Tuesday 1 May 2012

Beach Finds


The other day we went to the next village to post a parcel. It is  a few miles along the coast and was once a fishing village so there are still a few boats about. We decided to wander down to the shore and have a look across at the views.  The tide was coming in and it was a cool breeze, the clouds were low and it seemed as if might rain.  We sat for a while and then we decided to wander along the shore in the direction of our village, looking towards the Lakeland hills. It is a flat sandy beach,  with pebbles and stones and the sandy banks are suffering erosion from the sea.  There were all kinds of objects washed up, shells, seaweed, rope, mussel shells and odd shoes.  The sand was full of pebbles, stones and shingle and my first piece of blue and white china.
I start searching for treasures and we were not disappointed.
We found lots of different pieces of blue and white pottery, and pieces of sea washed glass.  The glass was all different colours and shapes, some had words and numbers from when they were bottles. I love finding the blue pottery,  I see a cream coloured flat shape and it looks quite boring, I pick it up and turn it over to reveal a beautiful fragment of a design and it gives me such a thrill.
Now my husband  is being enticed by the birds running along the sand and stones. He knows it is ideal territory for nesting, so he is keeping his eyes open and walking carefully.  He called me over to see what he had stumbled  upon.  At first I could see nothing and as he pointed,  I eventually focused on the little nest on the ground with three eggs.  It was so well camouflaged in the stones.  Why do you find things when you have no camera, next best thing his phone.
It was the nest of a" Ringed Plover". When we arrived home he looked it up in a book and it said they  like to build their nest on "shingley beaches",  so a perfect place to see them.  Then a little later he found a second one.
I can not tell you how hard it was to see  the nests on this beach amongst these stones.
they just look like four pebbles. 
He made sure he did not touch them and also brushed over his footprints near the nests to help keep their location a secret.  The birds were not far away, no doubt watching us. It was a real privilege to see the nests.  We then kept our distance from the area where they were.  We heard a Skylark singing high above us over the reeds. With my bag of treasures we turned around and walked back towards the village and to where our car was parked.  On the way back I carried the blue snail and the two tiny twisted pieces of seaweed in my hand, I knew they would be interesting to draw.

So here is the drawing from  our lovely  beach walk.
It is drawn with my acrylic inks using a number 3 and 4 sable brush and a dip in pen on the seaweed lines.
Hope you enjoy the walk on the beach.Thank you for your lovely comments.
All photographs on beach by my husband on his phone.                        Millyx

15 comments:

Melody said...

How fun we went off to a new place on today's adventure! Delighted to see the pottery pickings are good! The snail shell came out beautiful, I love the blue! That's amazing how the little eggs blend into the beach so well! (and a Good thing husband had his phone for photos!) :))))

Pondside said...

You write the best beach walks!
When I looked at your latest drawing I was struck by how much it looked like a piece of jewelry - a beautiful necklace.

martinealison said...

Grâce à vos merveilleuses photos j'ai eu l'impression de partager avec vous cette fabuleuse promenade...
Que de belles découvertes... qui se finalisent aussi sur un extraordinaire dessin.
gros bisous

Anonymous said...

Hello Milly.
I just want to say how much I am enjoying your blog.
I used to live by the sea, in North Yorkshire. I now live in Cambridgeshire and I miss the shore so much. I love nature and I've started to sketch as a hobby. Your blog is an inspiration, your work is beautiful and gentle. Thank you

Frances said...

Milly, this painting/drawing is so full of grace! It is done with such care, and yet seems so fresh, giving us a lasting view of your beach treasures.

I am amazed by those pretty bits of blue and white china, as well as the old glass. I suspect that you and your husband might be returning to this shingled site for another walk soon?

The clever plovers' hiding place has also made wonderful pictures. Seeing the close arrangement of the eggs is a reminder of how nature's beauty can inspire us.

xo

Sandra Dunn said...

Your work is so beautiful!

Sarah Melling said...

What exquisite treasures and a very, very lovely painting. This is one of my favorite posts yet. (I comb our California beaches and find nothing but driftwood and kelp. Okay, I do get the occasional sand dollar, which is great, but I want to find sea glass and china fragments!)

Teresa said...

It's always a pleasure and an inspiration to visit your blog.

Debbie Nolan said...

Milly thanks for sharing your beach walk - it sounds lovely where you live - love your drawing. Thanks for sharing.

Feathers said...

How fun to discover such treasure on that different shore area. Your drawing of the beautiful snail shell and seaweed is lovely, and my first impression of the seaweed was that it looks like a necklace. It was truly lucky to find the nests with eggs in them. I hope others who may find them are as respectful as you and your husband.

Acornmoon said...

Hi there Milly, I am just catching up with your blog, your blue china pieces and bluebells. The sepia drawings are wonderful too. Enjoy the bank holiday and look out for the full moon, I bet you get a great view of the night sky across the bay.

Ritu Dua said...

Beautiful paintings! Love the way you have described your beach walk .Your thoughts are well reflected in your amazing illustrations!

JP said...

lovely post - I love sea glass I cannot not pick it up - love the china too - where is your beach ? - fanyastic drawings as ever

ellie said...

Treating myself to a good old browse on your beautiful blog ! I's like visiting a favourite Art gallery xx Those eggs on the beach are works of Art in themselves beautiful compositions !!Inspiring as ever :)))

Jill said...

Milly your walks make my heart ache - I can remember finding ringed plover chicks on a Norfolk beach many, many years ago, they are as well camouflaged as the eggs. They would run along and then stop - if you kept your eye absolutely on the spot where they stopped and approached very carefully you might find the little speckled chick hunkered down in the pebbles, but if you took your eye off the spot - no chance. I wouldn't follow after chicks these days, we have a different and better attitude to wild life, but it was an experience I shall never forget.