Are We Racing into Autumn?

The schools may not have broken up yet and the longest day was less than a fortnight ago but surely it’s not autumn yet?

You may still be paddling in the pool but down at the bottom of the garden things are changing.

Have you noticed that the blackbirds are no longer singing, there seems to be fewer nesting birds around and bees are having a whale of a time collecting pollen from all the flowers that are already blooming well ahead of their normal time.

It would appear that the weather is to blame. This year, just for a change, we’ve had some remarkably mild weather and according to the MET office, the last seven months have each seen warmer than average temperatures.

It seems that we’re rushing headlong into autumn, as beech nuts are already starting to appear and hawthorn and holly berries start to turn red, changes not normally seen until September.

The arrival of the early berries mean that more thrushes, blue tits and sparrows will be seen in hedgerows as they feed on the early berries.

Should we be concerned by this unexpected arrival of autumn? According to National Trust naturalist Matthew Oates, who said ‘An early autumn will not create problems for the wildlife as long as creatures like dormice and squirrels have the chance to fatten up before the arrival of winter’.

Have you noticed a change to the wildlife in your garden? Have your blackbirds stopped singing?

Get in touch below and tell us how the change in the weather has affected your garden.