Happening in Nature - October
• Fall is here! With the weather starting to get cooler and summer food resources diminishing,
expect more birds at your feeders.
• Make sure nectar in hummingbird feeders is fresh because Anna's hummingbirds should become
a regular visitor starting this month.
• October through December, the marsh near Emerald Downs has regular sightings of Dunlins.
Go check them out!
• If you want to see many of Washington's migratory birds all in one place, go to Nisqually Natural
Wildlife Refuge and you can see Rough-legged Hawks, Greater White-fronted Geese, Green-winged
Teals, Short-billed Dowitchers and many other species of birds.
• During October, Canvasback ducks have been regularly seen at the Tracy Owen Station at Log Boom
Park in Kenmore.
• Watch for Bald Eagles and other local birds by going to one of these places:
Marymoor Park in Redmond
Discovery Park in Seattle's Magnolia district
Union Bay Natural Area, locally known as the 'Union Bay Marsh' near UW Seattle campus
• The Orionids Meteor Shower starts mid October. The peak of the meteor shower varies year to
year but is usually between October 20-23rd. Drive away from the city lights to see the most meteors!
• Turkey Vultures, Ospreys and Violet-green and Barn Swallows depart.
• Little Brown Bat in hibernaculum for winter.
• Now is a great time to clean out and repair nest boxes and put up roosting boxes. This will give
birds a place to hide and stay warm if there are any storms or when winter comes and the weather
becomes especially cold.
• Fall storms can push Juncos to lower elevation feeding stations. Since Juncos like a little millet,
this is an ideal time to try our No-Mess Low Millet!
• Anna's Hummingbirds increase at feeders through the western lowlands of Oregon, Washington
and southern BC.
• The last Rufous Hummingbirds leave for the winter. Don't worry, Anna's Hummingbirds stay
year-round in the Pacific Northwest!
• Evening Grosbeak flocks become common at feeders with oil sunflower seed or sunflower chips.
• Some Clark's Nutcrackers move down in elevation and become more common around bird feeders.
Nature Happenings
• Want to be a participant for Project Feeder Watch? If this will be your first year, sign up now so you'll be
ready to count your birds in November! Feeder Watch - How to Participate