The First killing frost of the season came this week, overnight this past Saturday (10-10-10)
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| Dawns early light melts the frost but it is still there, in the shadows |
This brings with it the end of the growing season. We moved plants that needed protection inside on Friday night. (Aloes and remaining tomatoes, mostly.) During the past week we had reached temperatures of 70 degrees F, and although most of the flowers including the asters have been fading, there has been a fair amount of insect life. Lots of dragonflies, crickets, grasshoppers, and some butterflies. I photographed a beautiful American Copper last week, which I published on the previous post. The chipmunks have been visible and noisy, as have the Wood Ducks on the marsh. You can hear them constantly in the evening and they fly in and out and vocalize. We have had, at least until Saturday, a fairly profound chorus of spring peepers and crickets in the evening. The warm rainy nights brought the peepers back after a summer of quietness.
On Saturday morning, the first frosty views at dawn were startling in a white crystalline and frozen kind of way. This is a dramatic and for me at least, an uncomfortable reminder that the seasons are changing, summer is over, and long cold times lie ahead. I am not looking forward to the winter.
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| all frozen |
It is always interesting to see dramatic changes of scenery. We have just transitioned from a very colorful few weeks in the fields and meadows and forests, to now what is much more muted grays and browns. When it is not overcast there is a deep blue sky, which seems particularly saturated in the crisp autumn. We were just reaching our peak woodland leaf season when the frost hit, and so now that too is fading. It is also interesting to see the spectacular night sky on the cold nights. There is no humidity in the air and the skies are deep black and brilliant with stars. There is a waxing moon now at about half crescent.
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| Crisp, cold, crystalline |
The time since early September or so has brought certain melancholy both because of the changing of the landscapes, the changing of the temperatures, and because of the changing of the bird populations. It was difficult to say goodbye to the bluebirds in August. It was difficult to say goodbye to the hummingbirds in mid-September. It was challenging to watch the blackbirds gather in huge flocks and the Canada Geese to mount their migratory V formations and head away. But the news is good. The brilliant fall days, the beautiful goldenrods and asters, and the spectacular fall foliage brought new adventures and new life. The flowers attracted all sorts of insects including many species of bees and butterflies. Early in October bluebirds returned and every day now there are several in the yard singing from dawn until dusk. Sunday I counted 10 singing. All at once. A gorgeous back and forth cadence from all sides. It was really nice to sit in the gazebo and listen.
Winter birds are now starting to gather. After the freeze we started filling the feeders with black oil sunflower seed, safflower seed, and thistle. This has brought in the dozen or so chipmunks that have been hanging around the edges waiting for the seasonal food source and this morning, two red squirrels, which had all but vanished from our view after the last snow of the spring. Also this morning, there are 13 Chickadees that came noisily to me when I went onto the back porch to refill the feeders. They perched all around me, singing, scolding, and chatting it up. One even landed on my hand when I held it up. The red-bellied, and White-bellied Nuthatches are abundant. Jajean calls these cute and friendly little birds “squeak toys” because of the gentle squeaking sound they make. The Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are at the Suet, and there are also lots of Blue jays, juncos, and yesterday for the first time since last winter several tits, hanging around the feeders.
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Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapilus)
Common, friendly, year round resident at Protection Farm. |
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| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) Common year round resident, loves the thistle feeders. This is a male in breeding plumage |
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Eastern Chipmonk (Tamias Striatus) Fat-cheeked and happy, this little creature is preparing for a winters hibernation. Once the deep freeze is on they will be replaced at the feeders by Red and Grey Squirrels. they do waken to feed every couple of weeks and if we are lucky we will get a glimpse of one during the winter.
Eastern Chipmonk |
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| Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) Common winter visitor |
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| Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) Common yearround resident, loves the feeders. This bird is slightly smaller than the White-breasted Nuthatch and has a great persoality. |
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Downy Woodpecker (picoides pubescens) These are common year round. the Downy is a little smaller than the Hairy Woodpecker, which is also common, but has not been around the feeders so far this season
Downy Woodpecker |
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| I am not the only one that welcomes the return of the feeder creatures |
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