Autumn's comings and goings

Happy Labor Day! Each day now more and more leaf color shifts from Summer's deep greens toward Autumn's reds, yellows, golds and coppers. No doubt you've already learned that the colors were there all the time, they become noticeable as the chlorophyl production that makes leaves green dies back. Sumacs and maples lead this effort. It's still a little early for the oranges of pumpkins to catch our attention. Meanwhile, we've yet to see the purples of asters along our roadsides.

Photo by J. Harrington

We've reached the time of year when Summer's goslings are now fully feathered and larger and larger flocks of Canada geese engage in "training flights," to get the youngsters muscles in shape for the long flights ahead. We saw several such flocks today as we were out and about. Seeing them took us back to the days we used to head for Lac Qui Parle for goose hunting. Hearing 80,000 to 100,000 geese wake up and gradually head for breakfast is an awesome experience.

Photo by J. Harrington

Each year we hope to see large flocks of waterfowl stop by at Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area. Most years that only happens in the Spring, as they head North. This year, with high water and the SPring's weather, the migration seemed more spread out, unless, of course, we missed the one or two days when all the birds came through. Nature can be like that, and often is.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Robert Frost- 1874-1963 

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

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