All Work and No Play?

It's all the same to Henry... 

A few hours of reconnaissance in Duck Holds Wood saw your faithful blogger making some photographs on film.  The process of setting up the tripod and so on meant that attention to Henry was intermittent at best.  Henry, finding himself out by the river and in a wood simply went to work.

Having no toys of his own, Henry now assumes all "prey" belongs to his pal, your blogger.  It was with some delight, after making an exposure then turning to see where Henry was, that I found him to be sitting patiently behind me in the sit position holding up a tennis ball for me. 

The hand was held open beneath his jaws.

"Loose!"

The ball was dropped into the waiting hand.

"Good Boy!"

A rub on the chest completed the sign of approval.

Off we went to the next place to catch the photographic eye.  The exposure made and the turn repeated to find once more the Cocker Spaniel in waiting pose with another tennis ball!

"Loose!"

"Good Boy!"

and so it went on.

Twelve exposures were made in the few hours we were out, during the course of which, ten tennis balls were delivered, along with a poacher's float and a discarded drinks bottle.

A dog's dung bag had to be pressed into service to carry the hoard back.  It seemed to satisfy Henry that at least he had been able to put the time to some good use whilst his adopted father simply wasted his time by standing still for ages and fiddling with gadgets...




Regular Rod

Happy have we met...

A little wander out today with Henry by the local river and we came across a couple of friendly anglers who were making the most of the last Saturday of the season.  What a delight to notice that one of the anglers, Richard, was using a dry fly to good effect, even though his pal, Barry, preferred the duo set up with a dry fly and a nymph a few feet below it.

Here is one of Richard's grayling being brought to the net.  Guess who wanted to help and had to be called to heel with some emphasis in the voice...

Richard quickly wet his hands to remove the debarbed fly, which can be seen here clearly.

After the grayling had been safely returned I asked for and was given permission to photograph the fly.  Barry had tied it for Richard and as yet had not given it a name.  It looked to me to be a pretty good fake of the Blue Winged Olives that were showing themselves nicely today in the winter sunshine.  It would certainly work as a fake for the Large Dark Olive too that were also putting in their usual appearance, this being about the middle of their "season".




Regular Rod