Fall Is Here!

In honor of the first day of Fall, I've changed the blog's banner, so if you're reading this via email or RSS, come check it out!

I read that the big leaf-change comes to Ann Arbor around the middle of October, but we've already seen some evidence in the trees around us.

The impending Fall seems to be affecting everything:

• The wildflowers are giving one last hurrah, lots of pretty colors in the park.

There's a grasshopper on the branch.

• The forests are beginning to thin out and pretty red branches can be seen. 

•  The last few grapes are hanging on, even though the grape leaves are turing red.

• And, in true Fall-fashion, there are apples everywhere! In our apartment complex, in the neighboring complex, along the main roads. Everywhere you look you see apples in different states of ripeness. Time to go apple picking!

• The pine trees have started to produce fruit as well. Soon they will be the only green left.

Juniperus virginiana: Red Juniper (aka Red Cedar)

Pine cones

• The squirrels have been running around like crazy, I assume hording food for the winter. Most of the birds are gone from the river now, but we can hear the geese passing overhead.

• Intricate webs are forming in the grass.

The herons and egrets are still around, though. On my walk on Wednesday I saw three great blue herons and three great white egrets. I even got to see one egret up close!

And I found a turtle in the grass — check out his long tail. Doesn't he look prehistoric?

I posted the turtle and a few other new pictures to the Fauna page.

I'm excited to see what else this change of seasons will bring us. I'll keep you posted!