Autumn is upon us

24/10/11

And what a strange season it's been. We've had an unseasonably warm end to September and start of October where I was able to sit in the garden and watch the wildlife while savouring a glass of red wine; followed by a sharp spell of cold weather where the heating in the house was on and off.
Visits to the local wildlife centres confirmed that many of the animals and birds seemed equally baffled. As always, nature will sort itself out without any help from us but it's strange to see some of the traditional flowers attempting to bloom again and leaves falling in the face of gusts of wind before we've enjoyed the vibrant reds and yellow foliage that usually punctuates this time of year.
However the squirrels are collecting the acorns and my bird feeders are visited daily by seemingly the entire UK population of house sparrows and tits who obviously sense the impending arrival of winter.
In many ways a return to the normal climate conditions should spell frosty and icy mornings and possibly snow, the conditions that wildlife photographers love. Watch this space.