A dull overcast morning spreads across the park as I leave the Learning Centre this morning, with a strong breeze accompanying it to blow the cob webs out. Above the centre a large swirling mass of House Martins rive around in the air as one unit. More, poor in from all directions to add to the path off tiny flying black bodies. Accumulating as one large group before heading to Africa for the winter.
Heading through the meadows more Swallows and House Martins poor in from all directions all heading in the direction of the sea. They form large flocks in the air.
Heading past swaths of Blackthorn I notice they are just starting to lose their leaves. The very tops of its branches starting to go bare as the wind robs them of there leaves. Poking through the dark brown almost black branches of the Blackthorn, bright red rose hips add a splash of colour in this morning very muted colour pallet. Ivy creeps its way up dry-stone walls, the pale green flower heads standing out against the dull back drop.
Ducking into the bird hide on my way back to the centre, I’m greeted by a Magpie feeding on the bird feeder. Patiently waiting for someone else to visit the bird feeders, I feel I’m being watched from the hedgerow. Peering through my binoculars I spot a Dunnock intently staring at me from the hedge. A Robin soon disturbs it, and it flies off.