This year’s autumn is apparently producing "stages" or partial leaf color change all over the place. Yesterday, ChicagoLady commented here that’s what was going on over her way. Last night I was on a conference call for the Hawk Migration Association of North America and found out that’s what was happening in New Hampshire too. And people all say they’ve never seen anything like it. Dry weather is implicated as the cause for this, though I’ve also heard that should only account for the first and earliest "stage," not the three stages of color change I’ve had since. I suppose you could say it’s interesting in an odd sort of way, but I’d be just as happy if it didn’t happen again next year.
Here at the cabin I’m anticipating and getting ready for the first snow of the season, currently in the forecast for Friday. Oddly, I haven’t yet even had a good hard frost. I’ve had snow before when the leaves were still on the trees. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Branches broke from the weight of snow on leaves. Tree limbs came down and knocked out power. I could do without all that.
I’m still adjusting to last weekend’s time change. It’s not nearly as light in the morning as I expected (hoped). This shouldn’t surprise me by now but it did. I’m already nearly at the point where it’s dark when I leave for work in the morning and dark when I get home in the evening. It might just be light enough to try for a sunrise photo if an especially pretty one presents itself—it hasn’t yet—but that’s about it. This weekend, I will need to take more photos to get me through the weekdays when it’s too dark for photos.
The lack of daylight also means I don't get to see the birds that daily empty my feeders, and I really miss that. Instead, the weekdays are filled with sightings of large, brown mammals darting in front of my car. Whew! Missed another six.
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4 comments:
The thing I dislike most about the time change, which you pointed out in this post, is that I don't get to see our birds. For me, seeing the birds hop up to the feeder, hearing the "vree?" calls of the thrush just make my day and set me in perfect mood to handle whatever the day brings. Weekends, will be extra special since I'll finally have the light in which to watch my feathered friends. And take photos.
Hi Carolyn,
We didn't have the usual color change here in Minnesota either, again the shortage of rain was believed to be a factor.
Now this week we've had several nights down in the 20's and quite a lot of high winds, so I noticed today when I got home from work that most of the trees that still had leaves in the beginning of the week have lost them all. Looks like I'll be doing some raking this weekend...
I really don't like coming home in the dark.I leave for work when it's dark and return when it's dark.That leaves only the weekend to enjoy birds and wildlife.-Snow already? I guess it comes early your way.
Kat and Larry: going without birding for what is essentially 5 days is awful for me. I try to make up for it on the weekends but that's not enough. After the holidays, I'm going to see about one of those birdcams, so I can at least find out what came to my feeders!
Ruthiej: Another place with a weird fall. It's starting to look as though the wierdness is pretty widespread this year.
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