Meteorological summer has now ended, and the morning autumn mists are already starting. The departure of the swallows and house martins means that we won’t have to wait long for the arrival of our autumn visitors. These will include the fieldfares and redwings, and our very own golden plover. Presumably, the plovers will establish themselves on Spring Hill as they have done for at least twenty years and become a lovely aerial addition to winter walks on the hill.
Many of our resident birds like chaffinches, blackbirds, thrushes and robins will be joined by their cousins from Europe, but it will be virtually impossible to tell which is which. All will be busy feasting on what appears to be a bumper crop of berries this year, and many birds have very specific tastes. The arriving redwings and fieldfares will go for holly and rosehips. Mistle thrushes prefer sloes, while robins go for elder and ivy. Blackbirds however will go for almost any berries that are available. Another special sign of autumn to listen out for is the haunting call of the tawny owl – preferably over the churchyard on a late misty evening!
There are reports of small flocks of Siskins visiting garden feeders during the wet weather in early September. They are more usual in the early spring, but it may be that wet weather has made it difficult for them to forage for seed, and they are turning to feeders instead.
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