What could be finer. 

So tricky to capture, but so worth it.  I am still aiming for a cleaner shot. 

Gathering nesting material. 

And very pretty she was too.

needs no explaining.. From their elegant elongated stance, to the beauty of what must be a more mature birds coat. The clothes designer in me stood and gasped as I pictured just how nice a heron’s asymmetrical cloak of greys, white, ermines and blacks, with layers and ripples and pleats, in silk, velvet and feathers would look as I swooshed my way up the town. It would be glorious.

I’ve always loved playing in the woods, since being knee high to a grasshopper I have enjoyed the smells of leaves gently decomposing and the crackle of dried twigs breaking underfoot, the acid fresh smell of growth in spring and the heat and dust of summer and that’s even before spotting any birds.  I don’t think children make very good bird watchers, but we did make very good tree climbers and swinging on old ropes over deep crevices whilst our mothers watched in horror, paddling in brooks trying not to get caught by the leeches and collecting leaves and nuts, seeds and berries and sometimes caterpillars and slow worms.  I’ve loved it all.

I especially love the tranquility of being on my own. Maybe that comes from being part of a large family but I know it feeds my soul more than anything else. So the other day I left hubby in a hide playing with the big lens, he seemed a happy boy and took off around the woods to play.  I played at photographing the small birds and had a little success when I came across the type of clearing that I had hoped to find.

Unpacking my 20 mm, my mini tripod and my remote control, I set to work. I managed to photograph what must be the ultimate selfie.. how I laughed when I saw it. 
Acid greens against blue skies, just beautiful.

I must make time to play in the woods some more.