Nature of New England

Seasons of Nature in New England
- Early Autumn -

• Photos of fall foliage in New England
• Black bears are gaining weight for the winter - feeding heavily on acorns and beechnuts, where available.
• White-tailed bucks are establishing their dominance hierarchy through ritualized sparring and displays.
• The oak trees are shedding their acorns - providing food for many species of wildlife.
• The mating calls of crickets and grasshoppers are in the air.
• During this period, Monarch butterflies begin their migration south. Most will spend the winter in Mexico, usually arriving there in November.
• Usually by mid-September, the leaves of the red maples are just beginning to change color. The fall foliage season normally reaches its peak around the first week of October, although it varies a great deal from year to year.
• Many songbirds, including the warblers, have begun their southward migration, although some will not migrate until a little later in the fall.
• Hawks can be seen migrating during the daytime hours.
• The purple New England asters will bloom during this time. The white wood asters and lance-leaved goldenrod began blooming in late summer and will continue to bloom into the early autumn.

Note:  The "early autumn" period is the time from approximately September through mid-October.  Timing of events will vary depending upon your latitude and elevation.

Seasons of Nature in New England Archives