The RSPB is warning that we're not the only ones that will have a shock in store once 'winter' as we know it, finally arrives with a vengeance this week.
Garden birds will have a rude awakening too the wildlife charity says, but they don't have the luxury of turning up the heating or putting on an extra coat.
Instead, they will start to rely on the goodwill of gardeners and householders, and the RSPB is asking everyone to consider putting out extra supplies of food and water.
The RSPB has been inundated with the kind of calls usually received during the summer for the past few weeks. A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that the risk from extreme weather events is likely to increase if the world continues to warm and garden wildlife is among those proving the effects the changing weather can have.
The mild autumn weather has meant late sightings of summer migrants, late broods of young for birds like blue tits and empty feeders as birds were still finding the necessary food further afield.
But weather forecasters have now warned that frosts, gales, ice and even snow are highly likely in the coming days, which will have a significant impact on the needs and behaviour of garden birds.
Tom Waters, RSPB Wildlife Adviser, says: 'The sudden change in weather almost certainly means that garden birds will start to turn up in gardens en masse one again, hoping to find supplementary food and water.
'Typically, this would have happened a few weeks ago, but it is just a bit later than usual.
'Once icy conditions set in, natural food like berries and insects are almost impossible to find so the extra treats we put out are really important.
'We may not be in the bleak midwinter just yet, but if the temperatures dip significantly, as is predicted, it will instantly become a tough battle for survival for lots of birds.
'Make sure you put out a little bit of extra food, and water too, to make their lives that bit easier.'
The RSPB suggests bird food like seed mixes, peanuts and fat balls, along with leftover food from the kitchen like grated cheese, porridge oats, soft fruit and cooked rice and pasta.
Water is also vital for both drinking and bathing and bird baths can be kept from freezing over using small floating items like twigs or ping pong balls.
Story from the RSPB