BIG SKIES

Well the last few days I've woken up to some noisy little critters singing their hearts out,

though I shouldn't really complain, because across Britain their numbers are decreasing ...

Yes, it's that once common bird, the sparrow, and they are nesting outside the bedroom.

This morning I managed to sneak a few photo's of one of them against a clear blue sky, but over the last few days the skies over us have been impressively magestic   ... 

This was taken from the trig point yesterday overlooking the Severn Estuary, I could see

the water clearly, highlighted in the sun's rays and looking like a gleaming mirror.

Our walk took us over the moorland, looking for grouse. Now normally at this time of year there are few sheep out on the mountain, a few barren ewes but to our surprise this bunch came munching into view and seemed as surprised to see us sharing their freedom.

The heather here is just starting to sprout new shoots (good for grouse who feed on it voraciously) but of the common red or the elusive black grouse, neither sight nor sound, just their droppings amongst the scrub. Still the skies above made up for the lack of ground birds as the skylarks sang from their ariel views of all that passed below them as sheep, man and dog trogged through somewhat soggy terrain, getting feet well soaked yet again. Not that these four lambs escaping their mothers minded!

They were playing truant and having fun.

Later in the day we drove up to watch the last of the days skies parade their greatness and as we parked up on a high spot, this is what we were standing on, hail stones >>>

Looking around one could see the weather front moving swiftly over the horizon, with patches of sunlight spotlighting the land beneath in between the clouds delivering rain or hail to other parts of the country. A man on a motorbike set up his tripod unlike my constant pocket companion, he had all the full photographic gear. We left him to his panoramic photo shoot heading homewards but ... just had to stop for these creatures ...

lambs doing what they do best at this time of the year, playing King of the Castle on an old twmp and racing around whilst their mams sagely graze or as in some cases stand gazing across the road, as if wondering what's going on ... 

or like some other adventurous youngsters ... who have escaped to the wrong side of the fence and have found that there is only one way to go, on top of the wall that is at the side of the road. This adventurous trio were so intrigued by what they could sniff at, that they didn't even notice me as I got out of the car to take photographs ..

Just as we got home and shut the door, the thunder and hailstones started again.

So it was a case of warm food, a hot bath and an early night.