Hi all 😃 My entry for this weeks challenge, set by Amy: Colourful April.
In Scotland at the moment we haven’t quite got into the green phase of spring. The Trees are only just starting to sprout & the wildflowers are not yet coming out to play; it’s almost a very autumnal scene on the moorland. April colours are a palette of browns, greys, golds, all set off by bright blue skies.
These shots I’m sharing with you today were all taken yesterday, just after sunrise. What is special about the April colours here, is the cleanness of the air. As we move through spring into summer, an inversion sets in — a quick meteorological lesson: Ordinarily temperature decreases with height, but during the summer months when high pressure is more prevalent over Scotland, cold air from higher up in the atmosphere sinks, dries out & warms up, forming a layer where the temperature actually increases with height — the inversion (usually around 2000-3000ft). This acts as a physical boundary in the lower atmosphere, trapping dust & industrial particulates lower down, causing haze. At present, with low pressure dominating, this is not the case, with very crisp, clear air and fantastic natural colours.
One splash of colour to show spring is here — some blossoming gorse.
Seems to be a fitting track for the current colour scheme 😃
What a lovely post Jez. The colors are so clear with the sunlight warming everything up. Love the picture of the grose, wonder if we have anything like it here in the States.
Thank you so much, Sylvia 😊 There is gorse in the States, mailny California & Oregon. Unfortunatley it is viewed as a pest species as it was introduced as an ornamental plant, but is very aggressive in seed dispersal & is difficult to eradicate. I really like it & when you get large areas of it together, it forms a solid wall of bright yellow 😃
Beautiful photos of the countryside Jez! I would love to go there one day!
Thanks, Aletta 😊 I always find moorlands so relaxing 😃
Yes indeed!
Your shots are as crisp as I imagine the air to be. Very interesting facts about the air pressure.
Thanks, Karen 😊
Wonderful response to the April color challenge. And of course Lensy giving us the full scene.
Thanks, Anne 😊
Fantastic natural colors indeed Jez – and thanks for the science lesson, never my strong suit! Loved your images but of course the gorse was my favorite. Does the color stay long or fade quickly?
The colour stays around for quite a while; gradually the whole bush will blossom to form an almost solid wall of yellow. When you get a large area of gorse, it can look quite spectacular 😃
Great photos Jez. Love the Lensy’s.
Thanks, John 😊
Ah… a palette of browns, greys, golds, blue sky. Breathtaking indeed! The first image is amazing, a master piece. I can only imagine being there. Thank you, Jez for taking time for this meteorological lesson, fascinating!
Thanks, Amy 😊
These photos are amazing. The first one is my new favourite of your’s. 😍🤩
I can see the clear skies and feel the quietness there, Jez. Your colours are beautiful, and feels the same as ours right now. Beautiful photography! Unfortunately my magnolia is starting – bad timing, because there will be many frosty nights the coming days.
Thanks very much, Leya 😊 I hope your magnolias don’t get too frost damaged; we’re still suffering a lot of frost as well 🥶
Mmm. I saw them having black spots already.
😩
Wonderful photos Jez. Love the shadow selfie 🙂