Autumn at Salhouse

​Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. There's something about an early morning on Salhouse Broad, gossamer nets of mist catching streams of the low sunlight, or the fiery colours of falling leaves spinning in a blustery wind. Mixed in with the days of grey drizzle are cool, clear nights of calm stillness. Although many species from the summer have left us to find warmer climates, we're instead joined by wintering wildfowl who have spent their own breeding seasons in Scandinavia, Siberia or Greenland. The Broads are an important area for these species, and it means it's always worth taking a walk down to Salhouse Broad even in the winter. Some of our native species are joined by migrants, for example starlings, which at this time of year form huge flocks known as murmurations. And although there's still abundant berries and nuts in the wild (this year has seen a particularly good crop of wild foods!) as the winter wears on smaller birds will rely more on garden feeders, so it's important to make sure these are cleaned and topped up regularly.

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