Nature Journal

Notes about birds, mammals, wildflowers, insects, and more



	Saturday, November 8, 2003

	After a night of gusty wind, most of the leaves were finally off of the trees this morning. The oak leaves that were hanging on had fallen. And most of the beech leaves are down also. The leaves on beech saplings and the leaves on the lower branches of more mature beech trees usually remain through the winter.


	Thursday, November 6, 2003

	It's been over two weeks since I've seen or heard a chipmunk. I thought were temporarily taking refuge in their dens until the cold spell was over. But it looks like maybe they've gone underground for the winter.
	However, the red squirrels are certainly making themselves known. I see them scampering around - and hear them scold me when I approach their territory.


	Tuesday, November 4, 2003

	This afternoon, I watched a song sparrow foraging on the ground. First it would scratch the ground, then peck at something unseen to me, move a bit, and repeat. Every so often it would give a short, high-pitched call. I could hear a bird, which I assume was another song sparrow, giving the same call from the nearby bushes.


	Sunday, November 2, 2003

	There are quite a few large glacial erratics in the nearby woods. Glacial erratics are boulders that were carried from other areas by glacial ice. This particular erratic is interesting because of the way it juts out of
	the ground. The area underneath it might make a good den for some kind of animal.


	Friday, October 31, 2003

	Things have been pretty quiet lately - as it tends to be this time of year. When the bow hunting season started, the deer seemed to disappear from sight. Sometimes they start coming around again after the rifle season begins - even bedding down close to the house. Maybe they feel safer here. :-) Have been hearing the usual chickadees and nuthatches. And this afternoon, a woodpecker (probably downy or hairy) was foraging in a nearby tree.


	Wednesday, October 29, 2003

	The leaves have fallen from most of the maple trees and many other trees. But the beech trees (as in this photo) and the oak trees are still showing some pretty foliage.


	Monday, October 27, 2003

	The monarch butterflies have not quite reached their wintering grounds in Mexico. Here's the latest report on their progress. And here's a map which shows monarch sightings beginning on September 1st and continuing to the present.


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