Autumn is slowly making its way into the garden. Even though the daytime temperatures have been very warm for October the hours of sunlight are less each day. Nights are cool and not as full of the sound of insects as just a couple of weeks ago. Leaves seem to be on the verge of losing that dominate cool green. A few have just fallen to the ground without the usual fanfare. Soon the hidden path through the woodland will show clearly, no longer affording cover to small children or other creatures passing through.


A breeze feels chill, much cooler than the sun warmed air, causing goose bumps to rise. Debris falls from branches above, squirrels are insulating extra nests, filling caches.Spiders weave large webs to catch every last available prey.
Thrush run along the woodland edge, stop to listen intently, then scamper on. Fuzzy black and orange caterpillars are found in the oddest places. Mornings are misty fog.

I stood in the window watching a small sparrow looking bird (although it was not the common house sparrow) as it landed on the trellis,then flew at the ripe dark blue Virginia creeper berries hanging in clusters, snatching one at a time. It came back again and again over several days until not a single berry remained. I was never close enough to see the bird clearly.

A Downy woodpecker searched for insects on the branches overhead , then for the first time since I have been watching woodpeckers in trees, the little woodpecker flew down to land on a pile of small leafless branches very near me and continued to forage seeming not at all concerned by my presence.