“But in many respects, it was a relief…” 🤣 I am in the habit of taking photos, and sometimes my kids will say, “Oh no, you don’t have the camera!” and I’ll say, “I guess I’ll just have to enjoy it with my eyes!” It’s a balance 🤣
How beautiful to spot the foxes, Thomas! I spotted a family of wild boars while I was driving in the countryside some evenings ago, they were crossing the street and looked like a school trip with the adults waiting at each side of the road while the little ones were crossing. I understand the sense of relief when you figured out you couldn't immortalize the cuckoo with your camera, it happened to me as well regarding my journal. Sometimes I feel the pressure of documenting everything while even just observing and enjoying the moment would be quite enough.
Your photos are beautiful! I feel your pain in finding you've forgotten the memory card for your camera. I found exactly the same yesterday when I took out my camera to take a photo of a beautiful moth i unexpectedly found in the middle of Edinburgh. I probably appreciated its beauty more for not having a camera, but now I'll never know what species it was...
What a joy this was to read this morning, thank you! It’s great to see people still keeping records like this. I’m actually publishing my dad’s old naturalist diaries on my own Substack ‘augury’ - they’re from the 1980s when he was a birdwatcher and warden on a reserve on the Blackwater Estuary. I’m posting my favourite entries of his twice a month, and the time periods correspond to the same weeks we’re in now, as I think it’s interesting to see the similarities / differences with what was happening this time of year 40 odd years ago! Anyway, One Day in Late Spring reminded me of his style - captures the joy and curiosity and appreciation and (sometimes) frustration involved in nature watching/recording - so thought you might be interested to have a read :)
Thanks very much I’m glad you enjoyed it! Your dads diaries are very cool. What’s his name? My friend grew up on the river Blackwater and his dad was warden at Old Hall Marsh near Tollesbury so I wonder if they met. I’m from Colchester originally
No way, what a small world! If it was also in the early eighties they must surely have crossed paths, as my dad was part of the group conducting the monthly wildfowl and wader counts along the Blackwater, and Old Hall Marsh was one of the sections they covered. His own patch was Chigborough Lakes after the Essex Naturalists Trust bought those gravel pits to turn into a reserve, which it still is today I think (it’s even kept the names he gave the various ponds, if Google maps is anything to go by). Anyway his name is Jon Mee. What’s your friend’s dad’s name? He and mum moved to Norfolk in the late eighties though, so that’s where I grew up, though we all actually live in Wales now!
“But in many respects, it was a relief…” 🤣 I am in the habit of taking photos, and sometimes my kids will say, “Oh no, you don’t have the camera!” and I’ll say, “I guess I’ll just have to enjoy it with my eyes!” It’s a balance 🤣
That’s a great attitude! Makes it all the more special!
How beautiful to spot the foxes, Thomas! I spotted a family of wild boars while I was driving in the countryside some evenings ago, they were crossing the street and looked like a school trip with the adults waiting at each side of the road while the little ones were crossing. I understand the sense of relief when you figured out you couldn't immortalize the cuckoo with your camera, it happened to me as well regarding my journal. Sometimes I feel the pressure of documenting everything while even just observing and enjoying the moment would be quite enough.
A family of wild boars! Very cool, where was that?
North-west Italy :)
Good on you to not bother but just listen, watch, and enjoy. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Thank you for reading!
Lovely images and storytelling, thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much for reading!
Your photos are beautiful! I feel your pain in finding you've forgotten the memory card for your camera. I found exactly the same yesterday when I took out my camera to take a photo of a beautiful moth i unexpectedly found in the middle of Edinburgh. I probably appreciated its beauty more for not having a camera, but now I'll never know what species it was...
Thank you! It’s both a blessing and a curse when that happens!
What a joy this was to read this morning, thank you! It’s great to see people still keeping records like this. I’m actually publishing my dad’s old naturalist diaries on my own Substack ‘augury’ - they’re from the 1980s when he was a birdwatcher and warden on a reserve on the Blackwater Estuary. I’m posting my favourite entries of his twice a month, and the time periods correspond to the same weeks we’re in now, as I think it’s interesting to see the similarities / differences with what was happening this time of year 40 odd years ago! Anyway, One Day in Late Spring reminded me of his style - captures the joy and curiosity and appreciation and (sometimes) frustration involved in nature watching/recording - so thought you might be interested to have a read :)
Thanks very much I’m glad you enjoyed it! Your dads diaries are very cool. What’s his name? My friend grew up on the river Blackwater and his dad was warden at Old Hall Marsh near Tollesbury so I wonder if they met. I’m from Colchester originally
No way, what a small world! If it was also in the early eighties they must surely have crossed paths, as my dad was part of the group conducting the monthly wildfowl and wader counts along the Blackwater, and Old Hall Marsh was one of the sections they covered. His own patch was Chigborough Lakes after the Essex Naturalists Trust bought those gravel pits to turn into a reserve, which it still is today I think (it’s even kept the names he gave the various ponds, if Google maps is anything to go by). Anyway his name is Jon Mee. What’s your friend’s dad’s name? He and mum moved to Norfolk in the late eighties though, so that’s where I grew up, though we all actually live in Wales now!
Gorgeous photos! And the cuckoo description is just as beautiful. Sometimes it's a blessing not to have any working 'kit', I find!
thanks Zabby! totally agree, it's easy to get bogged down and forget to just 'be'.