Fall is an active time of year for all varieties of life on Little St. Simons Island! Here are a few observations made by the naturalists this month:

• Goldenrod is in full bloom; species include Flat-topped and Seaside.
• Baccharis halimifolia, called Silverling or Groundsel-tree is blooming; it provides one of the latest sources of nectar for fall butterflies such as Monarch, Zebra Longwing, or Gulf Fritillary
• Greenfly Orchid is in bloom
• It is a good time for certain species of fungus; Chicken-of-the-woods, Column Stinkhorn, and Golden Fairy Club are among some of the fruiting fungi at the moment
• Many snakes have been on the move recently; species sighted include Eastern King Snake, Black Racer, Corn Snake, Eastern Diamondback, and Banded Water Snake
• Fallow Deer are making scrapes in the woods
• River Otter have been sighted in the compound
• Painted Bunting sightings have diminished; most have migrated south and will return next April
• Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech Owls are calling and can even be heard right in the compound!

Summer’s vegetables have come and gone, and fall crops have taken their place in the LSSI organic garden. Fall is one of the most productive seasons for plants in our gardens, thanks to milder temperatures and less pressure from insects. The fall garden includes a variety of vegetables, herbs, and cutting flowers. They include carrots, radishes, green beans, collards, pok choi, chard, arugula, mesclun mix, green onions, parsley, cilantro, oregano, sage, thyme, tarragon, mint, sorrel, dill, chives, chervil, fennel, nasturtiums, pansies, calendula, and micro-green sprouts of beets, radishes, peas, mizuna, and cabbage! What a variety! All of these wonderful plants will be used to the fullest advantage in the Lodge kitchen so guests can enjoy their rich organic flavors and colors. We continue to recycle kitchen waste into usable soil and compost teas by using vermicompost, tumbler, and stationary bin composting systems.

Beachcombing on Little St. Simons Island is always special; there are always beautiful shells and other treasures just waiting to be discovered by the right eye. This time of year is particularly fun for beach walkers; now is the time of year that is best for sea beans. Sea beans, also sometimes called drift seeds, are just that. They are seeds that have floated on ocean currents from other parts of the world.  Many sea beans start out growing on trees and vines in tropical regions, and drift down waterways such as rivers until they eventually reach the sea. At sea, they float on currents and may travel thousands of miles before landing on shore! Some sea beans are from nearby, like acorns and walnuts that float down the Altamaha River. Sea Beans will float because they usually contain some sort of air pocket. They come in a number of varieties including Sea Hearts, Hamburger Beans, Sea Golf Balls, Tropical Almonds, Coconuts, and many others!

Guests are “hooked on” fall fishing on Little St. Simons Island, and for good reason! A good number of bull Reds have been taken in the surf; these giants are measuring between 25 – 41 inches and weighing over 20 pounds! Of course, we are releasing them back into the sea, but not before capturing a few memorable photos! Bluefish and Spotted Sea Trout have also been taken in the surf. The creeks are where the keeper fish are found… smaller Reds, Flounder, Black Drum, and more Sea Trout have been caught on dead shrimp and on artificial lures.

Tens of thousands of Tree Swallows are migrating south for the winter, and taking advantage of the habitat and food on Little St. Simons Island! We have been delighted to watch the antics and acrobatics of these large flocks of beautiful little birds. The swallows are feeding both on insects and on the berries of Wax Myrtle trees. The flocks can be seen on every part of the island, and in particular on the east side of the island in and above the myrtles near the beach, and even right on the open sand of the beach. Guests are not the only ones interested in the iridescent birds; Peregrines and Merlins are also keen on them! The mass migration is one of the most spectacular sights of the fall on LSSI.

Muhlenbergia filipes is in full color right now, and fields of the grass are bursting with purple color. The infloresence, or flower cluster, is called a panicle. The panicle has a group of flowers arranged along a common axis.

So far, October has been a fantastic time for birding on LSSI. Sancho Panza beach continuously wows with large, diverse groups of birds. Most notable have been the large flocks of Red Knots, which have numbered in the thousands over several different occasions. Also, groups of Marbled Godwits numbering in the low hundreds are amazing to watch, especially when they are in flight with the sun shining on their cinnamon color. Long-billed Curlew have been present nearly every day; the highest count for one day so far is 6. American Oystercatchers are in large wintering flocks; it is not unusual to see groups of 100 or more together at Sancho Panza beach. Many of the Oystercatchers have leg bands, and the states represented include mostly Georgia birds (red bands), followed by Virginia (black bands), North Carolina (green), and even New Jersey (orange)! Other notable birds that have been seen at Sancho Panza include Lesser and Great Black-backed Gulls, Reddish Egret, Bald Eagle, and lots of Peregrine Falcons. Hundreds of Black Skimmers are present. Also, a group of American White Pelicans have been spotted both at Sancho Panza beach and across the Altamaha River near Egg Island.

Myrtle Pond has also been a great spot to bird this month. There have been quite a few sightings of American Bittern in flight. Common Moorhen, Pied-billed Grebe, Blue-winged Teal, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, and Willet are among the species seen from the north dike.

Many passerines have been moving through the island, including Blackburnian Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Seaside Sparrow, Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, and Loggerhead Shrike, among others.