Is It Too Soon?

 Is it too soon to say the nights are drawing in? Sunset is at 19:43 tonight so the long summer evenings are certainly over. This morning felt a bit autumnal with the cool northerly wind but the sun was still very warm when it did venture out from behind its mask of thick clouds.

We haven't got masses of Swallows gathering on the wires ready to set off southwards on their homeward migration but a few are practicing.

 

Arty farty Swallow pic

Swallows on the wire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another autumnal morning a few days ago yielded some rather atmospheric images of a boat on the Mere. I'd been out for a couple of hours and was contemplating heading home when the sun came out and burned off the early morning mist.

Cormorants are back in numbers and are in their usual roosts, leaving through the morning to head off out to sea.

Cormorants leaving the Mere for the sea

Our insects are looking good now that summer is almost done with - a highlight was this morning when Matthew (currently working away on our kitchen) pointed out a large moth on our wall - a Red Underwing! Cheers Matt 👍

Red Underwing at home

Red Underwing - detail

Red Underwing close up

Common Darter dragonfly

Migrant Hawker dragonfly

Nettle Ground Bug (Heterogaster urticae)

Wild flowers are everywhere now, although the umbellifers are coming to their end. Wild Carrot still looks pristine though.

Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

Poppy with camomile as a backdrop

Teasel heads with seeds waiting for Goldfinches

Alfalfa

In the garden we enjoyed watching a wren having a dust bath. The House Sparrows seem to have deserted us for pastures new but hopefully they will return at some point.

Wren enjoying a dust bath