It's that time. The last hurrah of fall. The maples have come and gone, the oaks and aspen didn't show all that much, but now it's time for tamaracks to show their colors. Although all of our conifers, including red pine and white pine, shed some needles this time of year, tamarack (aka "THE LARCH!") do it in style, turning golden for a while.
I saw my first Northern Shrike of the fall, as I drove by at about 55 mph. They must follow the flocks of Dark eyed juncos, which are everywhere since a week and a half ago. I also saw a high flying flock of ducks, courtesy of a little brown bird I decided to get a better look at while on my lunchtime walk. I could not ID the bird, but I did get a glimpse of the ducks just because I had my binoculars on the bird. I could not see that flock with my own eyes, they were that high.
It's been pretty rainy; the pond is now at full pool, after being at an all time low in August. Tonight was calm and partly cloudy, so I spent a moment out at the pond enjoying the stillness. There is so much stillness around here sometimes, I should just drink it all up.
10 comments:
Oh Deb, I crave your stillness. Living where I am right now (next to a busy highway & close to the airport), there is never any silence! That's the one thing I love about going 'up north' for a vacation--the silence.
I could use a piece of your stillness too. I need to get up north to see the tamaracks before they drop all of their needles. I never really appreciated them until we bought Hasty Brook. There is alot of bog area around there.
I just love the juncos! What a treat to hear their little 'tick-tick-tick' voices arrive in the Fall.
Thanks for reminding me of all the fond memories associated with "Smokey Gold."
Ahh nice post! Shrikes are a big deal around here in CT.-Most people don't see any in a year.
That's a nice shot Deb, and we've been seeing Dark-eyed Juncos here recently too.
When we first moved to our house my father-in-law told us to cut down those two pine trees that were "dying". I had never seen tamaracks before but just had a feeling that they were not dying and it was just normal. Luckily, I listened to my own instincts!
RuthieJ- When The Hermit and I were first married, we lived a block from a freeway. Never mind that we lived on a very beautiful pond, the noise just sucked.
Lynne- those tamaracks are magical. You better get up to Hasty Brook in the next week or so; by November they'll be gone!
Denise- Such a wonderful horde of birds, when they pass through.
Mojoman- "Smokey Gold"-- what a great description!
Larry- They are a rare treat here, although I've seen them more now that I know what to look for.
Jim- I bet your juncos are a different race there...or are they?
Elise- funny how some guys just want to cut all the trees! When The Hermit and I moved into our first house, we had a few dead oak snags my grandpa just wanted to get rid of. They were great woodpecker and chickadee habitat.
YES!YES!YES! If there is no danger of them falling on a structure and you don't need them for fuel leave those dead trees standing.
Sorry about that. I appear to have "lost my cool".
eyemkmootoo- Welcome! And I totally agree; the world needs more dead snags. The woodpeckers and chickadees thank you.
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