Autumnal wildlife at Packwood

Blue tit of the grape vine at Packwood — The perfect perch for our blue tits

As the nights draw in and the evenings get colder, the wildlife starts getting ready for winter. When you are walking around Packwood see if you can spot some of the wildlife we have on the estate.

Fantastic fungi

If you are planning on visiting our welly walk, see if you can see any fungi growing on the dead wood and trees. You can also find them growing in the lawns and in the dung of our sheep.

Have fun seeing what fungi you can spot. Just remember not to touch any of them as some fungi can be really toxic.

Flocking birds

Autumn is when many of our birds will flock and start migrating. Keep an eye out for parties of long-tailed tits and murmurations of starlings. Flocks of jackdaws, rooks and crows will be roosting in the woodland around Packwood and have a look for the V shaped formations of geese migrating.

Spiders webs

If you fancy a early morning autumnal walk you will really see how many spiders there are. In our woodlands you will see silk spun between trees, in our hedgerows and on the outside panes of the house windows, all beautifully outlined with the dew of the morning.

Dew on Spider's Web — Dew on a spider's web on a misty morning

Blackberrying

It is this time of year that our hedgerows will be full to the brim with blackberries. As well as being able to pick them yourselves to make some crumbles or jams, it is a brilliant opportunity to see the blackbirds and thrushes feasting on them.

A mother and daughter blackberry picking — Why not take the family foraging?

If you are really lucky you may be able to see voles, hedgehogs and squirrels eating any of the berries that grow on the bushes or that fall to the ground.