A Spring morning on the Brecon Beacons.
19th June 2014
I have been getting up really early during this beautiful spell of Spring weather. It is my favourite time of day just as the earth is waking up from it's short slumber. It doesn't really get dark this time of year there is just a deep 'blueing' of the sky. In the far north, up in the the Shetlands the islanders call it the 'Simmer Dim' - a lovely time of year.
The night before last my wife and I were out in the gartden in the late evening, another lovely time of day, enjoying a glass of wine, everything was shutting down and the Lesser Black Backed Gulls were on their nightly fly over our house on their way to Llangors Lake to roost. Suddenly there was a commotion up high and the gulls began wheeling around and calling loudly. We always keep a pair of binoculars handy and we could then see the reason for the fuss, a large female Goshawk was drifting over, no wonder they were upset she is a top predator. She circled a few times, had a look around and then drifted off towards the local conifer plantation to roost.
At a particular time of the evening the new mown grass in the fields surrounding our house smells so sweet as it cools down after being heated up all day, it is an iconic smell of the countryside. This year there are many Pheasants around the fields and they like to feed among the mown grass, they also come into the garden to pick up spilt seed from under the bird feeders and it is not unusual for one or two to come and look into the house through a window, they are very inquisitive.
Then later on, just as the sun goes down over what we call the 'Allt' this is short for Allt Yr Esgair, meaning the wooded ridge, there is a really 'earthy' smell, as if the earth is shutting down again, I must admit to waiting for it to happen, it only lasts a few minutes but it is so regular and so powerful.
I really look forward to these evenings, just simple pleasures, sipping a nice glass of wine or an ice cold beer while listening to the Blackbirds sing. I get so much pleasure from these simple things and I consider myself very fortunate to live where I do. Over the next few evenings I will be going up onto a local hillside to try and see some Nightjars, I always like to go somewhere around the longest day. What a fabulous bird they are, no better sight on a late evening as they fly against the inky sky, hopefully with some moonlight for extra atmosphere.
Yesterday I was up early walking the hillside above my house and among the gorse and ferns Whinchats were darting to and fro and Yellowhammers were singing their distinctive song. The light was absolutely wonderful, what I call the 'Golden Light', it doesn't happen too often but when it does you pray for a bird to appear so you can take advantage of it. I could see a male Yellowhammer flying around and singing from various perches, they have their favourite trees and bushes and I waited by one of these trees. This wondrous light was still shining when suddenly he flew and perched right in the bush, I thanked the gods of light because they must have been smiling on me. I shot him just as he turned to look at me in absolutely perfect conditions.
I made my way back down the hillside just as the sun began to shine brightly once again, the clouds moved away and the 'Golden Light' was gone, it really is that fickle.
The night before last my wife and I were out in the gartden in the late evening, another lovely time of day, enjoying a glass of wine, everything was shutting down and the Lesser Black Backed Gulls were on their nightly fly over our house on their way to Llangors Lake to roost. Suddenly there was a commotion up high and the gulls began wheeling around and calling loudly. We always keep a pair of binoculars handy and we could then see the reason for the fuss, a large female Goshawk was drifting over, no wonder they were upset she is a top predator. She circled a few times, had a look around and then drifted off towards the local conifer plantation to roost.
At a particular time of the evening the new mown grass in the fields surrounding our house smells so sweet as it cools down after being heated up all day, it is an iconic smell of the countryside. This year there are many Pheasants around the fields and they like to feed among the mown grass, they also come into the garden to pick up spilt seed from under the bird feeders and it is not unusual for one or two to come and look into the house through a window, they are very inquisitive.
Then later on, just as the sun goes down over what we call the 'Allt' this is short for Allt Yr Esgair, meaning the wooded ridge, there is a really 'earthy' smell, as if the earth is shutting down again, I must admit to waiting for it to happen, it only lasts a few minutes but it is so regular and so powerful.
I really look forward to these evenings, just simple pleasures, sipping a nice glass of wine or an ice cold beer while listening to the Blackbirds sing. I get so much pleasure from these simple things and I consider myself very fortunate to live where I do. Over the next few evenings I will be going up onto a local hillside to try and see some Nightjars, I always like to go somewhere around the longest day. What a fabulous bird they are, no better sight on a late evening as they fly against the inky sky, hopefully with some moonlight for extra atmosphere.
Yesterday I was up early walking the hillside above my house and among the gorse and ferns Whinchats were darting to and fro and Yellowhammers were singing their distinctive song. The light was absolutely wonderful, what I call the 'Golden Light', it doesn't happen too often but when it does you pray for a bird to appear so you can take advantage of it. I could see a male Yellowhammer flying around and singing from various perches, they have their favourite trees and bushes and I waited by one of these trees. This wondrous light was still shining when suddenly he flew and perched right in the bush, I thanked the gods of light because they must have been smiling on me. I shot him just as he turned to look at me in absolutely perfect conditions.
I made my way back down the hillside just as the sun began to shine brightly once again, the clouds moved away and the 'Golden Light' was gone, it really is that fickle.