Skip to main content

Indian Summer

The Indian Summer is finally over. Last weekend temeratures were in the 80s and I was picking strawberries. Clear skys did make spotting large birds easier and a personal first for me was to see buzzard in Essex. While I have seen them often enough in Bucks and Herts this was the first time east of the Lea, as I came out of Epping Forest towards the M25 at Waltham Abbey.
Driving towards Oxford last night I commented to my passenger that it was about time that I saw another badger. Suprisingly on the way back we actually did see one. At first I thought is was a bag or sack dumped in the middle of the lane but as I slowed down it scuttled into the side.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

No Choice

Taking my usual walk today it was striking how the autumn colours had come on in the last few days. When the sun came out I really regretted not having the camera with me. There wasn't much to see in the way of variety or numbers of birds. A couple of probable skylarks put up on a cultivated field but the gem was naturally a red kite. Circling over the fields behind my house at tree top height it finally came over my head as I reached the edge of the field. Living where I do I suppose that I should be blasé about them by now but when one comes overhead there is no choice. I still just stop and say "wow!"

Harvest

The arable fields between Ley Hill and Latimer have been harvested over the last couple of days. This morning I saw a group of yellowhammers in the middle of the road by a field gate. From the look of things they were eating spilled grain. Instead of flying into the hedgerow they flew away from me along the road at windscreen height. I haven't seen much else recently apart from a distant glimpse of a partridge and the occasional red kite.

Not So Quiet

 During September and October the garden normally seems to be devoid of birds. For the last few days there has been a flock of tits on the feeder. At least 5 blues at a time plus two or three long tailed as well as the occasional great and coal. This only takes place later in the afternoon, usually at around 5.