September 28-October 4, 2025
Thank goodness for sunny days and fall colors
After weeks of haze and smoke, the sky finally cleared to reveal a world of fall colors this week.
Week in Review
For the first few days, this week continued the long, monotonous run of dreary days that characterized the second half of the summer. In other words, there was little motivation to go outside, and little to see in the natural world.
Then a front rolled through with a buildup of clouds, wind, and light rain—and when the sun popped out afterwards everything had changed. Suddenly, it felt like butterflies and birds where everywhere, and as soon as I started walking around I discovered that fall colors were at their peak!
Not only where there butterflies and birds, but along one dusty road I encountered multiple snakes crossing the road and heading for the nearby hillside. I'm guessing that they were all heading to overwintering den sites because snakes are already starting to disappear for the winter.
Even if you're not seeing any birds, this is apparently their peak migration. Yesterday, I spoke with some birders who had just come down from Maple Pass and they reported seeing a continuous parade of yellow-rumped warblers, along with multiple sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks, following alpine ridges. Kent Woodruff mentioned that October 3 has historically been the peak day for raptor migration at the Chelan Ridge Hawkwatch site. And Peter Wimberger noticed on the BirdCast website that the peak number of migrating birds this fall occurred on the night of October 2-3.
The shift toward colder, wetter weather can also be seen in the emergence of early mushrooms. In one area I discovered a field of shaggy mane mushrooms forming an attractive display, and I think you'd find even more mushrooms in conifer forests at higher elevations.
I was also pleased to find a dragonfly so lethargic in the cooler temperatures that I was able to get amazing close up shots without it flying away!
Observation of the Week: Fall Colors
Although cottonwoods and other deciduous trees are still a few weeks from their peak fall colors on the valley floor, the displays are in full swing at higher elevations. And, with bright sunny days in the forecast, this will be the best week of the year to see fall colors so I hope you can get out to see them. Here are some snapshots of what you might see around the valley and higher mountains right now!
