Is autumn getting later?
Late colours
Keats' 'Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness' should begin on September 1 according to Victorian meteorologists but today leaves are not developing their golden autumnal hues until the end of the month.
Oak leaves are generally not now falling until the end of October, a week later than 30 years ago. In some milder parts of the UK people are reporting that their grass is growing all year round, and conditions permitting, that there is no let up from mowing the lawn.
Reluctant migrants
Migrant birds such as tree pipits, reed warblers and swallows, which fly off to warmer climes are enjoying the balmy autumn weather and delaying their departure from the UK. Some, such as blackcap and chiffchaff are remaining all winter through because of the very mild temperatures.
Swifts show a unique adaptation to problems of cold spells during the breeding season. The young nestlings can go into a state of torpor, slowing their metabolism right down, during cold spells and when food is scarce.
When the weather improves they resume normal growth. This results in fledging from the nest being delayed in cold summers. So late departure of swifts tends to be a response to that summer’s poor weather, rather than as a response to a delayed autumn. In a normal year the young will leave the nest at the end of July/ early August and migrate soon after. In cool years swifts can often still be seen in September.
Early signs of spring
Winter, when it does arrive, is becoming shorter and increasingly frost-free. Candlemas bells will no longer be an appropriate colloquial name for snowdrops. Rather than flowering around this festival on 2 February, they have been seen as early as November. The cheerful yellow heads of lesser celandines are appearing in December, accompanied by the singing of the song thrush. Click here to view our live maps to see what is happening.
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