Autumn

As the days get shorter and cooler the season changes from Summer to Autumn. In the UK autumn is generally regarded as the months of September, October and November. In the US it’s more commonly referred to as fall.

Autumn Collage
Autumn Nature Walk
Bonfire Collage
Chocolate Sparklers
Glittery Fireworks Pictures
Squirrel Pictures

Lots of things happen in the autumn, some of it in preparation for the winter arriving.

Weather

The weather Is generally colder than summer, and warmer than winter. There can be more mist around and it’s also when the first ground frost might occur, depending on where in the country you are.

Animals

Autumn is a time for animals to prepare for the winter ahead. Hedgehogs collect up fallen leaves and grasses to build themselves a nest for hibernating.

Squirrels collect up fallen nuts and store them ready to eat over the winter.

Some animals such as horses and dogs grow thicker fur to keep them warm over the winter.

Birds such as swallows, arctic terns, herons and others migrate to warmer places for the winter.

Plants

Some plants die after dropping their seeds, others just look dead like the bare branched trees, but their roots are still alive underground ready for the tree to bud again in the spring.

The leaves of deciduous trees, like oak and sycamore change colour from green, to various shades of orange, red, yellow and brown, and they then fall off the trees. It is also when you will find alot of the fruit and seeds of the trees around, such as the horse chestnut, often known as a conker, and acorns from the oak tree.

Harvest

Autumn is a time for the farmers to harvest their crops, At this time of year hay for the animals, potatoes, apples and pumpkins are in abundance.
Also blackberries are becoming ripe in the hedgerows.
In the UK there are harvest festival celebrations in schools and churches normally in September time as thanks for a successful harvest and the US has a particular date to do the same at thanksgiving, the date varies each year but it is always on the fourth Thursday in November.

Celebrations

As well as the harvest festival/thanksgiving there are a couple of other memorable dates for Autumn..

22/23 September is Autumn Equinox

31st October is Halloween

5th November is bonfire night

Divali also falls in Autumn too, usually in October or November