Marion County Naturalist Marla Mertz says it’s a great time to do some birdwatching. She says that warblers, kinglets, towhees, and many of the sparrow species have been seen feeding on ivy, dogwood, honeysuckle, and other berry producing shrubs. The slate-colored juncos (snowbirds) have already been noticed in the state and she said they have already been located within the Marion County area as well.

The little junco’s seem to trigger the thought that winter is just around the corner.

The woodland floor is filled with several types of mushrooms, acorns, and nuts. The large puffballs appear to be a gigantic moon with large craters left by land snails and slugs. 

Mertz tells KNIA/KRLS News, “We still have insect retirement going on. With all the different weather changes, it’s kind of up and down. On the warmer days we find lots of butterflies still out nectering on different plants. They are also cuddling in the mud or wet parts of the ground where they can get nutrients. The most common butterflies we find now are painted ladies and red admirals.”

A lot of butterflies migrate while others tuck under the bark.