My first diary for a few days felt much more autumnal, the trees showing more brown leaves and the berries a glorious smattering of reds and blues and purples. A dark sky gave a rather ominous feeling, until the low sun flooded across.
Across the downland where a Kestrel was hovering above the rough turf, the ability of this bird to keep its head perfectly still never ceases to amaze me, as I watched she dropped lower and lower until with a deft reach of the talons she picked up what looked to be a small rodent before landing nearby on a patch of limestone to enjoy breakfast.
Flitting overhead a number of Swallows, as well as a flock of Linnets, some Pied Wagtails and some Meadow Pipits.
Along the edge of one of the paths, a glimpse of ginger disappearing into the bottom of the Blackthorn hedge, as I looked again a second movement and another young Fox trotted along before it too passed into the adjacent field.
On the ground nearby the finger length caterpillar of a Fox Moth, its grey curtain sweeping along the ground as this hairy creature moved.
The meadows have now been cut and baled, and perched upon one of them was a Wheatear, the sandy colouration matching the bale, as its tail bobbed before it took flight flashing its white rump as it went.
Amongst the berry laden Hawthorn a Blackcap was spotted, this black capped male moving through the bushes with some brown capped females and juveniles.
A flock of Goldfinches erupted from the patch of uncut field, where the seed heads of Woolly Thistle, Burdock and Bristley Ox-tongue are a great attraction.
In bloom still is the pale yellow Common Toadflax, darker yellow Agrimony and Rough Hawkbit, as well as Yarrow, Black Knapweed, Small Scabious and a couple of Autumn Ladies Tresses still to be found.
A croak of a Raven and a the yaffle of a Green Woodpecker diverted my attention from the Grey Squirrels which were scrambling along the branch of the Wild Cherry.