Naturally Distracted: Cold? Or Cold-blooded Blues?

Naturally Distracted with Kirk Gentalen

‘October’ is, of course, the first full month of ‘Fall’ and what a beauty of transitional month it was this year! The leaf peepin’ ‘eye-candy’ was in ‘full force’ for the month, mushrooms were absolutely poppin’ after a slow, drought-y summer, and migratory birds were simply hoppin’ with their goings and comings. Lots of action in a wonderful October on the coast. Hope you got to enjoy some of it!

When we talk ‘transitional month’ we are, of course, referring to changes associated with the tilt of the earth and the corresponding dwindling length of daily daylight for the north hemisphere. You know – fall.

Towards the tail end of October, I was happy to cross paths with some critters that I didn’t necessarily expect to see at this time of year. Maybe a critter making a last ditch efforts for food before heading south or going to sleep? They may get an extra meal’s edge before hibernating. Some of these were straggler migrators for sure, the ones who push their luck by waiting to be ‘pushed south’.  Staying a little further north in winter than others, in an attempt to be the first ones back to breeding grounds next spring! Let’s face it – outliers rule!

It’s hard not to think of shorebirds as ‘summer’ visitors, since they are some of the earliest migratory birds to show up as they head south. It can feel a little unusual when they turn up along coastal Maine in July. Summer’s just starting, for crying out loud!

While paddling around the Winter Harbor/Seal Bay section of Vinalhaven shoreline on October 28, it was hard not to notice ‘straggler’ shorebirds on many of the rocky ledges. They were Greater Yellowlegs and Semi-palmated Sandpipers, two species that don’t necessarily head ‘too far’ south, with winter ranges extending into southern coastal New England and no further than the Chesapeake Bay. I saw plenty of both species on the ledges that day – and even though they didn’t have too far to migrate, they still had many miles to go! I was happy to see them, of course!

One might think that October would be an interesting month to be cold-blooded.  Kinda hard to imagine being cold-blooded in the first place, but I imagine it anyway. ‘Rest’ must be/feel different – a gradual slowing down of awareness and energy, and then a gradual wake up the next day, the next month, the next spring. With no awareness of the time ‘well-slept’. What a world!

It got cold in October – some frosty nights and days with highs in the 40s. The kind of day that would inspire a snake to sleep for the winter. In my ‘critter crossings’ last month this was not the case, snakes abound! But clearly moving a little slower.

Smooth Green Snakes are always fun to see, and seeing one during the October chills meant having a session with it where I was the one who left!

This fun one was slowly making its way through the woods, and eventually found itself a patch of sun to bask in, maybe 5 feet from where I first laid eyes on it. Living in the ‘heat of the moment’ – literally!

Gartner snakes were caught up in the cold as well – including this one I crossed paths with that didn’t move a muscle (that I could see). I never stay too long with snakes – don’t want to ‘funk their schway’ if you know what I mean – but I got the feeling I could have stayed next to this one all day and it would have been fine. Did it even see me? Did it even know I was there? I hope for its sake it warmed up, caught a meal, and then called it a year.

Snakes and shorebirds – wrapping up their active time along coastal Maine, and riding a wonderfully spectacular transitional month to its end!  See you in 2027, critter acquaintances! Enjoy the south and enjoy your sleep!