happiful september 2021

September nature watch
This autumn, tune-in to the world around you
Squirrels hunker
down for winter
Blackberry picking
British hedgerows and
bushes will be ripe for
the picking, with juicy
blackberries coming to
fruition this month. Harvest
these tasty treats for home
baking and snacking. Make
sure to stay on the path, and
pick berries from at least
one metre above the ground.
At this time of year, squirrels
begin to hoard food for the
coming cold months. If you’re
happy to welcome these fluffytailed
creatures into your garden,
unsweetened and unsalted
peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and
almonds will go down a treat.
Swallows and house
martins head south
Between September and
October, both swallows
and house martins will be
preparing to fly the nest, as
they leave the UK and head
south for winter.
Deer watching
Autumn is the deer rutting
season, where stags clash
heads as they seek to secure
the perfect mate. Living both
in the wild and on private land,
rutting deer can be dangerous
and unpredictable, so if you’re
interested in watching this
spectacle for yourself, the
safest option is to find an
organised group near you.
Conker season
Falling from horse chestnut
trees from August to October,
conkers may take you on a
nostalgic trip straight back to
your childhood. But there’s
more to them than the classic,
game. Conkers are thought to
keep spiders away – and you
can even use them as a natural
washing detergent as they
contain saponin, a substance
used around the world to
clean clothes.
32 | September 2021 | happiful.com