October’s Wild Highlights: What to spot this month in nature
With autumn now in full swing, there’s no better time to head outdoors and discover the local wildlife that’s right on your doorstep. Slightly colder weather does not deter the wildlife and transitioning nature, so there is plenty to keep an eye out for in October.
Images above: Conkers by Issy Lyons
Shiny, round, and a deep brown shade, conkers are a staple of an autumnal scene. Conkers are the seeds of the horse chestnut tree, which you can find across gardens, wooded areas, and green spaces. Conkers ripen in early autumn and fall to the ground which is great for children who are seeking a game of conkers. For those adults that use them as a spider repellent it’s prime time to get collecting too!
With spiders in mind, it is the season for these eight-legged insects to seek warmth and shelter, which is why you may notice more of them around your home and garden. They are not to be feared however, as they are fascinating creatures with amazing web-making skills. The garden spider will often by found in the middle of a beautifully intricate web, and in those colder mornings you will notice these webs frosted or dripping in morning dew.
Image1: Hedgehog on a night womble. Image 2 is curtesy of 1st Sandon Cubs group, who rescued this rogue hedgehog after it was caught in fencing. The hedgehog had a quick drink of water, before it scuttled away into the overgrowth.
A much-loved regular in our gardens and green spaces is the hedgehog. During October our spiky friends are gearing up for and beginning hibernation, they’ll be fattening up on insects, sifting through autumn’s fallen leaves for nesting material, and house hunting for winter. We can do our bit to help hedgehogs by keeping fallen leaves untouched, leaving out a shallow dish of water, and checking log piles before dismantling them or using them for a bonfire, as these spots could be home to a nestled hedgehog and its family.
From the ground to the sky! Many species of bird migrate to the UK in October and November to spend the winter here. The milder climate that we experience means birds fly to Britain for a better wintering ground. One species population which will swell in size, is that of the starling. These beautiful birds migrate from Eastern Europe and Russia, covering 1,250 miles in the process. As the visitors join our resident population, you will often observe flying in flocks, known as murmuration’s which are magnificent to see.
Article by: Issy Lyons (Marketing Officer, Events and Corporate)
As always, we would love to see and hear about your autumnal nature sightings. From insects, to migrating birds, we want to know about it all and you can do this via our wildlife sighting page here.
