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.
Coon Breeding Moon – November
As you drive down roads this time of year, be aware of the raccoons who are crossing, especially at night. Look for their human-like footprints in the mud and it will clarify why they held such an important place in local storytelling lore.
This month is peak waterfowl migration and the eagles are returning to cottonwood trees along the river. Their white heads and black bodies with large flat wingspans can also be seen in the blue skies, and if you lay on the ground and watch the sky for a while, chances are that you’ll see some migratory bird flocks fly by, sometimes at very high altitudes.
Most leaves are migrating to the ground, with most trees becoming mostly bare in the first week of the month or so. It’s time too get your bird feeders going and this month is when some hunting seasons begin–check the Parks and Wildlife website for details.
It really is a great time to take walks, with insects gone and wildlife made more visible by the leaf drop. The longer nights can draw you into watching the winter constellations which are beginning to rise in the east, with some of the prettiest and dramatic stars of the year, whether you are looking through binoculars, a telescope or your eyes.
Ken: I am so glad that Linda Evans told me about this post that you do every week! One question: on the moon info, what does “Moon south” mean? Thanks for your good work! -Nancy Hawkins ________________________________________
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“Moon south” refers to the moment the moon is at the southernmost point in the sky. Like the sun, the moon rises in the east and sets in the west, and like the sun, “noon” is the southernmost or half way point in the path it takes across the sky from rising to setting. If the sky is clear, it’s easy to know when the sun is at its southernmost point/noon, but the moon’s “noon” moves later almost an hour each day in relation to the sun’s “noon.” But it’s also the time when the moon is highest in the sky, so if it’s a decent time of day, it can be a good time to look for it. Right now, with the moon just past full, I love to watch it setting in the west in the morning. By the time it gets to last quarter moon (next week), it’s a good time to look to the south and see the shrinking moon hanging high in the south during the morning times listed in next week’s “Moon south” column. Let me know what you think!
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