7th June 2022
Been thinking about Middleton on the Wolds. I like the church there and set off to try and find a view to paint. En route I stopped at Lund to walk George down Levitt Lane where I saw a red kite circling and a sparrowhawk on manoeuvres dipping and dodging along a hedge. Looking at the field I recognised it had been planted with linseed, that beautiful, dreamy sky blue flower, and remembered talking to Doug, an old farm labourer. He tutted and would say it was dangerous and that he knew of a man who drowned in linseed. Further explanation involved a 'clamp' and how the man thought he was walking across grass but had fallen in. So, it is always with mixed feelings now, when I see it. The cattle with 'Maurice' the bull were at the far side of the field, again too far to contemplate painting and so we returned to the car. I parked on the road to Middleton and walked into a field, from here the church tower emerged above the distant village. It would be good to paint but I decided not today, farmers were spraying, so I drove to Warter Road at the far side of the village. I stopped and checked for a view but gave up and continued to Warter. On the steep drop down from Loaningdale I saw this view. The flooded field provides what seems to be a permanent pond, or should I say lake which encourages lots of birds, predominately mallard, though I saw lapwing and tufted duck as well as a heron and amazingly a feeding curlew. I set up and began to paint, George at my feet. An RTV drove past with, I guess a gamekeeper and I spotted his rifle inside the cab. I heard him drive into the next dale and guessed it was him who was shooting occasionally nearby as I painted. A curlew call made me look up, and yes, there it was. As I looked I saw two more! Three curlews, a rare sight indeed. They wheeled over into the next dale....two loud shots....was it a coincidence...but only one curlew flew back. I cannot believe the man would have shot them but nevertheless I felt rather sad at the possibility. I had just finished reading Mary Colwell's book on the plight of the curlew, where she covered 500 miles recording any sightings. Here she is giving a curlew talk. I carry on with the painting , the weather changing from cloud to sun. When I finish I walk George and through my binoculars see a heron at the side of the water. It slowly, stiltingly, walks away and I follow it...then I see the curlew, it is feeding. I turn and see something, a pair of birds, each standing on one leg. It can't be ... but I am sure it is, a pair of avocets. I can't quite make out the upturned beak, my binoculars are old and cheap, but I check later and am certain they were avocets. The picture is tricky, the reflections changeable and the greens become luminous when the sun shone. But I am sorta pleased with it.
12x10 inch, oil on canvas board.
Dedicated to my neighbour and friend, Stephen, with many memories of happy chats about this and that, with deepest condolenses to Heather and family.
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