Your wild autumn

The best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it in Suffolk.

From ancient woodlands to wetlands to heaths, our nature reserves provide roosts and foraging grounds for several species of bats.

AUTUMN SPECTACLE

Step outside for bats

Autumn evenings are alive with activity as nocturnal creatures awaken for a night of feasting and foraging. Silently, secretly, bats take centre stage, tumbling from their roosts before darting into the darkness. There are 17 species of bat that breed in the UK, 13 of which have been recorded in Suffolk. Most widespread are the tiny pipistrelles, common and soprano, which zigzag through the air, hoovering up around 3,000 insects every night. In contrast, noctule bats appear like giants as they patrol the skyscape in firm, straight lines. It can be hard to identify bats, so watch for their behaviour, flight pattern and size. Even better, using a bat detector will help you recognise them through echolocation, whilst a guided walk or event can offer expert help. Exploring different habitats, like town parks, vast wetlands or ancient woodlands will produce different species, too, including the water-loving Daubenton’s or the woodland-haunting barbastelle.

SEE THEM THIS AUTUMN

† Bradfield Woods is a spectacular ancient woodland. The mixture of coppice, dead wood and mature trees makes perfect bat habitat.

† Redgrave & Lopham Fen has open waterways, woodland edges and grassland, making it ideal for foraging bats. † Captain’s Wood is home to veteran oak trees that provide both roosts and foraging sites for different bat species.

Reserve info & maps

suffolkwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves

Discover more

Learn how you can support bats in your community by getting in touch with our team. suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ team-wilder

Murmurations can be unpredictable, so check our social media channels for updates and pick a calm evening to visit.

WOOD MOUSE: ALAN TUNNICLIFFE ALAMY

We can help make your garden, land, farms or community space great for wildlife.

suffolkwildlifetrust.org/team-wilder

Swirling starlings

Up close and personal or from a distance as a swirling mass, starlings are arguably our most underrated bird. They shimmer in the sunlight, iridescent points of colour freckling their inky plumage, whilst their playful voice mimics the noises they hear around them – other birds, insects or even manmade objects – with a series of calls, whistles, chacks, tweets and titters. Even more magical, in the autumn they amass in huge flocks, often tens of thousands strong, to murmurate. This hypnotic, pulsing gathering dances around the sky, confusing predators and keeping safety in numbers, before tumbling down to roost for the night.

SEE THEM THIS AUTUMN

† Lackford Lakes is a top spot to admire a starling murmuration as they swirl above the water. † Hen Reedbeds is famed for starling murmurations, with the reeds providing the perfect roosting spot.

FIELDCRAFT

Wander with a wood mouse

A secretive mammal that many of us take for granted, the wood mouse is a species of rodent we are all familiar with, but barely ever see. Largely nocturnal, wood mice have sandy brown fur with a pale underside, protruding black eyes, large ears and long, thin tail. They can be undoubtedly described as ‘cute’. They largely inhabit woodlands and hedgerows but are adaptable to urban areas like parks and gardens too, occupying underground burrows that include nest chambers and food stores. In autumn, they will cache food for the winter ahead. How to SPOT A WOOD MOUSE

† Look for nibbled nuts, like acorns, conkers, beech-mast and hazelnuts. Wood mice leave tooth marks on the surface that may be circular or ragged in shape. † Explore Autumn is a busy time for wood mice as they build up their food stores, so watch the ground near hedgerows carefully for activity. † Spot a ‘smeuse’ in a hedgerow or leading away into long grass. These are holes created by small rodents as they scurry back and forth.

SEE THIS

Explore an autumnal woodland to find a fairy (or pixie) ring. These magical circles of fungi start small but grow in diameter as they get older.

TASTE THIS

Tasty but sour damsons can still be picked in late summer and early autumn. Watch out – they’re tart enough to make you suck your cheeks in!

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT Autumn tree seeds

Find a fallen harvest of seeds scattered beneath the boughs.

BEECH-MAST: ALAMY

Seasonal seeds

Tree seeds show a striking variation in size, colour, shape and structure. Some, like wych elm, drop their seeds in the early summer. The holly produces seeds in winter, with red berries symbolising Christmas. Many disperse their seeds in the autumn, relying on the winter frosts to crack open their outer casing and encourage germination, and it’s now that we see the largest variation. From conkers to catkins, keys to masts, berries to cones, acorns, samaras or even the fleshy red cup-shaped arils of the yew tree, examining fallen tree seeds will bring awareness to any autumn walk.

Bunch of keys

One of the first tree seeds that you’ll notice are the dangling catkins of the silver birch. Silver birch is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers (the catkins) are found on the same tree. After pollination, the female catkins thicken and darken, before the tiny ‘samaras’ are released. Samaras are single seeds that have wings, much like the familiar and larger helicopter seeds of the ash and elm, which spiral through the air.

In ash trees, the seeds hang in bunches known as keys. They are around 5cm long and turn from green to brown when ripe.

Hard nuts to crack

Other tree seeds have hard or spiky outer shells, like acorns from oak, conkers from horse chestnuts and beech nuts – or masts. In a broader sense, many species of tree can

TREE

40m tall with domed crown.

BEECH-MAST CASE

prickly, brown shell, four lobes.

LEAVES

hairy edges, often stay on tree in winter.

BEECH-MAST NUT

dark brown, 1.8cm, flat and triangular.

have ‘mast years’ where they produce AUTUMN TREE SEEDS A favourite food of mice, voles, squirrels and birds. a bumper crop. For beech nuts, the seeds themselves are referred to as beech-masts. They are cased in prickly brown shells and the nuts are dark brown, largish, flat and triangular. Despite the huge numbers you may see on the ground, very few will go on to germinate and grow; tree seeds are a favourite food for jays, woodpeckers, squirrels, mice and other rodent.

LOOK FOR THEM THIS AUTUMN

† Bradfield Woods has been under continuous coppice management since 1252. Ash, English oak and hazel support a variety of mammals, including hazel dormice. † Combs Wood has ancient origins. Ash and hornbeams predominate, the latter producing small nuts held in a leafy bract with three lobes, and papery, green-winged samaras. † Arger Fen is one of the few ancient woodlands in Suffolk with wild cherry trees, as well as oak, ash, field maple, holly, superb large alder and hazel stools.

Reserve info & maps

suffolkwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves

Top tips THREE

SPECIES TO SPOT

Ash

Conspicuous winged fruits or 'keys' that hang in bunches. They turn brown in autumn.

Alder

Female catkins become woody and appear as small, cone-like fruits. They release tiny samaras (winged seeds).

Wild cherry

Flowers develop into spherical, hairless, deep-red cherries on long stalks. Birds and mammals love the fruits.

HEAR THIS

Take a moment to enjoy the sound of the breeze stirring the golden leaves in the autumn trees. There’s even a wild word for this: psithurism.

SMELL THIS

Autumn has a unique seasonal scent, an earthy mixture of damp soil, fallen leaves, fragrant trees and the musty scent of mushrooms.

NOT JUST FOR KIDS

Seven ways to enjoy nature this autumn

Get close to nature with some top tips for nature lovers of any age to enjoy.

1BE HAUNTED BY AN OWL

Tawny owls are vocal in the autumn. After dark, listen for the ‘ke-wick’ call of the female; if you’re lucky, you’ll hear the male answer ‘hoo-hoo’. Woodlands or parks are a good place to listen.

3LEARN A WILD WORD: SUSURRATION

Head to one of our reedbed nature reserves to enjoy the sound of susurration. This onomatopoeic word describes the sound of wind rustling through the reeds.

4GO ON A BIG WILD WALK

From 24 Oct-30 Oct, help The Wildlife Trusts tackle the nature and climate emergency by challenging yourself to a Big Wild Walk.

Find out more and register your interest

wildlifetrusts.org/ bigwildwalk

ADOBE STOCK

5UNLEASH YOUR INNER ARTIST

Starting on 9 Jan 2023 10am-3pm, study botanical illustration at Carlton Marshes with botanical artist and illustrator, Ruth Wharrier. One day per week over three terms.

Book or find out more

suffolkwildlifetrust.org/events

2SPOT A SPANGLED OAK LEAF

Have you ever examined a fallen oak leaf and noticed that it is covered in tiny bumps or growths? These are spangle galls. The galls first appear in spring when the spangled gall wasp lays their eggs, and the larvae emerge during the summer, leaving the bumps behind.

6WATCH A WILD WEBINAR

Join a Wildlife Live webinar led by a local expert and discover wildlife from the comfort of your own home. Learn about sensational slugs, planting for pollinators and wader identification.

suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ wildlife-live-webinars

7MAKE AN ANIMAL FOOTPRINT TRAP

See what creatures are exploring your garden when you’re not looking, using a homemade animal footprint trap made from household and garden items.

Nature activity

YOU WILL NEED

l Old baking tray l Long ruler l Fine grain sand l Water l Meaty dog food in a low-sided dish

1 Fill your baking tray with damp sand and smooth out with a ruler.

2 Place your dish of dog food (or use hedgehog food) in the middle of the tray.

3 Leave the trap overnight in a quiet spot in the garden. Check in the morning for footprints left by curious visitors.

ILLUSTRATIONS: CORINNE WELCH

Find out more

wildlifewatch.org.uk/ activity-sheets

10 wild events

Check out some of our top events happening this autumn. More details and more events online.

1 Level 1 Award in Forest School Principles 19-20 Oct 9.30am-4.30pm Foxburrow Farm

A two-day accredited course to learn about the Forest School ethos.

2 Basket weaving course 23 Oct 10am-4pm Bradfield Woods

Learn basketry techniques and make a handled willow basket. Adults only.

3 Halloween on the Heath after Dark 28 & 29 Oct 5.30-8pm Knettishall Heath

Follow our spooky family trail and discover the Heath after dark.

4 Discover Suffolk Wildlife Trust 5 Nov from 11am Carlton Marshes

Explore the Marshes with wildlife guides.

5 Christmas Craft Fair 6 Nov 10.30am-3.30pm Redgrave & Lopham Fen

Start your Christmas shopping early at our annual craft fair.

6 Butterflies of SWT reserves 10 Nov 7.30pm Southwold Arts Centre

Join Steve Aylward for an illustrated talk on Suffolk’s butterflies.

7 Festive willow decorations 3 Dec 9.30am-1pm Redgrave & Lopham Fen

Make a festive willow decoration to take home, with local expert, Jane Kelly.

8 Elves on the Heath 11 & 18 Dec 10.30am-2.30pm Knettishall Heath

Explore Knettishall Heath and find out what the mischievous elves have been up to.

9 Nest box building 11-17 Feb Various locations

Build a nest box during National Nest Box Week at locations around the county.

10 Weird and wonderful wildlife in Ipswich 22 Feb 7.30pm

Museum Street Methodist Church, Ipswich IP1 2EF.

Browse our events page for the latest listings

suffolkwildlifetrust.org/events