Uplifting sight of a great escape

The last of the summer wine is down to its bitter dregs but at least the bouquet of Michaelmas daisies hangs sweetly in the air.

- with STUART WINTER

Tomorrow heralds the autumn equinox with the midday sun perched directly above the equator and myriad migrating birds passing southwards below its glare.

Watching house martins and swallows hawking deep in a densely wooded valley earlier this month had me marvelling at these travellers en route from rural England into Africa.

My bird's eye vantage point was perfect for being dazzled by the martins' white rumps as well as separating stubby-tailed juvenile swallows from adult birds with their delicate streamers.