halftwo
Wird Batcher
The Black Mountains across the Golden Valley a distant dark hump : a whale's back. Midday and the September sun struggling to heat the land. From Arthur's Stone - an ancient burial site on the ridge the views are long and stunning.
And this late on the thermals just begin - invisible in the glass-clear air. Buzzards start to rise and ride, turning slowly on glinting wings in the pale blue.
First a single Raven powers up to tackle the Buzzards - followed by three more. Their cronks drop like autumn apples down to the hill.
From the south a sudden Hobby is cruising along the ridge, at half speed, looking rather than hunting, purposeful and beautiful, humbug striped and dark hooded. Now it turns East and follows the contour of the stubble field below, Swallows watching from the safety of their height above.
The falcon disappears for a minute then is back over the trees nearby, finds a thermal and begins to make for the sky. It drifts up and away then turns - finding a Red Kite in the vast spaces above the hills and valleys.
Kite and falcon circle together lazily for a time as time slows and the day warms. Gradually they melt into the distance and the sky is left to the Buzzards which break from feeding mewing young to display.
Autumn colours tinge the first of the trees that have seen the early mists and despite the sun the season has ended.
And this late on the thermals just begin - invisible in the glass-clear air. Buzzards start to rise and ride, turning slowly on glinting wings in the pale blue.
First a single Raven powers up to tackle the Buzzards - followed by three more. Their cronks drop like autumn apples down to the hill.
From the south a sudden Hobby is cruising along the ridge, at half speed, looking rather than hunting, purposeful and beautiful, humbug striped and dark hooded. Now it turns East and follows the contour of the stubble field below, Swallows watching from the safety of their height above.
The falcon disappears for a minute then is back over the trees nearby, finds a thermal and begins to make for the sky. It drifts up and away then turns - finding a Red Kite in the vast spaces above the hills and valleys.
Kite and falcon circle together lazily for a time as time slows and the day warms. Gradually they melt into the distance and the sky is left to the Buzzards which break from feeding mewing young to display.
Autumn colours tinge the first of the trees that have seen the early mists and despite the sun the season has ended.