An autumn walk on the River Usk.
03rd November 2016
Yesterday morning dawned with clear blue skies, a welcome break from the anti-cyclonic grey skies of the past week. I had an early breakfast and went for a walk on the River Usk near to where I live. The air was clear and still and bright blue skies prevailed, a perfect morning for a walk. I just carried a photographic rucksack with a lightweight tripod and head attached, my walk stool and a thermos. This walk-stool is an invaluable piece of equipment as often there is nowhere dry to sit down this time of year. In addition it allows me to lower a tripod right down and still be able to look through the camera viewfinder. Because of the low rainfall this autumn, when I got down onto the river bank I could see the river was very tranquil. This is a big bonus for the Kingfishers and Dippers who rely on good river conditions to survive. I sat underneath my favourite tree, an old Beech, which has stood guard like a sentinel for a couple of hundred years. What tales this old tree could tell - floods, droughts, wars, poachers, lovers, it has seen it all.
Some of its roots snake up the river bank in search of water, others are flooded by the river for months on end. I love to sit underneath its branches and watch river-life go by, while sipping a coffee from my small flask. I sometimes see the electric blue flash of Kingfishers as they fly up and down. Hunting Dippers perching on the exposed rocks nearby and Grey Wagtails rising up to pluck passing insects from the air. I spent an hour there and took a shot of the old aqueduct that carries the boats of the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal over the Usk.
Finally I dragged myself away and carried on with my walk, looking for a place to stop and watch the river. I came across a small clearing near some rocks
and I could see three Dippers chasing each other round and round until they all perched together on the same rocks. They then all threw their heads back and began a singing competition, obviously some sort of territorial posturing. I love little wildlife cameos like this, it makes a walk complete for me and to be in beautiful surroundings to see it is perfect.
Sometimes the river allows you to get an image in these calm conditions that you can't get otherwise, you have to take your chance when she offers it.
Canon 1D Mk2 DSLR.
Canon 17-40 f4 Lens.
Manfrotto 055 Tripod.
Manfrotto MHX Pro tilt and pan head.
Hoya circular polarizing filter.
Canon remote shutter release,
I didn’t see or hear anybody all morning and that was perfect, it’s good to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life, if only for a few hours.
Some of its roots snake up the river bank in search of water, others are flooded by the river for months on end. I love to sit underneath its branches and watch river-life go by, while sipping a coffee from my small flask. I sometimes see the electric blue flash of Kingfishers as they fly up and down. Hunting Dippers perching on the exposed rocks nearby and Grey Wagtails rising up to pluck passing insects from the air. I spent an hour there and took a shot of the old aqueduct that carries the boats of the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal over the Usk.
Finally I dragged myself away and carried on with my walk, looking for a place to stop and watch the river. I came across a small clearing near some rocks
and I could see three Dippers chasing each other round and round until they all perched together on the same rocks. They then all threw their heads back and began a singing competition, obviously some sort of territorial posturing. I love little wildlife cameos like this, it makes a walk complete for me and to be in beautiful surroundings to see it is perfect.
Sometimes the river allows you to get an image in these calm conditions that you can't get otherwise, you have to take your chance when she offers it.
Canon 1D Mk2 DSLR.
Canon 17-40 f4 Lens.
Manfrotto 055 Tripod.
Manfrotto MHX Pro tilt and pan head.
Hoya circular polarizing filter.
Canon remote shutter release,
I didn’t see or hear anybody all morning and that was perfect, it’s good to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life, if only for a few hours.