So Much Inspiration @RobertEFuller @bbc_springwatc

Today got off to a cracking start, and just got better and better.

If you saw my blip on Tuesday, you will know that Rebecca shouting "Phil, get your camera" is becoming a bit of a running joke in our household. This time we had a fox sunning itself in the back garden. It lazily looked at me as I took some photos through the double glazing and then loped off. That was going to be my blip, until....

Robert Fuller photographs and paints wildlife, both to an awesome standard. He has been on television, contributes to Flickr, writes a blog and a monthly column in the Yorkshire Post and has his own website. His gallery is in the Yorkshire Wolds just outside the village of Thixendale. It is signposted from the A166, the York to Bridlington road. We noticed that his Summer Exhibition was on until the 19th of June and Rebecca suggested we pay a visit today.

All I can say is, if you like wildlife, you've got to go. My favourite paintings of his are the owls and hares. He also does bronzes and I would willingly give houseroom to any of them! If you are lucky when you visit the gallery, you may get a chance to chat with him, as we did. He is very approachable and interesting. He drew us a map to show where the best place to see owls near to the gallery is. I've kept the map, so I've got a Robert Fuller original ;0) That was going to be my blip until......

The countryside surrounding his gallery is stunning and we really enjoyed our walk. Whilst we didn't have any luck finding Owls, we did see plenty of other wildlife. Brown Hares were the highlight. I managed to capture some great views. One was going to be my blip until....

It just so happens that the Yorkshire Wolds are where the Walton family comes from. My 3x Great Grandad married in Scrayingham and lived in Leppington. My 2x Great Grandad lived in Burythorpe, and my Great Grandad was baptised in the church there. All of these are near Robert Fuller's Gallery. So we took a very circuitous way home to allow us to have a look at those villages. As the poppies were so stunning wherever we went today, a picture of them, finally, had to be my blip. This is best viewed in Flickr Lightbox.

If you are interested in the rejected pictures, they can be seen on my Flickr photostream.