Leigh On Sea Photography By Mark Taylor

Day the sea took Old Leigh...

If you get the chance over the next month or so, walk out to the western edge of Two Tree Island for a chance to see one of the estuary's natural marvels.
Thousands of knot and dunlin are gathering there at high water, on the lagoon once overlooked by a bird hide, long since burned down.
Occasionally these little waders go up together in a great cloud which twists and pulsates to a soundtrack of furiously beating wings. It is magical to witness.

Murky weeks in the Old Town can be a blessing when you're after a plain backdrop.

Large flocks of knot were putting on a show between Leigh and Chalkwell this morning. Such a mesmerising spectacle. Need to enjoy them before they migrate back to the Arctic in the spring.

Stunner of a morning in Old Leigh. Clear sky, ebbing tide, scarcely a breath of wind and curlews calling across the mud to pierce the silence... well worth the early start.

Last light (29/12/19).

It's that time of year when the knot put on a show in Leigh. There were huge flocks over Canvey this afternoon as the tide ebbed and thankfully a few hundred nipped across to us to brighten up a dreary afternoon.

Turnstones zipping across the incoming tide as the sun set this evening.

Hard to beat a sunny autumn morning in the Old Town with just thousands of flapping, honking brent geese for company.
There are lots more images of Leigh's incredible bird life on my website (leighonseaphotography.co.uk) and it's time to think about getting your orders in for Christmas.
You can purchase prints, wall art and my latest book on the website, or message me here if you prefer.
... Mark
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It's brent geese season in Leigh. Huge numbers over from Siberia this year and what a fabulous sight when they all go up together. Best time to see them close is an hour or two after high tide.

Awful fire at the Fishermen's Coop this morning.
It's an historic Old Leigh building, Angier's Sailmakers in the late 1800s. Francis Turnnidge started as an apprentice there in 1894 and took over the business in 1900. It stayed in the Turnnidge family until 1964.
For the last 13 years, it's been a fishmongers run by Richard Eves, whose boats Charlie Boy and Wayward Lad are moored nearby.

A huge thank you to everybody who came down to Strand Wharf for the Old Leigh Artists’ Market. It was great to meet so many of you and share my enthusiasm for capturing scenes in this wonderfully photogenic town.
Plans are already underway for another Artists' Market next spring, but in the meantime here's a shot of Endeavour from last autumn, taken as the tide ebbed and the geese honked one glorious Sunday morning.

Quick reminder that I'll be on Strand Wharf this Bank Holiday Monday (10am start) among a host of painters, sculptors, illustrators, spray-can artists, photographers and ceramic artists - many of them working live - for the second Old Leigh Artists’ Market.
Weather is going to be gorgeous and it promises to be a fabulous event. More details below in an excellent preview courtesy of the Leigh Times...

This beautiful seal has been a regular visitor to Bell Wharf all summer. He's conquered his nerves in recent weeks and now seems to love the attention - or maybe it's the food on the kids' crabbing lines...

Old Leigh Artists' Market returns on Monday August 26, with live painting, pottery demos and stacks of brilliant stalls all adding to the bank holiday hubbub on atmospheric Strand Wharf.
We'd love to see you.

Last chance to catch my Leigh Art Trail show at BelleRose Flower Boutique is TODAY.
Once again, it's brilliant to have been part of our town's arty extravaganza - and the weather looks like it's saved its best till last. So, if you haven't been round the Trail yet, get out in the sun, grab a Guide, plot your route and find me at fragrant Venue 36.
I'll be in BelleRose from 11am, after my stint manning the Children's Art Trail hub at Leigh Library.
... Don't miss out!
Mark
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It's Late Thursday on the Leigh Art Trail, with many venues open well into the evening.
Why not shake off the wet-weather blues by joining me at BelleRose Flower Boutique (Venue 36 in your Trail Guide) until 9pm for photography chat, some tunes and a glass of summat tasty?
It's the perfect way to tee up a sunnier, warmer last couple of days of an outstanding 2019 Leigh Art Trail. You don't want to miss it.