I’m still busy with family things this week and birding naturally takes second place, but on a rough old morning Sue and I took some fresh air up at Knott End, with a walk along the Esplanade and up river.
There was no sign of the recent Black Redstart, however in its place at the slipway and near the Bourne Arms I found 6 Twite, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Pied Wagtail. Shore birds: 220 Dunlin, 11 Turnstone, 20 Redshank and 1 Little Egret. Lots of Eider duck in the estuary, 41 in all, plus 3 Red-breasted Merganser braving the swell.
Not everyone who reads the blog may know the following piece of trivia. The artist L S Lowry often visited Knott End and probably stayed in one of the boarding houses on the Esplanade, houses now turned into flats or private dwellings. There are paintings in existence which show that his favourite location for painting was a spot near the top of the ferry slipway, just where the Black Redstart hung about. It was from this spot Lowry produced typical scenes of crowds of matchstick people hurrying along the jetty to and from the ferry boat.
No more than a few of these paintings have ever been found but there must be more. If anyone has one of these canvases tucked away in the attic I am happy to swop it for a bird photograph of mine.
No crowds of matchstick people today, it was almost too windy to stand up.
7 comments:
Excellent image of the Eider.
Do you think you'll get any takers willing to swop a painting for a photo, Phil? Might be interesting!
K
Had wondered what you all might be up to. Does Sue adore birding as much as you do? Bill really does enjoy learning about them and is pretty willing to take me on excursions to help fulfill my wanting to view more, as much as possible. The Eider Duck is quite handsome!!!
I love the Eider, great sighting and photo. Phil, Happy New Year to you and your family!
When I was young I studied art and remember standing in front of one of Lowry's most famous paintings when it was displayed in Canberra. Great to see this and love the two bird shots.
Hey Phil...nice to have the wife with you ...always can use extra fingers for counting...hahaha!!
I don't know about Mr Lowry so I guess I can't help you there,but like Kay said mught be interesting!!
Great shot of the Eider..saw some myself over the weekend!! No shots so don't be looking for them!!
Flock of Bluebirds with a major snowstorm on there tails heading your way! ; }
Grace
You mean "Knott a Lowry"? HNY
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