YOUR WILD AUTUMN
Autumn colour
The beauty of autumn colour captivates and fascinates us, but how leaves change is down to plant chemistry. A leaf’s colour is made up of four groups of pigments: the greens (chlorophylls) are the primary pigments and the oranges, the yellows and the reds are the secondary pigments. Chlorophylls are part of the complex
system by which plants make food. As autumn draws in this slows down and the sensitive leaf tissues become vulnerable to the poor weather. The existing chlorophyll in the leaf breaks down and disappears to reveal the underlying secondary pigments of oranges, yellows, and reds. Enjoy this grand spectacle of autumn colour in Cumbria’s trees and woodlands!
The oranges and yellows of these fallen beech leaves epitomise autumn
Read more about why leaves change colour on our website
www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/blog
Known as the ‘King of the Fish’, the Atlantic salmon is able to propel itself out of the water to clear vertical obstacles during its journey upstream.
SEASONAL SPECTACLE Spoting leaping salmon
A leaping Atlantic salmon is one of those classic wildlife spectacles that stirs feelings of awe and respect – and it’s at this time of year when you can experience it. Despite spending most of its life at sea, this amazing fish undertakes a remarkable journey back to the river or stream in which it hatched, in order to spawn. During this time it will travel upstream, against the current, in a batle of endurance, launching itself over weirs and waterfalls – sometimes several metres high – to reach its gravelly breeding ground. Once spawning is complete at the end of November, the surviving adults make their way back out to sea at a more relaxed pace.
6 Cumbrian Wildlife | September 2019
Watching tip: Early mornings and evenings during October and November are best, and a period of rain aſter a dry spell will provide the best conditions for salmon to leap. Look for stretches with small waterfalls, find a good vantage point and take care!
GREAT PLACES TO SEE: † Force Falls at Sedgwick (River Kent). † The waterfalls at Backbarrow (River Leven). The river bank walk near Maulds Meaburn (River Lyvennet) is also informative.
ROB JORDAN/2020VISION
ROSS HODDINOTT/2020VISION
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