An Update Is Well Overdue

 Things have been a little hectic at home since I last posted, all in a good cause of getting the house sorted.

The primary object of my attention away from home has been a couple of Hobby (Falco subbuteo) that have been making themselves heard at the Mere. I heard, then saw, a couple of adults flying around the trees on the south side and saw them several times through the week. The next time I got a good sight of one, then both of them, they had morphed into juveniles 😂😂 so I'm guessing the adults had left the kids to it.

I tried many times to get close to them as they perched in trees or on a stack of straw bales but I never got closer than a hundred yards or so.

Hobby

This and all below - juv Hobby

Two juv Hobbies

Juv Hobbies, one with prey?

Also at the Mere I saw the most Grey Herons I had ever seen there at one time - eight of them flying over going west. Another one perched in the Cormorant trees brought up a grand total of nine for the day.

Four of eight Grey Herons

Eight Grey Herons

 Our visiting warblers are fast disappearing. This was possibly my last sighting of Lesser Whitethroat for the year, with Whitethroat and Willow Warbler in the photo.

Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler

It was good to see a Bullfinch again after seeing the last one a month or so ago. This one was accompanied by what looked to be a Chiffchaff that kept appearing on the wire.

Bullfinch

Bullfinch and Chiffchaff (probably)

Butterflies are still scarce but a few whites are seen every day, mainly Small White and Green-veined Whites.

Small White

The set aside flowers are coming along nicely and sunflowers are beginning to emerge.

The first two sunflowers are out

Alfalfa in the set aside

At the sea front I saw the first returning Turnstone and four Sanderling. Autumn already?!

Sanderlings

Turnstone

While scanning the sea for signs of life I wasn't expecting to see a kayak with kayaker near one of the buoys. A pleasant sight with the sun shining on the sea.