Outdoor Almanac

This September, watch for hawks in the sky, mushrooms in the forest, wildflowers in field, and more. 

What will you discover this September? Visit a nearby wildlife sanctuary or join a program to make the most of your month.

SEPTEMBER

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Dragonflies and damselflies can be found hunting over fields and wetlands. Dragonflies are stout-bodied and sit with their wings out to their sides. Damselflies have long, slender abdomens, eyes on the sides of their heads, and usually sit with their wings together over their backs. 

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Look for male Ospreys tending to their young. Females migrated last month; peak migration for males and young is later this month. 

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Red-tailed hawks, our most common raptor, can be found soaring over cities, suburbs and fields. If you see a soaring or perched bird that is the right size and shape, but it has a brown banded tail that is one of this year’s juveniles. They will not grow their distinctive brick-red tail until next year. 

This September, we're going wild for Red-tailed Hawks, with program, free downloadables, limited-edition tee shirts, a giveaway, and more. Go wild for hawks

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Mushrooms seem to pop up overnight with the first cooler rains—puffballs, stinkhorns, hen of the woods, and more appear throughout the fall. Stinkhorns usually live up to their name, with a slimy, elongated body and vile smell. 

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Raptors, including Broad-winged and Red-shouldered Hawks, are beginning their migration south. They take advantage of thermal soaring, where they effortlessly glide between bubbles of warm, rising air. 

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Although rarely seen because of their nocturnal behavior, Ring-necked Snakes are common throughout New England. Snake eggs are hatching, giving the young snakes a few weeks before the temperature drops and hibernation begins. 

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Not all migrating orange butterflies are Monarchs; Painted and American Ladies also migrate this time of year. Monarch wings are orange on both the dorsal (upper) and ventral (lower) surfaces. The dorsal surface of American and Painted Lady wings is orange, but the ventral surface is spotted gray-brown.  

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Yellowjackets often build their nests in vacant rodent tunnels beneath the ground. However, these hidden nests are no match for the skunks, raccoons, and black bears that dig into the ground for a nutritious yellowjacket snack. 

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New England Aster is one of the more vibrant wildflowers seen in fall. Insects take advantage of their abundance late in the season, including Brown-hooded Owlet caterpillars. 

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Before migrating, Common Loons feed in groups, also known as rafts. Experts believe rafting helps the loons feed more efficiently by spending less time defending territories and more time eating.  

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Today is the Fall Equinox, or the first day of fall. Day and night are both 12 hours long. 

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Look for Jewelweed, also known as spotted touch-me-not, on wet roadsides and other damp, shady areas. If you gently touch their seed pods, the tightly wound pods will suddenly burst, dispersing the seeds widely. Until the temperatures drop below 40°F, Jewelweed continues to flower providing nectar for remaining pollinators. 

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Woodchucks are eating as much as they can to add 30-40 percent to their body weight before hibernation. If they can’t accumulate enough fat reserves, they will not survive the winter. 

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Full Moon 

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Dark-eyed Juncos can be found year-round in some parts of Massachusetts, but their population increases in the fall as many return from the north to overwinter here. Look for their distinctive dark hood, white breast and pink beak and listen for their sweet bell-like trills. 

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Last day to enter the Mass Audubon Photo Contest. If you have taken photos of any of the wonderful things listed in the almanac, enter them at massaudubon.org/picturethis.