Total monthly rainfall: 170 millimetres.  Maximum daily rainfall: 29.5 millimetres (3^rd October).

There were 14 days when measurable rain fell, and 20 days when cloud-cover was 100% for at least part of the day.

Maximum temperature on the warmest day was 19C on the 9^th October. Maximum temperature on the coldest day was 12C on October 21^st. There were 24 days when the temperature reached 15C or above.

Strong-to gale-force winds persisted for 10 days; fog or heavy mist for 5 days between the 12^th and 25^th, and there was overnight frost on the morning of the 22^nd

The 65 wildflower species already recorded this year increased to 66 with the discovery of some corn mint recorded on 28^th October. This is a new discovery for us beside a recently dredged out drainage ditch – obviously old seed trapped in the mud many years ago. Only 21 wildflower species were still in bloom at the end of October.

Ripe conkers on the horse chestnut tree began to fall on the 1^st October, and ivy flowers began releasing pollen on the 5^th. Holly berries became fully ripe on the 29^th.

• Clouded yellow butterfly last sighting Clouded yellow butterfly last sighting
• Oak leaves with autumn colours Oak leaves with autumn colours
• Ripe holly berries Ripe holly berries
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We did not add to the 25 butterfly species already seen here  this year, but of these, we only saw a clouded yellow on the 3^rd, comma and small tortoiseshell on the 22^nd and red admiral on hebe and apple drops until the end of October.

We have had a poor year recording moths, with none at all on fence-posts (usually a prolific source), and few in lighted porches or on lighted windows. We have, however spotted three probable November moths in flight among the woodland margins from the 26^th, bringing our total to 27 species for the year so far.

Our 20 dragonfly species seen this year ended with only 3 species still on site at the end of October. We lost brown hawker and ruddy darter on the 3^rd, leaving us with migrant hawker, common darter, and willow emerald damselfly going into November.

Flocks of Canada geese regularly flew over, called-to by our white gander. Sometimes they landed and stayed for a while. About 200 starlings continued their wonderful evening murmuration here, landing back and forth on their favourite old oak tree in the hedge, and overflowing along the electricity cables behind.

The grey heron continued to visit almost daily and a buzzard flew slowly over our fields on sunny afternoons. The big surprise was a visit from a golden eagle to the hedgerow oak on November 24^th. Our daughter Diana tried to creep close enough to get a picture, but it saw her and made a hasty departure.  Finally, a small flock of common gulls passed over on the 26^th.

Progress to autumn colours has been late this year – the main exception being our island poplar, which showed first signs of yellowing leaves on October 1^st, and was bare by the 19^th. Horse chestnut leaves turned brown by the 10^th, but plenty of leaves still remained by the end of the month. Between the 11^th and 16^th October hazel, hornbeam, hawthorn and field maple all showed varying degrees of yellow leaf-tint.

Strong winds on the 29^th brought down many leaves all around the property, and some oak leaves started to show autumn colours for the first time.