Summer's end

This already feels the season of gatherings, the Swallows are making musical scores of the telegraph wires, Rooks and Jackdaws are swirling around in ever larger groups before flying off to roost and flocks of Starlings are buzzing over west to their evening haunts.

The first big numbers of Lapwing were also present today, with one flock totalling around 250 birds.

Gulls too are gathering in impressive numbers with more than 500 in one field by the river including this interesting individual.

Along the Swale this evening I spotted two Little Egrets, two Kingfishers, a Common Sandpiper and a second family of Spotted Flycatchers.

As I watched these birds a mixed flock of 100 Sand Martins and Swallows flew in to feed voraciously on the gnats and midges. As the air cooled they were joined by half a dozen Swifts scything through the flock like fighter planes. I suspect these will be the last we’ll see in the parish this year.