Nature Connection: A Changing Of The Guard

It’s happening all around us. Fall has arrived, not so gently pushing summer out the door. We’ve had the signs of fall for weeks, but there were enough summer-like days we could traipse happily along, singing our little songs of hope and happiness that summer always seems to encourage.

Once October hits our calendars, it is more difficult to live in our little bubble worlds of summer fun and frolic. We start to bring in the plants that have thrived outdoors the last few months. We think about planting our fall bulbs and dividing our enthusiastic and quickly spreading perennials. We may even have taken out some of our fall and winter clothes, ordered oil for the furnace, and found our cozy slippers for those now-chilly mornings.

The birds of summer have mostly left now. There are stragglers, of course. Some don’t leave until the end of October, but we notice that our mornings are so much quieter, our bushes and gardens less busy. The bees and butterflies are slowing down, leaving plenty of space for the crickets to step up and fill the late afternoons and evenings with their insistent calls.

Soon the frogs and toads, snakes and salamanders, as well as our turtles will call it a season and settle into winter dormancy. They wait until the temperature drops to 50 degrees Fahrenheit or below, but the ups and downs of temperatures can be confusing. If you are out driving early in the morning, please be aware that snakes in particular may be warming up on the sun-warmed asphalt and will be slow to move. Be kind and give them a break.

If you are out and about you may be seeing baby turtles that have just hatched. The diamondback terrapins, our only salt marsh turtles, will be leaving the dunes and running as fast as their little bodies can take them into the safety of the marsh. While on the sand they are very vulnerable to being picked off by birds, foxes, coyotes and even snakes. Painted and snapping turtles are very common and will be heading to the nearest freshwater areas. Ponds, lakes, streams, swamps and cranberry bogs are among their preferred areas. If you see some of these tiny guys, please leave them be. Picking them up and taking them to water doesn’t do the requisite muscle strengthening their running does. This prepares them for swimming. If you are unsure of their safety, you may stay nearby but do know your presence will feel like a predator to them and may cause them to turn away from their necessary path.

Mid to late October is when some of our northern friends arrive on Cape Cod for the winter. The herons and egrets may head south, but many sea ducks head to our open waters. Northern waters freeze faster and harder than ours most winters. Our open waters allow them to feed and survive the winter. Watch for them to arrive in Cape Cod Bay or off the Outer Cape by the thousands. If you catch one of the early arrivals you will be treated to miles and miles of birds on the water, a spectacular sight.

Snow buntings will also arrive soon. Watch for them in fields or sandy areas like dunes. They blend in easily, but if you’re lucky you may catch a few still in breeding plumage. Along with the snow buntings, you may also see horned larks. The latter actually live here year round but some new ones arrive each fall as well. 

Many of our summer bird friends change plumage for the colder months. Goldfinches are among the best known of these as the males exchange their bright yellow feathers for the less obvious olive brown of the females. Even cardinals get a little more subdued.

Our rabbit friends should be done procreating, though one is never sure about them if the weather stays warm. The last litter of squirrel babies is out and about in my backyard, raising a ruckus as they learn to jump from branch to branch. The last of the baby birds should be teenagers by now, though we have a late group of mockingbird babies that only fledged the last weekend in September.

As the light fades earlier in the evening and arrives later in the morning, most flowers are done blooming. There will be a few last efforts, always fun to find, but look for the mushrooms that show up at this time of year, especially after a good period of rain. 

Enjoy the colors in nature all through the year but especially in fall when they are bittersweet. As the leaves turn later here than farther north or west, we get to enjoy them for an extended period. Luxuriate in the warmth and take in all the beauty as much as you can. October is lovely, but we all know what comes in on its heels. Take the time now to get out and about. Breathe in the crisp salty air, enjoy a crunchy apple, plant a tree, watch for the sea ducks, and catch an autumn sunset. 

The changing of the guard is ongoing. Don’t miss it. It’s over in the blink of an eye.