Nature through the eyes of my camera

  Last Frost of 2020 This morning we woke to a bright and very frosty morning.  This inspired us to rise a little earlier than normal and try to get some frosty images.   Looking across the fields to Layham village A lone tree with the mist lifting We walked as far as Shelly and then back across the fields to Layham.  It felt magical standing in the field, surrounded by whiteness and stillness.    Field from Shelly to Layham This tree stands at the end of the field before crossing over the bridleway to join some more fields.From here we were homeward bound passing Layham mill on the way. Return to Index

Walton Today was bright and sunny with a gentle breeze so we decided to go to Walton for a few hours as we hadn't been out for ages.  We wanted to see and take more photos of the damaged caused to the cliffs by the latest storms. The beach we had walked on and built sandcastles on with our Grandaughter in the summer had gone.  In its place were huge mounds that had fallen from the cliffs and the beach was just cover in stones and clay.  It won't take too many more storms before the cafe is lost to the sea. Having had some lunch we wandered along the beach towards the pier.  The bright colours of the beach huts are always good for a photo. There were several Turnstones resting on the walls and then taking off to see what morsel they could find from the incoming tide. Return to Index

Flooding in and around Layham Life has been a bit quiet this last month due to another lock down and some cold and rather dull weather. This week brought some very heavy rain and some snow.  This accumulated in floods around the area on Saturday.  The River Brett flooded in Hadleigh and along into Layham. Fields flooded at Benton End Flooding along the side of Toppesfield Bridge Water Lane in Layham Entrance/exit to Layham Playing Field Return to Index

 Thursday 5th November Chantry Park Chantry Park covers an area of 124 acres and is the largest park in Ipswich.  The area was designated a Conservation Area in 2005 an dis a County Wildlife Site.                                                                                There are a variety of habitats including ponds, grassland, native and non-native plants and woodland including some veteran trees.  There are a variety of mammals and reptiles as well as birds. The Sri Chimnoy  (Peace Mile) Autumnal colours Atlas Cedar Return to Index

 Saturday 30th October Staverton Thicks Staverton Thicks is a site of Special Scientific Interest, a Nature Conservation Review site and a Special Area of Conservation.  It is in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Thicks is a dense woodland with mature pollarded oaks and some of the tallest holly trees in the country. Two holly trees stunting the growth of an oak due to their proximity The Thicks has been unmanaged for a number of years making it a wonderful place to wander.  There is a variety of lichen and flora and varies invertebrates including some rare species. Return to Index

 Wednesday 7th October Rendlesham Forest Rendlesham is a forest of tall pine trees and well mark paths and cycle trails.  It is an ideal spot for the naturalist with plenty of birds and insects including damselflies and dragonflies.  If your lucky you might spot deer and squirrels. The forest is a great place in autumn for fungi foraging. Just some of the many pine trees Stinkhorn Leafy Brain Hairy Curtain Crust A small collection of fungi  Return to Index

 Wednesday 14th October Holywells Park, Ipswich Holywells Park dates back to medieval times. It is a County Wildlife Site and a Conservation Area with two listed buildings - The Stable Block and the Conservatory. It has also been designated a Regionally Important Geodiversity Site. It is a beautiful site with stunning trees, ponds and green areas etc. There is an abundance of wildlife with mammals, insects and birds. Moorhen One of the ponds surrounded by autumn foliage. A few of the trees that adorn the park Return to Index