FINALLY, after some delay and a 'false' autumn earlier, real autumn is now showing off its true colours, the traditional myriad 'tints' of yellow, red, bronze and tan and what a magnificent sight it is, so let's immerse ourselves in a mindfulness moment and revel in those colours before winter sets in.

Nature Notes: The bountiful oak

In this unseasonably warm, rather topsy-turvy season, with some flora and fauna out of sync, bumble and honey bees continue to forage while wasps swarm over the ivy flowers. I even saw a holly blue butterfly on October 23. Normally their flight period has ended by mid-September so that sighting is almost unheard off.

Migrant hawker, ruddy and common darter dragonflies (pictured) were common in October and if the weather remains favourable they will fly well into November.

Nature Notes: Welcoming our winter birds

Apparently the berry crop in Scandinavia is very low this autumn so hopefully redwings and fieldfares will shortly arrive in large numbers to partake of our excellent berry crop. We may even see the beautiful waxwings from northern Europe fly in because their staple diet is also berries.

I always think that winter begins about the second week in November so it will be interesting to see if that happens this year.