Solace: Day 1

When we left Cumbria it was a lovely bright day and the good weather stayed with us down the M6. Once we turned off the motorway the best of the day was gone and we were into haziness.

We got aboard our narrowboat, Solace, at about 3pm. Just The Man and I. It was rather strange. For the first time ever boarding a boat no-one was showing us where the controls were. No one was telling us how to work a narrowboat. No-one was offering to steer for us and no-one was offering to put the kettle on! Just us two for a few days. The first time in over 35 years that we've been alone on a boat! Very strange! I think it was eight o'clock before I got a cup of tea made!

So, we'd only just driven out of the marina when The Man is shouting "Sue, Sue!" I leave the kettle and run to the back of the boat and he tells me a kingfisher landed briefly on the front of the boat! I grab the camera and wait, watching.

Yes! Yes! YES! The kingfisher is just ahead of us, landing in the vegetation and on the moored boats! Wow! I disappoint some dog walkers by not wanting to take their photo, then disappoint them further by telling them they have missed seeing a kingfisher. The lady was obviously wondering how she could have missed it."You were talking!" said the man.

Here it is, at the very start of my canal holiday - a kingfisher. It's taken after 4pm, in the gloom on a high ISO with my lens at full stretch. If I get a better one that will be another day's blip!