Monday 20 June 2011: Obscured by clouds

Kent Estuary, Cumbria

Probably best viewed large

The herons were lined up along the water's edge as I drove from Sandside at 0700 this morning. They are so easily spooked when on the estuary though, and before I could get into position most of them had taken off. Here is one of the last going. There is a tight-knit group of young ducks with their mother heading upstream, while in the distance another heron is still poised.

It was another one of those still, bright mornings...and I didn't see it coming. When I looked out of the window at 0645, I was amazed to see clouds billowing along the lower lying land. With the bright sun it was rapidly burning off. In this view up the Kent channel, the distant fells are obscured by the low cloud, and the little copse at top right is just emerging. An hour earlier and this landscape would have been enchanted.

I had some worrying news from my Dad tonight. After a blood test this morning, the medics are anxious to get him into hospital. He resisted being rushed straight there this evening, but will be taken in first thing tomorrow. He was calm, but clearly worried. This is where living in Cumbria in the north of England becomes a problem, he lives in the south of the country, near Southampton. It's a 280 mile trip to get down there. So I shall be on stand-by the next couple of days. I may disappear suddenly from Blip if I travel south, and in the interim comments may be a bit thin.

ps I didn't notice the fourth (tenth) bird in this picture until I had posted it.

• NIKON D90:
• f/10.0:
• 1/1600":
• 92mm:
• ISO 320

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