One of the environmental signals for the autumn migration to begin is the shortening of the day. In the autumn, around 50 bird species leave the UK to head south for warmer climes. These include iconic birds such as house martins, swifts, and the increasingly elusive cuckoo.

All three of these species rely on a good supply of insects to sustain them and their young through the summer months. Worryingly, all three are on the birds of conservation concern red list with a decline in breeding populations.

Bird migration can also be a little unpredictable and this makes for exciting birdwatching.

Stormy weather

Autumnal storms will occasionally push migratory birds off course which then end up joining us unexpectedly.  Westerly winds move American birds to our shores, providing opportunities to see rare species that stop to recalibrate for their journey south.

When the winds are strong from the east, the birds migrating from Europe to Africa can make unplanned stops in the UK. You’ll find lots of examples on social media as birders post about their glimpses of rare visitors.

New arrivals

In addition to these departures, there is the arrival of birds that spend the winter with us. A personal highlight for me is the arrival of wintering wildfowl. From October onwards, ducks, geese, and swans touch down after their travels from the north.

Wildfowl were my first foray into birdwatching as a boy. This was due to a combination of my interest in their epic journeys and the fact that they are a great introduction to bird identification. (I’ve still got my 1980s copy of Peter Scott’s Coloured Key to the Wildfowl of the World).

Flocks of visiting winter thrushes are also a great spectacle as they hunt for berries in hedgerows. Fieldfares, with their grey heads, with often form flocks with another thrush, the redwing, named after their red underwing patches. These flocks will congregate in hedgerows, trees, and in fields where they search for food.

Amongst the autumn arrivals are birds from Europe that add to our resident populations, such as starlings that join the huge swirling flocks (called a murmuration) that appear at dusk.

Heading west

Our resident wading birds, such as lapwing and curlew, undertake a ‘mini migration’, moving from moorland summer breeding grounds to spend winter further west in coastal areas. Breeding populations of lapwings and curlews have declined sharply, with both birds now on the red list. However, their winter numbers are temporarily boosted by populations that arrive from Europe on migration.

Whilst the vast majority of winter visitors travel south to the UK, there is a species that takes a journey north to join us. The water pipit spends the summer in Europe, particularly in its breeding grounds around the Alps, but migrates to southern coastal areas of the UK for the winter.

Birdwatching hotspots

Avon Wildlife Trust nature reserves that are good for spotting migratory birds at this time of year include Chew Valley Lake, Clapton Moor, Littleton Brick Pits, Puxton Moor, and Walborough.

Find your nearest nature reserve

However, there is always a chance that birds will pop up in your local park or garden so you may not have to journey too far to experience a migration marvel. Head out and explore today!