Kashmir Autumn 2026: Migratory Birds, Chinars and a Warm Spell

One puzzle remains for local shoppers: vegetables grown in the Valley often cost more than those brought in from outside.

Why It Matters: Autumn With an Unusual Heat

This year's autumn comes with a twist. Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 31.2°C on Sunday, above the previous October high of 31.1°C set on October 2, 2008. The reading came during an unusual autumn heatwave.

The contrast is sharp: days are hot, yet mornings and evenings are cold enough for warm layers. Such warm spells late in the season are worth watching, as they can affect harvests, water levels and the timing of seasonal changes the Valley depends on.

Winter Visitors Arrive

Thousands of migratory birds, including bar-headed geese, mallards, pochards, shovelers, pintails, wigeons, shelducks and teals, spend the winter in Kashmir's wetlands to escape the extreme cold of Siberia, China, Japan, the Philippines and Eastern Europe.

The Great Descent

Kashmir's Bakarwal herders are moving down from the high meadows with their families, sheep, goats, dogs and pack horses, heading to warmer Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua and Reasi districts. Women carry infants on their backs, while bedding and utensils are loaded onto horses for the long journey. Their active, outdoor life sustained by milk, cheese and ghee is an enduring example of resilience.

Hundreds of workers from Bihar, West Bengal, UP and other states, who work in construction, orchards and fields, are also heading home before the bitter cold sets in.

Chinars and Clear Waters

The Valley's iconic chinar leaves are turning from deep green to yellow, amber, gold, orange and blood-red. Rivers and springs run crystal clear, and distant peaks are already dusted with early snow.

For Travellers

Autumn is one of the best times to see Kashmir. Visitors can enjoy chinar-lined Mughal gardens, apple orchards at harvest and early birdwatching at the Valley's wetlands. Pack layers, as days are warm but evenings turn cold.

The Bottom Line

From turtle doves to turning chinars, Kashmir's autumn is in full swing, even as an unusual heat spell reminds the Valley that its seasons are changing.

With inputs from IANS.