It's wet, my swifts have gone and the plants I'd been growing to support my garden birds through winter have been gobbled up by squirrels. Welcome back after the summer break.
I went to France and the thing that stood out for me was the sheer number of birds and insects on mainland Europe. Each day I'd see more sparrows on my Brittany break than I can see in a fortnight in London. Birds of prey were everywhere and there were far more insects than I see back in my urban "hood".
OK, it's not a fair comparison; and just the opinion of a bloke on his hols! But, it brought back memories of my childhood, which was packed full of insects, sparrows and more wildlife than I see now. Is it failing eyesight or do I have real grounds to panic?
So, it is with some excitement that we enter our final week outside the Tate Modern, where I can feast my senses and fill my "well-being" cup to the brim by watching the peregrine falcons on the chimney. We'll be packing away our kit for the final time this year on Sunday 14 September. This weekend also sees the annual Thames Festival when the South Bank is transformed into a free Smörgåsbord of art, culture, food, music and much, much more. Do come and visit.
By Monday 15th, We'll have moved on but not gone away and our next wildlife spectacular will be at nearby Coin Street. There's a small colony of house sparrows there and these tiny birds are the subject of a series of studies trying to understand why their numbers have been dwindling for the past couple of decades. Find us near Gabriels Wharf, just look out for the RSPB flags and signs. More details will follow in future postings.
London gardeners may also have noticed a decline in other species over the past couple of weeks. We're in that season where our garden birds fly further afield to stuff themselves in preparation for winter. Migrating species are also on the move.
One migrant, carried further North than intended, has spent the last wet and windy week at our Rainham Marsh reserve. A rare aquatic warbler was spotted in some of the reeds there. These birds migrate west from Russia and eastern Europe then, normally,dive southwards when they reach Normandy and Brittany, bound for Senegal.
Aquatic warblers are one of Europe’s most threatened migratory songbirds. Its population is declining and numbers less than 20,000. It's tiny, shorter than a biro and weighing just a bit more than a pound coin, but still manages to fly all that way and return each year. Amazing. A lot of effort's gone in to enhancing Rainham's environment and the aquatic warbler is just one of many species that it supports. They've an open day coming up, so do go and visit.