Autumn wildlife at Trentham

As summer gives way to autumn, the gardens and wildlife are welcoming the wetter weather. The landscape is looking lush after the recent rainfall, and over the coming weeks we’ll begin to see the changing colours of autumn across the estate.

It’s also a busy time for wildlife, with fungi appearing in force, deer preparing for the rut, birds on the move and our beavers getting ready for winter.

Fungi season is here

Recent rainfall has created ideal conditions for fungi across Trentham Gardens and woodlands.

Keep an eye out along path edges and around mature trees for species including Stinking Dapperlings (Lepiota cristata), boletes, Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) and Beefsteak Fungus (Fistulina hepatica).

With such a variety of fungi found across the estate, autumn is a great time to take a closer look at what’s growing beneath the trees.

Want to learn more? Join one of our Wildlife Rangers on a guided Fungi Walk and discover more about the fascinating species found at Trentham.

The fallow deer rut begins

In Kings Wood, our SSSI woodland, Trentham’s herd of melanistic fallow deer will soon be gearing up for the annual rut.

The stags will have shed the velvet from their antlers and will begin competing for territory and the attention of the females. Around dawn and dusk, listen out for roars and bellows carrying through the woodland, along with the occasional clash of antlers.

If you do spot the deer, please enjoy them from a respectful distance and give them plenty of space.

Birds on the move

Autumn also brings plenty of activity to Trentham Lake.

Overwintering bird species will begin arriving over the next few months, with Tufted Ducks already starting to return. Their numbers can increase significantly as we move further into winter.

Our cygnets are also beginning to develop their adult feathers and will soon start learning to fly.

Meanwhile, we’ve said goodbye to our swifts as they begin their long journey to Sub-Saharan Africa, where they’ll spend the winter before returning next year.

Beavers preparing for winter

This summer has brought some fantastic sightings of our Eurasian Beavers during our Beaver Safaris, including some of our darker-coloured individuals feeding and playing around Beaver Island.

As the nights draw in, the beavers will still be active, even if we don’t always get to see them. At this time of year, they’ll be busy putting on winter weight and building up their food caches for the colder months ahead.

Beavers don’t hibernate, but their activity can reduce during particularly cold spells. Their stockpiled branches and stems become an important food source, especially if the lake freezes.

They’re also impressive underwater swimmers, able to stay submerged for several minutes at a time while moving between their lodge and food stores.

Discover autumn at Trentham

Autumn is a brilliant time to explore Trentham and see the estate changing with the season.

From fungi and fallow deer to migrating birds and busy beavers, there’s always something new to spot.