Natural events, happenings, and fearless predictions based upon 40 years of observations at Hidden Pond. Your observations may vary. Hidden Pond is not responsible for errors, erratic behavior or other whims of nature.
--In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks. John Muir
Winter is not over until we have seen snow on the blooming forsythia, according to folk wisdom. The redbud tree Cercis canadensis is now in bloom; the magenta pea-like flowers of this small tree add spectacular color to the banks of the Pohick Creek. Red maple flowers will now turn into winecolored winged seeds. Pastel green tulip poplar and sycamore leaves emerge. Pickerel frogs, spring peepers, cricket frogs, chorus frogs all call now for mates. American toads usually spawn now. Daffodils bloom.
The small native shad bush tree Amelanchier Canadensis, now in bloom along stream and riverbanks, reminded early Americans that the shad fish migration is on and that’s why the shad bush was given that name. The forest floor is now carpeted with spring beauties, trout lilies, cutleafed toothwort, and Virginia bluebells. Canada geese usually begin to incubate their eggs now. White-throated sparrows depart for Canada. Mostly quiet during the winter, they now seem to sing “sweet, sweet, Canada Canada Canada”. Full “pink” moon April 12.
Dogwood blossoms at peak; sadly many wild dogwoods have disappeared due to disease. It seems they are being replaced by various wild cultivars of the Bradford pear which are inferior, weak, invasive and the flowers stink. Morel hunters head for their secret woodland places to search for these tasty mushrooms. Tiger swallowtail butterflies emerge from pupa, mate and lay their eggs on wild cherry tree leaves. New foliage provides cover so that cardinals, robins, and mockingbirds can begin nest building.
Hummingbirds and chimney swifts usually arrive now. Pink lady’s slippers bloom, usually dusted with oak pollen. Warbler migration at peak. Gold finch males now molt into dazzling yellow plumage. Wild azalea blossoms have a sweet fragrance; domestic azaleas, though showier, not so much. In the early evening we hear the wood thrush fill the forest with the sound of summer. Carolina wrens hatch. The nestlings, usually 5 or 6 will leave the nest in 12 days.
Robin families now gather in flocks. They move through neighborhood yards looking for food and
may often be seen bathing together in streams or sharing a birdbath. Katydids, which are related to
grasshoppers, call by the hundreds from the treetops after dark, seeming to say “katy-did, katydidn’t” in raspy voices. They are harmless to trees and serve as food for many animals, including
birds, bats, tree frogs and spiders. Black-eyed Susans, fall phlox and several other summer flowers
are in full bloom. This is often the driest time of year. Keep birdbaths full, but remember to change
the water each week to prevent mosquito larvae from growing.
Blackberries are ripe for picking. Pokeweed berries are starting to turn purple. Drought-stressed
trees, especially sycamores and river birches, drop brown leaves to reduce water loss. Goldenrod is
blooming now; the earliest goldenrod is best for dried flower arrangements. The spiny spiders now
blocking trails with their large orb webs are spined micrathenas. They do not bite people, but their
spines are sharp. In the Northern Hemisphere, as Earth’s axis no longer tilts toward the sun, its rays
become more slanted, and water in ponds and swimming pools begins to cool. Aug. 12 offers good
viewing of Mars and Saturn because it coincides with a new moon.
Ragweed’s plain green flowers now release pollen, carried by wind to other ragweed plants — and to
our eyes and noses. Goldenrod, also in bloom, is much more noticeable and is often blamed for
allergies, even though insects carry its pollen instead of the wind. Meadow wildflowers are at their
peak. Meadows change from year to year and, if left alone, soon fill with tough woody plants. In a few
decades — about 40 years — they can grow into a young forest.
Nighthawks are now migrating south at night. These birds have large eyes and wide mouths and feed
on moths and other night-flying insects while they are in flight. You may see them hunting around
parking lot lights or hear their “peent, peent” call. Hummingbirds feed on orange touch-me-not
(jewelweed) flowers. Walnut tree leaves are among the first to turn yellow and drop. Monarch
butterflies pass through on their way south. They are strong fliers with sturdy bodies for butterflies.
These traits help them make a long migration, sometimes as far as Mexico. Newly mown grass smells
different now — the smell of fall and after-school sports. The full moon on Aug. 28 is called the
Sturgeon Moon.
We now lose sunlight at a rate of about 20 minutes per week, the fastest rate of the year. Squirrels bury acorns, some of which will grow into oak trees. In this way, squirrels help oaks spread while also saving food for their descendants. It seems that squirrels and oaks need each other. Copperhead snakes give birth to live young, which are then left on their own. Young copperheads look like adults but have yellow tails. Hummingbirds feed on jewelweed flowers before heading south. Several other late summer flowers are in bloom, such as cardinal flower and blue mistflower.
Sharp-shinned hawks chase, and sometimes catch, other birds or dragonflies as they migrate. Spiders are now big and fat. The largest spider webs are woven by Araneus spiders, which include garden spiders. They may weave a new web each evening and take it down each morning. Tickseed sunflowers are in bloom. Their bright yellow daisy-like flowers will soon develop into the seeds for which they get their name. Burdock burrs also develop. The burrs, sometimes known as porcupine eggs, stick to clothing and dogs’ hair. Snakes and box turtles get restless and begin to look for a place to spend the winter.
Beech nuts fall, and turkeys gobble them up. Flickers in flocks pass through. Yellowjacket wasps may now be very annoying; the adults kill flies, which they bring home to the nest to feed the developing larvae, but for themselves they prefer sweet stuff, making them a nuisance at picnics and around trash cans. Hickory, walnut and poplar trees turn yellow. Black gum and maples begin to turn red. Fruits and nuts become ripe and may start falling from trees. Watch out for falling walnuts, pawpaws and sweetgum balls. The white pine needles that came forth in the spring of last year turn brown and drop to the ground. The needles that emerged in the spring of this year will remain on the tree until next fall — that’s why these evergreens are evergreen.
The autumnal equinox is on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 8:04 p.m., to be exact. The full Corn or Harvest Moon is on Saturday, Sept. 26. Eastern kingbirds headed south are now passing through. Broad-winged and red-tailed hawks cruise south high overhead. New England aster, New York ironweed and many other asters will bloom until late fall. Acorns litter the ground; those of the white oak have developed over this past summer and are relatively sweet, while those of the red oaks have taken two years to develop and are bitter. If there is enough moisture, mushrooms should be popping up through the forest floor. The dogwoods are turning red, and their turban-shaped flower buds are already formed in preparation for next spring.
Listen for the arrival of white-throated sparrows. Their call is a clear whistle: “sweet, sweet Canada, Canada, Canada,” which is where they have been for the past summer. Soon they will stop calling and stay quiet for the winter. Tall grasses, wildflowers and other “weedy” plants that produce lots of seeds are an important food source for birds and mammals. Most of the nighttime insect noise now comes from snowy tree crickets. Keep your eyes on the sky as many kinds of hawks migrate south. Luna moth caterpillars, and many others, pupate; the moths will emerge next May. Be careful not to disturb their chrysalises on plants and branches. Tree leaves are worn and looking tired, torn by insects and wind, and will soon begin to fall. On Oct. 4, Saturn will be directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth, making this the best time to observe Saturn.
Our roadsides are now graced with the small white flowers aptly named small white aster and the blue daisy-like New England aster. Walking through the woods, the wildflower most noticeable now is white wood aster. Witch hazel, one of the last trees to bloom, is now in flower. These small trees or shrubs are often found along stream banks. The flowers have four narrow twisted yellow petals. Look for fall butterflies like the buckeye, which has distinctive eyespots on its forewings and hind wings. Depending on where you are, you may or may not have lots of acorns. When an acorn famine occurs, groups of squirrels, called scurries, will travel to lands of plenty. Walnuts, which are often only produced every other year, are now plentiful on lawns and the forest floor.
Fall honeysuckle is very fragrant. Grass finally goes dormant. Beavers are very active as they store twigs underwater for the winter. Ferns turn yellow and wither, except for the Christmas fern, which stays green all winter. Insects and spiders have spent the summer hiding their eggs; now they hide themselves because wrens, titmice, chickadees, woodpeckers and other winter resident birds will spend the next six months relentlessly searching every nook and cranny for them. Early risers are now greeted by the great Orion constellation high in the southern sky in the pre-dawn darkness.
Fall colors are usually at their peak now. The reddest leaves in the forest belong to black gum. Tulip poplars are usually all yellow. Maples are usually red and yellow. Brown or burgundy leaves belong to the oaks. Holly berries turn red. Black and brown woolly bear caterpillars, the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth, amble about. The caterpillars have 13 distinct segments of either black or brown. The blacker the woolly bear, the harsher the winter, according to folklore (and one famous scientific study from the 1950s). Monday, Oct. 26, is the full Hunter’s Moon.