Fall has officially arrived

The Autumnal Equinox has passed and Fall is officially here.

At the Aerie, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds have moved south. None have appeared at the feeders for the last few days so we pulled the sugar water feeders. The Gold Finches have shed their bright yellow plumage and are now a drab olive green. (Unlike the Philadelphia Eagles and, now that they're on the tube, the Washington Redskins. Must be a retro uniform thing this weekend.)

The trees are starting to show more and more color as the shorter days trigger the end of chlorophyll production and other colors begin to show through. There's a smattering of red and yellow out there on the hills. Even the pines are showing a bit of brown as some of the older needles are being shut off. Of course, the needles at the tips of the branches are still bright green and will continue to photosynthesize for much of the winter and for a year or two more before they are worn out.