SJ Rozan

The grass is still green and thriving, but the leaves are fading, crisping brown at the tips, or turning glorious colors as they variously will.  The air is cool, though not yet cold.  The wind has started to raise sharper waves on the river.  The gray slate pathway is dotted with gold and tan, this leaf-trickle soon to be a flood.  Many of the migrating birds have come and gone.  The local mallards and Canada geese are still here, as are the local cormorants, though bands of cormorants can be seen overhead heading to their winter quarters.  Yesterday, to my surprise, a sloppy V of Brant geese raced chaotically south along the river. Way too early for them in the usual way of things, but climate change being what it is, they must have had a good reason for leaving the Arctic this soon. I hope they find a welcome where they’re going.