IS AUGUST THE 'NEW' START TO AUTUMN?

It certainly looks like summer is now over and autumn has started to talk us on the long journey to winter.

Although Bank Holiday weekends are notorious for poor weather, this particular one comes on the back of over a week of cold and wet conditions.

The number of small birds in the garden has increased rapidly, with many chicks from this year clearly visible. The peanuts and fat snacks are disappearing at a faster rate than during January!

Two major things I’ve noticed during this inclement weather are the swallows gathering in large numbers, before seemingly moving away and starting the journey to Africa.

The other is the lack of butterflies and other insects –although that’s not really a surprise because if I were them I’d be hiding somewhere warm and dry.

When the sun shines through it can quickly get warm and then some insects do appear, only for more rain to come along and them to quickly search for the nearest cover.

I think the weather has certainly stopped the seemingly unstoppable breeding power of the tree and house sparrows. Both parents appear to have settled on four broods this year.

This gives me the chance to take down the nest boxes, clean them, but most importantly confirm the problem that blighted the viewing of the house sparrows’ prolific breeding.

News from that next time, while I’m looking at doing a season series of images showcasing life in the garden. The first images will be from March and I will continue until the end of February next year to give an image of life in a small countryside garden.