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As we head deeper into autumn, the natural spectacle that is migration really gets going. We'll be visited by thousands of birds looking to take advantage of our winter weather. There will be fieldfares , redwings , knots , maybe also some waxwings , as well as plenty of geese . I love the...

You can see some beautiful autumn colours if you head outdoors this weekend. Why not pick up some colourful fallen leaves and get arty with them? Here are some ideas to get those creative juices flowing. Take a look at Owen Mortensen's work for some inspiration. He creates fantastic shapes and...

Autumn's here which means apples, berries, pears – and some rather drunk animals. Here we look at the wildlife that benefits from this season's fruit crop. The hedgerows are bursting with berries now, providing food for both people and animals. Blackberries give energy to animals such...

I'm always sorry to see summer coming to an end (it never seems to last long enough!), but this photo, by Edwin Kats, reminded me just how much we have to look forward to about autumn. Aren't the colours wonderful? You'll find this photo , as well as lots more beautiful, autumnal...

It might seem a bit early to be telling you to look out for fungus, but I've certainly already noticed quite a few mushrooms and toadstools while out and about around The Lodge this week. And as flowers start to wilt away, and trees think about dropping their leaves, fungi bring a splash of welcome...

The sun is shining, daffodils are starting to poke their yellow heads above the earth, and days are lengthening. This can surely only mean one thing - spring is sprung! So this weekend, hunt for signs of spring. It could be as simple as enjoying snowdrops in your garden, or visiting one our our...

'The summer-flower has run to seed, And yellow is the woodland bough; And every leaf of bush and weed Is tipt with autumn's pencil now. And I do love the varied hue, And I do love the browning plain; And I do love each scene to view, That's mark'd with beauties of her reign.' ...

We all know that birds and windows aren't a very good combination. Though here at The Lodge we've got stickers on our office windows to break up the reflections from outdoors, it's not uncommon for us to hear a thud as a bird - usually a chaffinch - crashes into a pane. Usually they...

Crunchy leaves. Weird toadstools. Wild geese in the skies... are you enjoying autumn? I am! And you won't miss out if you try some of my top 10 ideas for things to do this season... Acorn eaters For most of the year, jays are shy. You might hear a harsh squawk or see a pink bird flying away...

It felt, and smelt, like autumn as I walked to the bus stop this morning. The sky was a beautiful bright blue, but there was a chill in the wind that had swung overnight to the north-east. I’d been optimistic choosing a T-shirt, but I’m loathe to put on an extra layer until I really have...

Coming into work this morning, I noticed a lone swallow perched on a wire by the side of the road. Although fairly impossible to tell what mood a bird is in, he looked a little lost and forlorn, and I imagined him sitting on the wire, wondering where all his mates had gone. I didn't have time...

Sometimes, it feels like my neighbours get all the best things on their side of the garden boundary. Sparrowhawks sitting on the fence, preening for hours. A young brown hare taking refuge from pouring rain, under their plastic garden furniture. Green woodpeckers drilling into their turf for ants. Song...

So our brief summer has been and gone (yes, sorry guys, that was it) and it's edging ever closer to that dreaded page in your diary that says 'British Summer Time Ends'. Great! But it's not all doom and gloo m... Autumn is without a doubt my favourite time of year. Along with the change...

There was a delicate, apricot light as we arrived at Gibraltar Point, where Lincolnshire dips its toes into The Wash. There was a wisp of mist hanging over the dunes but the sun saw through it and lit the saltmarsh from the east. We explored the dunes, watching for signs of life. It was early morning...

As I look out of the office window, there's a constant stream of birds, especially coal tits , visiting the webcam bird feeder here at The Lodge . Where have they come from and what are they doing? It's been noticeable for the past two weeks. Are the birds migrants, newly-arrived here and...

You know it's autumn when blackberries gleam in the hedgerows. What better symbol is there of harvest and times of plenty in the countryside? Around The Lodge , blackberries are eagerly awaited by creatures of all shapes and sizes... Birds are perhaps the most obvious consumers of brambles. Thrushes...

Walking around The Lodge at lunchtime, there was a rustle and then the sound of powerfully whirring wings. A fat, brown bird flew from the crispy leaves in the sweet chestnut woodland and away up the hill from us. It made me jump! For a split second, I thought, 'what on earth was that?' but then...