September marked the season of change as we waved a fond farewell to the long days of summer and ushered autumn in.

As the leaves turn, winter migrants arrive and autumn fungi begin to take centre stage, you really never know what wildlife treats could be in store. It's a fantastic time to get out to one of our nature reserves, jumper on, and binoculars at the ready.

Let's take a closer look at some wildlife sightings from September.

Mere Sands Wood

With 42 hectares of lakes, mature woodland, wet meadows, and heath to explore, Mere Sands Wood is the place to be this autumn.

As the cold begins to nip at your fingertips, the leaves turn the colour of golden syrup and the mysterious fruiting bodies of fungi emerge. Over 200 different species of fungi have been identified at this reserve including fly agaric, pulled straight from a fairy-tale, and the outrageous stinkhorn. 

But perhaps the most exciting species to have been spotted last month at Mere Sands Wood was a red squirrel.

This isn't the first time a red squirrel has been recorded at Mere Sands Wood; however, sightings here are few and far between and it's great news for our red squirrel conservation team, who have stepped up their monitoring of the site over the last year, and for the future of this endangered species.

The mature plantation of Scot's pine in the southeast corner of the reserve provides the perfect habitat for our native red squirrels and we hope that the small population here is able to strengthen and expand. Keep your eyes peeled and please let us know if you spot any signs of red squirrels during your visits to Mere Sands Wood.

Brockholes

Boasting a mosaic of wetland, grassland and woodland, a visit to Brockholes Nature Reserve never fails to disappoint and September was no exception.

Last month we were delighted to spot not one, but three ospreys passing over the reserve, part of their annual migration to West Africa for the winter. One of the individuals even stopped off at the reserve for a few days, hunting for fish in the lakes and nearby River Ribble in preparation for the long journey ahead. 

With a wingspan of 1.6 meters, these impressive and eye-catching birds of prey are incredible to see. We remain hopeful that one bright spring day in the not-too-distant future a breeding pair will make use of our purpose-built osprey nest to raise their chicks, for now though, we wish them safe travels.

Ospreys aren't the only birds to have been wowing visitors of Brockholes Nature Reserve recently. Barn owls have also been putting on spectacular displays in the warm evening light, cruising silently over the grassland in search of their prey. And a juvenile purple heron, a rare UK migrant, and reserve first was also spotted swooping over meadow lake last month too.

Wigan Flashes

A legacy of Wigan's industrial past; Wigan Flashes Local Nature Reserve now comprises of large areas of open water, reedbed, fen, rough grassland, wet woodland, and scrub habitat. 

Amongst the many diverse species that call this place home, one such character is notoriously elusive. Lurking amongst the reeds gulping down beakfulls of eels and fish, enter the bittern. 

Bitterns are comical-looking creatures. Pale brown plumage, streaked with beige and black markings provide the perfect camouflage and you're much more likely to hear their distinctive booming call than you are to see one. But by a stroke of luck and good timing, a bittern was spotted flying overhead during a site visit in September. Our Wigan Reserves Manager, Mark Champion, admitted that it was his longest encounter with this shy and rare bird.  

Seaforth Nature Reserve

A major roosting site for waders and seabirds, it's never quiet at Seaforth.

But amongst the 38 different wader species recorded at this reserve, one exciting addition to the usual hustle and bustle had a few local birders rather excited last month.

The American golden plover is a smart-looking wader and whilst sightings of this bird aren't unheard of in the UK, they are extremely rare.

Traveling between arctic North America, where it breeds, and South America, where it winters, American golden plovers have long migratory routes, flying up to 20,000 miles each year. This astounding migration includes a non-stop flight of around 3,000 miles over the Atlantic Ocean.

The American golden plover was also joined by golden and grey plover last month too, offering endless delights for the visitors of this special place.

What will you spot at our nature reserves this month? Let us know on social media using the buttons below.