Paul's Blog - All comments and views are my own,

Autumn fruit and nuts...... A trip to the Elan Valley in mid-Wales showed once again that autumn is well and truly under way in the natural world. After several days of above average temperatures it was pleasant enough in the hills. The area is truly a marvellous place for both scenery and wildlife, vast man made reservoirs seem to just "fit in" to the landscape and the surrounding mix of deciduous and conifer plantations as well as some outstanding moorland blend so well. Caban Goch It was the variety of berries on show as well as a few nuts and fungi that highlighted the beauty of this time of year. I'll let the photos speak for themselves....... Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris Rowan, (Mountain Ash) Sorbus aucuparia Birch Betula spp Sessile Oak, Quercus petraea Sweet Chestnut, Castanea sativa Boletus spp??

A surprise in the net.... Having recovered from the trauma of the return trip from Majorca, this morning looked perfect for a ringing session, so to wake at 05:15 to the sound of rain drops did not bide well. I set off anyway and the rain held off, despite near perfect conditions, no wind and overcast, there were few birds on the ground.. There looked to have been a decent sized Swallow roost last night as at first light there were 10's of Swallows low over the reeds, but as the morning wore on the flock grew to the high hundreds, or low thousand. Reed Warbler The first round contained Sedge and Reed Warblers and a Garden Warbler, later a few Robins put in an appearance and a lone Blackcap. Blackcap juvenille ♂ Then the Swallows were tempted by the tape lure and fourteen were extracted before the heavens opened and I closed the nets for the morning. The last bird processed turned out to be a "control" Swallow, one that had been ringed