There's a real feeling of autumn in the air; we had a fabulous week of bright sunny weather and then on Thursday I woke with a real feeling of dread at the darkness of the morning. The wind has been blowing from a different 'eart' and the starlings have been gathering on the telegraph wires (and in the byre come knock-off time.) The annual diaspora of young is well underway, hence last week's otter and the many flattened polecats on the road. Yesterday I noted ten young corbies attending to an dead sheep along by Swinister, good for them, the carrion crow has a busy and useful winter ahead. In the politunnel the leaves yellow on the mangetout making for easy picking of the last delicious pods.

But we have had a fine, blustery day with a bbq lunch followed by a brisk walk down to the ebb with five young Shannons, as merry as grigs in the late sun. a good way to end the season.