Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The colors of fall

Don't you just love the morning light in fall?

That's when I got today's photo. Heavy rain and an easterly wind are forecast for the next few days, and I'm afraid that will destroy the fall colors here before they fully reach their peak. There's nothing to be done about it if that happens, of course, and I am already trying to prepare myself for such an eventuality.

Last night I had a variety of visitors. The first and best was a visit by a saw-whet owl. I heard it, close to the cabin when I walked Baby Dog for the last time. She had to bark at it, of course. I went back inside to get a flashlight, but wasn't able to see it. They make the most bizarre noises, sometimes sounding a bit like a screech owl, sometimes sounding like wood being cut, sometimes sounding like two trees rubbing against each other and sometimes it's just a burble of weirdness. I wonder how many ghostly Halloween tales are really due to the sounds of these little guys?

At 4 a.m. the foxes started barking, followed by two raccoons in the bird feeder at 5 a.m. It sure hasn't been dull here at the cabin this week, that's for sure.

4 comments:

Grizz………… said...

Your rain is here already—a slow drizzle that began a hour ago. Dark, of course, and cold…barely 40F degrees. More of the same and worse are forecast all the way through Saturday.

I hope you're wrong about this being the death knell for fall's colors…but I'm afraid you may be right.

What a wonderful thing to have a saw whet around your cabin. You may have another opportunity to see it—but just hearing it so close had to be a real treat. It has been years since I saw one.

Foxes, raccoons…is living in the woods (or along a river) ever dull? Bet I know your answer. :-)

Carolyn H said...

Griz: I've heard a saw-whet maybe 3 times at the cabin in the years I've lived here. last night was the first time that one was close enough to look for it. Maybe it won't move on right away and I'll get a second chance.

Today was starting to look like a big migration day for little birds this morning. They are likely trying to move ahead of the upcoming storm.

Carolyn H.

Kim said...

I would love to see or hear a Saw-whet Owl from my yard. I do love the colorful leaves and hate seeing them only last a short time. The big plus when they are off the trees though is that the birds are easier to spot!

Cathy said...

Ah yes, the fall colors up here are going look lovely with some snow!!! If all goes right on friday, I might have two inches of teh crazy white stuff. Yesterday at times the clouds had that snow look to them.

Hmm, not sure if I ever hear that kind of owl.