EARLY MORNING MISTS SIGNAL AUTUMNAL WEATHER CHANGE

The first early morning mists that epitomise autumn have already arrived. This time last year the weather was warm and sunny, with temperatures more like mid summer, now it’s typical autumnal weather.

Despite the cooler, darker evenings there have been no sightings of the hedgehog that was introduced to the garden in June. In fact he hasn’t been seen since the evening he was released, so although I’m concerned, I still have hope he’s still around.

The hedgehog will hopefully be getting ready for hibernation, but the swallows have finally all departed on their way to warmer climes and a winter in Africa.

I think and hope this year has been a bumper breeding year for my favourite bird; judging by the number of birds on the telephone wires I’m pretty confident it has been

Of course the cooler weather is now gradually bringing the garden birds back into the garden, if that makes sense.

There are a number of blue tits now devouring peanuts as they, along with great tits, wait for the sunflowers to make available their seeds.

I’m looking forward to more birds coming back, with a slight hope that the increasing number of berries on the pyracantha will attract the odd redwing and/or fieldfare; neither bird have ever been seen in or near the garden.

CRANE FLY NUMBERS ROCKET AS AUTUMN APPROACHES

I think one of the house sparrow nests has another batch of eggs, or even young chicks. I thought the adult birds had finished for the season, but I’ve noticed frequent entries and exits over the last few days, which suggest they’ve not finished breeding yet.

Another bird I’m surprised to hear and see is the swallow. Another large group has appeared in recent days and I’m wondering if this is a group that’s stopping off for a refuel, or a local crowd who have yet to start the migration to warmer climes.

The garden is now becoming a lot more cluttered with small birds now, with blue tits, great tits, robins and dunnocks all popping along for food or song a number of times a day.

One of the robins from this year’s broods has been taking up a prominent position around the garden of the last couple of months, particularly when I, or my family, are in the garden.

It thinks nothing of coming to within inches of me when I’m working or sat on the garden furniture.

And now it is proudly showing of the first signs of the traditional red breast, which I expect will be in full colour within weeks.

I really enjoy it when a robin calls my patch his home and I hope he/she is able to keep this territory and raise a family if their own next year.

One thing that has been unusual is the amount of crane flies or daddy long legs as some call them. I’ve seen hundreds around the garden and at night, when a window or door is open, there can be more than 20 individuals in one room alone.

I don’t know why this year has been very good for numbers, but it’s certainly helped some of the spiders as they’ve gobbled up quite a few.

With wet and windy weather predicated for the next week, I expect this number to decrease rapidly.