Underland to Wonderland

Monday, 12 October 2026

Birds I Met in September

We're into the seventh year of Birdy Round Ups, and compared to when I first started these posts, it would seem birding as a hobby in general has greatly increased in popularity. While it always feels a little strange when something I have loved for a long time becomes a 'trend', it's absolutely great that people are noticing and appreciating our beautiful wildlife more and more. They need as much help as they can get, and when people are more aware of who we share the planet with, it raises the chances of them getting that help.

As someone who has been a birder for around 22 years now, I vouch for the joy and peace that our bird kingdom brings. For what we get from them, we must give back. Feed the birds. Provide fresh water sources all year round (keep them topped up in Summer and the ice broken in Winter). Plant native trees, bushes, flowers - look into which are great food sources, shelter, etc. Resist the urge to sanitise your outdoor spaces (for example, leave the leaves, don't over-prune, try to keep things as wild as possible with as little concrete and such as possible). Give them space. Stop pets and children from chasing or scaring them, even more so in Winter when they need to conserve energy and taking flight takes a lot of their energy! Most importantly, just be kind. All species, from gulls and pigeons to birds of prey and 'game birds' like pheasants, are all equal and deserve to live a safe, healthy life.

Anyway! Here are all the beautiful birds I met in September.