BRIAN REID PHOTOGRAPHER
All Creatures Great and Small
This selection of photos were taken at the Lodge, Paxton Pits and Wandlebury Country Park, picking out some of the wildlife from ponies to humans and a few smaller ones along the way. While at Wandlebury I had one of the clearest views of the cathedral at Ely about 27km to the north, so included a photo at the end of the post. At the Lodge the heather has been in full bloom for a week or two adding...
Another Grey Day or Two at Old Warden
Those who follow my blog will know that one of my regular haunts is the airfield at Old Warden with its Swiss Garden and the Shuttleworth Collection. I have made a couple of visits in the past few days, the first not really planned and the second to catch up for a coffee with friends. The first was a quick decision when I headed off to my planned destination as heavy rain came on so decided if worst...
A Grey Day in Cambridge (Where are the tourists?)
I had a little shopping to do in Cambridge yesterday and expected streets full of tourists. My photos will give a clear view that “full of tourists” was not an accurate assessment. I know it is midweek and with great skies but that has never been a deterrent in the past. I always enjoy a wander around the centre as I see different images as I stroll. Here is a selection. By the way the weather had...
Moggerhanger Music Session September 2024
Crikey, slightly more than a full house for the September 2024 music session at Moggerhanger Village Hall. Richard did a grand job of managing the flow of musicians who all did a great job with some only getting a brief appearance. The headline picture will give a sense of the number of musicians on deck.
I have created a photo essay with a selection of this months snaps.
The session was recorded...
Fungi in Knapwell
Time for a short post from Overhall Grove, a Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve in Knapwell. I had not been there before and, although a pleasant walk, the highlight was some fabulous fungi. The photos hopefully give a sense of this woodland which is, apparently, dominated by Elm trees. To get into the reserve you park by All Saints church and walk down the lane and over a mind-bending bridge.
Second Time Lucky
Weather matters for some kinds of photos and if you want nice photos of flowers ideal conditions are blight overcast. Sunday morning was like that so I decided to head over to Anglesey Abbey. It did not go well. I got out onto the A428 and within a couple miles the traffic came to a halt. We crawled another mile in about 15 minutes until I could turn off to an alternative route. Problem number two...
Begwary Brook
My nearest Wildlife Trust nature reserve is Begwary Brook. It is in the middle of nowhere a few hundred yards from the A1!. It is approached via the Wyboston Lakes complex and basically is never visited, if the overgrown state of the paths is anything to go by. Shorts were a bad choice for wading through nettles. :-) It is actually a very interesting site as it contains a remnant of ancient marshland...
Wildlife Trusts
I have a set of regular visiting spots and decided I should look at some alternatives and chose a couple of Wildlife Trusts reserves, at Graham Water and Godmanchester. Both result from human interference in the natural world, the former by creating a reservoir and the latter the result of gravel extraction rehabilitation. Both show that we can do things which benefit people and wildlife. Here are...
Willington
Willington is the location for a couple of Tudor buildings including the dovecote below. It is a short walk down towards the river Great Ouse where the old varsity railway line passed between Oxford and Cambridge. There is quite a history of transport here. Before the railway opened in 1862 the river was a major trade route mainly with sailing ships. The railway took all of the business and the river...
In Search of Banded Demoiselles
I don’t have seaside nearby but there is a decent sized river and the result is, generally, a good chance to enjoy dragonflies and damselflies and my favourite is the banded demoiselle. They look fantastic perching but even more fantastic when they are flying but my photography skills can’t quite catch the latter. Just take my word for it. There are always other things to see along the way so even...