The warm weather's been good for flying this week. Last Wednesday, a young raven appeared over The Lodge. We heard its distinctive, deep 'cronk' call and watched it circling round and around over the gardens.
The warm air rising from the ground on sunny days is used by big birds such as ravens and similarly-sized buzzards for a free lift up without having to expend much energy. It certainly looks like fun...
Only a few years ago, seeing a raven in east Bedfordshire would be a rare event indeed. But their population is expanding and now ithey are seen much more frequently in local wooded areas.
Though summer is drawing to a close, there are still lots of dragonflies around. Take your opportunity to spot red-eyed and small red-eyed damselflies on the lilypads on the swimming pool, before it's too late. This is a great place to compare these two very similar species side-by-side. Or you can just watch the antics of all the other insects, or admire the fish...
There are plenty of migrant birds around at the moment. Swifts, swallows and yellow wagtails fly over The Lodge occasionally, while blackcaps, whitethroats and other warblers lurk in the scrubbier areas. Check any patches of ripe blackberries for hungry birds tucking into a high-sugar, pre-migration snack!