Autumn will be a little late this year…

AUTUMN is arriving in the Warrington area – but it’s late.
This is the message from the Woodland Trust, who have a number of woods in the local area.
Temperatures are still hitting 20 degrees for many people and there are signs all over the country that autumn is late.
Redwings have been spotted arriving in the country, but not as soon as usual
Conkers are late ripening and falling, ivy is flowering later and there have been only six recordings of full autumn tints so far on the leaves of the horse chestnut tree compared with 38 this time last year.
There have been only 51 leaf falls recorded so far this year, compared to 161 last year -and just half the number of records of ivy flowering.
But the Woodland Trust says this doesn’t mean people won’t see autumn in its full glory.
A spokesperson said:: “Although all indications point to the heat wave slowing the onset of autumn, as temperatures get chillier the full beauty of autumn should be on display – just a few weeks late!
“It’s very important though that people do tell us about what they see happening with local flora and fauna. By recording seasonal changes with our Nature’s Calendar project, we can assess how nature is coping with our rapidly changing climate – and inform wider studies.”
Through its Nature’s Calendar project the Woodland Trust relies on the public recording signs of nature. Record nature here: https://naturescalendar.woodlandtrust.org.uk/
The data helps the charity understand how nature is affected by weather and climate change.
Locall, Lumb Brook Valley in Appleton is a good place to observe autumn’s arrival, says the Trust.
“You get four woods for the price of one at Lumb Brook Valley as it is in reality a collection of interconnected but distinctive woodland sites.
“Fords Rough contains an area of ancient woodland while, in the valley, you will discover a diverse range of shrubs and flowers.
“The Dingle is a large wooded valley offering a variety of broadleaves and conifers, with a well used footpath meandering through sparse ground vegetation. By contrast, Long Wood has many maturing oaks with dense layers of rhododendron beneath.”