What a joy. Looking at the forecast, I'd written today off as a work day, but after a call from my good friend George regarding a Common Seal hauled up again in the bay corner (more of that later), I couldn't resist - only ten minutes away from the front door after all, via the short cycle to Coble Landing and a quick stroll on the beach.
A couple of minutes into the beach section of the journey, and even with the wind howling and the waves crashing, the unmistakable sound of Whooper Swans filled the air. With a rare combination of lucky circumstances - the sun behind me, the birds directly approaching me, the flock occupying the only corner of blue in an otherwise battleship-grey sky, and the camera actually on the right settings - I fired away, grinning inanely, as is always the case when such a spectacle occurs, in such a beautiful setting, all on one's doorstep.
