Public observations suggest seasonal delay on the cards
The Woodland Trust’s Nature’s Calendar survey predicted that this year’s late spring following the coldest winter for 30 years would have a knock on effect in delaying autumn timings.
Early indications through July and August seemed to show this.
For example fruiting in bramble. Last year by 10th August we had over 1000 observations across the UK, but in 2010 by the same date we only had 81 records, all biased towards the south, no further north than Leeds.
However, Nature’s Calendar seems to be more complex in autumn than in spring and driven not just by temperature but a range of factors, including rainfall, which varied between extremes from month to month.
Indeed, it may be that day-to-day changes in the weather, e.g. early frosts or high wind, have a disproportionate impact on the timing of many autumn events.
In the last few weeks bramble fruiting and fruiting in rowan trees appears to have caught up and it is likely that the final average date for these events will in fact be very similar to that seen for the last 5 years.
What is apparent this year is that there is wide local variation in sightings, so you can help us by keeping a close eye on what is happening in your area.
Late colours:
Keats' "Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness" should begin on September 1 according to Victorian meteorologists, but today’s leaves are not developing their golden autumnal hues until the end of the month.
This year for recordings of beech first leaf tinting (generally the first species to tint) Nature’s Calendar has received only 28 records so far this year compared to 130 at the same time last year, although we won’t expect to see trees in full tint until late September or early October.
And generally oak leaves are not now falling until the end of October, a week later than 30 years ago.
In some milder parts of the UK people are reporting that their grass is growing all year round, and conditions permitting, that there is no let up from mowing the lawn.
How you can help:
Record signs of autumn on Nature's Calendar
Take a look at the latest trends