Naturalist News – October 2010

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) - Nymphalids Cape May New Jersey. Photo by Donna L. Long.
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) – Nymphalids Cape May New Jersey. Photo by Donna L. Long.

If you keep a naturalist’s field journal or a nature journal here are some writing and drawing prompts for this month.

October 2010 Nature Calendar
October New moon
October 8th – 9th – Draconids meteor shower
October 21st – 22nd – Full moon
October 22nd – Full moon
October 18th – 31st – Autumn colors peak in Southeastern Pennsylvania

What to observe right now October 2010

  • Look for migrating songbirds at your feeders
  • Squirrels busy storing food for winter
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are migrating south. Keep hummingbird feeders filled until freezing is a problem.
  • Monarch butterflies are migrating (Cape may point State Park is a good place to see the migration)
  • Waterfowl migrate south this month
  • Hawk migration peaks in mid-October (Cape May Point State Park, Fort Washington State Park, Hawk Mountain)
  • fungi (mushrooms) sprouting in the leaf litter

Natural History – What to learn now

  • Leaf colors of common trees
  • Why leaves change colors
  • Read information on migration in last month’s newsletter if you missed it.

Nature Photography and drawing –  What to photograph and draw

  • leaf colors
  • fall berries
  • nuts and seed pods
  • harvest time
  • animals preparing for winter (including humans)
  • mushrooms and fungi
  • fall flowers

Past Naturalist News

Naturalist News – Spring 2012

Naturalist News March 2011

Naturalist News December 2010

Naturalist News September 2010

 

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