SUMMER'S END AND THE BIRDS ARE BACK

                                 

Funny how quickly it feels autumnal. Only a few days ago, it still felt like summer, but today the mists and dew say otherwise. The berries in the Guelder Rose above in our mixed hedge look the part, and the late summer Japanese Anemones are starting to fade. This is the first year I've managed to grow them up here; they're doing very well.

I've noticed the Swifts and Swallows are feeding frenziedly in anticipation of their pending long journey and the garden birds are back eating their porridge. I keep missing Nuthatches feeding, stumbling through the house to get the camera, only to find them gone by the time I get back. The ones I've seen look very fresh and young and I wonder if they are the offspring of our breeding pair. No problems photographing Sparrows or Chaffinches obviously.

The young male Chaffinches are beginning to colour up

And get aggressive with the Sparrows

Tiny Blue Tit

Lots of young Sparrows

Great Tit

Today I decided to take Jack for his first trip down to the river. He's done streams but nothing bigger. On the way we saw many cows. 

This one wasn't fooling anybody:

Jack is not quite as obsessed with sticks as Snippet, but he will be soon.

The pair of them were racing about like mad things in the absence of sheep. Lovely to see Snippet having such fun and reinforcing the decision to have the two of them.

The moor is beginning to turn an autumnal shade of greenish brown.

I saw a Heron about a quarter of a mile away:

The river was beautiful

More of the same doggy energy on the way home.....

Jack is chewing stuff. Snippet never did. I used to provide him with old socks to chew which averted the problem. Unfortunately, every time I try and give Jack something to stop him chewing the doormat, OB's shoes, the rug and most worryingly, the floorboards, Snippet steals it. If only he like Runner Beans - we have enough to feed many armies. I was terrified of a repeat of last year's total failure and over-planted, thinking at least half would fail. they didn't, and for weeks now, I've been picking armfuls every day. The freezer is full, we eat them every night and friends and neighbours are inundated with the things. Still - there are worse things to be inundated with.

A word of advice regarding aluminium dog tags. Great for small dogs given their weight but don't go for the lovely subtle and tasteful silver colour I thought would be nice for Snippet.....the engraving is already completely illegible given that it has no contrasting effect against the aluminium and I've had to order yet more in lurid blue. 

Until next time, here's Snippet looking weary after a particularly hard bout of Jack-chasing this afternoon. Please note the blank looking tag.