A day off for my wife and I and a lovely one at that. A walk in Wiltshire followed by cooking up lunch in the van. Very grateful for it to have coincided with such good weather and autumn colours.

In the first four days of October we have had two–three times the rainfall that we had throughout the whole of September. Over the past week we have had the first frost, first evening with the wood burner lit, and the first mornings with the heating on. A small flock of mistle thrushes was in the chestnut tree in the church yard next door - we occasionally see a pair around here, but to see a flock can only mean they are winter migrants from the continent. Read more

The swallows have definitely left now, the odd straggler around, possibly the late brood feeding up before leaving. Heard a Little owl during the night, the first I’ve heard this autumn. Various warblers on the move as well: willow warblers, chiffchaffs, and blackcaps.

Am making the most of watching and listening to our swallows before they depart for South Africa. I shall miss having them around.

Walked the dog this morning, just getting light. Grey skies and a cool NE wind. Overhead, the calls of migrant Redwings. Just a handful, the first I’ve seen this autumn.

After being silent for most of the summer, our local Tawny owls have started calling again - a sign of autumn’s incipience. Heard them last night and early this morning, a welcome part of our soundscape.