A bit of a lazy day today, just pottering in the garden and catching up with things. It’s quiet here. The farmers are working the fields across the valley, and the drone of the machinery just adds to the sense of summer slowly coming to a close.

The butterflies are enjoying the long warm summer. We’ve had more in the garden than I can remember for many years, and a good variety too. There are the tiny blues that flit low over the grass and occasionally land on the lavender.

There’s the small tortoiseshell butterfly, and the speckled wood (which prefers the more shaded parts of the garden).

And the vividly coloured peacock butterfly, here appropriately resting on the buddleia (also known as the butterfly bush).

Lastly, one stray among the butterflies, a migrant hawker dragonfly; one of several that have been seen in the garden recently.

The foxes are still around (I’ve just spotted ‘Nicked Ear’ lurking at the back of the garden), and we are still getting occasional visits from local badgers (evidenced by the trail cam footage, which I’ve yet to edit).

Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.