A glorious September morning with wisps of white cirrus cloud scattered across the blue sky and a slight chill on the northerly breeze.
Across the sky came streams of Swallows, a constant wonder as they made their way – mostly (but not all) from west to east. The swooping and rising, the pale fronts disappearing as they flitted to show their dark backs. Every now and then as group of House Martins appeared, just slightly different in colour, shape and flight, but as they too turned the white rump confirmed the suspicion.
Piercing through the constant chattering of these hirundines, was the call of flocks of Meadow Pipits, with some Linnets and Chaffinches also calling from above.
A crashing in the bushes and out popped a female Roe Deer, the sun catching the pale orangey fur.
This movement brought a flock of Goldfinches into the air, who then landed again amidst the heads of Teasel, Woolly Thistle and Hemp Agrimony. The yellow flashes of feathers on the wings of these birds making them unmistakable.
Some of the Ivy is now starting to come into flower, the delicate pale yellow flowerheads will soon be a mecca for insects, today just a Red Admiral and a Drone fly spotted taking up the opportunity of nectar.
Keep an eye out for the remaining butterflies – Wall Brown, Small Copper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown and Speckled Woods all spotted on the west butterfly transect, as well as the migrant Clouded Yellow.
The vivid two colours of yellow form the Common Toadflax added to the flower list of Yarow, Red Bartsia, Rock Samphire, Rough Hawksbeard and Buddleia.
Perched on the uppermost branch of a Blackthorn was a Stonechat, the orange chest and flicking actions providing an easy identification, while the Chiffchaff in the Elder was difficult but it did finally show itself rather than a glimpse of a tail here, a beak there!