Yes we are here yet again another journey into autumn and then our best time of the year winter. Yes I know many will protest say they love all weather, but I think most of us look forward to this time of the year more than any other. Of course some take a contrary position and say how much they hate the cold, the frost and the snow but despite that now is that time we turn our attention increasingly towards the weather models.
Already I'm excited by the scenario thrown up for later this week by the ECMFW with the thought of cool air being filled with condensed breath in the early hours makes me go all gooey. (Steady)

I'm never happier than when say, we have fog. I cannot contain myself and friends and family see those signs straightaway and ask me with a grin "Have you been on the mist again". As for the possible snow, ice and frost there is no better feeling in the whole world for many of us than waking up to that strange light on your bedroom ceiling after a fall of snow. and wishing you had paid out that bit extra and had glass put in the windows.
It's also that time of year when we look for signs from nature itself the arrival of various birds, Fieldfares, Redwings, Siskins and Siberian Swans.

But it's when we get late into November that we listen intently for the plaintive cry of the Strat Warming Nerd, when we hear that call we all get excited. Yes once the Strat Warning Nerd starts its song that brings out the Doubting Essex Warblers who seem not to worry about impending bitter weather and have a tendency to ignore the very signs of nature itself as they think it's all been overdone.

We will also hear regularly from the Corbin Core Core bird with its 'bitter bitter' 'twitter twitter' cry all winter long.

Of course our best known species is the UK Motit which screams shrill warnings at a frenzied rate all year long but really gives it some welly in the winter. This bird with the excited it becomes has the ability to change the colour of its plumage from green to yellow to orange and finally red and it does this all day long throughout the year despite changes in the weather. It's thought to be related to the mocking bird.



Of course we can't finish without mentioning the Daw Daw bird native to South Devon. This feisty little chap tries to socialise with the larger more regal species but is always eventually is rejected. This bird is also known for being very aggressive with birds it feels are below him; down the pecking order so to speak. As soon as the Daw Daw bird feels it's in inferior company it chirps its distinctive cry "Idjit, Idjit, Idjit", for hours and hours, all year round in fact. This bird is known for its elaborate flights of self fancy


So yes we are entering the season of model watching and bird listening as markers to the best time of year.