Strong winds and beech nuts

As the sun slowly sets into an autumnal glow the red berries and leaves seem to acquire a resonance beyond their own organic colour.

Parkgate Marsh - in glowing heat haze

The virginia creeper drapped over the garage is starting to turn into russet red and lime green-yellow. My all time favourite part of the year when migrating birds start to arrive on the gathering winds, the tides get higher and the days creep shorter.

For several cool evenings before locking up I have the habit of sitting in the garden listening to the companionable sound of House Martins  calling to each other as they wheel and feed overhead. Flying, feeding and constant calling is no mean feat all at once.  Most House Martins and Swallows have left for Africa, but we still seem to have some circling above the garden in the evenings, rain or shine.  They must be the very last few  to go. (In fact they left the night before the gales and storms ).

They are too fast to photograph so here is a drawing

Similarly Long tailed tits  keep in touch with each other constantly calling in the same way.   As you listen you can discern the distinct calls of individual birds.  Listening evening after evening it becomes a mellow comfortable sound,  telling that everything is still working as it should.  The British climate certainly keeps us guessing.

The wood was well battered after the gales and heavy rain and much as I wanted to visit it during that time and experience the wildness of it all,  it was not  safe enough.  The North West Book Artists  will be holding  their next workshop in the wood (avoiding the Giants taking over Liverpool). Hopefully some inspirational  art will be produced from the visit.


The World Museum in Liverpool have been running excellent one day workshops on a variety of individual natural subjects eg.  Fungi, Insects, mammals and birds.  Last year I went on my first workshop and we discussed and viewed 'Raptors'.  This September it was all about 'Seabirds'.
  

My argument about bird watching, especially identifying individuals within a species group from a distance, is very problematic unless they  line up in a row.  Obviously that is never going to happen.  In the museum they hold a large Victorian collection of stuffed samples and  it is possible to view them in this way.

Many of us are uncomfortable about stuffed birds and mammals and the consensus is that this practice contributed to the decline of many species.  BUT they are there and are used to teach us to appreciate what we have left.  So their sacrifice is not in vain.