Reeds Beside a Pond
Weekly favourite photo - 09/02/2025
This week’s Favourite Photo is of golden reeds beside the blue water of a pond.
I absolutely love being surrounded by reeds.
There is something about the gentle swooshing sound they make as they sway in a gentle breeze that I find so comforting and relaxing. Akin to the sound of leaves blowing softly in a wood. Or waves lapping on the shore. To me these are the sounds of nature.
And reeds are mysterious - you never know what might be hiding just out of sight. Perhaps an otter, or a water rail, or even a bittern!
I know in some places Phragmites reeds are considered invasive and actively removed. But if they are managed they can be so useful. Fish use them as nursery grounds. Insects and spiders shelter among them. Reed buntings and bearded tits feed on their seeds.
And they are useful to us too. In the past they were planted and harvested extensively for thatch. These days they are used in nature reserves and water treatment plants to help remove pollutants from waste water. They can be compressed to create fiberboard, used as insulation and used as a renewable energy source.
I take a lot of photos of reeds. I particularly liked the simplicity of this week’s photo, and the contrast between the golden reeds and the blue water. It was taken at Fairburn Ings nature reserve in West Yorkshire, England, on a calm spring afternoon.
I hope you like it too.
Technical Information
Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII
Lens: Olympus 60 mm Macro
Aperture: f7.1
Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
ISO: 100
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Very much like them Angie. Because of the extra warmth and shelter they create, they also make excellent roost sites for many birds.
They look stunning when the sunlight catches the seed heads.
During late summer aphids feed on the sap in the tender stems. These in turn are gorged on by warblers which put on extra weight ready for their southerly migration.
Thanks for the words. I am a big fan of reeds as well. When I lived near the fens I always had to fight the urge to photograph them. Like you th brown against blue water or sky is irresistible. I also find the feathery seedheads have a lovely delicate look.
In the meadows outside my village people would narvest the rushes out of the river to weave into mats and othe products.