The Marion County Conservation Department released their August Nature Notes earlier this week. According to Marion County Naturalist Marla Mertz, fawns are beginning to fade their camouflaging spots and the velvet covering the antlers of bucks will be shedding in the near future. Muskrats are beginning to store their winter food in the wetland areas, and squirrels and nut eaters are locating a wealth of food for the winter as the hickory, oak, and walnut trees are dropping. Mertz also notes that species of swallows are lining up on the power lines and being seen in large groups as they gather in preparation for migration.