Nature Connection: Fading Into Fall

There’s something about September that brings both sighs of relief and smiles of happiness. The roads are less crowded, the beaches are ours again, and we can venture back into our favorite restaurants without a long wait. The air is cooler and crisper in the mornings and warmer in the afternoons but not suffocatingly hot. People are happy to see each other again and catch up, and all around us nature is quietly changing her palette.

The frantic pace of summer isn’t just a human thing, of course. Flowers bloom profusely, and every gardener knows they like to compete for the best spaces for sun and moisture. Sometimes they push and shove each other like little school children in line for the lunchroom, trying to secure the best spot.

Birds are raising their young all summer long, desperately trying to outsmart the many predators that love to steal a good egg or baby bird. Not only will hawks, crows, blue jays and a surprising number of other birds and small mammals gobble these up themselves, but they will also feed them to their own young. It’s a tough world out there, but somehow many do survive, even prosper.

Insects breed and procreate in large numbers, providing food for many as well as a chance to pass their genetic heritage along. This is true of many water creatures, both fresh and saltwater types, as well. Hundreds, even thousands of eggs are laid, most of which never reach immature status, never mind adulthood. As the season fades, so does the craziness of all this life and death urgency. It doesn’t end, but it does quiet down.

If you’ve been out and about lately you know the last of our summer flowers are beginning to fade. Many have already gone to seed. On a recent walk by a field, I was surrounded by little puffs of seeds floating about. All hope to find a good place to grow, but of course many fall on concrete or other inhospitable surfaces, and others simply get eaten.

There have been a few last hurrahs of blooming, especially among the rosa rugosas, but they will soon be only memories. The hips are ripe and are being eaten by deer, rabbits and birds, as well as a few humans who brave the wiry and sticky innards to make tea or jam.

It was a good beach plum year, at least on the mid-Cape, but those are already shriveling and falling to the ground. There are still a few bushes just ripening, but most have already gone by, at least where I tromp about.

The marshes are beginning to turn color but if you go early in the morning, you might be treated to a lovely sight. Orb spiders weave their webs in the tall grasses, and if you’re lucky you may come across dozens of them sparkling in the sun. By midday many have been broken through, but most spiders will rebuild them overnight. They are especially lovely to see when they are shining bright with dew.

Many of our local mammals are now sporting duller coats that will help them camouflage amongst the duller colors of fall and winter. Birds, too, will appear duller as they molt their brighter feathers.

Butterflies and dragonflies will disappear quietly as the weather cools. Some, like the monarchs and large green darner dragonflies, will migrate. Others, however, will lay eggs and slowly fade away, becoming food for birds, fish, frogs or other insects or falling to the ground, their bright energy now snuffed out for good.

Daylight hours are shrinking, making it darker in the early morning and early evening hours. The sun is lower in the sky each day, and the beaches are still beautiful but visited by fewer people each week. It’s a great time for walking, birding, collecting dried flowers or seeds, or harvesting wild fruits.

Summer fades every September, and somehow we feel a certain melancholy as it does so, even though we have plenty of warning. After all, it happens every year. Fall is lovely, perhaps one of our favorite seasons here, but it is also the precursor to winter. 

It’s a good time to get out and about but keep vigilant about ticks and mosquitoes, as neither are ever in a hurry to fade away. Mosquitoes will die off as the air gets colder, but not ticks. Ticks are year-round little buggers, so don’t let your guard down. Just be smart and check yourself every time you have been in grassy or wooded areas.

There’s still time to see whales and go fishing, to see migrating shorebirds and late blooming asters and goldenrods. The fading light and colors of September can be magical if we decide to enjoy the changing palette and the change of pace it provides.

As one season transitions to another, it is a good time to stop and think about the ways we can be better stewards of our own yards and neighborhoods. This year’s plants provide fall and winter food for many species, so let them die back naturally where you can. Learn about ways to control weeds and unwanted pests that don’t include poisons. Chat with your neighbors and housing associations without being confrontational. I find most people want to learn when given a chance. Hopefully our cultural reliance on poisons will fade away as easily as summer flowers.