Chiltern Birder

 The badgers were active over the weekend with some significant damage to the lawn. As the bird feeders needed cleaning before the winter I emptied them into the ground feeder trays and set up a camera. The result was a badger spending at least half an hour in the garden taking both fat and sunflower hearts as well as rooting in the grass for bugs.   After rooting in the grass for a while he checks out the sunflower hearts then takes another fat ball. After rooting for bugs he finally decides to taste the sunflower hearts. He seems to be pushing the sunflower hearts into a heap.

 Autumn is clearly coming in with mushrooms and toadstools appearing in the fields and woods. This fine specimen was one of many on my walk today.       The walk took us along Green Lane to White End near Latimer. There was quite a sight with the sky around one of the houses in the hamlet full of house martins. They all suddenly settled on the roof, apparently basking in the sun for a second before all taking flight again. Suddenly they all flew off towards Latimer only to return a few seconds later and settled on the roof again. It was quite a spectacle and I wished I was able to linger all morning to watch it. The return along Bun's Lane was noteable for the birds invisible in the canopy as the trees met over the bridleway. I know that I disturbed at lease one jay and one green woodpecker judging buy the angry calls close above my head. In the garden I will have to dispose of the contents of the two fat feeders but the sunflower seeds are still being taken by occasional visitors.