger versions)
I hope you’re enjoying the pictures as I’m enjoying watching the Blue Tits hopping around in the trees and flying over to where I think their nest is. Should I get a chance I’ll try to take some video of them over the coming weeks.
My first real day out for over a year since the pandemic started, my last big day out before was a trip to Oxford on the day I picked up my new car (which stiil has less than 2,000 miles on the clock) at the end of January 2020. Spurred on by memories of May 2020 where we had some beautiful sunny weather (but couldn’t get out much under lockdown) I had decided to take a week off in May 2021 for some first tentative steps to get out a bit further than the local walks and weekly trip to the supermarket. Of course the weather didn’t really cooperate, although I probably picked the best day for the only real trip I managed to get in:
After not having been for probably more than a decade I decided to visit Westonbirt Arboretum, in the hope of some nice spring colours. A few days before I pre-booked my ticket online, for the time being admission is only with pre-booked tickets so that they can control visitor numbers and make sure it doesn’t get overcrowded, allowing social distancing to keep everyone safe. After an uneventful drive I arrived at 11:00 to some mostly cloudy weather with occasional showers. Luckily the clouds broke up early afternoon, giving me some beautiful sunny intervals to enjoy the colours. My hopes for some beautiful May colours were certainly fulfilled, lots of plants in bloom and a lot of fresh greens (and reds). I took a lot of pictures, here are 10 of my favourites:
Three colourful trees
Wet red flowers
Big tree behind Bluebells
Bluebells in a sunny meadow
Colourful woods, red, green, amber, blue
Shades of red and green
Green leaves and pink Rhododendron
Red Rhododendron behind Bluebells
Lime Avenue at Westonbirt Arboretum in the fresh May green
Three trees behind Bluebells
May colours at Westonbirt Arboretum (click on the pictures for the larger versions)
I spent the whole day until closing time at 17:00 walking around, discovering new views, new trees, new colours, new plants, revisiting places for different light after the sun came out and more. It wasn’t busy most of the time, I think through a combination of the pre-booked tickets and the not very promising weather forecast (with the weather turning out much better than forecasted luckily). Some features (e.g. small parts of the treetop walk) were closed to ensure social distancing, but the vast majority was open. My enjoyment of the arboretum wasn’t diminished at all. The staff was friendly and helpful when I needed them. All in all a great day out, I felt safe pretty much throughout and enjoyed the May colours I had come for.
On my return journey I decided to a small bonus and made a detour to an old haunt of mine, a place I had visited many times when I first arrived in the UK, Avebury. I didn’t stay long, but had a nice time revisiting familiar views.
I arrived back home in the evening very tired, but also very satisfied after a great day out.
On my first big day out for over a year due to the pandemic I went to Westonbirt Arboretum (pictures from that in a separate post) on a May day with changeable weather. On my return journey I decided to make a detour via Avebury Stone Circle, a place I had great memories of from my early years in the UK 25 years ago. I hadn’t visited since moving to West Berkshire over 10 years ago. I had the place pretty much for myself (well, apart from the sheep and lambs) and took a few pictures of some of the standing stones during a few short sunny intervals. I used my wide angle lens and went close up, hopefully showing the massive size of these stones.
Avebury Stone Circle
Big Stones at Avebury Stone Circle (1)
Big Stones at Avebury Stone Circle (2)
Big Stone and a Big Tree at Avebury Stone Circle
Big Stones and a Big Tree at Avebury Stone Circle
Big Stones and a Sheep at Avebury Stone Circle
Big Stones at Avebury Stone Circle (click on the pictures for the large versions)
I didn’t stay long as I was tired after a long day walking around Westonbirt Arboretum, also some heavier clouds moved in and it looked like rain was on the way. But I’m sure I’ll be back later this year or next year as we hopefully progress with overcoming the pandemic and the country opens up further. In the meantime I hope you’ll enjoy these pictures.
