A glorious pink cloud sunrise, but the strong south-west wind was blowing in and bringing first white, then grey clouds with it. Across the sky, birds were flying, but often almost sideways, especially noticeable with the Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons and Ravens.
A Kestrel took flight from the branches of a Hawthorn, starting backwards before readjusting and heading forwards, its long tail and dark chestnut back just caught by the last rays of sunshine!
Flocks of Swallows passing over, along with many House Martins and a few Sand Martins, the dark brown / grey wings flittering as they flew.
A couple of patches of lemon yellow Common Toadflax still in bloom, the shape of the flower and its leaves very distinctive, nearby a few purple heads of Black Knapweed are also to be spotted alongside some Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Ragwort, Groundsel and Smooth Hawksbeard - all yellow dandelion like flowers. Nearby a dwarf Ploughman’s Spikenard also still in bloom.
Across the downland a scattering of Carline Thistles still looking resplendent with their golden heads, only a few inches above the turf. Even lower the odd pink patch of Wild Thyme, some bright pink petals of Centuary and an occasional flower of Eyebright and Squinancywort.
Many smaller birds are now on migration, with flocks heading away from their breeding grounds for the winter, the visible migration – so called coz you can see them! Included Linnets, Redpolls, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails, plus more, in the wind my identification skills are even more limited as their calls are much less distinct and they all look brown!
Once again this year, we have been undertaking a Badger vaccination programme against tuberculosis, which is now complete, providing protection for the population here. It was good to see that despite the really dry weather this summer the Badgers were still faring well.
Deep in the gully two Roe Deer were browsing on the leaves, difficult to see in the light until they shifted slightly providing me with a great view of these small ginger coloured mammals.