Marlborough (Sunday 7th February 2016)

I had a wander round Marlborough on Sunday morning including a visit to Kennet Place with another take-out coffee, and a look at the river next to the meadow behind it. The water was too high and fast-flowing for the water voles to be out but I did see this grey heron on the other side of the river near to the weir. For once it didn't fly away when I raised my camera. At first I was using my Pentax but the zoom wasn't sufficiently powerful so I switched to my Coolpix bridge camera and succeeded in getting my first heron close-ups (see the Extra), but for blip I have chosen this full length view on the one occasion that he raised his neck elegantly to full height. Amazing to get such views of a wild bird in a town centre.

L.
9.2.2016 (1255 hr)


Blip #1756 (#2006 including archived blips)
Consecutive Blip #006
Day #2145
LOTD #990 (#1114 including archived blips)

Taken with Nikon Coolpix P900

A Heron In Marlborough, 7 February 2016 (Flickr album)

Marlborough series
Herons series
Birds series


Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Caught By The River - Be:One (2016)
Featuring 40,000 bees.
“One” by Be is the first long player released by Caught by the River’s record label Rivertones.
Pre order a copy here: bit.ly/1jjBAyQ
This unique four track album is the sound of British summertime from the viewpoint of the animal kingdom. A truly transcendental record – if you try to imagine Spacemen 3 recording a series of 21st century outdoor ragas for Touch and you’re somewhere in the right direction.
“One” is the soundtrack to artist Wolfgang Buttress’ UK Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo – an installation that highlighted the plight of the honeybee, focusing on the importance of pollination.
The music on the record is a constantly changing and evolving symphony – the sound of a dialogue between bee and human.
The album was recorded by musicians Kev Bales and Tony Foster – a duo known for working with Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Dave Gahan and Mark Lanegan (among many others). Other musicians featured on the record include Jason Pierce, Youth, cellist Deidre Bencsik, vocalist Camille Buttress and Amiina (the string section regularly used by Sigur Ros). The recording sessions saw musicians improvising in the key of D along to a live audio feed of beehive sounds. Piano, Mellotron and lap steel were overdubbed later. The result is a uniquely meditative piece.
Feel the buzz: the album recorded by 40,000 bees (The Guardian)


One year ago:
Smokey 1729 hr