# Autumn is here



## Westbay

Hate to spoil your lovely hot summer weather . . . but

our local bird observatory (Portland Bill) is just reporting the first summer migratory birds LEAVING. For our feathered friends autumn is on the way. 8O 8O


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## Kev1

oh heck

trip em up
summer can't be done yet
PLEASE


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## cabby

They are leaving early to put their towels on the tree branches before the germans.

cabby


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## fatbuddha

birds migrate at all sorts of times - the fact that some are leaving now is not an end of summer. and fwiw - some early winter migrants have also been seen coming in.

adult cuckoos went earlier in the month - their jobs done for the year although their youngsters aren't ready yet. but many like swallows will be around for a good time yet as many will be raising a 2nd brood with the good weather we have.

this is the way of nature folks


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## caulkhead

fatbuddha said:


> birds migrate at all sorts of times - the fact that some are leaving now is not an end of summer. and fwiw - some early winter migrants have also been seen coming in.
> 
> adult cuckoos went earlier in the month - their jobs done for the year although their youngsters aren't ready yet. but many like swallows will be around for a good time yet as many will be raising a 2nd brood with the good weather we have.
> 
> this is the way of nature folks


Talking of cuckoo's, for the first time in my memory, I havn't heard a single one this year  - at least not in the Isle of Wight, where I live.

It was a different story when we pootled down the west coast of France in May. At every campsite we stopped at we heard these iconic birds, sometimes all day long. Perhaps like many of us, they just can't afford Brittany Ferries :lol:

Caulkhead


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## fatbuddha

there's been a good few around East Sussex - I've seen at least 2 as well, one of which was sat on a powerline in the rain looking very bedraggled probably wishing it was back in Africa!

likewise, we heard a lot of cuckoos in France in April as they were heading north


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