A stroll this morning across the meadows, which are really quite dry for November, in the grass a few flowers are still blooming which include the umbellifer Wild Carrot which has the white round topped cap made up of many smaller florets. Nearby some yellow Rough Hawkbit and a few Autumn Hawkbit plus the occasional blob of pink from the Red Clover – three flowers from 3 of the biggest family groups – Umbellifers, Dandelions and Vetches.
Sweeping overhead a flock of Starlings, their triangular shapes making them fairly easy to recognise, as I wander about, at least 10 of these flocks are spotted – unless it is the same one going in circles!
While looking up my eyes are taken by the flash of golden yellow as a harm of Goldfinches come into view, the only bright thing to be seen in the dull grey sky! Having spotted these, the binoculars allow me to see another flock of birds way higher up, these being Redwings, completely impossible to see with the naked eye.
From the prickly Blackthorn scrub behind me a squeaky call and I turn to see a Bullfinch perched on a twig, as it takes off to join another 4 its white rump was plain to see.
Into Johnston Meadow to see what the Hereford Cattle are doing, on seeing me they started mooing and proceeded to follow me around the field – hoping I expect, that I was going to move them to another fresher grassy field – but not yet! – tomorrow I told them.
Pied Wagtails also passing over, looping up and down as they flew. On the Hawthorn two Stonechats were perched, one with a darker head than the other, both had a faint orange tint to their breasts.
A blast of trilling call from a Wren that was deep within the Wild Clematis.
A pale coloured Fox was wandering across the field ahead
As I finish this, out of the window a Great Tit and a Blue Tit are popping in and out of the large black Victorian Bollard, the Great Tit is likely to win the battle for occupation.