AUTUMN IS COMING FAST

As August nears its end and the ‘summer’ season fades into autumn the colours of the garden and surrounding countryside will change dramatically.

All season have their particular themes, but autumn must be up there for being the most vivid as the green colours of the trees and bushes turn into red, bronze and gold. The impact of these colours is increased when the low sunlight of dawn or dusk lights up the display.

In my garden there’s nothing too amazing, certainly not on a grand scale, just a few weeks of red and golden leaves decorating the trees and climbers on the walls.

The good news in my little oasis of greenery and wildlife is the start of harvesting my tomato, carrots and potatoes, all have proved to be delicious whether for lunch of dinner. There’s nothing better than freshly picked fruit and veg washed and eaten straight from the plant or ground.

The slugs and snails are systematically being ‘rehomed’ away from the garden, not all, but as there’s been an influx with the warmish wet summer, a large number. The only slug that has been allowed to stay is the leopard slug, which will help control the other slugs.

This week there has been a trio of blackbird chicks in the garden, looking very like they’ve just fledged. I think it’s the third brood I’ve seen this summer so they’ve obviously fared well.

The swallows have also not done too badly as I’ve counted over 30 at one point either flying or resting on the telegraph wires. I suspect they will soon be off to Africa again, although some must have already gone as the numbers have decreased slightly in the last few days.

I had interesting visitors in a flock of long tailed tits, which last year only appeared in winter, due to the mild autumn. I wonder if the wet summer has meant less naturally food so they’re already coming into known food stations seeing what is on offer. I’ll be keeping an eye on this situation.

The great tits, blue tits, dunnocks, tree sparrows, house sparrows and robins are still regularly visiting and I’m keeping my stock of peanuts full so they know food will always be available from me; I know they’ll be around when the cold weather strikes.

I think the only true test of how well the breeding season has been on our birds will be when they descend on gardens for food. It will also show us how much natural food is available. Last year there was plenty as I did worry about not seeing many birds until November and December; will this year be any different or will the summer weather have made a difference?

SUMMER IS FADING FAST

This summer has hardly been one worthy of the name summer, but with the last few days of warm weather have been gratefully received.

My garden has needed a mid-season trim due to the amount of green foliage growing because of the relatively mild and very wet conditions.

It's been a great season for the likes of slugs and snails, but not for wildlife relying on warm and drier conditions - the great tit chicks dying in my nestbox being one example.

One bird that seems to have coped with the conditions is the robin, which has produced two broods. One of the chicks is now a regular visitor to the garden and I think it could be getting used to me as it bobs around withing a couple of feet of me.

Time will tell if it hangs around, but I suspect it'll have a fight on its hands for the territory around here.

Amazingly the swallows have produced two big broods, probably benefiting from the dry conditions after the rain, in which millions of insects take to the air and some straight into the swallows' mouths.

I regularly count over 20 flying around, perched on our roof or on the telegraph wires. It is indeed a good year for them, well certainly around here.

There are regular visits from the blue tits and great tits, but only in ones or twos, while the tree sparrows, house sparrows and dunnocks are often in small flocks.

My garden plants have suffered, although I am hoping to harvest some tomatoes (at last!) and some sweet and chilli peppers.

The carrots and potatoes have not fared well, but I think we'll at least enjoy some over the next few weeks.

This week I was joined in my garden by a dragonfly, which I'd seen about a week ago, but this time I was able to capture a nice picture of it from about two inches. I think it's a Hawker, but would welcome an expert's help.