Is it Fall or Winter?
A murder of crows descended on the utility wire this morning, then on the roof of the house next door, then on the lawn, cawing and calling to each other. A brisk wind blew up the hill from the ocean as seagulls floated on wings overhead under stormy clouds. Even being so close to the ocean it is a sign of a storm approaching when gulls and crows take refuge over houses. Will it rain enough to water the potted plants in the yard? Succulents and cacti need some watering every now and again and having nature do it is so much better than water from the tap.
Mid-December and we are waiting anxiously for changes. While it is still Autumn, we know that the first day of winter is but three days away. Autumn has been fickle this year delivering too many days of low temperatures and little sun. The usual California coastal fall days of pleasant mid-70s sunshine eluded us and when those days finally arrived it was already December with days too short to enjoy them.
Suddenly the deciduous tree in the yard sprang into colors of orange and yellow, some leaves carpeting the ground below it. If the wind continues this tree will be bare by Christmas or maybe sooner.
The willows and sycamore trees along the bank of the creek leading into the estuary are all shades of yellow and brown. They wave and lean into the wind.
Great and snowy egrets and shorebirds hunker down on the edge of an estuary channel that is aglow with rust colored pickleweed.
All these colors say fall is here, but winter is on its way.
I know it is true because yesterday I heard the song of the Christmas bird in the yard. A black phoebe that visits here every year at this time. For years this bird has taken up residence, perching on the edges of the house gutters or along the top of the back fence. Audubon says it is common here year-round, but I only see it during fall and winter months. My yard must contain a good supply of insects because normally these birds like to be near water and while the creek is not far, it is still not close by.
Winter also brings a cousin of the black phoebe to the yard, a Says Phoebe. Distinctly different from the black phoebe I find it often lingering on the wire of a tomato plant stand in the neighbor’s garden. This bird also catches insects, sometimes on the fly and sometimes on the ground.
No matter what the season name might be, there is delight in seeing the gifts that nature brings to us. As the days grow shorter and shorter we know the fickle seasons will come and go but we count on things like the return of the black and Says phoebe to be a constant in our lives for many more years.
Published December 18, 2024 in The New Outdoors at Medium.com
Also see Ruth Ann's essays at ruthannangus.substack.com
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