Textures

Kent Estuary, Cumbria

People often complain about the weather forecast, but I'm always surprised at how often the forecasters get it right. Today they promised heavy showers in the afternoon, and that's exactly what we had. Unfortunately I chose to go for a walk on Scout Scar at lunchtime, and got caught by the advance guard of the showers coming through - so no photos there. But they also promised a clearance after the rain, and we had that too - in time to grab a few shots on the way home into the sun across the estuary.

Having been blipping for over a year, I'm struck now more than ever by how similar is the quality of light at the same time in different years. A year and a day ago, I took a very similar photo to this - in colour but almost monochromal.

Then there are the ecological similarities. Just over a year ago, I photographed a huge number of common gulls in a linear gathering along the water's edge. I haven't seen anything quite like that again, but yesterday there was a large number of common gulls flocking on the mudflats. I guess they are birds that have bred inland, moving down post-breeding onto the coast where they will disperse in smaller parties into Morecambe Bay and beyond. The cycles of seasons, light and life.