September is here!

By the meteorological calendar, the first day of autumn begins on 1 September and ends on 30 November. So  autumn is officially here. The weather may be sunny and warm at times, but nature is preparing for the hardships to come. Fruits and nuts are ripening, many animals are fattening up for migration or hibernation – some have gone already!

Birds

On the pools, the ducks will be starting to moult out of their eclipse plumage into their full breeding colours. This will make them much easier to identify. The first of the wintering species will also be starting to appear, though it will be a while before their numbers really build up.

Lookout for the first wigeon, shoveler and teal. There will be lots on the pools by December!

	Shoveler are named for their big scoop of a bill, but the males are most easily recognised by their white and chestnut sides.
	Wigeon are neat and dainty ducks; usually found in good numbers on the North Pools in mid-winter as well as out on the Saltmarsh.
	Teal are the smallest of our ducks and are also fond of the Saltmarsh. They also seem to prefer the cover and shallow water of the South Pool to the open spaces of the North Pool, so this can be the best place to see them well.

In the hedgerows our summer warblers are laying down fat reserves to fuel their long migration flights south. You can often see Whitethroats and Blackcaps feasting on elderberries or blackberries this month and look out for more unusual species moving through.

Two of the birds that will stay with us through the winter also sing throughout the winter months. The Robin has a slightly wistful, but pretty, winter tune that can often be heard on Wharf Lane. By contrast the Cetti’s Warbler has a strident and explosive, though abrupt song that erupts from the thickest scrub. Both birds can be heard now and in the months to come, though most other species have stopped singing.

Insects

Some types of butterfly will still be active and searching for nectar-rich flowers all through the autumn, provided that the weather stays mild for them. Some species of butterfly over-winter as eggs, pupae or even caterpillars, but Peacock and Red Admiral both over-winter as adult butterflies. Before they go into hibernation they must keep feeding up, so you will often see them gorging on the sweet juices of over-ripe blackberries or apples.

Dragonflies

We are approaching the end of this year’s dragonfly season and while the flying adult dragonflies will be dying off their larvae, or nymphs, are still very much alive in the ponds and rhynes. Though it is not too late to look out for Common Blue and Emerald Damselflies, Common and Ruddy Darters and Migrant Hawkers.

The two darters are not always easy to tell apart but you will often see them perched on the tip of a prominent twig or fencepost. From here they will dart out to catch flies before returning to the same perch – hence their name!

Migrant Hawkers are also often still abundant in September. In contrast to the darters, they spend a lot of their time flying backwards and forwards round a small circuit “hawking” for flies. Unlike most other dragonflies they are not territorial and can sometimes be seen in quite big groups, zig-zagging around a sheltered patch close to trees – Wharf Lane can be a good spot.

Some like this female Emperor will be depositing eggs on vegetation in the pools.

While photographing this Emperor a very scarce Lesser Emperor attacked it.  We had suspected that this rare vagrant, which has bred in the UK, was present at PWNR, but we had no photograph to confirm our suspicions. Our luck changed when we managed to capture a (not particularly good) image of a Lesser Emperor attacking the egg-laying Emperor.

Editor’s note: it looks like a rather good image to me!

In conclusion

September can be a lovely month, with lots of warm weather. So make the most of it when it’s fine and get out onto the reserve to see what our wildlife is up to. There’s plenty happening this month – just keep your eyes peeled and enjoy your walks – suitably distanced of course!

and don’t forget to try out our September spotting card:

You can pick them up from Portishead Library or on the nature reserve in the box by Wharf Lane parking or at the end of the Marina path.

PS Did you know that ink has been made from Marble Galls since 2,000 BC? The tannic acid in the gall when mixed with iron sulphate, water and gum Arabic makes a blue-black ink.