Is summer over?

[Holly]

We've had such a wet week here in the SE - it really feels as though summer is over now, and autumn is around the corner. Is it like this across the whole country?

Does anyone have a personal signal they watch out for when the seasons are changing? I listen for the first cuckoo at spring , but is there an equivalent for autumn?

I'm particularly interested in wildlife signs that signal changing seasons, so if you have any suggetions please let me know!

Thanks,
Holly


Your comments maybe edited and printed in November's GYO

[Plot10]

Almost every year there's a day I walk out in the morning and think "it's autumn". It can be the most beautiful sunny day but there's just something in the air that tells you it's not summer anymore.

I think it's something to do with the quality of the light, it suddenly seems clearer and the air seems fresher. Difficult to define really, it just seems to happen overnight.

It's often well into September but I've noticed it already this year.

[lettucegrow!]

Misty mornings and spiders web all dewy, that's the sign for Autumn. Love it, my favourite time of the year. Don't know why but there's something about the smell in the air in Autumn that I just love.

[Two_Sheds]

Spiders. I noticed lots of spiders coming in the house about 3 weeks ago, that's my sign. We've had daily rain since school broke up (and another max of 13c here today, it's the coldest August since my records began in 2004)

[Rabidbun]

Little toadstools all over the back lawn is what I usually look for, and the drop in night time temperatures. We've had both of those for two weeks now. The wasps have also gone dopey.

[Mrs Dobby]

Rowan berries, rosehips, heavy dew in the morning on spiders webs and soaking my feet when I take the dog out for a walk, a nip in the air at nights, pumpkins ripening are all signs for me that autumn is approaching, althugh I have to say its not until the first leaves start to turn golden that I feel that autumn has truly arrived!

[Nicos]

Mice- moving into the insulation of the house during the evenings..lovely!!

[northepaul]

Needing to wear my slippers!!
& Getting darker of an evening!

[becslb]

spiders coming into the house is one of the first signs for me... and just a general feeling in the air of autumn - hard to describe - it feels like autumn now and has done for about 3 weeks yet the trees havent started to change colour.. it just feels autumny!

[binley100]

I always used to think of September as spider month but this year they're moving in early ...........signed NOT HAPPY

[Suky]

That indefinable autumn smell to the air when you step outside early in the morning. Dew on the cobwebs.

[Two_Sheds]

I noticed leaves turning red y'day, and the foliage on my French beans is turning brown & falling off (without having produced beans first )

[selfraising]

High pressure is supposed to be moving in again so I'm not giving up hope. Typical as I'm starting back at work next week!

[northepaul]

My ornamental cherry's leaves are turning red, and the two apple trees over the back neighbour are going yellow too!!

[annacruachan]

Despite quite a few lovely sunny days the temperature is lower both night and day. I put gloves on to go for a walk yesterday! Also the squashes seem to have stopped growing. Just a week ago I was bringing in courgettes and squashes every morning - now I'm hunting for them! The blackberries are only just turning black here and the trees are still green. Very strange!