Wotton Clump Textured

The weather front crossed over us during the night and today is quite windy and a little chillier because of it. Still sunny, though it struggles with a hazy overcast sky. We went into the woods, where the emerging bluebells begin to vie with the celandine, aconite and wood anemone.

Wotton Clump stands at the far end of the Westidge Woods overlooking Wotton under Edge. Originally planted in 1815 to commemorate the win at Waterloo, it was replanted in 1887 in honour of Victoria's jubilee, and again in 1952. I think they're beginning to look ready for a fourth planting.

The birds were a spontaneous thing. Having taken a couple of views these three crows raced into frame and I grabbed the pic without much thought. It was under-exposed, and in any case the sky was flat and boring, so I added a paper texture to give some interest, I think with some success.