Tony Drakeford

IF we listen when walking in Richmond Park we may be rewarded by hearing little owls uttering their plaintive yelping, mewing calls from ancient oaks.

One swallow does make a summer but for me along Kingston riverside swallows reared a third brood this summer possibly the heatwave generated more insect prey so they were able to shorten their nesting period.

A leaf just died, I watched it fall Flutter to the ground to sprawl Now faded, etched with insect scar Pale, faded ghost of once proud star Yet high on the autumnal bough New life is there, though dormant now Dark tight-furled buds, each tiny thing Will clothe the trees in green next spring

On a much brighter note compared with Nature Notes of two weeks ago, finally around mid-July our so, so soggy summer pulled up its soaking wet socks and presented us with some beautiful hot sunny days.

Until the grassland species began emerging last month, I have seen only five butterflies, namely two brimstones, and three small whites.

For me, the sight of great swathes of oxeye daisies brightening the countryside is one of the most glorious and colourful sights of summer.

The swallows' first broods have fledged and the adults are now incubating eggs for the second brood.

THE first half of June sees a bit of a lull in the number of butterflies on the wing.

Bluebells have been voted the nation's favourite flower and the are certainly mine too. I love to sit quietly in a bluebell wood on a sunny spring morning.

On a somewhat chilly morning in early May, I'm here for the dawn chorus, that glorious springtime phenomenon that never fails to enthral and stimulate the senses of anyone fortunate enough to experience it first hand.