Big City

Saturday 8.05am and I found myself on the train to London. The weather looked promising and despite the train heading to Paddington, rather than Marylebone, and putting 20 minutes on the journey all seemed set for a good day.

Once in London we headed over to Trafalgar Square and The National Gallery.  I'd not been there before but I'll definitely be heading back at some point.  There are some fantastic paintings here, some well known and some not.  Big draws include Van Gough's Sunflowers, Monet's Japanese Bridge, Constable's The Hay Wain and works by Canaletto, Turner, Rembrandt, Degas and so on.

There were so many highlights but favourites included Canaletto's Basin Of San Marco on Ascension Day and Regatta On The Grand Canal.  The detail and vibrancy of these pictures is amazing.  I also really liked Guardi's pictures of Venice.

Boilly's A Girl At A Window (looks like a black and white photograph). Freidrich's Winter Landscape, Zund's Storm Study and various landscapes by Calame also grabbed my attention.

Another highlight was Hoogstraten's Peepshow (circa. 1655).  A wooden box with a hole at either end.  Look through the hole and you can see the inside of a house.  The way it is painted on the inside gives it a 3D effect. 

Having spent a few hours there we headed to the cafe and after something to eat and drink we left.  We walked along the river and eventually came to St Paul's Cathedral.  Again I'd not been there before, I've walked past many a time but never ventured inside. 

We spent a couple of hours wandering around. Looking up at the ceiling.  We went down to the crypt and saw both The Duke of Wellington and Nelson's tombs.  We also saw Christopher Wren's final resting place.

Once back above ground we headed up the The Whispering Gallery and then up again to the Stone Gallery and finally up again until we reached The Golden Gallery.  As you step outside onto the small ledge above the dome the views across London are fantastic.  There is also a sense of relief having just climbed the 528 steps to reach the top! 

After St Paul's we headed over to Oxford Street and then onto Soho before heading back to Embankment and back along the river to The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey and then back onto Paddington before catching the train home.

It was back at the station that I checked my phone and found a text with the sad news about Amy Whitehouse's demise.  I was shocked but not surprised.  Although not one of my favourite artists she was still a real talent and will be missed in the world of music.

Sunday.  A proper summer's day at last!  We decided to head to Earlswood Lakes.  We've been there quite a bit this year but with the water and woods it's a nice place to wander around and explore. One thing that was noticeable was how the water level has fallen compared to the last time we were there.


Bird wise it was quiet but it was quite a good day for butterflies with Peacock, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown as well a quite a few Whites.

We spent a few hours there and then popped along tho The Manor Tea Rooms for something to eat and drink.  It was great being out and about in the sunshine. I just hope there are a few more days like that before the summer ends!

The Last Few Days

It's pretty humid at the moment and the grey skies seem to suggest a storm might be on the way.  Yesterday however the skies were blue and we had the first good day, weather wise, for some time. It seems that this summer is going to be like the last few, a bit of a wash out.

We did manage to get out into the sunshine yesterday, taking my parents to Earlswood.  We've spent a lot of time there in the last couple of months!  We wandered around the lake, stopped off at the Manor House Tea Rooms and strolled through the woods.  My parents hadn't been there for years and seemed to enjoy it. 

Saturday despite being warm was quite a dull day.  We never ventured far.  Did a bit of shopping and in the evening we watched Burke and Hare.  A typical Simon Pegg film, filled full of familiar faces. An easy enough film to watch and perfect for a quite night in.

Friday we had people over for a "Race Night".  You have fake money and watch a DVD of a real horse race. The commentary has been changed and all the races have a theme.  Clare had bought prizes along the same theme for the winner. For example whoever won the fruit themed race got a pineapple!  Despite it being a bit of fun it was surprising how people got into it.  Shouting for their horse and so on.  I bet the neighbours loved us! 

All in all a quiet(ish) weekend.

Earlswood Lakes (The Back Up Plan)

Yesterday's plan was to have a day out at Doxey Marshes in Staffordshire but the weather forecast suggested heavy rain and so we decided to stay local.
After ruling out trips to Stratford & Leamington we decided upon Earlswood again.  It's local and still had bits we hadn't explored. 

After breakfast we headed off and arrived about 10.30.  The sun was shining and the sky was blue but in the shade of trees, at the waterside it felt quite chilly.

We walked around the lakes before heading off towards Clowes Wood. On the third lake (Terry's Pool) were 3 Greylag Geese that we hadn't seen before. 

We headed into the wood and followed the path of the railway line and down the other side.  As we headed back into the dense trees I saw a flash of orange and then blue.  A Kingfisher.  The odd thing was that there didn't seem to be any water other than a stagnant stream. We hung around but it never returned. 

Once we had reached the far end of the wood the dark clouds in the distance were upon us and so we headed back.  Luckily the rain held off and we managed to get out of the woods and all the way back to Manor Farm Craft Centre where we had a sandwich and a bowl of chips at the Manor House Cafe.

Afterwards we had a look around the units and Clare bought some earrings.  It was at this point we had the first large shower.  We sheltered in a doorway until it passed and then headed off, taking in the lakes once more before going home.

Here We Go Again!

Having missed out on seeing the Night Heron on Sunday we decided we should give it another go and so last night we went back to Earlswood Lakes.

We arrived about 6.30pm and headed off around the lakes scanning the trees and the undergrowth.  It was a fantastic evening, and the lakes looked lovely with the blue skies above and the sun reflecting upon the water.  The ducks were present (although we didn't see the Mandarin Duck that is there) as were the terns, gulls, geese, grebes and swans.  Swifts and swallows skimmed across the water and, as the sun went down, the fish started to jump.

Having spent an hour and a half looking we were still no closer to seeing the Night Heron.  We headed back towards the road and as we came towards the end of the lake we found a small group of bird spotters.  I asked if they were waiting for the Night Heron and they said they were.  They seemed much friendlier than the ones we encountered on Sunday and so we took up a spot close to them.

As the sun got lower the insects were swarming over the water and all around us. We had been there about 15 minutes (8.15pm) when the birders started to watch the silhouette of a bird approaching from the lake we had just come from.  At first I mistook it for a crow but as it got closer I realised that this was what we had been looking for.  The bird was making it's nightly journey over the lakes to the canal.  We watched it pass and head beyond the trees behind us before rising up and turning a couple of times and then disappearing. The whole thing lasted about a minute.

We hung around until just gone 9pm. The bird watchers we had first spoken with had mainly disappeared but they were replaced by about a dozen others who seemed a bit miffed to be told they had missed it.

Whether it flew back or not I don't know. It was getting cold and we had achieved our goal so we called it a day and headed to the pub.  Just before we left I heard one of the birders say that that was the first Night Heron he had seen in over 25years of bird spotting.  

 

Usually found in Southern Europe, Asia, Africa & The Americas, the Night Heron is a rare visitor to this country.  Usually there are about 10 recorded visits a year.  With one just a couple of miles down the road I'm really chuffed I was able to see it

PS  All the pictures are mine except the one of the bird itself.  That was taken by a Mr Dave Hutton. I would've loved to have seen it that clearly!

Drawn A Blank

Been to Earlswood Lakes again this morning.  Just like last week we walked there and then got a taxi back.  It was raining when we set out about 8.30 this morning but by 9 it had stopped and the sun had come out.  There was a fairly strong wind which helped dry us out.

The reason we chose to do it again was because last week, although we didn't now it at the time, a Night Heron had been spotted.  A rare migrant bird that was still present up until last night. 

The lakes seemed quiet compared to last week. No boats on the water and less anglers.  There were more birders though.  We saw two groups of men in camouflage whilst out walking. I asked the second group if they had seen the Heron but they were not of the friendly type and all I got was a no. 

We hadn't been at there that long when we did spot a Heron flying over the smallest of the lakes.  It didn't look like a Grey Heron but I couldn't say that it was definitely the Night Heron.  If it was then it was our only sighting.  We did see a juvenile Cormorant and other birds including Arctic Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Black Headed Gull, Nuthatch, Chaffinch and Blue Tit.

A quick drink at The Reservoir and then a taxi back home in readiness for the football.  The last game of the season and as I write all eyes are on the bottom of the League.  With West Ham already relegated there are two relegation spots left and 5 clubs trying not to be in that position.  Wolves, Wigan, Blackpool, Blackburn and Birmingham could possibly go down today. Obviously I'm hoping Birmingham can survive but it's a tall order as they are away at Tottenham who are currently in fifth spot and playing to keep Liverpool from taking it.

They walk around the lakes is in stark contrast to yesterday's trip to Birmingham.  It was very busy in town but we managed to find a bit of peace and quiet at Ikon. 

We wandered around the exhibitions.  First up was Tadasu Takamine's Too Far To See.  A collection of videos that we were warned contained sexual imagery.  I have to say I never really got it but the 2 that stood out were Inertia (1998) involves the uneasy combination of a young woman and a bullet train. She is shown close-up and feet first on top of a carriage while the rest of the world flashes past. A powerful electric hum dramatises her fruitless attempts to push her dress down over her legs against the force of the wind.  I'm not sure of the title of the other film but it involves a naked girl swimming.  The images projected through a fish tank onto the front of the glass. 

The next exhibition was by John Salt.  His paintings are basically of dumped American cars or run down trailer homes.  Despite it being very American I like his work.  1986's Trailer House being my favourite. It really drew me in.

Finally we saw Kristoffer Myskja's Machine That Uses A Thousand Years To Shut Down. It is a machine that runs for no reason except that, after one thousand years, it will turn itself off. Powered by light, a sequence of geared wheels rotate increasingly slowly, so that the movement of the last one is imperceptible.  It's an odd little thing but I was fascinated by it.

Afterwards we spent some time shopping and I popped to Swordfish and bought a couple of CDs (Sergeant Buzfuz, Barth & Flamingoes) before catching the train home.

A quick update with the football.  Half time and Blues are still 0-0 with Spurs. Elsewhere Wolves are losing at Blackburn and Wigan are drawing with Stoke meaning that both Wigan and Wolves are in the dropzone but as we are all on 40 points, along with Blackpool, it is only goal difference that seperates us. One goal changes everything. Fingers crossed no one scores in the second half!  We will know in just under an hours time.

Last Weekend

I'm still being a bit lax when it comes to writing this but I will try and improve things this week.

Saturday morning and it was off to Cherry Red's for breakfast.  I had the hearty veggie breakfast which was huge!  Consisting of veggie sausage, beans, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, potato rosti, grilled haloumi, fried egg and toast.  With extra toast and coffee it was the perfect way to start the day!

Afterwards we did some shopping (I ended up buying a couple of CDs from Poundland. A live Ramones compilation and Kaiser Chiefs' Employment!).

We headed home and I settled down for the FA Cup Final (Man City versus Stoke). Not the greatest of matches. I had hoped for a Stoke win but it wasn't to be.  Man City finally breaking them down, winning 1-0.

After the football it was time to head to St Mary's Church in Acock's Green for Skittles Night!  Their annual fund raiser is usually a relaxed night.  Fish and chips (or soup if you prefer) are included in the ticket price. Take your own drink and await your turn.  If you win you become the proud owner of a shield which you keep for a year before returning to defend your title.

Sunday and we decided to walk to Earlswood Lakes.  It's about 4 miles and took about an hour.  Having refuelled at the local shop we headed for the lakes.  There was plenty of birds to be seen with Swallow, Swift, Great Crested Grebe and Arctic Tern. 

We walked around the lakes and then around the woods.  We could hear a number of cuckoos but unfortunately never got see one.  After a couple of hours we headed back, stopping at the Reservoir pub for a quick drink and a packet of crisps before getting a taxi home.  A lovely day but it did get a bit chilly around the water's edge.