October is easily my favorite month. It is peak time for the vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds of leaves and plants changing. Fall migration is still underway with sparrows and late-migrating Orange-crowned Warblers still moving through our region. In the past week at Schlitz Audubon, I have experienced the sun making the trees glow in the morning, high waves on Lake Michigan, a solitary basking Painted Turtle at Turtle Pond soaking up the last rays before brumating for winter, and a worn Painted Lady Butterfly foraging on a past-peak New England Aster. October mornings can be brisk, clear, yet sunny. Or they can be gray, spitting rain with gale-force winds coming off of Lake Michigan. This “walk in the woods” will feature photos over a week of October at the Center, rather than one single afternoon or morning like usual.
There is so much variety from day to day in autumn. Visit Schlitz Audubon and see what changes you can experience on our ever-changing landscape!
American Goldfinch, molting for winter, foraging seeds near Teal Pond.
Remnants from Black-eyed Susan.
Maple grove at the Center being illuminated by the morning sun.
A solitary Painted Turtle at Turtle Pond.
Dogwood
Northern Cardinal sitting above Dogwood
Fragrant Sumac
Orange-crowned Warbler in late October. The Orange-crowned Warbler is one of the latest warblers to migrate.
White-crowned Sparrow
Leaves on the trails.
View from the observation tower.
A large buck.
A tumultuous morning on Lake Michigan because of the extreme winds.
Leaves falling in a prairie on a blustery October morning.
