AUTUMN BLASTS IN WITH STRONG WINDS

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Autumn has blasted us with a very big storm, and brought some very warm temperatures with it.

Storm Callum dragged warm weather from Africa with its really strong winds, creating summer like conditions in parts of the country and delivering huge amounts of rain for others.

The garden got the warm weather, plenty of rain and some good sunny spells.

The wind has mainly been a southerly, so as the garden is situated in the lea of a large hill and is northerly facing, it meant it wasn’t too affected by the blowy conditions.

However, it didn’t escape from all the winds recently. As these two images show, westerly winds have taken down the vast majority of the leaves – meaning I had to get the big brush out to clear the patio and path.

The third image is of the same date as the second image, but in 2015.

The pond took plenty of leaves and water, so is filling up nicely; although it has meant clearing a lot of the leaves out of the water.

I hope the pond will be full in the next month, but it’s already seeing wildlife jump at the chance to move to a ‘new pond’; the first being pond skaters.

The garden birds have spent plenty of time away from the garden, with many not coming at all while the milder October weather was around.

Today they have come back, and it’s no coincidence that the temperatures have taken a big dip, with night temperatures predicted to be quite cold this week.

A BRIGHTER END TO SUMMER?

It’s not been an ideal summer, weather-wise, but it seems the summer visitors to these shores have benefitted quite well.

The swallows seem to have raised at least two broods, while there have often been swifts filling the skies over the last few weeks.

The latter have now left the area, heading back to Africa for the UK’s autumn and winter, before heading back to these shores next spring.

What’s fascinating is the way these two, seemingly similar, species feed.

This has been particularly noticeable when the youngsters of both species had fledged and were learning to fly and feed.

The swallows swoop around the tress, bushes and houses, often just inches away from the ground or colliding with something solid.

But the swifts were circling at a much higher altitude, obviously after different food and so meaning they can live alongside each other without competing for food, or indeed nest sites.

In the news there appears to be plenty of very large slugs around the garden. And strangely they seem to be spending quite some time out in the open during daylight hours.

Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be any hedgehogs about to help keep the population down

The broad beans have been harvested, and the six plants produced an amazing 42 beans – even with some pods that failed.

The tomatoes are next, and some may well go red if there's a warm interlude of weather.

SEPTEMBER WARMTH LENGTHENS SWALLOWS’ STAY

The sudden warmth of September delivered the hottest day of 2016, which was good news for the thousands of insects that seemed to come out of nowhere and into people’s homes.

It also meant the local swallows extended their stay in the UK, although in the last 24 hours they have been seen gathering on the telephone wires again.

This is a sure sign that they will soon head for their wintering grounds of sunny and warm Africa, many for the first time.

Judging by the amount of youngsters seen in the local skies, it would appear to be another good year for swallow fledglings, so many people will be hoping to see even more next year.

They are beautiful birds and one that many link directly with the return of warmer weather and, when they leave, the signal to darker nights and colder days.

The roosting sparrows seem to have outgrown their site next door and some are now in the small amount of wall climbing plants on the house.

A couple of birds are roosting about six inches from the door and appear to be quite happy even when human eyes are gazing at them.

The next box cameras haven’t been checked for a while, so with autumn starting to make it’s presence known they will be checked and cleaned to provide roosting opportunities for cold birds this winter.

Once again the crane flies are out in big numbers this month, just like last year, which has provided a feast for some.

The snail and slug ‘explosion’ prior to the recent warm weather appears to have dropped off, presumably because of the heat.

They are sure to make a comeback soon, although we’ll probably only be able to tell when we hear that tell tale crunching sounds while walking in the garden in the darker evenings.

A COLD BLAST OF WINTER SHOCKS THE WILDLIFE

I’m sure the swallows are having second thoughts about coming back from a warm Africa, particularly given the cold, snowy and icy week of weather we’ve had.

The regular hailstone storms and overnight frosts have meant a battering for the flora, with at least two tulips having all their petals ripped away and left in tatters on the garden lawn.

The swallows have been witnessed gathering mud for nest building, and while the weather has helped create plenty of mud creating facilities, it’s not been helpful for the purposes of the a nest – rearing young.

Of course an update on this blog wouldn’t be complete without a comment about the cats coming into the garden.

The first, and only, lot of seeds have been planted this year, mainly indoor, but with a few directly outdoors. Poppies and parsnips have been planted outside, but the soil in which they have been planted has once again been desecrated by cats using it as a toilet.

If anyone has ideas on making these cats leave the garden alone and finding alternative toilets, please let me know.

Inside, the seeds of sunflowers, tomatoes, cauliflowers, chillies and broad beans have been planted. The cauliflowers are already showing a couple of green shoots, while the sunflowers are emerging in their pots too.

Of course the seedlings will stay indoors until the weather gets warmer, and they are a lot bigger.

Finally, the great tits have almost completed the nest, but the camera is playing up again so visual images of the inside of the nest box are still not available.

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.

THE START OF AUTUMN?

The summer and the lovely weather came to a dramatic end this week, with typical autumnal conditions.

I think the worst of the wind and rain missed my garden, although it still had a good soaking!

The biggest thing I’ve noticed in the last 36 hours, since the autumn weather began, is the amount of small birds visiting the garden – I even saw a robin yesterday, a bird I’d not seen for over a month in the garden.

I’ve stocked up on bird food so they all have a back-up supply should conditions get any worse.

That said, the sun has been out today, although with not as much warmth as last week. Although the trees are still all green I suspect the yellows, browns and reds will soon adorn the branches, before carpeting the surrounding floor.

In the coming months lots of flora and fauna will prepare for winter by effectively shutting down, or in some cases simply flying to warmer climes.

The swallows are few and far between now, as they follow the swifts to Africa. The dawn chorus rarely has their beautiful song and the evening singing has been swallow-free for a couple of days.

 

In the garden my sunflowers are out in force and they’ll soon provide the birds with a plentiful supply of autumn seeds – although I’ll be keeping a few myself for next year!

 

The harvesting is still continuing with tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and runner beans all being in good supply.  The parsnips will be last, but should be ok for roasting at Christmas – oh no I mentioned the C word in September!

 

Right that’s it for this week, I wonder my post next week will see more information about birds coming back in to the garden for food.

 

 

IS AUTUMN ON ITS WAY?

Another quiet week in the garden, with only updates coming from the flora – mainly the sunflowers.

There are now nine sunflowers that are over 6ft tall and in the coming days I expect that number to increase.

I’ve already started collecting some tomatoes and runner beans from this years’ crop, and with potatoes, carrots and parsnips, along with plenty more tomatoes and runner beans, it could be one of my best years for crops.

There are three different varieties of tomatoes, Italian Roma, Gardener’s Delight and Cherry, in my garden and I’m going to choose the best tasting one for growing next year.

I’ve already started collecting seeds from this year’s blooms – poppy, sunflower and sweet pea – so next year I can grow without the extra help from packet mixes.

The summer looked like turning into autumn at the end of this week, but looking at the weather forecast it looks like we could be in for at least a few more days of lovely summer weather.

Only one concern for me, and probably many others, is the lack of rainfall. The ground is drying very quickly and I’m watering the plants almost every night – which is obviously working.

The visits from the birds have been rare this week, with only a fleeting glimpse of a female blackbird.

I’ve not seen any robins for at least a month and the blue tits and great tits must be among the birds having a great time in the surrounding countryside.

The swallows have been swarming most evenings, but I get the feeling that it’s mainly the young from this year and that most of the adults have headed off back to Africa.

The swallow is probably my favourite bird and I always get very excited by its arrival in spring/summer. It’s one of my favourite sights and sounds of nature and my heart always sinks when I know they’re heading south and I won’t see them for seven or eight months.

One day I’ll have a house with a barn or similar type building that will attract swallows and I can watch them more closely again, just like in my childhood. One day!