RSPB: Enjoying autumn's aerial ballet
As the days begin to shorten and the nights draw in, a breathtaking spectacle unfolds across the skies: the annual migration of many bird species.
While I’m sad to see the end of the summer, the new season brings with it such stunning natural sights as our feathered travellers embark on a long journey to reach their wintering grounds.
Among these travellers are Knots, which are beginning to return from their breeding grounds in the Artic. These dumpy, stocky wading birds, use their specialist bill to probe the mud for tasty morsels. Together, with other waders like Dunlin and Oystercatchers they will flock to our estuaries and mudflats in their thousands.
I’ll be keeping a keen ear out for the noisy trumpeting calls of the Whooper Swans, who will making the journey from Iceland. Watching them flying in their classic V formation is a beautiful sight in our skies and for me, signals the start of cosy jumper season.
They spend the autumn and winter in large flocks and if you visit Portmore Lough, you’ll maybe see them feeding on the grounds around the reserve before returning to roost on the lough at dusk.
The end of summer doesn’t mean the end of getting outside and enjoying nature. If anything, I welcome the new season for a chance to spot some of my favourite species back on our shores and in our skies.
September sees large flocks of Lapwing in flight, and a trip to Belfast Window on Wildlife is sure to offer the perfect opportunity to see them, along with Godwits, Curlew, Redshank and other waders as they come into feed. If you’re lucky you might spot a Kingfisher; we know a few visitors have spotted them recently around the water’s edge on the hunt for a lunchtime snack.
The reserve is gearing up for a busy autumn season, and the spectacular Halloween event is back for another year. A fun family day out filled with nature, pumpkin picking, Halloween crafts and spooky campfire stories. Make sure to get your tickets booked early before it sells out. www.rspb.org.uk/events