For me, the first sign of Autumn has always been the changing colors of leaves. The Black Oak trees have begun to change colors this past week. These trees are surrounded by the Evergreens that dominate the landscape.
A new sign for me that Autumn has arrived is the filling of acorns into tree trunks by the Acorn Woodpeckers. Thousands can be found up and down a "granary" tree. Quite impressive!
There are other busy woodpeckers. Today I saw both White-headed woodpeckers and the Nuttall's woodpeckers which are endemic to California.They seemed to enjoy the same spots on specific trees for they followed each other back and forth as I watched. At one point, they sat side by side on a branch.
My favorite is the one dressed in spots and stripes - The Northern Flicker.
Some days, finding a bird leads you further and further down an unknown path. When we heard the beautiful flute like song in this meadow we found ourselves being led by an elusive bird which continually flew away from us and kept itself hidden in the tall grass.
Eventually, our persistence paid off and the Western Meadowlark landed on a fence post for us to enjoy.
Some days, I get an unexpected surprise. This magnificent Red-shouldered hawk landed on a branch outside my window this week!
I couldn't have picked a better spot for these Western Bluebirds to land - another special moment.
There are lots of changes to observe during this season.
I look forward to seeing and sharing views of Autumn in the different places that we live and visit.
