The deep chestnut fur of a Roe Deer was catching the sunlight, a glorious colour against the dark green foliage of the bushes, the Roe Deer gently browsing on the leaves of the Blackthorn.
Just above the browsing deer was a Long-tailed Tit, soon joined by 2, then 3 then 5 others, the pink, black and off-white of these balls of feathers easily camouflaged in amongst the twigs.
Small flocks of Swallows flitting across the sky, blues, blacks and creams in colour while a single completely black Swift zoomed overhead, bigger and much more pronounced in its swept back wing shape – most of our other summer swifts have already left these shores for Africa.
Speeding across the short turf was a Bank Vole, tiny as it ran across the open ground, but not spotted by the Kestrel which was hovering overhead nearby. A little later a dead Common Shrew was lying on the ground its nose bloodied.
In the gully two Sparrowhawks, one with a slightly reddish chest, perched on the branches of the Hawthorn tree, around them red berries galore.
The croak of a Raven drew my eyes skyward and the squawk of a Jay changed my focus again.
The feathery dull pinky-red flowers of Red Bartsia showing amongst the grass, the white of Yarrow, Wild Carrot and Autumn Ladies Tresses and the yellows of Wild Parsnip and Hawk-weed Ox-tongue.
A wonderful sight of a Spotted Flycatcher fluttering up and down from the branch of a dead Elder tree, with Common Whitethroat and a Greenfinch in the same bush.
The black cap of a Blackcap poked up through the clambering white flowers of the Wild Clematis, to be joined by a Wren, a Dunnock, a Robin and Willow Warbler.
Yesterday an elusive Wryneck was again spotted, while a Harrier glided above the gully before disappearing – I am 55% going with a Montague’s over a Hen Harrier.