LNER passengers face journeys up to two hours longer during weekend rail works<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n There are also some awe-inspiring plant-related sights to keep your eyes out for at Askham Bog \u2013 autumn is the very best time to look for our centuries-old royal ferns, which can reach up to 3m in height, before they die back for the winter.\n<\/p>\n
\n Migration sensation\n<\/p>\n
\n As summer shifts into autumn, wildlife is on the move. Our nature reserves are like airports for birds, with winter species arriving, summer species departing, and migrant birds stopping off to rest and refuel. It\u2019s the most exciting time of year for birdwatchers, as rare or surprising species can often be seen on migration \u2013 passage waders, scarce warblers from Siberia, an influx of waxwings \u2013 and skeins of pink-footed geese begin to fly south at dusk to feed, particularly in East Yorkshire.\n<\/p>\n
\n Birders looking for something a little special have plenty of places to explore in Yorkshire. Askham Bog is a brilliant place to listen out for jays and spot redwing hopping between the branches, whilst Wheldrake Ings just south of York plays host to an amazing range of overwintering wading wildlife \u2013 although do check the paths aren\u2019t flooded before you visit. Ripon City Wetlands is also worth a visit \u2013 for the beauty of its wetland pools in the cooler weather as much as for the awe-inspiring starling murmurations it hosts as the year draws to an end.\n<\/p>\n
\n Barn owls\n<\/p>\n
\n Owls have had a mixed history in the mythology of England, variously believed to bring both bad and good luck \u2013 much of this stems from the owl\u2019s association with night and darkness. Historically they were also believed to be able to predict storms!\n<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Barn]()
Barn owl at Staveley nature reserve. (Image: Helen Ferneyhough)\n<\/p>\n
\n Owls are almost inaudible in flight, a skill afforded to few other birds and a result of their unique feather structures and wing size \u2013 much larger in comparison to their body than many other birds. They also fly much slower than many other birds to remain silent to their prey, which often means more of an experience for any lucky watcher.\n<\/p>\n
\n Try Staveley nature reserve for a glimpse of our famous resident barn owl \u2013 dawn or dusk if possible \u2013 or Moorlands for other species such as tawny owls and little owls.\n<\/p>\n
\n Fungi frenzy\n<\/p>\n
\n Fungi are a huge and fascinating kingdom with over 15,000 species in the UK, and they play a vital role in our ecosystems. Studded jewel-like across our woodland floors in purples, reds and whites, in circles or clinging to fallen rotten branches, the fruit bodies \u2013 the parts you can see \u2013 begin to emerge in autumn.\n<\/p>\n
\n ![]()
Fungi at Moorlands nature reserve. Photo: Dave Wilkinson\n<\/p>\n
\n Whether you just like the whimsical names \u2013 dead man\u2019s fingers, ballerina waxcaps and stag\u2019s horns \u2013 or you\u2019re a dedicated fungi fanatic, make sure you come along to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust\u2019s fungi festival at Potteric Carr nature reserve on the 10th and 11th October.\n<\/p>\n
\n There will be plenty to enjoy, from guided walks, grow-your-own talks and cooking classes to craft workshops, a Mushroom makers market and spotters guides for those who fancy a longer walk.\n<\/p>\n
\n You can also spot fungi at Moorlands nature reserve throughout autumn into winter \u2013 keep an eye out for puffballs, stags horns and more! Take a photo and leave the fungi fruiting peacefully on the reserve for other people to enjoy.\n<\/p>\n
\n Want to find out more about the reserves mentioned in this article?\n<\/p>\n
\n Why not check out the reserves pages on Yorkshire Wildlife Trust\u2019s websites and plan an autumnal adventure? ywt.org.uk\/nature-reserves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Leaves crunch beneath my feet as I pick my way through the muted hush of Moorlands nature reserve…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":771564,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[1397,90,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-771563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-science","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/771563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=771563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/771563\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/771564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=771563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=771563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=771563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}