Wildlife On The Farm - October 2016

Although today (10th Oct) the sun has been out it is starting to feel a bit chilly but still a nice autumnal day.

On the farm last week when it was a bit warmer there were still Dragonflies on the wing- Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers.  I haven't seen a Swallow or Martin lately so I presume they must have left for Africa for the winter. There are loads of waterfowl on the lake at the moment - ducks including Mallard, Tufted, Wigeon, Pochard and loads of Teal, there are also Coots, Cormorant, Heron, Swan, Little Grebe and various Gull species and good numbers of Lapwings and the odd Common and Green Sandpipers. There are lots of flocks of small birds about at the moment with good numbers of Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit and Skylark.  Odd Kites, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and lots of Buzzards seen regularly.

There are still a few Butterflies to be seen and I've seen more Hornets this autumn than last year.  We've just erected a small octagonal summerhouse in the back garden and within a couple of days it has become a Lacewing hotel!  Today India counted nearly 30 in the roof alone - how do they get in?

I hear the local Black Squirrel is seen quite often in someone's garden in the village (the black squirrel is quite common to the Ivel Valley and Greensand Ridge). Foxes are very vocal at this time of the year as it is the mating season.

Like a lot of you we get many large birds flying low over our garden - it is usually Kites, Buzzards, Ravens Herons but on Sunday the 4th we got an enormous flying object flying very low and slow overhead .. the 'Vulcan Bomber!  what a treat to see it so close up and in perfect weather.  We must have had as good a view as those  who went to Shuttlesworth to watch it!