Swallow flying high

I planned to sort out the recalcitrant strimming machinery and do some desperately needed gardening today, but have in fact done nothing.  The dull weather threatening rain took my will and I decided to relax and have a day off.  I did manage to study some photographic techniques I have been trying to master which required reading technical documents and attempting to remember the various camera settings related to differing situations.

So after lunch I decided to go to see the swallows who are a good subject, given the difficulties in filming them. When I set off in the car hoping that the rain would stay away, it proceeded to tip down immediately and for the next two hours alternated rain and low lying clouds.  I filled the time with some shopping in Gloucester and then headed to the bridge over the Sharpness canal at Parkend, where the swallows presence is guaranteed.

I walked along the canal at first to check whether I could spot the kingfishers and their nest that a local man had described to me.  But I had no luck although I enjoyed my walk and the scenes of local canal life with barges, wildlife, runners on the towpath and views across the wide severn Vale to both South Wales and east towards the Cotswold escarpment.

I have added a few extra photos including one of two people on the narrowboat as the headed off north towards Gloucester after we had a had a brief conversation whilst they were moored on the south bank.  I liked the scene where the woman walked down the side of the boat with a cup of tea whilst her partner steered the boat and their small dog observed from his special place on the top of the boat.

I did get some pictures of swallows by the swingbridge and am blipping this one looking up at one that passed over my head.  I also have added a view of a swallow having just dipped its head in the water during flight and then shaking its head with the water drips flying off. Another is of a swallow with a small fish in its beak which it is taking to its offspring in the nest under the swingbridge.

I like this place because there is always so much close-up activity much of which is impossible o capture because of their speed of flight.  but they often make me laugh with their antics and the admire the beauty of their movement and the delight in the sound of the young birds when the parent arrives with a fresh mouthful of food.