Yesterday, on the last day of astronomical summer, there were signs of autumn at Phillips Lake in southeast Columbia. Relatively mild air had displaced the dome of heat and a steady east breeze modified the impact of a potent September sun.
A pair of ospreys had stopped by to fish on the lake though migrant waterfowl have not yet arrived. On the other hand, cedar waxwings have formed their large, wandering winter flocks and a trio of yellow-rumped warblers, winter residents at this latitude, scoured a lakeside tree. Of course a wide variety of early autumn wildflowers adorned the meadows and the ripening berries of pokeweed await the avian harvest (photo).
We can only hope that the summer heat is gone for good but experience suggests otherwise. At least the shorter days are bringing in the first messengers of autumn.
