The leaves turning and colour changes and less daylight now noticeable.
I do however have a quince tree in bud and trees that have lost leaves also have advanced buds.
The dandelions have slowed down, but still prevalent on a sunny day - I bought a Fiskars removal tool - it initially seemed quite good, but broke after about 40 plants pulled up (their Customer Services sent a replacement within a week).
Whilst I was tidying up the broken bottles and thrown away beer cans and smoking debris I had found at the field, there was a hairdressers receipt amongst the rubbish that included: client name and address with 'under 15 discount 10%'
Only a couple of miles away, I dropped by and met his parents - they weren't amazingly impressed, but were quite sensible, civil and understanding about it and words will be had by them.
A bit more overhanging willow from the boundary with the bypass cut back and some odd fence rails replaced here and there, the picnic bench dropped off and locked to the fence whilst I back and to each day.
A few evenings had been pleasant enough to cook a quick meal and sit outside listening to the wildlife. Daytime and Deli-Fine near-by over the bridge at Holt remains tempting for daytime refreshments.
Some good and interesting chat with locals and walkers too and a few comments regarding police awareness of anti-social / illegal activities close-by.
A few owls about - one brushed the top of my head as I walked across the field as it went dark.
Something after dark makes a short, load metallic 'chirp' - it sounds like it is in the trees, but can't work out what it is.
Voles and moles evident and a few 'larger' small mammals rustle through the base of the hedges. A random pheasant too.
The crop of maize in the neighbouring field has been cut, still a few part chewed cobs appear in the middle of the field - I'm guessing from a fox?
Some tree-work done, accessed from a hydraulic platform.
A few low overhanging branches removed and some height reduction of a hollow tree to reduce the risk of it being blown over by the wind.
A part rotten branch from high up had large green pellet like chrysalis clusters (about 8mm dia x 20mm long each)?
Another medium sized ash tree that had struggled for leaves all year turned out to be spongy with rot when a couple of dead branches were removed.
Although not the intention to cut any down, structurally poor and lacking vigour and leaning, it was reduced to fence height.
I went to the 'Quince Day' at Norton Priory - interesting again with Fruitscape and Cheshire Wildlife Trust amongst some of the displays. I also came away with a couple of random hybrid quince seedlings.
Last Sunday evening was mild and pleasant enough to run the mower over the field again (still leaving the meadowsweet at seed).
With the tractor and machinery dropped back at home, some pondering about the general condition of the grass...
I'm convinced since the construction of the by-pass in the late 1980s, the field was at least partly re-seeded, certainly some previously disturbed / compacted ground parallel to the boundary.
Hedge and fencing gaps, the new orchard and more young trees to go in and the risk of winter river floods make sheep grazing an impossibility for a year or two yet.
There are noticeably less weeds this year but I decided to run a scarifier over the entire field. This was to lift previous years matted grass and vegetation debris.
The mower I use behind the tractor is a compromise, unless the clippings are removed - a more efficient solution has since been arrived at...
Meanwhile,
a scarifier (on hire, as they are a phenomenal price even second hand for a robust one), lifted a lot of 'thatch' and that now has to come off the surface - the temptation is to compost it long term, or to cleanly burn it with hedgerow brash and use the ash in a compost mix. (I'm tempted to hire a tractor mounted one next time though).
Unpredictable weather and a few downpours make day to day planning tricky for jobs to be getting on with - I would stick a reasonable tent up for the next week as a site hut and maybe stop over night, but a frost Tuesday morning was a touch off-putting.
Over the weekend, I have a large piece of agricultural / green-keeping equipment to pick up (Wessex SC12 powered sweeper / collector for behind the tractor to keep the grass tidy after mowing).
There is also Stourhead Farm shop Apple Day and a short spell back in Salisbury and some tree-hunting (wayside apples with potential).
