It's sunny and cold, with a light breeze. I take the 8:09 bus 24 to Long Riston, and get there around 9 o'clock. I have planned to explore the village for a while before the actual walk. Robins and Starlings are singing from aerials and trees. A House Martin is still around. I head towards the church and explore the grounds. By the path to the church there is a field with a pond, and a family group of eight Moorhens feed on the edges. Jackdaws sit in pairs, tightly together, and two Rabbits sit sleepily in the sunshine by their burrow. I notice a grassy field by the church, with a well trodden perimeter path and I take it. I take my bat detector out of my backpack, as it just looks ideal for bush-crickets, but it is 8 oC! Surprisingly, they are calling. I manage to find a calling Roesel's but there are more, scattered around the field. The barking calls of skeins of Pink-footed Geese announce that Autumn is here.
Starling.
Goldfinch.
Moorhen.
Rabbits.
Jackdaws.
Long Riston St Margaret's church.
Two cows graze on another field by the church. This one looked a bit menacing, standing by the path so I left them alone.
Pink-footed Geese.
Rook. They were going back and forth, probably hiding acorns.
Roesel's singing at 8 oC!
Yellowhammer.
The field by the church, with its well trodden path.
A Rook picks acorns from an oak in one of the village gardens.
I return to the village and take the public right of way towards Rise. Once it skirts around the last houses in the village, it is along a large field, which rises slowly towards Farnton Hill. The broad verge has a racing horse training track, and there is a jockey training his horse. Very impressive to have the horse galloping at full tilt parallel to the path, its forceful breathing audible as it goes past, otherwise quite silently as the track is covered on a layer of rags.
A Spike shieldbug, a large shieldbug that is predatory. On a stretch of rough grass and brambles on the village edge.
A Yellowhammer on a field hedgerow.
View north towards Long Riston.
Training racehorse and jockey.
Buzzard.
Common Darter.
Speckled Wood.
There are several blooming mature Ivy in the sunshine by Farnton Hill plantation and further ahead. I see no Ivy Bees, but there is a treasure trove of insects feeding on them.
Common Tachinid.
Red Admiral.
Comma.
Hornet.
Rise is, indeed, on a rise, giving views towards the Wolds in the distance. A full 20 m of altitude, compared to the 10 or so of Long Riston. I walk around the small village. I sit on the steps of All Saints church (top shot), watching three or four male hornets buzzing around a large lime tree. Occasionally one sits to bask on a leaf. After my lunch, I follow the busy road until meeting a public right of way towards Arnold, my last settlement of the day. Arnold has a pub, but no church. The sunshine has brought out some late butterflies and dragonflies. I'm pleasantly surprised by a Brown Argus on a field margin. I cross the busy road, and after walking along Arnord I find there is an underpass to Long Riston, which is more than welcome. It's been a great walk today, varied and with wonderful weather.
Hornet.
Small Copper.
Kestrel.
Brown Argus.
Migrant Hawker.
Underpass
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