Autumn is making its presence felt as the days grow shorter and trees begin to provide a dazzling display of red and gold; it’s a perfect time to get outdoors and see the changes in nature. Here are some of the things to look out for when you’re out and about in the countryside or your local park this month.
Deciduous trees losing their leaves
Trees lose their leaves to save energy Before the leaves fall, the shorter, darker days mean they produce less chlorophyll, which gives leaves their green colour. Other pigments then begin to show, producing shades of yellow and red. The trees release hormones that cut off the leaves from the tree, causing them to fall.
Shaggy Ink-cap Fungus
The Shaggy Ink-cap fungus is identified by its distinctive bell shape. The fungus gets its name because, as it decays, the cap gradually dissolves into black ink, which was once used as a cheap substitute for Indian ink.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are ripening on wild hazel trees, providing food for many small mammals. Cultivated varieties of hazelnut are known as cob nuts. Cob nuts have a longer husk than their wild cousins and the nut itself is more oblong in shape.
Greenfinches
Look out for flocks of greenfinch nesting in colonies. Greenfinches eat a diet of seeds, nuts and berries. Traditionally a common farmland bird, they can now be seen in urban parks and gardens, taking advantage of bird feeders.
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