November 12, 2016

Starlings are back !

It is definitely the season of 'mist and mellow fruitfulness,' now with dark early evenings since the clocks have moved back.  ( I cannot get over how stupid it is still doing this in this digital age.)



It is with tremendous delight that a noisy gang of Starlings have moved into the neighbourhood  having been absent for many years.  We always had a starlings nest in the eaves when growing up as  children.  The nest is still there but the starlings moved away, largely the result of the frenzy of everyone blocking up their eaves.  Deliberately we refused to do this but the damage has been done.  What has changed is unknown but to have them back nattering and squabbling on the roof is wonderful.  With luck the site will be occupied next spring.

The trees have been hanging onto their leaves a long time this autumn, even now the vibrant colours are still evident especially in the light of the low setting sun.


Watching the countryside change is best viewed from the top of a double-decker bus, brighten many a boring journey.  The Goldfinches have been congregating in the Beech trees outside the coffee shop to feed and sing their hearts out.  Unfortunately no one can hear because of the roar of the passing traffic but that does not seem to deter them.



Even though we are in November there are still butterflies and bees around that have not yet hibernated. We were also witness to an unusually large influx of Harlequin Ladybirds this past month. (These have come over from America)




 I came upon a Yellow-Browed Warbler perched in a low bush in a meadow recently.  As tiny as a wren but with the, distinctive yellow flash above the eye.  Off course I did not know then what I was  looking at.  It was a question mark sighting until I read Derwent Mays bird column in The Times.  Most of my bird knowledge has come from this column over the years and my greatest delight is to spot something before he writes about them. (which does happen a little more often now)