By Jeni Bell
Source: Andy Holmes via Unsplash
It often feels as though Autumn appears overnight; one day the summer has full grip of the land and the next Autumn has stolen in with a sharp breeze and a new colour palette.
That’s not the case though.
Autumn approaches slowly, stealthily making changes that we don’t always notice until the season is in full swing. She creeps in quietly through the hedgerows and gently mellowing the sun’s strong rays leaves little signs for us; a suggestion of what is to come in the changing days ahead.
It’s in this space between seasons when the weather is still relatively settled (relatively being the key word – it is the UK after all) and the days, though growing shorter, are still warm it is worth going for a walk. A slow walk. A mindful walk. A gentle walk along country lanes, or through a local park or green space. One in which your phone is on silent and your eyes and ears are open to your surroundings because this is when you are most likely to witness Autumns approach.
The best place to look for signs of the season are the hedgerows.
It’s here that the birds, hushed by the heat of summer and hordes of hungry mouths, begin to sing again. From the glossy blackbird to the skulking dunnock, the tiny wren to the proud robin red breast, they all provide the soundtrack to the season.
Of course, there is a reason they flock to the hedgerows, another of Autumn’s calling cards, in fact, it’s probably her best known one. An encroaching Autumn adorns the trees, scrub, brambles and bushes with fruit. Hanging jewels that provide sustenance to not just birds but us as well – it’s rare to walk in the autumn and not come back with fingertips stained purple from the plump blackberries that hang ripe for the picking.
Dark coloured elderberries hang delicately next to the bright red of rose hips and haws that hang next to the still green leaves of hawthorn trees. Sloes dangle like tiny, inky storm clouds from the sharp blackthorn. Overhead squirrels launch themselves through branches to get at the cobnuts the hazel has to offer, desperate to snatch them up for themselves before the mice do.
Source: Piotr Łaskawski via Unsplash
Beyond the hedgerow in the old oak’s jays squawk and scuffle over acorn prizes, keen to cache them away for the colder end of the year. In fact, most animals are busy making the most of nature’s well stocked larder. Some will also be beginning to think about preparing themselves for nestling down for the winter, hedgehogs will search for hibernation spots, badgers will clean their setts and later in the season bats will seek out roosts – these usually come much later in the season. It won’t be long now before skeins of geese start to paint arrows across the sky as they escape the clutches of colder climes.
Although autumnal signs can be found in more than just the bountiful fruits and the business of animals, other more subtler changes occur as the seasons shift.
On morning walks, laced with a freshness that makes you reach for an extra layer, you may see spiderwebs adorned by dew drops sparkling in the sun. Those summer scents of cut grass, sea-salt and strawberries are swapped out for richer aromas; earthy moss and the smell of woodsmoke that lingers in the distance.
If you walk in the evenings, as the nights darken earlier you may well hear the tell-tale calls of tawny owls as they defend their territories from newcomers.
A walk in the last of the summer days will soon show you that there is nothing sudden about Autumn. She is a subtle season that long starts her shift long before the leaves change colour and the nights really draw in.
This is the time to get out and notice this contrast between seasons, to walk mindfully and watch for Autumn’s approach.
Source: David Kovalenko via Unsplash
Jeni’s favourite charity:
One of my favourite wildlife charities is The Badger Trust. They do such an amazing job at raising awareness of the many issues our badgers face and acting as a strong voice for them. By encouraging vaccinations instead of culling and helping to train police officers in the signs of wildlife crimes they work so hard to protect our UK badgers.
Find more from Jeni on her website, Seeking Wild Sights.
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