Asters and Goldenrod, O My

The other markers of the changing season:  the Harvest Moon rising out of the Ocean,  and the sunrise starting more southward every day.  We are so blessed to be able to enjoy them from our windows.  

And the peregrine falcons return.  I can see them swoop along the bluff,  and chase them at Low Beach.  Speaking of which...all the seals seem to be at Low Beach!  When I hiked there on October 4,  I saw hundreds in the ocean and the huge hump of the older seals on the beach.  But at Great Point on  October 5,  there were no seals on the point.  There were a few seals swimming along the harbor side harassing the fishermen. One bit a false albacore off a fisherman's line!  

As the moors get more brown as the scrub oaks fade,  I can depend on the goldenrod and aster for color.  Tthe downy goldenrod (solidago puberula)  is glowing,  along with the stiff asters (aster linariifolius) and the late purple aster (aster patens).  The bushy aster (aster dumosus)  is still blooming. The seaside goldenrod (solidago sempervirens) is out in full at Great Point.  At Polpis and at  Low Beach,  the slender fragrant goldenrod (solidago tenuifolia)  is out,  while it has faded elsewhere.  There was even a field of sickle-leaved asters (chrysopis falcata) at Low Beach,  which is well gone on the moors. 

  

Seaside Goldenrod,  Solidago Sempervirens

Goldenrod

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon at Low Beach

Low Beach, October 4

Late Sickle Leaved Asters at Low Beach

Harvest Moon

Solidago Tenuifolia at Polpis

New England Aster at Polpis ( Aster novae-angliae)

Groundsel at Polpis

Winter Plumage

If I were in Cambridge at this time of year,  I would go through my closet and remove all the sleeveless dresses and other summer clothes to the secondary closet.  It's just getting a bit too cold and it is time to transition into the next season.  The shore birds have also changed their plumage.  Here are the black-bellied plover at Pocomo Meadows,  and the ruddy turnstons and semipalmated plovers at Great Point in their winter garb.  

Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone

Semiplamated plover

Semipalmated plover

Eider off Great Point

Fall

 Tonight is the Harvest Moon.  After a brief return to Cambridge for doctor's, dentist and hair appointments,  we are back in Nantucket.  The rich reddish mahogany of the tupelos is turning brown and they are losing their leaves.  The beloved sweet pepper  (clethra alnifolia) has yellow leaves,  while the fox grapes are dappled with yellow, green and brown.  The huckleberry and the virginia creeper are bolts of bright red.   Ferns are curling brown.   How easily the life crumbles.  

 The early goldenrod (Euthamia tenuifolia)  is mostly gone at Norwood Farm,  where I hiked today;  with groundsel  Stiff-leaved and bushy asters and pearly everlasting (Gnaphalium obtuisfolium) the predominant flowers.  A New England Silver Aster was a good find.   The scrub oak is standing strong with its greenery intact and the jays are as loud as ever. 

Norwood Farm

Lily Pond at Norwwod Farm

Kettle Pond from the heights

Stiff-leaved Aster, Aster linariifolius

Bushy Aster, Aster Dumosus

Grey Goldenrod,  Solidago Nemoralis

Oh,  the Tupelos!

My favorite Oak

Groundsel,  Baccharis Halimifolia

Smith's Point

Josh and I hiked out to Smith's Point on March 27, and I headed out there today,  September 12.   When we hiked in that early spring,  we saw 2 dead seals and more winter-killed birds.  Today,  just one sea gull was on the dead list.  I saw 3 different species of terns,  hundreds of sanderlings,  some late black-bellied plovers and some early eiders.  And of course,  herring gulls and greater black-backed gulls, double crested cormorants and crows. A merlin delighted me,  and two oyster-catchers always do.  It was crisp,  at 62 degrees and winds from the ENE at 15 mph.  But that did not deter folks from sunbathing on the Madaket beach!

Back in late March,  all three scoters, long-tailed ducks and brant joined the eiders.  I am looking forward to those winter ducks that keep the oceans so busy!  We did see piping plovers then, too.

This time I hiked out on the ocean side and back via the "interior"  and the harbor side.

There was dusty miller, and late  beach pea and,  in the interior,  a host of seaside goldenrod getting ready to burst open.  

Black-bellied plover

Oystercatcher on the Madaket mud flats

Common terns

Eiders right off Smith Point

Least tern near the point

Forster's tern

Beach pea

Seaside Goldenrod

  

Sconset Bluff Walk, September 10

 Foggy mornings have been magical...and perfect for a walk along the beach and back via the bluff walk.  The autumn clematis is in full bloom and contrasts wonderfully with the rosehips and goldenrod.  

Seaside goldenrod,  solidago sempervirens
and Clematis terniflora

Rosa Rugosa

50 sanderlings...here, but one

Windswept Bog and Stump Pond, September 9

In the shady places, St. Andrew's Cross,
Ascyrum Hypercoides 

Nodding Ladies Tresses at Windswept Bog

Stump Pond Willow Herb, 
Decodon verticillatus

Gone-by Gerardia at Windswept

Roundhead Bush Clover,
Lespedeza capitata

Bush clover and goldenrod

Bushy Aster, Aster dumosus

Tupelo and Fox Grapes

Tall Goldenrod?  Solidago Altissima