Reflecting whilst basking in the unusual silence of a balmy Sunday evening it became obvious that the expected absence of bird song was not so prevalent as I presumed at this time of the year. In the distance a song thrush was making a fair copy of a goldfinch warble and A languid jackdaw hicacked across the gardens to join pair of woodpigeons ...'the Lord knows...don't you know ....from the roof behind.
When trying to identify and remember bird songs and calls I have discovered it is best to create your own phrases that represent individual calls. This is partly because no one song is the same and it helps to recognise if it is the bird you heard before and partly it superbly concentrates the mind on the phrases used by the bird. I write these mnemonics down in my bird book so I can check them again.
The sitting finished with a visit by a pair of Coal Tits, whose 'whizzer whizzer' has alluded me for years until I was lucky enough to see them and hear them at the same time.
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| Red Admiral |
Although peaking much later than last year butterflies have been in great profusion. Unfortunately this cannot be said for the bees. A steep decline in the number of bees and insects is continuing at a dramatic rate.
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| Painted Lady |
I decided to have an attempt at eco printing 'fresh' green leaves instead of autumnal falls. The final effect was a more delicate than previous attempts, as less mordant was used. I have also since found out that collected natural material can be preserved for some considerable time before reactivation for use. This takes the pressure out of collecting and using the leaves quickly and results in a more planned considered arrangement.
Yellow and pink fallen rose petals give beautiful subtle shades and stains to the paper accentuating the leaf imprints.
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