SKYLARK SUE’S REFLECTIONS OF NATURE 

 October 2013

 Brown October brings the pheasant,
Then to gather nuts is pleasant

 

Dunnock

I’m not sure why October is designated as ‘brown’, certainly, this year it was still very green, with just hints of autumn tints.

Scruffy Blackbird

 In contrast to the previous day, which had been warm and sunny, October 1^st proved to be chilly, due to the wind. The sparrows were still enjoying the birdbath, however, while a dunnock patiently waited its turn. The next day was slightly warmer, and we had the usual garden birds, including sparrows, starlings, dunnock and the same scruffy blackbird from last month's blog, which seemed to be moulting around its neck and head. The mildness continued, and there were collared doves on the feeders on the 5^th October. I also saw robin, dunnock, blue and great tits.

 

 

 

On October 5^th I went to the British Wildlife Centre at Lingfield, Surrey, and as well as the creatures in the enclosures, such as otters, red squirrels, deer, stoats, foxes etc, a walk around the wetlands area, on the boardwalk, was quite productive as I saw many dragonflies still around. They seem to be hanging on really late this year, presumably because not only is the weather so mild, but summer started later – it was July before it really kicked in.

 

A Buzzard was circling overhead

Roe Deer at the BWC

There were several herons perched in the trees and a buzzard circled overhead. There were plenty of fungi around, too. It’s always interesting to watch the red squirrels in their enclosure, because many birds come to share their food; there are usually chaffinches and great tits around the feeders or on the ground below. Sometimes the tits boldly enter the feeders to take the peanuts, braving the squirrels’ wrath. It was really warm and sunny.

 

The warm sunshine continued, and on the 8^th, I went to Hatfield Forest, near Bishop’s Stortford. This Natural Trust owned land is a regular haunt of mine, as readers of my previous blogs will know. Amongst the birds spotted were jackdaws, green woodpecker, jay, buzzard, blue tit, goldfinches, coots, gulls, moorhens, mallards, greylag geese and Canada geese. There were also squirrels, butterflies and dragonflies. There was an excellent crop of berries, presumably because of the wet spring and later warm weather – blackberries, honeysuckle, elder, hips, haws, mistletoe and many others.

Canada geese

So many berries - these are Elder

Glorious rich colours of a conker

 

 

Grey wagtail by the tigers' pool

October 12^th – surprisingly, there are still ripe strawberries in the garden. Apparently there is a large influx of redwings this year, and the first waxwings have arrived. The following day we travelled to Hampshire for a couple of days. It poured with rain, and we noticed a green woodpecker searching for worms in the wet grass at Winchester service station.  The following day, we crossed to the Isle of Wight. A visit to the Zoo there produced a sighting of a fearless grey wagtail around the pool in a tiger enclosure, and we watched him for several minutes. As usual, the tigers, lions and other animals looked happy and healthy. We were intrigued by a cloud in the shape of a long-beaked bird - a cormorant maybe? – as we crossed back to Lymington on the ferry, and later there was a spectacular sunset.

 

The cloud was shaped like a cormorant or pelican!

 

Morning dew sparkles in the sunshine

The 15^th October proved beautiful. The grass was covered with such a heavy dew that it resembled frost, and shafts of sun filtered through the trees making the dew sparkle. There was some swirling mist, too; it was quite ethereal. As we drove through part of the New Forest we noticed an enormous, scarlet fly agaric toadstool by the side of the road. It must have been as large as a tea plate.  After parking at the Canadian Memorial, we walked through the Forestry Commission land, and there were dozens of different types of fungi in the grass along the edges of the track.

 

We could see the Red deer through the trees

Veering off onto one of the side tracks, we looked through the trees across the valley, and spotted a herd of red deer. We were able to watch them for several minutes before the stag roared and raced off towards another herd which we could see some distance away in the shelter of the forest. Then we went along to Bolderwood, and stood on the viewing platform there. We didn’t expect to see any deer, as they had stopped being fed, but luckily there were a few fallow deer in the shelter of the trees across the grassland.

Fallow deer at Bolderwood

 Later, we went to Millyford Bridge, where mossy trees flourish and where a fallen tree lies near the stream. The fallen tree was covered with fungi and lichen, as was much of the area. There were several fly agarics too, as well as a variety of other toadstools. It is a very picturesque place, very beautiful.

 

 

That evening, a trip to Mudeford Quay was rewarded by the sight of swans swimming in the estuary, illuminated by the rays of the setting sun. It was a tranquil, peaceful scene and we watched until the, almost full, moon rose above the trees. I always think that the Hampshire/Dorset region is one of the most beautiful areas of Britain – it is soft countryside. No dramatic mountains, just stretches of forest, moorland, estuaries and shore.

 

On October 20^th I had a very good sighting of a red kite from the car, between Harpenden and Luton. The trees have stayed green much longer this year, but by the 22^nd I noticed that many have turned yellow and gold, although the oaks are still green. The 24^th was sunny and mild, and the house sparrows were sunbathing on the pyrancantha in the garden. Wood pigeons were in the oak tree across the road. There was a ripe alpine strawberry in one of the garden tubs. October 25^th started out damp and grey, then brightened up and there was quite a bit on sunshine. Later it became overcast. There was a beautiful great tit on the feeder – the great tits seem to have really deep black heads this year. Several sparrows about, too.

 

On the night of 27^th/28^th October, a fierce storm swept through much of Britain. We were relatively unscathed in out part of Essex, but there was much damage elsewhere, especially tree loss. Apparently there were over a hundred fallen trees blocking railway lines, and Kew Gardens lost many mature trees. Trees were blown down along many roads, and Hatfield Forest suffered losses too. They had to close for several days whilst the rangers went round to check that trees were safe and had no fallen or had loose and unsafe branches. They also had to clear those trees that had plummeted to the ground.

On October 31^st there were three collared doves on a tree near the front of the house. Such beautiful sleek-looking birds.  And so October ends, an unseasonably warm month – a proper Indian summer – but with a sting in its tail in the shape of a hurricane force winds.