Week 42 - Green-Wood Cemetery

It's hard to believe that we just concluded week #42. The pace of change is slowing and, by next month, will need to look more closely at the plants and animals for any seasonal transformations.

Most of the warbler species have moved on leaving only the more hardy Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

A definitive sign of Autumn and the increasing cooler weather are the frequent sight and sound of southbound geese.

Canada Geese

Songbirds have moved on from one depleted source of food to the next. The crabapple trees at Cedar Dell are now the hotspot for bird activity. Robin, waxwings, lingering orioles, recently arrived Purple Finches and even woodpeckers are flocking to these trees.

American Robin

Purple Finch

Baltimore Oriole

Among the sparrow species now occupying the cemetery is a distinct increase in White-throated Sparrows. A few, more scarce, White-crowned Sparrows have also been seen. I expect Fox Sparrows to be making an appearance very soon.

White-throated Sparrow

Immature White-crowned Sparrow

There has been a lot of Red-tailed Hawk activity lately. Some of the aerial battles involve our local pairs, but there are probably several migrating individuals that stuck around, much to the displeasure of the residents. A few Cooper's Hawks appear to have settled in for the cold months and are interacting with the Red-tails. In addition, our lone cemetery Red-tailed offspring is still learning the ropes and is at the "ignore the humans" phase of development.

Red-tailed and Cooper's Hawks fighting

Immature Red-tailed Hawk

Red-headed Woodpeckers are sometimes seen passing through the cemetery during migration. Occasionally a juvenile will end up spending the winter. There is currently one frequenting oak trees along Battle Hill. I watched it collecting acorns and caching them in holes in a Horsechestnut tree. Maybe that is an indication that it is planning on hanging around this winter.

Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker

The colorful asters and other wildflowers are starting to dry and go to seed. The timing is perfect for the assortment of sparrows and finches that make Green-Wood Cemetery their winter haunt.

Dried asters

The scent of decaying leaves has begun to permeate the cemetery. Unfortunately, also at this time of year, our sense of smell is sometimes assaulted by the abundant dropped fruit beneath Ginkgo trees. The smell of these fallen fruits are frequently described as rancid cheese or vomit. It is caused by butyric acid, which is the same chemical in the aforementioned description. Now is the time to avoid walking under Ginkgo trees so as not to transport the fruit's pulp in one's shoe treads. Despite the terrible odor, many animals do eat them. In the cemetery, I frequently spot Raccoon scat dominated by ginkgo pits.

Ginkgo berries