Reported on October 1st, 2001
Fall flowers are in full bloom: Yellow
wingstem, Virginia crownbeard,
Canada goldenrod, Cardinal Flower, Blue sage, and Passionflower. The vine with
clusters of bright red fruits is Carolina snailseed. 

Fall foliage report: Smooth sumac is showing scarlet here and there.
Some poison ivy vines are a spectacular maroon. A few Virginia creepers are
turning orange and red. Enormous yellow leaves from Red mulberry are beginning
to carpet the ground along Red Fox Trail
.
Butterflies: Gulf Fritillaries have joined the more common Variegated
Fritillaries in Meadowlark Prairie. We are still hoping to photograph the less
common Great Spangled Fritillaries so that we can document their occurrences in
Tulsa County. Fritillary caterpillars are numerous on the Passionflower vines.
The Monarch migration is happening.
Other insects: A few Scissor Grinder Cicadas are calling from the
trees in the evening, but crickets of all kinds are more vocal.
Herps: Bullfrog tadpoles are showing up as new little bullfrogs at the
edge of B.J.'s Pond. Leopard frogs are calling.
Birds: A Virginia Rail has been seen at Blackbird Marsh. The warbler
migration is in full swing. Recent reports include Canada Warbler, Mourning
Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and
Yellow-breasted Chat. Blue Jays are migrating south by ones and twos. Look
overhead in the evenings to see Common Nighthawks swooping toward the south in
their fall migration, as well. The hummingbirds will be gone soon. Sparrows have
begun to appear.
Sky: The waxing gibbous Moon has passed bright red Mars in the
southern sky. The Full "Harvest" Moon will happen on October 2nd.
Venus is brilliant in the east before sunrise. Look higher in the southeast for
the bright planet, Jupiter.