There is naturally a degree of sadness associated with the onset of autumn.

Spring is long gone and summer fades away although September days so far have been dry and often sunny, delaying the arrival of autumn proper.

But, swifts have flown south and very soon swallows and martins will follow them to Africa. Conkers litter the ground below their parent horse chestnuts; London plane trees are among the first to shed leaves; others are turning to russet and gold but oaks are the last to lose their foliage.

Plump ripe blackberris are plentiful and speckled wood butterflies, abundant this autumn, love to feed on overipe mushy ones.

Most drake mallard and mandarin ducks are now fully clothed in fresh plumage and are busy attracting mates. Birds are showing off bright winter colours and mixed flocks of thirty or more blue, great, coal and long tailed tits flit rapidly and noisily from tree to tree taking advantage of many pairs of eyes to seek food and watch for predators.

As wasp nests die off, redundant workers with no chores left briefly enjoy themselves barging in on barbeques and pilfering our picnics to sample the sweet things in life.

A few grasshoppers still stridulate on warm days and delicate bright green oak bush crickets fly indoors to walk on our ceilings.

I always feel there are compensations as we prepare for darker days. Winter visiting birds flock in while gulls re-populate lakes and rivers. As flowers fade, for me, an autumnal highlight is the Michaelmas daisy (pictured) attracting hordes of honey and bumble bees and hoverflies while sunny days remain.