Wild Nantucket

Monday, October 12, 2020

Colors of Autumn at Stump Pond

A blustery day hike called for the protection of Stump Pond. Although the tupelos' reds are mostly gone, the sweet pepper is yellow, the sumac scarlet, the viburnum mahogany and the the fern fronds yellowing. The light rain drops just accentuated the color.

Looking back on other seasons...

Sumac

Groundsel and Sumac

Cinnamon Fern

Compare to June...

June 18

April 11

June 18

Caspian Tern Fishing at First Bridge

Ken Blackshaw gave me the word that a Caspian Tern had been seen at Founder's Monument in Madaket on Saturday, but I couldn't get out there. On Sunday after birding, he let me know it had been seen at First Bridge. After his birthday lunch at the Chanticleer (our first foray to eat out in over 7 months), we hastened to First Bridge. Quite a show as the bird made multiple rounds of cruising and diving!

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

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

Semiplamated plover

Semipalmated plover

Eider off Great Point

Thursday, October 1, 2020

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.