Good morning everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of your weekend! It is a nice, somewhat sunny morning here today. Early fall can be a very nice time of the year, even though in this area it can also be rather cool. It’s a good time to go hiking since it’s not too hot. I always enjoyed fall hikes, from early to late fall. Or taking the canoe onto the lake on a calm morning with the mist rising from the water’s surface. It was always so amazingly calm and quiet. There are not as many birds around this time of year, but our resident birds are becoming more vocal and visible.

The chickadees begin flocking together, flying around looking for food. And this is the time when they start looking for good, stable food sources for the winter months. Meaning they start looking for feeders that will bring them a steady food source for the long hard winter ahead. But even those far from feeders do the same, establishing food territories and traveling in loose flocks, hiding food for the lean months ahead. They actually hide a lot of food this time of year to help through the cold winter months. Other birds are also more noticeable now, especially the blue jays who are quite noisy as they fly around through the trees looking for food and feeders too.

I always enjoy having both of these birds at my feeders. Plus woodpeckers and nuthatches seem to be more noticeable now too. Although most birds are gone south now, there are still others that will leave throughout the month of September. Leaves are also starting to change color, just a little at a time. Mostly though, it still looks a lot like summer. Deer start coming out more now as well. This is the month that my little chipmunk friends will start to head off to their little dens for the winter months. Right now they are very busy trying to hide as much food in their dens as possible. After all, they are hidden away for at least 6 months or more and need a lot of food to keep them well fed during that time.

Yesterday I only saw 5 of my 9 chipmunks, and so far today only 4 have shown up. Though I don’t think they have gone to their dens just yet, I have probably just missed seeing them. I’m sure they are still coming around. I hope so anyway. This would be very early to start staying in their dens. But our birds have been leaving early this fall too. It is not only a nice time for hiking, but just going for shorter walks too. Or sitting beside a lake, taking in all the beauty around you. Or sitting down by the river where everything is so quiet and still. When the sun is shining it can still be very beautiful by the river this time of year.

I like to see the sun sparkling on the small wavelets, ducks swimming past, a few geese walking along the shore. There are still crows around cawing, but ravens are becoming more common again as they once more take over the area for the winter months. Starting Monday I will be talking more of some things from years ago, some I have probably shared in the past, some not. There will be experiences with bears, deer, hiking, climbing and other things. Plus I will keep up with current happenings. But honestly, there hasn’t really been much happening, and I’m not getting out much, so I need to start digging a bit. I’m sure you will find things to enjoy in those stories. I hope you will have a beautiful weekend everyone and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

©2021 Steve McLeod.