It is only the third day of August, yet I saw a V of Canadian Geese going south yesterday. The Sandhill cranes are calling again, and getting ready for a southern migration. That is usually closer to the end of August. A large cow moose just walked through the yard and crossed the creek. They usually stay in the mountains until closer to the fall and come down when the snow is too deep during the winter. My Nuthatches came back to the feeders yesterday, and a Chickadee was singing to me from the willow this morning. All of the Grosbeaks except one have moved on. I think they may know something that I do not, but suspect Is anyone else seeing signs of early fall?
It seems like eternal summer here Mel, we watched a green finch fledge in the past few days, so no sign of autumn yet, and still no rain to mention either
It’s cooling down here especially nights. Shorter days and the plants have slowed down. The horses are still shinny as a seal in the sun. But it won’t be long til they grow their winter coats. The mornings are cool and the air is a damp marine layer covering the land in fog. No birds heading south here yet. When the ducks start their journey south they usually stop in the grasslands near by.
@Pacnorwest it would be helpful to know where you are for this kind of post, maybe you could add the information to your profile
Hiya Mel, Your description takes me back to when I lived in Alaska. I recall the exact same signs as you related above. It was like a déjà vu. But to your question: I am seeing the yellowing of leaves in a couple of plants in the lottie; however, in some Tilia’s along our streets and roads are showing some yellow leaves. Obviously it is way too early for them to be showing their fall colours so I suspect that some of the signs that we are seeing here have more to do with drought than seasons’ end. Our geese (and there are thousands upon thousands here in our coastal area) have not yet begun their southbound flight. I cannot say that we have any real signs of a short summer and an early fall. Giving water is a daily event though, for ourselves and for the neighbour who is on hols.
Seeing lightning bugs is on my bucket list. Very jealous that you get to enjoy something that seems so magical. Do they move on LL? or have a certain life span?
We see geese moving south, but that's normal here. The goose hunting season has started further north, and the geese probably read that in the newspapers and are taking precautions. The nights are getting darker. We still have 17 hours from sunrise to sunset, but it feels shorter. Might be because of our cold, wet, grey weather.
They are amazing to watch! I go out in the middle of the night (I dont sleep well) to watch these guys, in the creek and fields across from me. Thousands of them, its like looking at a clear sky at night and seeing all the twinkling stars. @Melody Mc. - I dont believe they move on. I think they mate, create larve, then burrow in the ground. I had to look it up, and here is what I found; These beetles overwinter as larvae and in spring they metamorphose into adults. The flashes and accompanying movements are used for courtship. The different species have their own precise rhythms, flashes, and movements; some species lack bioluminescence altogether. Some firefly species mimic the courtship signals of others, lure in prospective “mates,” and then eat them. The larvae are voracious predators with jaws equipped with toxin to help them overpower snails, slugs, earthworms, and other prey. Adults eat a variety of foods, depending on the species. The flashing adults are endlessly entertaining to children and adults. Their quiet presence adds to the magic of a Missouri summer night. It's one of the true wonders of nature to see thousands of fireflies winking all across a low fallow field, or, if you're lucky enough, to see an entire group of fireflies in a stream valley winking on and off in unison. In our area, try looking for this phenomenon starting in early June.
Thank you for that LL. It sounds simply magical. What a gift to have that at your home I'm very happy for you to have such a special act of nature to enjoy. You must miss them when they go. ( I like the idea of them eating slugs......Go Fire Fly Larvae!!!)
