On the back side of a potent storm system that brought heavy snow to the Central Rockies and tornadic thunderstorms to the Northern Plains, chilly air, low gray clouds and intermittent showers invaded the Heartland yesterday. After a morning low near 40 degrees F, the afternoon high topped out in the low fifties, some fifteen degrees below average.
At Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area, east of Columbia, the autumn chill invigorated the birdlife. Blue jays, northern flickers and red-bellied woodpeckers dominated the chorus, joined by black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice and white-breasted nuthatches. While migrant waterfowl have yet to arrive, noisy flocks of Canada geese moved about the lake and a lone bald eagle circled overhead. Turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks sailed along on the northwest wind and wild turkeys stalked the woodlands, feasting on a large crop of acorns.
More like November than early October, the damp chill put an end to our extended summer weather and served notice that winter lurks just to our north. Plenty of warm, sunny days lie ahead but the tide has turned and the flocks of autumn will soon fill our lakes and wetlands. As if to confirm that fact, the scent of wood smoke drifted through our neighborhood last evening, a fragrance that, in my mind, evokes the images of snowy days and clear, cold winter nights.
