Dragonfly Days...

We once had a Migrant Hawker in the garden on the day of the Autumn Equinox so I always associate this species with the end of summer. However, we are only just past mid-August this year, so I mustn't get ahead of myself. 

It is, of course, always special to find one of these dragons in the garden, regardless of the day on the calendar. David took the photograph above this morning while we were enjoying coffee outside. I had a strong hunch it was a Migrant Hawker, and the yellow 'golf tee' mark at S2 near the top of the abdomen confirms this.  

We have noticed that leaves are beginning to turn already. I expect the heatwaves have been a contributory factor. I love the bright red colour of this Virginia Creeper (or is it Russian Vine?), but I hope the other leaves won't follow suit too speedily.  

I wonder who will find these Blackberries! We have various bits of bramble around the perimeter of the garden: we encourage it to grow and hope it will entice wildlife. 

 

Seasonal Splash ~ Autumn Colour

I have to confess that I am not a huge fan of autumn. I definitely prefer spring, with its sense of promise, but I do love the fiery colours that can be seen at this time of year.

This funny little apple doesn't look very exciting, but I have posted it because (a) apparently it is Apple Day this weekend, possibly tomorrow, and (b) the apple that is no longer on the branch was eaten by a blackbird. These are very small apples, and he pecked away until there was practically nothing left. The female blackbird perched on a branch but did not appear to be eating at all. 

The photos above and below show a splash of autumn colour in our garden. 

The chestnut below was at Sutton Hoo, where I recently saw two ladybirds sheltering in the chestnut prickles. As you can see the case has now burst open. The sight of these chestnuts made me think of my teenage years when we would gather chestnuts and roast them on a toasting fork on the fire. Mmmmm! 

These holly berries were also at Sutton Hoo. I rather think they will have gone long before Christmas! 

And finally ... these three Long-tailed tits graced our feeder earlier in the week. What lovely birds they are! My thanks to David, who grabbed my camera and took this photo before these skittish little fellows flitted off.