Autumn in the air?

Apparently the 'experts' are telling us now that Autumn has come early this year - just as Spring did. For most of us in Scotland the biggest problem is that there doesn't seem to have been very much summer in between!

The photograph above was actually taken on 22nd July in the south of England and already it looks pretty autumnal to me, although, to be honest I have no idea when maple leaves normally begin to change colour.

I know there is a big difference between climate change and changeable weather but it does look as if some of the predictions are coming true (although not the one from the BBC weather folk who told us we would be having a 'barbecue summer' this year!) As I look out of the window this morning to see heavy rain falling and the trees being buffeted by strong winds it almost looks like January!

I received an email the other day from a friend in South Korea and he tells me that they have "been suffering the wettest summer ever."

Ah well... to cheer us up (and especially for one of my regular readers, Emma Louise) here's another photograph of that cheeky young robin, its youthful feathers decidely ruffled but its alert stare suggesting nothing but confidence.

Today- whatever winds may ruffle your feathers or buffet you about -may you look out on the world with hope and confidence.

The birds of the air

[young robin photographed near Ardross, in Easter Ross, Scotland]*

Of course, it is not just butterflies and moths that fly.

I've always been fascinated by birds. In fact, I once was a member of the RSPB.

I let my membership lapse but, in any case, in more recent years (since we got our cat, Tess) I felt it was a little bit hypocritical to claim that I was helping to protect birds.

Like me, Tess liked to capture birds- unlike me she didn't use a camera, she used her claws!

While still quite a young kitten she managed to catch and kill a wood pigeon which was almost the same size as her. (Maybe I should never have shown her that film about lions in Africa?)

Anyway, she has settled down a bit now and, thankfully, got a bit lazier and slower. No more unwanted gifts left for us on the doorstep.

When I was visiting my sister in North-East Scotland a couple of weeks ago I managed to take a series of photographs of this young robin in her garden. Like most robins he/she (I can't tell you which it is from these photos) was pretty bold and it came up quite close, enabling me to capture some fairly clear images.

Butterflies are hard to photograph in flight - probably impossible without specialist equipment - but some birds have a more leisurely style of flying, including the red kite. This bird was almost extinct in the UK until fairly recently but a successful re-introduction programme has meant that there are several places in the country where you have a very good chance of spotting these unmistakable, majestic birds of prey.

While taking a very leisurely, and very indirect route from Buckinghamshire to Bristol, we came across a group of at least ten red kites, together with about half a dozen buzzards. It was quite a spectacular sight.

[red kite photographed near Didcot, Oxfordshire, England]*

*Remember to click on the photographs to see them full size.