Fall is officially a season now

Officially summer is at an end, and fall has begun. Meteorological fall starts on September first in the Northern Hemisphere and March first in the Southern Hemisphere. The birds already knew that, because they have been on the move since late August. The fall equinox officially announcing another fall arrived on September 22 when the sun as perpendicular to the equator.

The predominate focus of fall is maturity and not death. Autumn is a time of summing up; it brings sweetness to the apple and ripeness to grain. Autumn is a time of harvest; this is time of maturity toward which the spring bed, leaf, and blossom reached.

Hickory nuts and acorns are ripe to the delight of squirrels, bears, blue jays, and other mammals storing food for winter.

Late September is important to bears, and especially the pregnant females. Research shows that a pregnant female black bear can consume as many as 200,000 berries in a 24 hour period, and as much as 60-70 pounds of food daily. If she hasn’t gained enough weight by mid-November, her pregnancy will terminate, and she will not be able to contribute to the continuation of her species. So the bear feeding frenzy continues through late fall when food becomes scarce, and bears are forced to den.

The fall fogs are a unique bled of mood and weather. You feel the fall fogs on your face and in your hair, and in your mind. It creeps in softly and silently and blows away much like smoke. The birds are serious about their fall migration now. They are restless and gregarious. Although they are always busy, they are no longer full of song.

Hawks are moving through the Valley, riding the thermals above the ridges. If you watch, you will catch them putting on an aerial show that you won’t soon forget.

Most songbirds are through with the fall molt, and have their winter feathers now. Swallows are congregating in large numbers prior to migrating south, and the monarch butterfly migration peaked around mid-September, but there are still a few flitting through the Valley.

Most of the male hummingbirds have already left for the season. The females with this year’s offspring are beginning their journey now. Keep out the feeders for awhile longer so migrating hummers can sip and rest as they pass through.

Flickers are more easily spotted now with their undulating flight pattern.

Now is the time to tempt wrens and bluebirds, and others to the feeders with a treat of mealworms. Mealworms are the larvae of a beetle. The larvae stage of the beetle typically lasts for about 10 weeks, and is a real treat for the insect eaters.

Late September with the chill of its nights lingering into the daytime hours brings new vigor to the season. The fires in the insect world burn low now. Bugs and beetles are nearing the end of their time. However, black field crickets are everywhere. Grasshoppers still leap at you as walk through a field. They are out to warm themselves in the warmest part of the day.

The change in the insect world is most noticeable in the evening. A month ago the tree crickets and katydids made the night vibrate with they sounds. They still rasp, but at a much slower rate. The slowdown will continue as the chill of the season deepens. The first serious frost will silence most of the insects for the season. Then will come the long, deep quiet until another spring. The quiet will become so intense that you can hear a snowflake falling in the night. Listen.

Keep out plenty of fresh water for drinking and bathing.

Owl photographs are by Tony Dills

Fall is knocking at the seasonal change gate

September in the mountains brings gorgeous butterflies to sip nectar from the flowers. The swallow tails seem to be the predominant flying jewel on the mountaintop. The oppressive late afternoon heat seems to not bother them. They puddle a lot.

You will find butterflies gathered on moist spots in your garden, or around the earth close to a birdbath that has just been filled. Butterflies sip the moisture and minerals from the moist earth that they need. It is predominately males that puddle, seeking salt and minerals which they pass to the females during breeding.

If you want to watch butterflies puddle on a regular bases make your own puddle. Fill a medium size plastic flower pot saucer with sand and add water until the mixture become soggy. Select a spot where you can easily watch the butterflies.

Dig the bowl into the ground to a level that is flush with the surrounding dirt. Add about a tablespoon of composted manure or other compost to the sand. You can add a pinch of salt to attract the male butterflies. Include a few rock or clam shells for the butterflies to sun bathe on.

Butterflies also like bits of over ripe fruit such as bananas, apples or pear slices. Leave the fruit supply at least a day so it will ferment. Butterflies enjoy sipping fermented fruit. Do they get a bit tipsy, maybe. Birds do when they eat too much past it prime fruits.

Butterflies puddle from a few seconds to an hour or more.

Contrary to what you may thing, butterflies do not puddle to cool off. They enjoy shady places for resting and cooling. Butterflies, especially males, like to congregate at a favorite puddling site. Maybe they catch up on the latest male butterfly gossip. Keep your puddling spot soggy to attract the most butterflies.

Notice that you rarely see butterflies on cloudy days. Insects are cold-blooded and can’t regulate their body temperatures like humans can. They also need protection from wind, weather and predators. They seek out shady places like shrubs or vines where they sit to keep warm or to cool. There are butterfly feeders that can be purchased to provide nectar. I don’t recommend them for mountain butterfly lovers. The bears enjoy the nectar also, and destroy the feeders, just as they do hummingbird feeders.

The leaves that are turning and falling are due to heat stress. Fall will arrive on time as it has for eons. The stressed leaves and trees do not signal an early fall. The early defoliation that some trees are undergoing now is common when they are under stress, and summer season of intense heat has been challenging for young and old trees. The recent intense heat and humidity has made it difficult for plants to keep up with water and cooling requirements.

Watch for flocks of nighthawks flying around street lights. Waterfowl migration is beginning, and Monarch butterflies will begin their annual migration starting in late August. Early warblers are winging their way through the Valley. Broad wing hawks start moving south in late August to wintering grounds in the tropics. They are easy to spot with their thick bodies and rounded tails. They ride the air thermals conserving energy to sustain them during their long journey south. The hawks start flying between 9 and 10 a.m. when the air is warm.

Keep out plenty of fresh water for drinking and bathing. This is a time of molt for songbirds, so there is a lot of bathing.

May you always hear the whisper of wings.

Photo by: Tony Dills