I took a walk down the village lane to Bittesby farm area. On the way I spotted a Red Admiral warming itself on a wall, several 'Whites' on Lavender, several Speckled Wood and a Small Tortoiseshell. A party of Long-tailed Tits were in the hedge, a couple of Goldfinch, several Chaffinch and a Green Woodpecker called. The Swallows are still present over and around the local fields, more later. High and distant a Hobby was hunting insect prey.
The Bittesby farm area, a higher stewardship with lots of good habitat was rather quite, probably the humid, still weather. A single Yellowhammer, a couple of Reed Bunting, several Chiffchaff, three Bullfinch, a Linnet and a Jay were the bird highlights. Similar butterflies as mentioned earlier, a Small Tortoiseshell was feeding on the few remaining Buddleia flowers. Several Dragonfly were out and about, Common and Ruddy Darter, and a Southern Hawker.
Near the brook, an old dead Willow tree had a group of great looking bracket fungi on.
At 1700h I had a look at the Swallow flock (about 100) that had gather high over home, then suddenly dashing low over my head two Hobbies pursued a Swallow at high speed. One was very close to it, the Swallow twisted and turned very sharply and lost the Hobby, the second one dashed in and tried, further high speed manoeuvres and the Swallow escaped. The two Hobbies flew around quickly looking for another but ended up flying off 'empty' handed. I have never seen two working together to catch prey, it was spectacular.
At 1920h a Sparrowhawk dashed over the garden, not stopping and with several birds giving alarm calls making its presence widely known.
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