Ken Lassman has been keeping this almanac for over a decade, He invites you to share your observations and photos in the comments section. You can find his book Wild Douglas County at The Raven Bookstore and The Community Mercantile in Lawrence.
Deer Mating Moon – October
The Osage called this time Deer Mating Moon to commemoratee the very noticeable ree-appearance of the bucks, who are beginning to “rut,” which they literally do with their hooves. They find a prominent place and scrape the groundcover clear of vegetation as part of their mating ritual.
Hackberry, ash, box elder and elm trees are the first to turn yellow this month, providing nice contrast to the reds of sumac, poison ivy and Virginia creeper as their green chlorophyll plays out leaving either the yellow or red chlorophylls to collect the shorter day’s sunlight. Mid-late month spells the end of the growing cycle for annuals with the first killing frosts coming then most years. Mid-month is a great time to find native prairie patches, looking for the coppery colored grasses that distinguish them from the greens of cool season grasses such as brome, fescue and, of course, wheat.
Bird migration is building all month, with seagulls that breed in Canada passing through the area, along with pelicans, geese, and various ducks. A trip to Clinton or any other area reservoir, or the Wakarusa Wetlands is almost always a rewarding outing, whether it be for the migrating fowl around sunrise or sunset, or the changing colors of fall. This is the favorite time of year for many folks who like to be outdoors–what are you waiting for?
The squirrel and rabbit population in our yard has finally gotten under control. The grass around the hackberry tree is dusted with tufts of fur. This spring a pair of Cooper’s hawks decided a nearby maple tree was a safe place for raising its family. The pair are very busy hunting for food for their soon-to-fledge nestlings. As my husband and I enjoy our meals on the back porch, the hawks eat, too. The sounds they make while preparing their catch on the top of the utility pole at the end of our driveway is my signal to look up. Having this chance to observe their behavior at such a close range has been a thrill. I wonder if the Cooper hawks will leave come winter, after their brood(s) have fledged. If so, I will miss them and hope they return next spring.
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There are some redtail hawks that regularly perch on a telephone pole alongside our driveway, and in addition to watching their breathtaking flights across the field when we drive by, it’s comforting to think of all of the mice, cotton rats, squirrels and rabbits that they keep in check from their vantage point.
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