Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings

Way back in January (when the temperatures were much cooler than of late) a small group of Cambridge CC members visited the Avoncroft Museum of Historical Buildings near Bromsgrove.  We were en route for the Smethwick International Exhibition of Photography, and fancied going somewhere interesting before the doors opened.  It was cold, damp and misty, but the cafe (housed in the old Co-Operative Society building) catered for our every needs when it was necessary to warm up.

I haven't done any monochrome for a while, so I processed these while the temperature was too hot to venture outdoors.

An excellent place, and we must go back when we have a bit more time to spend there.

The Usual Suspects at Wicken Fen

Last Saturday, Harriet and I decided to wander up to Wicken Fen to see what we could find.  It was hot and hazy, so we eventually settled down in the West Mere Hide for a bit of shade.  We were treated to the occasional kingfisher, hobby and marsh harrier, but none of them came within photographic range.  Typical!  Instead I had to make do with a family of mallards which were patrolling the area in front of the hide.  By the way, the splodges in the pictures are not sensor dust spots but small black flies which were absolutely everywhere.

On the way back to the visitors' centre I spotted a couple of skippers on comfrey.  Botany is not normally my strong suit, but this was a plant which I recognised from my childhood since my grandfather was a herbalist and used to grow comfrey in his garden for medicinal purposes.

More Lakenheath Wildlife

Well, maybe not proper wildlife, but Homo photographicus instead.  Always a good subject when nothing else is available...