On one of the final afternoons of November I'm on Wimbledon common. Its three thirty and already the light is fading fast on a very cloudy day.

There is a nip in the air and a gentle breeze dislodges and remaining leaves still on trees as I watch some very late season wasps gorging on ivy blossom, living carefree lives now that their nests are no longer in use.

Suddenly high above I hear the familiar 'chak-chak' calls of jackdaws flying to roost and looking up, I'm pleased to watch wave after wave many hundreds strong flying fast in a south-westerly direction.

The air is thick with them and there must be countless thousands on the wing. I've watched these flocks every autumn but never seen so many before so they must have enjoyed a successful nesting season.

The flocks keep on coming for about half an hour before tailing off, leaving a few stragglers endeavouring to catch up.

It is fascinating to see so many birds of one species flying to their communal roost a few miles away, seemingly joining up from a range of areas such as Richmond and Bushy parks.

Tomorrow at first light the birds will return to their foraging grounds but in loose flocks and with less urgency and vocalisation.

However many times I've watched these nightly winter roosting flights never fails to impress me and I'm pleased to notice that all the jackdaws practice social distancing as they fly by!