In the grassy verge around the Learning Centre picnic area, a small clump of Oxeye Daisies clings to its flowers, now looking beaten and bruised by the elements.
Heading to the walling centre burn site to check yesterday’s progress, a blur of wings flies out of a clump of yet-to-be-burned scrub, coming to rest atop a leafless Wayfaring Tree. The distinctive yellow stripes through the eyes give it away as being a Cirl Bunting. A Robin also joins it in the tree to sing.
Heading along the top of Lighthouse Field, the furled-up flowerheads of Hawksbeard stretch towards the sun just starting to poke through the cloud cover, the furled yellow heads still adding a splash of colour to the green verges.
Looking down, the Gully is a sea of autumnal colours - burnt reds, oranges and yellows from the leaves changing colours, while the fluffy white seedheads of Oldman’s Beard top large clumps of scrub.
The loud repetitive call of a Wren calls from a patch of Gorse as I pass by, coming out to the very end of a prickly branch to sing.
The lighter brown rump of a Roe Deer sticks out from the dark brown of a hedgerow along the far side of Field 2.
Movement in a Hawthorn laden with berries draws my attention to a flock of Long-Tailed Tits flitting among its branches.
Heading towards the dew pond in Field Three, the bank is covered in Mayweed, the bright white flower forming a carpet from a distance. Chaffinch call from the surrounding trees, as the Long-Tailed Tits join them.
Chiffchaff and Linnets also join the large gathering of birds round the dry dew pond. The chaffinch calls the loudest with the faintest hint of the softer spoken Long-tailed Tits underneath.
Heading back, I spot Goldfinch pecking at the seedheads of gone-over Ragwort, before all flying off in a dramatic fashion as I pass them by.