Winter Thrushes
As we well and truly enter autumn, our resident thrushes from the common garden Blackbird to the woodland Song Thrush are joined by their relatives from further afield. Redwing and Fieldfare make the journey from Scandinavia and Siberia to the British Isles to escape the harsher winters and feed up on berries such as Rowan, Hawthorn and Holly.
Redwings in particular are known to continue their migration through the night and on calm, quiet nights in the autumn you can hear them passing overhead with their frequent and distinctive high-pitched flight calls. It is said that the alternate name 'windthrush' was given to these birds due to the observation that they appeared to be blown in off the North Sea by the autumn winds, though other sources state the name actually originates as a corruption of the German 'weingaerdsvogel' or 'vineyard bird'.
Fieldfares are the largest of the thrushes that can be found in Britain, often arriving in tandem with Redwings, later going on to form mixed flocks as they winter here. Their name means 'traveller of the fields' and old folklore states that the earlier Fieldfares are seen in the autumn, the harsher the winter will be. This may hold some truth, as in years where the Scandinavian berry crop is particularly poor, often due to sudden cold snaps or other adverse weather conditions, greater numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing will arrive as they seek out better foraging grounds.
Redwing: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Mushrooms and Other Fungi
The cooler and wetter conditions at this time of year create the perfect environment for a whole variety of mushrooms and other fungi. The term fungi encompasses not only what we refer to as mushrooms but also yeasts and moulds. Mushrooms are only one part of the organism - the fruiting body - while the rest spreads underground in a mass of thread-like filaments known as mycelium. The underground network of fungi that goes unseen to us is vital to the health of our forests with many fungi working in tandem with trees via their roots to share nutrients and information in a close symbiotic relationship.
Fungi come in a variety of weird and wonderful forms and colours. Some of the most colourful fungi can be found right here at Lochwinnoch including the unmistakable, bright purple, Amethyst Deceiver which grows on the woodland floor, or the brilliant red Scarlet Elfcup which can be found upon rotting twigs and branches. Another unusual-looking but widespread species you can find is Candlesnuff Fungus which produces finger-like projections on mossy wood and has some fascinating properties; containing not only antiviral and anti-cancer compounds but also producing a faint bioluminescence!
Candlesnuff: Image by Ian Lindsay from Pixabay
Autumn Colours
Reds and golds, oranges and browns, all these colours are synonymous with the autumn season and now is just the right time to see the leaves changing. The summer conditions can be a good indicator of how bright the autumn display will be with dry, hot summers causing stress to the trees which results in them dropping their leaves suddenly in the early autumn without much of a colour change. This year however, the wetter, cooler summer season could result in more prolonged and intense autumnal colours proving there’s always a silver lining to every situation!
Autumn leaves: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
With so much to look forward to this autumn a woodland walk at Lochwinnoch can’t go wrong!
Written by Lauren McLean - Volunteer