(CLICK ON A PIC AND IT WILL GO BIG)
Something a bit different today. Rather than heading to a reserve we ended up wandering along the North Drain! It was here that the EFRS had a deep and meaningful conversation.
It goes a bit like this...
You've got nature "reserves". A space "reserved" for nature. Here nature is allowed in. But even here it has to be managed to allow certain species to survive (Mr Bittern).
Please dont think I am criticising the great work that the RSPB and others do. Indeed a trip through Ham Wall in the spring is truly memorable with swifts and Hobbies stalking the skies and Cetti's shouting from every shady corner.
Its just that many species just survive in little fragmented pockets. Limited and bound. But nature doesnt work like that. It has no need for perimeters and margins.
Sadly nature is treated like an after thought. Something we must treasure but only in designated zones. We seem to forget that without nature we wouldnt exist. If only it wasnt viewed as a bolt-on. Is it right that you go to a certain "zone" to see a particular species? Its not so far from a zoo or safari park in concept...
I know that this is the way of things and it wont change. But wouldnt it be wonderful to just let nature be. Our gardens are preened and maniquired. All signs of weeds and long grass are eliminated. Slugs, such an important food source for small mammals and ground dwelling birds are sloughed away with pellets. Tarmac and concrete oozes and settles across our landscape leaving us with "pockets" of green.
Of course we need homes and transport but if only we did it in a more respectable way. Nature shouldnt be managed and controlled. It should just be...
Told you it was a bit serious, deep and meaningful. Anyway after seeing red on that topic lets get on with things.
Today we were outside a "zone for nature". In fact I'm not sure what we were doing strolling along the drain in the grey weather. There was nothing around except for some very twitchy cows (I was so glad to get out of that field...)
But despite the bleakness we did get some good stuff...
He wanted to splat us
Outside a designated zone. But a great sight
Wheatear and mole hill and gate
Arty Pump Station
Some more Andrew based kite shots
Got this on the way home. Not very red though.
WHat a great and unexpected surprise the kite was. Wild and uncaring. Sure the pics werent amazing but who cares? After all our eyes and brains are the best cameras of all. For once I was glad to see red.
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