In the evening

With the lovely long days at this time of year, I can spend a few hours out on the fen after work. The atmosphere in the evening is very different to sunrise, which is when I’m normally there. The reeds buzz and flicker with insects, damselflies and dragonflies, birds cruise through the warm sky and rabbits play in the last golden light.

One evening this week it was bright and very breezy and out on the open fen a cloud of swifts scream through the sky, swirling and twisting through the air chasing each other, chasing insects. They are masters of flight, curved wings cutting through the air, inches from the ground, then swooping up into the blue in a wide ark, testing their skills, how fast can we fly, how high can we glide, how tightly can we turn. The most amazing confidence in the air, wings glinting silver and gold in the last light. They were totally unconcerned by me watching them, and it was the most incredible experience to be amongst them, they whizzed by, just inches above my head, the rush of air in their wings, utterly exhilarating. I tried for some photos, but they are so quick!

 

Yesterday evening I tried to find them again, but they were gone, perhaps they were just passing through. Wandering slowly back, I come across a Roe deer doe, browsing in the field adjacent to the path. She’s nearly got all her beautiful russet coloured summer coat. She glances up at the sound of the camera, sniffing the air, then goes back to her nibbling. She seems young, and I wonder for a moment if this is the same deer as the one I photographed back in January in the hedgerow, as she seems equally relaxed in my presence.

Up ahead there’s a commotion on the path, birds fluttering, rabbits bouncing. A closer look reveals the birds are in fact Cuckoos, several of them swooping down to the path to pick up insects, then fluttering back up to the trees with their long wings and long tail, exotic looking, hawk like. I settle down on the ground, and they come a little closer, not close enough for great photos, but I do manage one photo as one perches in the oak tree above the path. I hope to try again with these birds, as they are fascinating to watch. I’ve never seen so many all in one place before.

Finally, how could I resist photographing this little rabbit who decided to hop down the path towards me..

 

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