We asked Gillian Panter, the multi-talented interior designer at Kay Elliott Architects, to talk us through her creative process in bringing The Brackenrigg Inn back to life.
Autumn bird migration: a visual and auditory spectacle
As the days of autumn grow colder and darker, many of us find ourselves yearning to curl up with a good book next to a crackling fire. However, the brisk autumn winds also bring with them one of nature's most magnificent displays - the autumn bird migration.
While we often admire the visual beauty of autumn, with its moody skies and vibrant leaves turning warm shades of earth, ember, and gold, we must not overlook the auditory splendour of the season.
Here’s our guide to the autumn birds. Look from the windows of Another Place, within the trees of the gardens, along the fell trails in the Lake District National park or from the hidden hides at Wild Intrigue.
The arrival of autumn, even before the equinox, can be heard in the changing melodies of the Robin's song, a bird which continues to serenade us throughout the autumn and winter months. The Robin's crisp, melancholic tune seems to mirror the season itself, as if delicately serenading the first fallen leaves. But it's not just the Robin's song that changes with the season. As autumn approaches, we also witness the arrival of many migrating birds from northern Europe; from Pigeons and Finches to tiny Goldcrests.
In addition to the melodious song of the Robin, pay close attention to the delicate, high-pitched calls of Goldcrests emanating from the treetops, as well as the gentle chatter of Tit tribes coming together in large flocks.
In the ancient Atlantic Oakwood of Naddle Forest, nestled within the heart of Wild Haweswater, the Wild Intrigue bookable Woodland Wildlife Hide offers a comfy front-row seat to enjoy woodland birds visiting this rugged landscape, passionately cared for by the RSPB.
Here, you can observe and photograph visitors like Nuthatches, Great-spotted Woodpeckers and Jays, cracking through hazelnuts, as well as the colourful flutters of Goldfinches, Chaffinches, and Siskins.
As you settle into your room in the early evening or take a moonlit stroll, be sure to listen for the haunting calls of Tawny Owls - the 'ker-wick' and 'hoo-hoo' that accompany the dark evenings. From late September, you can also hear the distinct "seep" calls of Redwing high overhead as these nomadic Thrushes migrate from Scandinavia under the cover of night. They are soon joined by other Thrushes like Fieldfare and Blackbird, all arriving to feast on berries in the wooded foothills and valleys.
The 'wink-wink-wink' calls of Pink-footed Geese skeins, arriving in the tens of thousands from Greenland and Iceland to the North-West, create one of the most spectacular migration sights of the autumn season. The Solway coast and wetlands are home to overwintering populations of Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese, as well as wading birds such as Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Redshank, and Curlew.
What better reason to don your cosy autumn knits than to venture out into the crisp air of the Lake District and observe the birdlife that defines the beauty and mystery of the autumn season.
Written by Heather Devey, Co-Director of Wild Intrigue CIC, a social enterprise rooted in northern England, run by a passionate team of naturalists hosting wildlife experiences across North England and operating a collection of wildlife photography hides at Wild Haweswater.
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