Things are starting to thaw

I visited Richmond park again today, this time with my camera and without the boys. Things have definitely started to warm up, I was walking around the park, it's not looking quite as solid. The shrubs are shedding their covering of snow and I could hear the plopping sounds as chucks of snow fell to the ground.

I felt guilty that I'd not thought to bring some bread with me, the ducks and geese are now fed up with the big freeze, the ponds are still frozen solid except one pond in the Isabella plantation. This pond has a small fountain set up by the park keepers to keep a small part of their pond from freezing.

For the past year or so I have been trying to get a decent photo of a heron that hangs out in the park. I truly believe this bird is having a laugh at my expense. He knows when I haven't got my camera, he'll pose himself in the most picturesque scenes, and not move when I approach. One glimpse that I have my camera he's gone! I will continue to pursue this bird, today he played with me briefly allowing a shot at full zoom. Two steps nearer, he was off. I think I need a super zoom one that's about a foot long!

Here's the one I got today, the same as many others, not bad, but not quite good enough, but promising enough to make me continue my quest to photograph this annoying bird. To end on a more positive note, the deer today were being most obliging I think I have got a series of shots that will make a good painting, I'm thinking a pastel one would work well. With the thaw starting the schools should be open tomorrow, so hopefully I can crack on with this new project.