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1. Why do leaves change colour in Autumn? Field maple tree leaf in Autumn In autumn and winter there is not enough sunlight for the trees to make food so they use the starch they have stored over the summer. They stop making green chlorophyll allowing the orange and yellow chlorophyll to be visible giving the leaves their stunning colour. Field Maple The field maple is the only native maple tree to Britain. It has beautiful autumn leaves. There are some here along the path. The seed pods or ‘keys’ provide food for small mammals such as wood mice and bank voles. If the seeds are dropped from a height they spin like a helicopter. Countryside Rangers: 03302 225544

2. Birds to see on the Estuary in the Autumn Lapwing: The Lapwings name describes it’s wavering flight and the colours (black and white appearance) with its round wings make it an easy bird to identify. Grey Heron: These are particularly easy to spot as they have long legs, a long beak and long necks. Their necks can be stretched out fully or hunched with their necks bent over their chest. They have grey, black and white feathering. Snipe: These are medium sized wading birds with long straight bills. They are mostly brown with pale buff stripes and on the back and dark streaks on the chest and pale under parts. Linnet: This is a small, slim type of finch which used to be a popular cage bird because of its wonderful song. The males have red on the top of head and on the breast. The females are a dull brown colour. Countryside Rangers: 03302 225544

3. Blackthorn The Blackthorn shrub is native to Britain. It has very sharp thorns and have black fruit called sloes. These provide a good winter food source for birds and animals. They can also be used to make sloe gin. Brown hairstreak butterflies lay their eggs on blackthorn twigs where they remain until the Spring. The eggs are tiny white specks and hard to find. Let the Rangers know if you see any. Brown hairstreak butterfly egg Countryside Rangers: 03302 225544

4. Starlings In Autumn, flocks of resident juvenile Starlings are joined by large numbers of adults from as far away as Russia. They often gather in fields to probe the ground for invertebrates such as insects and worms. They will spend the winter here in huge flocks called ‘murmurations’. You can often see these swirling masses of hundreds and even thousands of birds here over the Adur Valley in the evening. They make fantastic clouds, forming wonderful shapes as they move across the sky. They eventually dive down into trees to roost for the night. Countryside Rangers: 03302 225544

5. Autumn Leaves on the Downs Link As temperatures drop and the days become shorter the trees start to shut down for the winter. The leaves stop producing green chlorophyll and change colour giving a golden glow to wooded stretches of the Downs Link. Field Maple Leaves Some trees such as hazel and field maple produce especially good displays. You may also see hazel nuts if the squirrels haven’t already eaten them. Countryside Rangers: 03302 225544

6. Autumn Berries In Autumn many trees and shrubs produce berries and fruits. Although the bramble can be invasive it produces blackberries from the end of August which provide food for many forms of wildlife. They are also good for humans as they are very nutritious and contain anti-oxidants. Why not pick some and make a blackberry and apple pie! Other berries you may see at this time of year include small red berries called hips and haws. Rose hips come from wild roses such as the Dog Rose. They have a very high vitamin C content. Haws are the berry of the Hawthorn tree and are a good food source for thrushes and waxwings. Countryside Rangers: 03302 225544