General (County) update - 2nd October 2010

• After venturing out in this morning's fog, I have now seen a swallow in the UK in October (one - this morning), making the 2nd October the latest I have ever seen a swallow in the UK. The latest prior to this morning I have ever seen was in north Devon in the last week of September.
• Lots of house martins in the air also this morning, fuelling up for their imminent migration.
• Pretty woolly weather right now, with bands of heavy, squally, rain moving across the UK, separated by a few hours of clear skies. For the first time this year, I'm mildly concerned about river levels....

General (County) update - 15th September 2010

• Conkers are beginning to fall from horse chesnut trees now.
• I saw a huge migrating flock of house martins just after dawn over the Thames today - maybe 200 strong and quite late in the year for them (and me)! I assume they are waiting for the wind to change to a northerly (maybe tomorrow or the next day) to assist their passage south...