🦅 High Drama & Summer Wings

The Narrative:
   Started today’s loop under a gorgeous sun, brushed by a moderate breeze that took the edge off the 22°C heat. Near the pine trees, a raucous congregation of jackdaws filled the sky, likely amassing for their nightly roost, while a few fed on the sun-parched grass below. Passed a chap with a yellow Labrador, rounded the recreation ground—where small brown butterflies darted beneath hedges tangled with white field bindweed—and braved a trademark warning bark from my ‘friend’ the Pitbull.

   The undisputed highlight awaited in the empty field past the cemetery. After a green woodpecker made its distinctive, swooping escape, I walked right into a territorial showdown: two male muntjac deer fiercely head-butting and jumping at one another. I captured the action on camera before one threw in the towel and bolted. The victor began strolling casually in my direction, totally oblivious to me, letting me snap a few more close-up shots before he finally clocked my presence and coolly vanished through a gap in the hedge.

   Cut back through the cemetery, passing a pair of courting wood pigeons—the male performing a splendid routine of bowing and cooing—whilst a noisy canopy of rooks swirled above the rookery. The butterfly tally grew on the return stretch: two magnificent Red Admirals along the road, followed by a couple of Commas fluttering through the wildflower garden. Wrapped up the trek by the leisure centre, where five feral pigeons and a lone corvid stood sentinel on the roof, soundtracked by the usual spectacular racket from the nearby factory gull colony.

The Stats:
Distance: 1.76 miles
Time: 37 minutes
Heart Points: 20
Key Sightings: 2x Male Muntjac deer (fighting), 1x Green Woodpecker, 2x Red Admiral butterflies, 2x Comma butterflies, courting Wood Pigeons, and a swirling flock of Rooks.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.