The end has come!

So...that was that. 7 months of work and 66 shoots later I have an over-heating hard drive bursting at the seams with thousands of photos. Since I last posted I have only done a few shoots because my time has been spent writing it all up and designing the book. But I'm at 'that place' now.  I've reached the destination I could barely visualize just half a year ago. My book has been sent to the printers and I'm left tying up the HUGE loose ends that are my logbooks.  A lot of effort has gone into this project, and hopefully it shows.  I was doubtful, when I had my first few visits to Bissoe, whether I could sustain a degree project because the land was so barren and indeed nearly packed it all in during the winter, but continued and produced an outcome I am truly proud of.

I checked the notes from my shoots and discovered that I had sighted at least 33 different bird species.  I think this is a pretty good number considering the pollution of the site.  Hopefully data like this can be used by Cornwall Wildlife Trust to update their records, because they are somewhat lacking for Bissoe Valley.  Believe me, I've seen them.  And that's the other thing I can proud of - when I viewed the records, I realised that I had seen and even photographed bird species that the Trust didn't know were there.  Kudos to me!

So c'est fini! Let's just hope the examiners give me a good mark!  [Edit: I got a 1st, woop!]

Below are a few of my latest and last images with which this project comes to a close.

Common mouse-ear

The landscape surrounding Bissoe

Cusvey Mine

Blackthorn blossom

A male siskin

A red campion

It's been so much fun and it's such I shame I can't continue shooting into the summer to see what else is knocking around Bissoe. [Another edit: I visited on a beautiful sunny day in June, and was astounded at how much everything had grown and how many more flora and fauna species were around.  Gutted!]