View Full Version : As the leaves turn
There is a lot going on in the woods and in the sky these crisp Autumn days as the leaves turn.
Observations from the wilds include V formations of Canada Geese in #s of more than fifty at times.
Ducks and Loons are grouping and flying south as are many other bird species.
In the woods, the Coyote are yipping it up more in the wee hours of the morning.
The squirrels are busy dropping cones to the forest floor, look out!
When the wind blows it rains leaves and pine needles making for some enjoyable walks .
Yes, its getting busy out there once again and warns us cold climate folks that it won't be long till the world turns white again, and maybe we should be getting busy too.
Your wildlife observations as the leaves turn?:)
Homer&Marje
10-10-2008, 09:53
Heard the business of red squirrels up in New Hampshire. Walking the paved highway of red and yellow leaves. Rivers were raging with all of the rain and saw lots of evidence of moose and deer along the trail. Ground level foliage has distinctive "chewing" marks from the grazers bulking up.
Gray Blazer
10-10-2008, 09:58
Anybody got the leaf lowdown for the Smokies? Are they turning at the higher elevations? Is it worth seeing this weekend?
There is a lot going on in the woods and in the sky these crisp Autumn days as the leaves turn.
Observations from the wilds include V formations of Canada Geese in #s of more than fifty at times.
Ducks and Loons are grouping and flying south as are many other bird species.
In the woods, the Coyote are yipping it up more in the wee hours of the morning.
The squirrels are busy dropping cones to the forest floor, look out!
When the wind blows it rains leaves and pine needles making for some enjoyable walks .
Yes, its getting busy out there once again and warns us cold climate folks that it won't be long till the world turns white again, and maybe we should be getting busy too.
Your wildlife observations as the leaves turn?:)
Squirrels crushed everywhere and lots of happy crows waiting for more.
Ron Haven
10-10-2008, 10:56
Anybody got the leaf lowdown for the Smokies? Are they turning at the higher elevations? Is it worth seeing this weekend?Blazer I was over there yesterday and it was absolutely gorgous.Even around Wayah Bald and Standing Indian is beautiful as well.take care my friend.
Bulldawg
10-10-2008, 10:57
Blazer I was over there yesterday and it was absolutely gorgous.Even around Wayah Bald and Standing Indian is beautiful as well.take care my friend.
Am I gonna miss the peak if I am doing Charlies Bunion on 10/25 or 10/26?
Am I gonna miss the peak if I am doing Charlies Bunion on 10/25 or 10/26?
Species change colors at different times. Some will be past their peak. Some at there peak and some approaching their peak. It also depends on how you get to Charlies Bunion. Late fall is approaching on high exposed places. It's still early autumn in some of the valleys.
I can say this with some confidence, only because I have found from several trips, that many of the species and the general climate of the high ridges of the Smokies are remarkably similar to what I see at the same time on the midcoast of Maine.
However, I expect the first full burst of color will be gone by late in the month, as it will be here. Lurkers, let me know if I'm wrong. This is a theory I've been exploring for several decades, but haven't gotten south enough to gain total confidence in my observations.
Weary
Weary
Gray Blazer
10-10-2008, 11:50
Blazer I was over there yesterday and it was absolutely gorgous.Even around Wayah Bald and Standing Indian is beautiful as well.take care my friend.
We're leaving this afternoon. I'll be calling the Jackson's when I get home from work. If there's no room for tomorrow night I'll call Victor. This will be the first time this FL boy will have seen the leaves changing in the mountains. I'm excited. See ya tomorrow.
Ducks and Loons are grouping and flying south as are many other bird species.
I told you some time ago, the loons would return to the promised land when they were ready.;)
Your wildlife observations as the leaves turn?:)
I prefer the leaves of our lives.;)
Lurkers, let me know if I'm wrong.
Weary
I suspect USDA zone and length of growing season would be the same too were you to check it out. I'm USDA Zone 6A here -- maybe warmer now -- a bit behind you.
Squirrels crushed everywhere and lots of happy crows waiting for more.
Excellent observation about wildlife as the leaves turn, the only one so far. Some people need to get out from behind the keyboard more often, evidently.
Just cause the title the thread is As the leaves turn, if anyone reads the 1st post they will see the thread is about wildlife, and in a wildlife forum.:rolleyes::D
Well, SOG did say Loon in his reply:rolleyes:
I told you some time ago, the loons would return to the promised land when they were ready.;)
And i am glad Gray Blazer got his question answered...:D
Just cause the thread's title is As the leaves turn, if anyone reads the 1st post they will see the thread is about wildlife, and in a wildlife forum.:rolleyes::D
I'm sure you once said or rather posted that anything goes in the wildlife forum. Don't make me link it. I know where to find it.:D
Dogwoods in full sun sport deep red leaves and a heavy fruit set which pleases robins greatly. Tufted titmice seek their dinner in nearby pines whose cones have now opened.
It may be off-thread, but my post was on-forum and on-topic before you even created this thread.:rolleyes:
I'd love to post a pic of the BUteeful poison ivy, with berries I saw within the hour, but I don't have one. See if you can imagine it with a little birdie perched in it eating those berries.:p:)
I'm sure you once said or rather posted that anything goes in the wildlife forum. Don't make me link it. I know where to find it.:D
Figures someone would remember what i said here 2 years ago:rolleyes:
Ahahahah, i'm busted.:D
Gray Blazer
10-10-2008, 14:20
Well, SOG did say Loon in his reply:rolleyes:
And i am glad Gray Blazer got his question answered...:D
Yeah......we don't get much of the change of seasons down here except dry to wet.
This will be the first time this FL boy will have seen the leaves changing in the mountains. I'm excited.
To think some live out their lives without ever having had the experience! I'm glad you will not be one of them. Post some photos if you are able.:)
Yeah......we don't get much of the change of seasons down here except dry to wet.
I remember 1980-1984:rolleyes:
Have a colorful trip!:sun
Oh , glad Bulldawg may gotten his question answered too!:D
Gray Blazer
10-10-2008, 17:46
Blazer I was over there yesterday and it was absolutely gorgous.Even around Wayah Bald and Standing Indian is beautiful as well.take care my friend.
I regretfully can't come this weekend. Will try next year.
Moose are black as coal. They seem to recognize neon blaze orange. Must be fall.
Nuthatches are chittering in the big softwoods.
Wood thrushes have not sung for me since @ 8/31. Still see them.
Skunks are still out.
Geese in numbers/formation.
Toads that try to jump, but sort of flop sideways. Cold weather must be a beast for them, I would think the predation would be high.
I would like to know if rabbits are white yet. Anyone?
warraghiyagey
10-10-2008, 20:01
There is a lot going on in the woods and in the sky these crisp Autumn days as the leaves turn.
Observations from the wilds include V formations of Canada Geese in #s of more than fifty at times.
Ducks and Loons are grouping and flying south as are many other bird species.
In the woods, the Coyote are yipping it up more in the wee hours of the morning.
The squirrels are busy dropping cones to the forest floor, look out!
When the wind blows it rains leaves and pine needles making for some enjoyable walks .
Yes, its getting busy out there once again and warns us cold climate folks that it won't be long till the world turns white again, and maybe we should be getting busy too.
Your wildlife observations as the leaves turn?:)
Wish I was walking in Maine.:sun Damn you Woodsy
Moose are black as coal. They seem to recognize neon blaze orange. Must be fall.
Nuthatches are chittering in the big softwoods.
Wood thrushes have not sung for me since @ 8/31. Still see them.
Skunks are still out.
Geese in numbers/formation.
Toads that try to jump, but sort of flop sideways. Cold weather must be a beast for them, I would think the predation would be high.
I would like to know if rabbits are white yet. Anyone?
Well there, kinda what i was looking for
Rabbits turn white in late November around here if i remember correctly
Wish I was walking in Maine.:sun Damn you Woodsy
You could be too, if you play your cards right.;)
superman
10-10-2008, 20:35
The woods are busy and noisy. I recently got hearing aides. I haven't heard birds sing or squirrels chatter in many, many years. I find it hard to believe there was all this noise that I haven't been hearing. Life is good.:)
You can only imagine how loud pine needles falling to the ground can seem after seeing a skunk, after dark.
Good you can now hear. Enjoy the birds. Go find a squirrel picking apart a cone. Noisy!
superman
10-10-2008, 20:47
You can only imagine how loud pine needles falling to the ground can seem after seeing a skunk, after dark.
Good you can now hear. Enjoy the birds. Go find a squirrel picking apart a cone. Noisy!
Thanks, I'd lost 3/4 of the high side of the range for speech and everything higher than that. Winter and I have taken time to just go sit in the woods. I can actually hear leaves rustling in the trees. There are so many sounds that I can hear now but Winter still claims that she can hear better than me.:)
Thanks, I'd lost 3/4 of the high side of the range for speech and everything higher than that. Winter and I have taken time to just go sit in the woods. I can actually hear leaves rustling in the trees. There are so many sounds that I can hear now but Winter still claims that she can hear better than me.:)
Sounds typical of many veterans, the loss of hearing that is.
Glad to hear that you can hear again!:sun
superman
10-10-2008, 21:17
Sounds typical of many veterans, the loss of hearing that is.
Glad to hear that you can hear again!:sun
Thanks. I think this is a good time for anyone to just sit and listen in the woods. On the other hand...any time is a good time to just stop and listen.:-?
Thanks. I think this is a good time for anyone to just sit and listen in the woods. On the other hand...any time is a good time to just stop and listen.:-?
Great advice right there
Its amazing how the woods come to life after sitting silently for a few minutes.
Back in the day when I bow hunted from a tree stand, it was unbelievable some of the critters and goings on i saw.
Gawdang, its a clear full moon night and i'm surrounded, stepped out for a few minutes, Bobcat or fischer screaming out back, coyotes yipping out front, I'm sceeeered:eek:
Be a good night to tent out with all that wild noise in the air!:D
Maybe you could just open the windows a bit instead.
Maybe you could just open the windows a bit instead.
Could hear them last night with everything closed up, think they were waiting/hoping someone would open the door. Full moons got everything all wound up.
Clean, dry air. Gets me fired up, too.
Was cool to hear a couple coyotes talking back and forth around dusk.
When both packs lit off at 0230, when the world was quiet, there was no getting back to sleep. I think they snuck up on the tent with the intent to wake up the tourists.
Was a beauty of a morning, a fine day to be alive. Campfire in the morning is more fun, for me anyway.
Full moons got everything all wound up.
When I read this post last night, I thought it might be a good time for a walk. Since the moon wasn't full here, I retired to my bedroom for some much need rest instead.
I wonder if the moon is full every night in the wilds of Maine?:-?
Just back from a section of Southern MA to Northern CT and heard the following...
Geese at dusk, owls in the evening, coyotes in middle of the night. Many different birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and we had a mouse visit our fire ring. A guy sharing Glen Brook campsite says he saw a bear cub about 50 feet away at dawn on Saturday. My boys and I thought we heard a bear grunt around that time, but we did not see it for ourselves.
There were a lot of folks on the trail as well. We passed one interesting couple where the man carried a large, professional-looking camera, and the woman had several bells hanging/jingling off her belt. I wonder how much wildlife they captured on film/disk? Probably about as many as all the folks with unleashed dogs. :rolleyes:
It was a wonderful fall foliage weekend on the trail. :cool:
When I read this post last night, I thought it might be a good time for a walk. Since the moon wasn't full here, I retired to my bedroom for some much need rest instead.
I wonder if the moon is full every night in the wilds of Maine?:-?
Yup, full again tonight, although a bit fuzzy.
Just back from a section of Southern MA to Northern CT and heard the following...
Geese at dusk, owls in the evening, coyotes in middle of the night. Many different birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and we had a mouse visit our fire ring. A guy sharing Glen Brook campsite says he saw a bear cub about 50 feet away at dawn on Saturday. My boys and I thought we heard a bear grunt around that time, but we did not see it for ourselves.
There were a lot of folks on the trail as well. We passed one interesting couple where the man carried a large, professional-looking camera, and the woman had several bells hanging/jingling off her belt. I wonder how much wildlife they captured on film/disk? Probably about as many as all the folks with unleashed dogs. :rolleyes:
It was a wonderful fall foliage weekend on the trail. :cool:
Great report of wildlife activity as the leaves turn, thanks :)
Mudhead:
Clean, dry air. Gets me fired up, too.
Was cool to hear a couple coyotes talking back and forth around dusk.
When both packs lit off at 0230, when the world was quiet, there was no getting back to sleep. I think they snuck up on the tent with the intent to wake up the tourists.
Was a beauty of a morning, a fine day to be alive. Campfire in the morning is more fun, for me anyway.
Ahahah, Coyotes kept you awake , they do that on purpose you know, hoping you won't come back in their territory.
Bulldawg
10-15-2008, 13:36
Anybody else been in the GSMNP this week?
The leaves in the upper elevations are close to 75 percent today. The temperature is dropping and the peak is probably about a week away. I live within walking distance of Reed's Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway here in Virginia. Beautiful time of the year to be hiking......and yes watch out for the squirrels dropping bombs.:)
Bilbo
Mrs Baggins
10-17-2008, 17:19
We were just up on Skyline Drive in SNP last Sunday. Gorgeous. Another week would be prime viewing but then again the traffic up there will be far worse. We had very little traffic and perfect weather. We didn't have time to hike but we did buy an annual park pass and we'll be hiking up there as soon as we get the move from SC to Alexandria VA all done. Can't wait!
Cookerhiker
10-17-2008, 19:36
I'll be camping in SNP next weekend at HighTop while volunteering for a PATC water quality monitoring project. Colors should be peak :) but forecast calls for rain.:(
Mr. Clean
10-21-2008, 06:03
I've been hearing the coyotes again, too. Last time was early spring. Also, leaf fall makes those hornet nests visible. Funny how you don't really notice them until a few leaves are gone. Chipmunks are in a frenzy to store food before the ground freezes.
Chipmunks are in a frenzy to store food before the ground freezes.
Here on the coast, they have been quite crazed of late. I figured there was a predator about.
Red squirrels have been more bold, too.
Just had our first killing frosts, probably got the world stirred up.
...Just had our first killing frosts, probably got the world stirred up.
Yup. Our carefully nurtured lettuce and tomatoes, are finally gone for the year. We have a bumper crop of squash and pumpkins, however. I'm taking the surplus to our local food bank. My rutabagas are nicely frosted also, making them almost as sweet as candy.
Weary
Juncos are back. I like juncos.
leeki pole
10-27-2008, 12:33
Global warming? I don't think so. It's supposed to be 25 degrees here Tuesday morning. BRRRRR! I've seen the hummingbirds come and go, my buddy the rufous-sided (Eastern) Towhee has packed up and gone, the leaves are beginning to turn, squirrels are busy, rabbits everywhere. Strange that we've still got some wildflowers bloomimg, mostly daisy fleabane. I've been here for 31 years and I can't remember a hard freeze in October. Maybe we'll have our first snow since 2000! By the way, the Weather Channel said peak color in the Smokies is between 2500 and 3500 feet.
Gray Blazer
10-28-2008, 08:27
Nantahalas peaking today!!
superman
10-28-2008, 09:01
The foliage is past here. The leaves have fallen or turned brown. There is a random tree that is still holding onto it's colored leaves. I've hung both my canoes in the carriage shed for the winter. All I have in the garden is some brussel sprouts and carrots. I like fall. It's the best time to hike but the weather is changing toward winter now. The worst part of this time of the year is that I can see my neighbor’s houses until the leaves come back. Worse than that is the race of the projects not done or not finished makes me sort out what has to get done before the snow flies and what can wait until spring. I lose this race every year. Even retired, there are always more projects than time to do them. I will have to live to be 150 years old in order to finish all the projects on the "to do" list.:-?
section hike in northern and central VA in early Oct/08. Lots of fall color and lady bugs galore.
http://picasaweb.google.com/RabbitOnTheTrail/VirginiaLeaves2008#
Nice pics JERMM, its pretty neat walking around in full color huh?
And with most of the leaves on the ground here, the heart stopping explosion of a Patridge flushing has diminished cause if they don't hear you coming, they see you coming well in advance. Been flushing them most everyday, from a distance.
Beavers are building rafts of fallen trees for winter food and humans are scurrying about with last minute cleanup before eminent snow cover as Superman mentioned.
The Chickadees and Nuthatches are hanging out together in the woods foraging for bugs in sunny areas.
Nice pics JERMM, its pretty neat walking around in full color huh?
It sure was, the fog too, most of the wildlife I saw, deer, bears, the grouse would explode when taking flight making my heard stop :eek: monarch butterflies, dark eyed juncos (sp) and little lady bugs everywhere. I've never seen so many lady bugs
Gray Blazer
10-28-2008, 10:12
The worst part of this time of the year is that I can see my neighbor’s houses until the leaves come back.
They can see your house, too. :eek:
I lose this race every year.
Got the house banked?
Good foliage pics JERRM.
How many lady bugs came home with you?
superman
10-28-2008, 16:38
I lose this race every year.
The problem seems to be that I used to be fast......now I'm only half fast.:D
Got the house banked?
Good foliage pics JERRM.
How many lady bugs came home with you?
Not sure of the lady bug count, you might ask the rental car agency. :D
I found one yesterday, but if could have been a local. Those little things bite too.
Two days ago I saw a white throated sparrow. Still waiting for the Juncos to return.
superman
11-03-2008, 10:42
This is also the time when every time I walk down to the barn the ducks and geese fly up from the stream. The beavers have made a dam down stream so the water is right to the top of the stream banks. Even though we keep taking the beaver out new ones show up. Even though I don't like it the foul do.:rolleyes:
Grackles showed up last Friday. Robins showed up Saturday. Not a flock, a herd of robins. They cleaned up the winterberry, and are gone today.
Some really chubby robins, life is good!
There's still all kinds of color here! The foliage most exposed to sun and wind is now on the ground, but there's plenty of green all around in the more sheltered locations and on the lower limbs of trees.
Oaks call attention to themselves most now, with pins, reds, scarlets and whites all sporting deep reds. Sweet gums are beginning color up nicely and black cherries and sassafrass continue to exhibit a range of yellows, oranges and reds. Even sycamores hold their leaves, while red maples, many still brilliant, hold on to theirs.
What's up with the leaves in Atlanta and farther south?
What's up with the leaves in Atlanta and farther south?
Color is growing on the northeast side of Atl, maple, oak and poplar :banana