It was cool and felt like autumn this morning and the birds rather reinforced this - 5 black-tailed godwits and at least 8 green sandpipers on the north brooks were no doubt heading south. Plenty lapwings, ca. 130 greylags geese, a few teal, shelduck, mallard and mandarin also present. Large numbers of sand martins (ca.200) were feeding over the pools. Common sandpiper, greenshank and little ringed plover have been present over the last couple of days but couldn't find them in a brief look today. In various places around the trail this week there has been redstart, lesser whitethroat, spotted flycatcher and bullfinch. Purple hairstreak butterflies are appearing in good numbers on the oak trees.