Autumn

SPRING          SUMMER          AUTUMN          WINTER

AUTUMN

Red Squirrel with a conker in its mouth
Red Squirrel with a conker in its mouth

Red Squirrel, Brownsea Island.

Sika deer nosing through the leaf litter
Sika deer nosing through the leaf litter

Sika Deer searching for food amongst the leaf litter on Brownsea Island.

As much as I love this photo, it's also worth knowing that the deer were introduced to the island in 1896 and have since colonised other parts of Dorset (some swam across Poole Harbour). Sadly, numbers have increased so much they now threaten other wildlife habitats.

Family walking down along woodland path in autumn
Family walking down along woodland path in autumn
Wood Mouse amongst the autumn leaf litter
Wood Mouse amongst the autumn leaf litter

Wood Mouse (Long-Tailed Field Mouse).

I was walking very slowly looking for fungi one autumn day when I saw this gorgeous little Wood Mouse. It scurried right past my foot, within inches of me, busily searching for food amongst the leaf litter. I was totally enraptured! I got down really low to get as close to eye level with it as I could.

Woodland swing and a path covered with leaf litter
Woodland swing and a path covered with leaf litter
Roman road in autumn with path covered leaves, Halnaker
Roman road in autumn with path covered leaves, Halnaker

Halnaker Roman Road

Small orange coloured fungi growing out of wood
Small orange coloured fungi growing out of wood
Small orange coloured fungus growing out of leaf litter
Swans swimming on river with beams of sunlight shining through the trees
Small orange coloured fungus growing out of leaf litter
Swans swimming on river with beams of sunlight shining through the trees

Swanning Around at First Light

Silhouette of a Fallow Deer stag underneath a tree
Silhouette of a Fallow Deer stag underneath a tree

Fallow Deer stag at dawn, Petworth Park.

Silhouette of Red Deer stag in misty golden light
Silhouette of Red Deer stag in misty golden light

The Golden Hour.

I was busy photographing the Red Deer at Bushy Park with the morning light shining on them and turned around to look towards the sunrise just in time to capture this moment. You can see why it's often referred to as the 'golden hour'! This is one of my favourite deer photos.

Red Deer stag close up amongst ferns with mouth agape
Red Deer stag close up amongst ferns with mouth agape
Female Roe Deer in a beech woodland
Female Roe Deer in a beech woodland

Morning Amble Through Eartham Wood.

Sometimes it's worth going for a walk alone, or in silence. I notice so much more this way, walking at a much slower speed than usual. You're less likely to scare off the local wildlife and sometimes, if you're lucky, you get wonderful moments like this. We looked at each other for a few seconds. Slowly I raised up the camera to my eye and only had time to snap two shots (wide angle lens) before the female roe turned and walked away. It was extra special for me because it happened the day before we went into a national lockdown.

Fallow Deer bucks rutting at Petworth Park
Fallow Deer bucks rutting at Petworth Park

Not Seeing Eye to Eye.

Observing the annual deer rut in the autumn is a wonderful wildlife experience. These two Fallow Deer bucks couldn't see each other when they went head to head, as they dipped their head and crashed into each other with their antlers. Each one was trying to ascert dominance over the other.

Red leaves on tree in autumn
Red leaves on tree in autumn
Fallow Deer doe underneath tree in autumn
Fallow Deer doe underneath tree in autumn

Female Fallow Deer (Doe)

Red Deer doe partially hidden by ferns
Red Deer doe partially hidden by ferns

Female Red Deer (Hind).

Couple holding hands walking on path in autumn
Couple holding hands walking on path in autumn
Empty American country road in autumn
Empty American country road in autumn
Fall apple amongst the leaf litter in autumn
Tiny white parasol fungi on autumn leaf litter
Fall apple amongst the leaf litter in autumn
Tiny white parasol fungi on autumn leaf litter

Teeny Weeny Bonnet.

I'm not very good at identifying the different species of fungi as there are so many. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colours. It's easy to miss the really tiny ones!

Red Fly Agaris mushroom fungus with spores
Red Fly Agaris mushroom fungus with spores

Fly Agaric.

It's probably the most iconic toadstool species of fungus, a very easily recognisable mushroom...and poisonous.

Autumn leaves on ground in beech woodland
Autumn leaves on ground in beech woodland

Welcome To The Beech.

I've included this photo because I love the way the sun really lights up the smooth trunk of the Beech Trees. The warm colours of autumn really are so inviting. It's such a simple photo, but when I look at it I'm immediately transported back to the walk. The simplest things really can give the greatest pleasure.

Autumn path through the golden canopy, Burton Mill Pond Woods
Autumn path through the golden canopy, Burton Mill Pond Woods
Grey Squirrel eating nut on the ground in autumn
Grey Squirrel eating nut on the ground in autumn

A Grey Squirrel looking slightly red in the sun.

Grey Squirrel with seed pods in mouth leaping across grass
Grey Squirrel with seed pods in mouth leaping across grass

The Leap

Two green heart shaped leaves with yellow ones
Two green heart shaped leaves with yellow ones

Two Hearts

Gravestone silhouetted in late afternoon light in autumn
Gravestone silhouetted in late afternoon light in autumn

The Fallen

White Stork in top of Oak Tree in autumn with nest at Knepp Estate
White Stork in top of Oak Tree in autumn with nest at Knepp Estate

White Stork and Empty Nest

Barn Owl flying at sundown with prey in its talons
Barn Owl flying at sundown with prey in its talons

Dinner Time

Silhouette of bare trees on hill in autumn against orange glow of sunset
Silhouette of bare trees on hill in autumn against orange glow of sunset
Share by: