I'm sure a couple of days ago I was too hot out in the sun. I remember my beans and tomatoes gasping for moisture. Today, I'm trying to save them from drowning, as wave after wave of freak torrential rain lashes London.
If it were a degree or two warmer, I could be forgiven for thinking I was in India or some tropcal rainforest. The dry spring and then mild summer are said to have been great for spiders, but they must be one of the few species to be celebrating. Trees are dropping their leaves early, the garden was generally parched and now these heavy downpours. This can not be good for UK agriculture, or wildlife that will be looking for food to gorge upon ahead of the cold winter ahead.
The RSPB has been pushing hard to encourage people to grow food in gardens for wildlife, rather than rely on seeds or nuts in feeders. But right now, I can't help but worry that there won't be enough natural food, like seeds and berries, to give wildlife a big enough margin of error to come through any freezing spells without losses.
Hopefully the downpours haven't resulted in any flooding or hardship for people, but we have plenty of protection against the elements compared with birds and other wildlife.
Weather permitting, this is the final week of our Tate peregrine Date with Nature. The season culminates with the Thames Festival on Sunday, so don't miss the opportunity to see these regal birds through our FREE telescopes.