A Few Early Fall Colors

Leaves are starting to change more quickly here now. I can already see the difference between Saturday—the day these photos were taken—and how things look around the mountain this morning. Still, when I get closer, many of the changing leaves are on the stressed trees, those with insect or limb damage, so it is difficult to be sure what is caused by some kind of damage or what is simply the usual autumn color change. It will likely be another 2-3 weeks before the color change is at its peak here. Autumn colors move in fits and starts, with a lot of progress over a few days and then nothing much new for days after that.

The temperature is more fall-like, though still not as cool as it should be. The humidity has dropped to fall levels, and the weather is very pleasant. It’s not very good for hawkwatching, unfortunately, though the birds are probably as thrilled as birds can be with this migration weather. Few clouds cross the sky, and it’s nothing but blue, blue, blue. This means the migrants (not just the hawks) can fly as high as they want to. The breeze, when there is one, is hardly worth mentioning, so the birds don’t have to fight their way south. They should have a safe, quick trip. For them, this is likely the best weather they could hope to have for a trip of several thousands of miles. For those of us who like to watch birds, well, all I can say is that I’m glad they’re having a safe trip because I’m sure not getting to see very many of them.

Deer are starting to feel the rut, and I’m seeing them in some odd places. First thing Saturday morning I walked out to the end of the driveway so I could see the sky, and four deer startled in the woods across from the driveway, ran out of the woods towards me and then galloped up the lane. They were about 15 feet from me when they first bolted, and for an instant I almost thought they were going to run me down. The first bounced off the bank towards me before heading uphill. I did have my camera with me, but it wasn’t on, and by the time it booted up, they were gone.