The sight of birds storing food by fattening themselves up is a sure sign that we are in for a cold winter, according to nature experts.

Staff at Arundel Wetland Centre noticed that birds began eating an unusually large amount about two weeks ago when the weather was still fairly mind.

They claim that the birds knew that a frosty spell was on its way and were attempting to pile on an extra layer of fat in order to protect them from the chill.

James Sharpe, the centre manager, explained: "Birds are tuned into weather systems and can anticipate changes in the weather," the Argus reports.

"They have a sense of what's happening with the weather that we couldn't begin to grasp.

"It may be we are in for a cold winter or it may just be a shorter cold snap."

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