Autumn on the Ightham Mote estate

Birds

Autumn is the perfect time to birdwatch at Ightham Mote as the leaves begin to come off the trees; an opportunity to spot goldfinch, great spotted woodpeckers, nuthatches, blue tits, great tits, blackbirds and thrushes.

Wildlife

With hedgerows and trees in early autumn full of wild fruits,nuts and seeds, many of our resident wildlife and birds will take advantage of this wild harvest to build up their reserves for migration or hibernation.

Trees, hedgerows and fungi

Our estate trees and hedgerows take on an autumn glow, especially our beeches and field maples. An abundance of blackberries, crab apples, hawthorn cherries and blackthorn provide a larder for wildlife and resident birds. Varieties of often intricate and beautiful fungi can be found in our woodland areas, but also on dead logs and at the edge of paths.

Ranger activity

From September our rangers are actively surveying trees for safety. The team and their volunteers are busy with woodland work, such as coppicing. Some of the dead wood cut away from trees is left as habitats for wildlife, such as dead wood invertebrates. Autumn and winter are our rangers' busiest times.