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Seasons
of Nature in New England
Early Autumn
| Photos of fall foliage in New England |
| Black bears are gaining weight for the winter - feeding heavily on acorns and beechnuts, where available. |
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White-tailed bucks are establishing their dominance hierarchy through ritualized sparring and displays. |
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The oak trees are shedding their acorns - providing food for many species of wildlife. |
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The mating calls of crickets and grasshoppers are in the air. |
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During this period, Monarch butterflies begin their migration south. Most will spend the winter in Mexico, usually arriving there in November. |
| Usually by mid-September, the leaves of the red maples are just beginning to change color. The fall foliage season normally reaches its peak around the first week of October, although it varies a great deal from year to year. |
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Many songbirds, including the warblers, have begun their southward migration, although some will not migrate until a little later in the fall. |
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Hawks can be seen migrating during the daytime hours. |
| The purple New England asters will bloom during this time. The white wood asters and lance-leaved goldenrod began blooming in late summer and will continue to bloom into the early autumn. |
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Note: The "early autumn" period is the time from approximately September through mid-October. Timing of events will vary depending upon your latitude and elevation. |