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A BREAK for a few minutes walk along the towpath; I realise I'm not going to see much in they way of wildlife, but that's not the point. It's a chance to take time out from the frustrations of work and simply enjoy the autumn colour, the sunlight on the water, the warmth.
I notice a couple of looper caterpillars hanging from threads, a possible beakful for the Blue tits and Great tits searching through the hawthorns.
The pattern on its back reminds me of a mask, or of a vase.
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A few yellow leaves drift down from the hawthorns. A couple of wasps fly by. Then, to my surprise, there's a dragonfly on patrol above the grasses. I don't see the colour but it is the size of a Common Hawker.
A Common Field Grasshopper rests on the south-facing wall near the bridge, making the most of the sun. This grasshopper prefers dry grassland. How it survives on the towpath, with the canal in such easy jumping distance, is a mystery.