This morning Morton Bagot was bathed in a vale of mist. For perhaps the first time this year it felt autumnal. Condensation dampened the grass with dew and highlighted the presence of thousands of spiders webs in the browning grass.
This is not yet the autumn of Redwings and Fieldfares, but there are subtle changes afoot. We saw just one Whitethroat, but at least four of the later departing Blackcaps. Arriving Stonechats now outnumber lingering Whinchats by three to two. A few Swallows appear and fly purposefully on as they begin their long journey to South Africa.
The most obvious new arrival is Meadow Pipit. As the mist lifted it revealed straggling groups totalling at least 24 which lifted from the grass and bounced away in undulating flight. With migrants now moving throughout the northern hemisphere we strained in vain to find something new and unexpected.
The flash field and pool field could do no better than a Green Sandpiper, ten Snipe, and 16 Teal. The peak wader passage is probably in August, but there will still be the chance of a rarity for the next month or so.
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| Common Snipe |
There are still a few insects about, most notably Hornets which fly past us regularly.
The day's best treasure was found in my garden late in the afternoon. I had planted some Valerian this summer after hearing that it was an unusually good year for Hummingbird Hawk-moth. They were turning up in the gardens of several friends and also at my sister's. But I missed the lot of them.
But this afternoon my luck changed as one briefly visited the Valerian.
My camera cannot easily cope with its whirring wings, so I settled for what turned out to be a very brief snatch of film of a single moth before it moved on.
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