It is officially autumn now and the mornings certainly feel cooler, but we have been blessed with some lovely sunny days this week. Plenty of folk have been out enjoying the sunshine at Strumpshaw Fen and had some great wildlife encounters. My favourite is the family of five hobbies, still busy munching on dragonflies, getting ready for their journey to Africa for the winter. Three of our most popular species - otter, bittern and kingfisher - have been seen daily, and some visitors have been lucky enough to see all three. Late September is always a good time for bearded tits, and a flock of 20 has been regularly popping up close to the sandy wall path. Insect life is hanging on too, with a few bumblebees and brimstone, comma and speckled wood butterflies still active in the nectar garden this morning and a very late swallowtail earlier in the week. The forecast is for a more sunshine over the weekend, so come on, get out and enjoy it.
Photo: Barry Bradnum