Birds to Look Out For in the Three Rivers Area This Autumn

Autumn is a season of change—not just in the colours of the trees but also in the skies above us. As the days grow shorter, some of our familiar summer visitors begin their long journeys south, while new arrivals from colder parts of Europe make Three Rivers their temporary home.

Saying Goodbye to Summer Visitors

Swallows and house martins are among the first to leave. Swallows, with their graceful, swooping flight, can still be spotted over Stocker’s Lake as they gather in preparation for migration. House martins, smaller with glossy dark upperparts and a bright white rump, also head south on crisp autumn days. Keep an eye on the skies—you might catch their final farewell.

Welcoming Autumn Arrivals

As our summer birds depart, new visitors appear. Redwings, relatives of the song thrush, arrive in noisy flocks. Listen out for their high-pitched “tseep” calls overhead, and look for the distinctive flash of red-orange on their flanks and underwings.

You may also see siskins, lively little finches with green-yellow plumage. They often gather in flocks among the alders near Rickmansworth Water Polo Club, feasting on the trees’ cone-like seeds.

Resident Favourites

 Many of our local favourites remain throughout the autumn. Around Stocker’s Lake, look out for:

• The vivid flash of a kingfisher darting across the water.

• Elegant grey herons and little egrets standing silently in the shallows.

• Large flocks of geese, including Canada, Greylag, and the striking Egyptian goose.

In gardens and woodlands, jays are busy burying acorns, hiding food stores for the winter—sometimes helped (or hindered!) by squirrels. Robins are also very active, boldly singing to defend their winter territories. Their song is one of the most recognisable sounds of autumn.

Helping Birds in Your Garden

There’s often debate about feeding garden birds in autumn, so for up-to-date guidance we recommend checking the RSPB website. One thing that’s always beneficial is planting berry-rich shrubs and trees. Try cotoneaster or pyracantha for their bright red berries, or a rowan tree, which provides food for thrushes, blackbirds, and starlings.

Share Your Sightings!

We’d love to see what birds you spot around Three Rivers this autumn. Send your photos to hello@sustainablethreerivers.org—we’ll share the best ones on our website and social media.

And if you capture videos of local wildlife, why not enter this competition? There’s a £150 prize up for grabs—but don’t delay, entries close on Sunday 5th October!