9-20-07 Observations

- More seasonal weather at last prevails....cool nights (low-mid 50s), mild or warm days....70s/80s

- We had an inch and a quarter of rain 9-13-07 and though it helped, it is still bone dry here...lakes and ponds almost all are either down considerably or dry altogether.

- Many Maple, Poplar, as well as other species have dropped some of their leaves...the Sourgums are already turned burgundy and many of the Dogwoods and Blackgums have turned as well....a month too soon!

- Seeing deer everywhere...see attached for a good buck that wandered into my yard recently...just before nightfall...at times he was within 15' of my front porch! The buck acted like there was not a threat within miles....and perhaps there wasn't.

- Coyotes serenade nightly, even to the point of waking me the last two nights (windows open). I suspect what I am hearing is mom and dad coyote returning from nocturnal hunts to a den site across the valley behind my cabin..... to the joy of 2-4 pups, who do not mind voicing their elation. The yips and howls are quite intense for 3-4 minutes, then all is again quiet.

- Birds have been more predictable....Mourning Doves all over the feeders as well as under them, the Goldfinches and Nuthatches still daily visitors. I did see a female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak recently....that almost went to sleep on one of my feeders... sat there for 10-12 minutes before being startled by a Nuthatch coming for a meal. The Titmice and Chickadees daily visitors, as well.

9-8-07 Observations

- Continued hot and dry....no significant rain since back in July.......
- Blackgum, Maple, Tulip Poplar leaves, among many, already falling......
- All the creeks dry....Little Pond Park....the pond...almost totally dry.....a first.
- To make matters worse, this is, by the almanac averages, our driest time of year, so water recovery not likely any time soon.
- Many counties are in emergency mode....water conservation measures made mandatory in many counties. According to the State of TN....this is in the top 2% of the driest periods on record.
- Yellow Jackets now beginning to seek shelter....a dangerous time for hikers and those mowing lawns....as these small aggressive wasps congregate....and this time of year seem to be quite angry.
- Saw 7 deer yesterday while on a late PM bike ride....they seemed happy. One fawn ran along through the woods parallel to me...and wound up in my yard.
- Forecast for dry through the next three days, then perhaps a chance of rain 9-11-07. And then somewhat cooler weather.
- The top 40" of the ground extremely dry....according to SCO, about the driest it has ever been....significance? Most all roots of deciduous species are in this layer. I have already witnessed the end result of this.....a sad ending for many trees.

Glad To See September

- The heat wave seems to be broken.....Thank God for September after the hottest August on record.....and one of the driest....

- Other than a few showers the last two days....rainfall still needed badly.

- This AM in the mid 60s...but humid...and the forecast high around 86 for today....average.

- Late PM on earlier in the week three deer, including one buck, made its way into my yard and spent considerable time....30 minutes or so, which is much longer than usual. I have seen five whitetail bucks this late summer, coming to the mineral blocks, but this is the first time seeing this particular one (see attached photo).

- It the time of the full moon, so perhaps they are now coming at night.

- Leaves are falling all around my cabin, and some of the trees, particularly some large oaks, appear to be dying from the top. A brutal year for all flora.....record cold in April....record heat in August, and drought for the last 18 months.