What's blooming? The autumn prairies are ablaze with goldenrod, dark purple ageratum, brilliant white boneset, asters of different colors, and other fall flowers.
In forested areas we find the winged stems of Virginia crownbeard and yellow wingstem supporting masses of flowers. Note where these are blooming because when it turns cold, you will want to go back to look for "frost flowers," flower-like ribbons of ice crystals formed by certain plant species (more about frost flowers in next month's current events.)
Those of us who suffer from allergies to ragweed pollen know that the drab green flowers of ragweed are in full bloom, from now until the first hard freeze. What's good about ragweed? It grows in disturbed areas, holding soil that might otherwise wash or blow away. Bird watchers and hunters of turkey and quail know that ragweed patches are active places during the early winter because the seeds are a favorite of many kinds of songbirds and gamebirds.

 

Fall foliage report: The greens of summer have given way to a rich tapestry of colors in both prairies and forests. Here's the recipe required for a spectacular fall: enough rain to keep the vegetation from drying up and falling early, enough sun to allow the red and purples to develop, cool (35-45 degree) nights that allow pigments to form and remain and accumulate in the leaves' cells, and no hard freezes to turn the leaves brown and black. The peak of fall color in northeast Oklahoma varies each year, from mid-October to late November. The peak is sometimes defined as the time when, not only is there a lot of color, but there are about equal amounts of green leaves and bare branches.
Fall color can also be found among the ripening fruits and berries.

 

Butterflies: Waves of monarchs have been passing through. On September 23rd and October 4th hundreds went through Oxley Nature Center. Other butterflies migrate, too: painted ladies, American ladies, common buckeyes, gulf fritillaries, red admirals, and several species of skippers. The end of September produced a wonderful late hatching of great purple hairstreaks, normally seen only one at a time and very occasionally. The first week of October we observed 2 or 3 at a time in Meadowlark Prairie!
Photo by Susie Ruby	Photo by Jim Thayer	Photo by Donna Horton

 

Insects, spiders and other arthropods: >Singing insects, like crickets and katydids, sing more slowly and at a lower pitch, as temperatures fall. Cold-blooded creatures will be hard to find after the first freeze. Ladybugs migrate, travelling as much as 50 to 100 miles. We sometimes find them denning up for the winter in crowds. The orb-weaving spiders are especially spectacular during the fall.

 

Fish, Amphibians, and Reptiles: Throw a fine net out into shallow water in the fall, and you may be surprised to find tiny black catfish, about as long as your finger! Some of the frog species are often fooled at this time of year (like many wildflowers) into thinking it is spring. The longer nights and cool temperatures and rainy weather are similar to February or early March. There will probably be enough time before the first frost for a crop of tadpoles to hatch and turn to frogs. Baby reptiles, like this little common snapping turtle, can be found at this time, too.

 

Birds: The pelicans are in! Most of Oklahoma's large lakes and rivers have got flocks of these spectacular white giants (8-foot wingspans!) with black wingtips, soaring and floating and diving for food with great crashes into the water. Pelicans usually pass through Oklahoma during migration, but in recent years flocks have overwintered on some area lakes. Other migrants are moving, too. Hummingbirds are gone, scissortails will be gone soon, waterfowl and sparrows will be here at any moment. Each cold front carries a new wave; come out and join us for a free birding program on the first Saturday of the month. We meet at Oxley's parking lot at 8:00 am, and are usually finished by 9:45 am.

 

Mammals: Busy, busy, busy! All of the mammals are doing their best to add to their layers of fat, eating and eating. Many of the rodents and other small mammals are storing away food and preparing winter quarters. Others, like red bats, are leaving, migrating to warmer winter sites. The acorn crop is especially important to many mammals, especially the deer population. If the acorns are abundant, the pregnant does will be healthy enough to carry twins or even triplets to full term. If the acorns are scarce, there may be only single fawns born next spring. This is also the time of year to look for small trees with the bark stripped and ragged from bucks scraping the velvet off their antlers.

Sky: October's New Moon happens at 6:18 am Central Daylight Time (CDT) on the 6th. October's Hunter's Moon is full at 2:20 pm CDT on the 21st. Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, October 27th at 2:00 am. Be sure to set your clocks back one hour!